Potentially moving to Cali in the Irvine area. Golf course recommendations?

[hammergolf]

Looking for info on golf options in that area. I’ve looked at Aliso Viejo and it looks ok. Any other good options? I do like to practice a lot so nice range and short game area would be important. 

[tw422]

what part of the country are you moving from?  be forewarned that public golf in CA is not great - expensive for what it is and sloooooow rounds. 

 

are you planning on joining a private club?  if not there are strawberry farms & oak creek in irvine.  areas are ok but not great (Oak Creek is better of the two).  You could also play/practice at Pelican Hill Resort - expensive golf but good practice facilities prob 30-45 min from Irvine.  There are a handful of others both private and public that are within 30 min of irvine but really depends on where in OC you are going to live (and what connections you have if you decide to go private). 

[johnrobison]

For Practice:

 

Aliso Viejo doesn't have a practice range (unless you like hitting into a net) and, though it's the most budget-friendly membership in town, it is a private club.

 

Pelican is 5 to 15 min from Irvine but they don't allow public practice unless you have a tee time.

 

Strawberry Farms doesn't have anywhere to pitch and chip but when their grass is open (typically Fri-Sun) it's the best condition around. The drawback is that it's rather small (and crooked) which means it's crowded.

 

Oak Creek has a huge all grass range but the quality has plummeted in the last few years. Seems they're working on it lately and planting different varieties for better maintenance, though. But it's a busy range and gets hammered by the public - if you show up late in the day, expect dirt lies. They do have a nice short game facility and limit the number of folks at any one time.

 

Rancho San Joaquin has a decent short game facility. You're not chipping into nice greens like at Oak Creek but that doesn't bother me. It's spread out and limited to maybe 10 people or so which makes it nice. Their practice range isn't good but it's affordable (and packed!).

 

Costa Mesa is one of the better ranges and will always have 1/3 of the stalls in grass. The grass is usually in good shape. They have a small green for pitching and chipping - bring your own shag bag.

 

There are no private clubs that I can find who offer a social membership that comes with practice privileges. If you want to practice private, you'll need to join the golf club. Most of them require a recommendation from a current member. Aliso Viejo doesn't but, again, no practice facility (plus the layout of the course has a bit to be desired).

 

[hammergolf]

On 9/16/2022 at 4:07 PM, tw422 said:

what part of the country are you moving from?  be forewarned that public golf in CA is not great - expensive for what it is and sloooooow rounds. 

 

are you planning on joining a private club?  if not there are strawberry farms & oak creek in irvine.  areas are ok but not great (Oak Creek is better of the two).  You could also play/practice at Pelican Hill Resort - expensive golf but good practice facilities prob 30-45 min from Irvine.  There are a handful of others both private and public that are within 30 min of irvine but really depends on where in OC you are going to live (and what connections you have if you decide to go private). 

 

On 9/16/2022 at 4:07 PM, tw422 said:

what part of the country are you moving from?  be forewarned that public golf in CA is not great - expensive for what it is and sloooooow rounds. 

 

are you planning on joining a private club?  if not there are strawberry farms & oak creek in irvine.  areas are ok but not great (Oak Creek is better of the two).  You could also play/practice at Pelican Hill Resort - expensive golf but good practice facilities prob 30-45 min from Irvine.  There are a handful of others both private and public that are within 30 min of irvine but really depends on where in OC you are going to live (and what connections you have if you decide to go private). 

I live in the St. Louis area, and fortunately we are blessed with really good and affordable golf courses both public and private. I’m open to joining a club if I do move out there as long as it’s not too stuffy. 

[hammergolf]

On 9/17/2022 at 7:59 AM, johnrobison said:

For Practice:

 

Aliso Viejo doesn't have a practice range (unless you like hitting into a net) and, though it's the most budget-friendly membership in town, it is a private club.

 

Pelican is 5 to 15 min from Irvine but they don't allow public practice unless you have a tee time.

 

Strawberry Farms doesn't have anywhere to pitch and chip but when their grass is open (typically Fri-Sun) it's the best condition around. The drawback is that it's rather small (and crooked) which means it's crowded.

 

Oak Creek has a huge all grass range but the quality has plummeted in the last few years. Seems they're working on it lately and planting different varieties for better maintenance, though. But it's a busy range and gets hammered by the public - if you show up late in the day, expect dirt lies. They do have a nice short game facility and limit the number of folks at any one time.

 

Rancho San Joaquin has a decent short game facility. You're not chipping into nice greens like at Oak Creek but that doesn't bother me. It's spread out and limited to maybe 10 people or so which makes it nice. Their practice range isn't good but it's affordable (and packed!).

 

Costa Mesa is one of the better ranges and will always have 1/3 of the stalls in grass. The grass is usually in good shape. They have a small green for pitching and chipping - bring your own shag bag.

 

There are no private clubs that I can find who offer a social membership that comes with practice privileges. If you want to practice private, you'll need to join the golf club. Most of them require a recommendation from a current member. Aliso Viejo doesn't but, again, no practice facility (plus the layout of the course has a bit to be desired).

 

I’m open to joining a private club if it has a good range and short game practice area. 

[johnrobison]

There are some nice ones, then. Depending where you're coming from, you might need to be prepared for sticker shock - this area is pricey. But there are quite a few nice private clubs with good practice facilities. Most, however, do require a recommendation from a current member.

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, johnrobison said:

There are some nice ones, then. Depending where you're coming from, you might need to be prepared for sticker shock - this area is pricey. But there are quite a few nice private clubs with good practice facilities. Most, however, do require a recommendation from a current member.

Like everything else I’m researching out there I’m expecting sticker shock. The few semi/privates I researched offer a “membership” that basically only gives you availability to book to tee times…..  Looks like if I want to play anytime I want and not have 5 hour rounds joining a private club my only option. 

[johnrobison]

Yep, probably. I feel ya.

 

Rounds at Pelican aren't 5 hours but you'd have to play it something like every other week for the membership (which currently has a waiting list) to pencil out. And their practice facilities aren't the greatest.

[hammergolf]

On 9/19/2022 at 12:37 PM, johnrobison said:

Yep, probably. I feel ya.

 

Rounds at Pelican aren't 5 hours but you'd have to play it something like every other week for the membership (which currently has a waiting list) to pencil out. And their practice facilities aren't the greatest.

After doing research, it seems like the decent public courses that are there are very overcrowded and buying a “membership” only gives you an option to make tee times earlier with a small discount. The majority of my golf/practice would be on weekday afternoons and Sunday’s. That’s why I’m leaning to joining a private club since the cost per round and practice might not be that for apart. Just out of curiosity what are the range of monthly dues at private clubs there?

[johnrobison]

It's a pretty wide range but you can go to, say, Aliso Viejo (or Old Ranch) for just under $1,000, quite a few other places in the mid-$1,000 range, and then the real upscale places (who probably don't have openings anyway) for $2,000+

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, johnrobison said:

It's a pretty wide range but you can go to, say, Aliso Viejo (or Old Ranch) for just under $1,000, quite a few other places in the mid-$1,000 range, and then the real upscale places (who probably don't have openings anyway) for $2,000+

Oh, that’s actually a little less than I though. I looked at Oak Creek and it was $165 per round so if I played 6 rounds a month it’s basically a wash. There is a “membership” deal at Oak Creek for $550 that saves around $50 a round so I’m looking at that too since it has a range and short game area. How do the two courses compare?

[tw422]

3 hours ago, hammergolf said:

After doing research, it seems like the decent public courses that are there are very overcrowded and buying a “membership” only gives you an option to make tee times earlier with a small discount. The majority of my golf/practice would be on weekday afternoons and Sunday’s. That’s why I’m leaning to joining a private club since the cost per round and practice might not be that for apart. Just out of curiosity what are the range of monthly dues at private clubs there?

Virginia CC (in Long Beach) Shady Canyon, Newport Beach CC and Big Canyon are all $$$$$. Public courses are not going to be an option if you want decent practice facilities and <5 hour rounds.  You won't even be able to get a tee times on the weekend.  

 

Also, as an FYI, I moved here from the East Coast (Philadelphia) 7 yrs ago and I will tell you this, you are not prepared for the sticker shock on everything including golf.  Add 20-40% more to everything that you think you are prepared for in terms of sticker shock - food, gas, housing, etc....You have to really want to be in CA and even then it's still probably not worth it.  Be prepared for 7-10% state income tax on top of everything else.  

 

That said Mesa Verde CC is supposed to nice but I think will still be in the $1000/mo range for dues and might be higher with family (spouse, kids, etc..). Old Ranch is ok and The Huntington Club (fka SeaCliff CC) is ok but not worth initiation and dues.  Just be prepared to have really low expectations and to pay a lot for what you would consider to be low to mid level and semi private clubs back in St Louis.

[tw422]

38 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Oh, that’s actually a little less than I though. I looked at Oak Creek and it was $165 per round so if I played 6 rounds a month it’s basically a wash. There is a “membership” deal at Oak Creek for $550 that saves around $50 a round so I’m looking at that too since it has a range and short game area. How do the two courses compare?

Don't forget you will need to put out a 5 figure initiation fee for private clubs like Old Ranch and Mesa Verde.  I'm not sure you will want to spend $165 round at Oak Creek.  Oak Creek is a mediocre muni compared to Aliso Viejo and Old Ranch which are mediocre private clubs.

Edited September 21, 2022 by tw422

[hammergolf]

16 minutes ago, tw422 said:

Virginia CC (in Long Beach) Shady Canyon, Newport Beach CC and Big Canyon are all $$$$$. Public courses are not going to be an option if you want decent practice facilities and <5 hour rounds.  You won't even be able to get a tee times on the weekend.  

 

Also, as an FYI, I moved here from the East Coast (Philadelphia) 7 yrs ago and I will tell you this, you are not prepared for the sticker shock on everything including golf.  Add 20-40% more to everything that you think you are prepared for in terms of sticker shock - food, gas, housing, etc....You have to really want to be in CA and even then it's still probably not worth it.  Be prepared for 7-10% state income tax on top of everything else.  

 

That said Mesa Verde CC is supposed to nice but I think will still be in the $1000/mo range for dues and might be higher with family (spouse, kids, etc..). Old Ranch is ok and The Huntington Club (fka SeaCliff CC) is ok but not worth initiation and dues.  Just be prepared to have really low expectations and to pay a lot for what you would consider to be low to mid level and semi private clubs back in St Louis.

Yeah, I’ve been doing the research and from what I can see my housing cost will triple, cost of goods will double, income tax will double, and golf is 6 - 8 times higher and much less quality. On the good side, If I move I won’t be shoveling snow and can play 12 months a year. 

[tw422]

15 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Yeah, I’ve been doing the research and from what I can see my housing cost will triple, cost of goods will double, income tax will double, and golf is 6 - 8 times higher and much less quality. On the good side, If I move I won’t be shoveling snow and can play 12 months a year. 

That's what I thought too.... That said if you are looking at Yorba Linda or Corona it will go way down and the 3x expectation is realistic.  Where are you looking to live - in Irvine?  

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by tw422

[hammergolf]

On 9/20/2022 at 7:23 PM, tw422 said:

That's what I thought too.... That said if you are looking at Yorba Linda or Corona it will go way down and the 3x expectation is realistic.  Where are you looking to live - in Irvine?  

 

Nowhere specific yet, Irvine was just recommended to me.

[tw422]

1 hour ago, hammergolf said:

Nowhere specific yet, Irvine was just recommended to me.

Ah got it, have you visited Irvine? It’s not terrible but there are so many other better places in SoCal depending on what you’re looking for. Good luck with the move and let me know if I can help. I know it’s not the sole reason for your move but don’t move here just to play golf 12 months of the year.  🤣 it’s really not worth it. You’re better off buying a condo in Florida and flying there every other weekend to get away from the cold. 

[hammergolf]

2 minutes ago, tw422 said:

Ah got it, have you visited Irvine? It’s not terrible but there are so many other better places in SoCal depending on what you’re looking for. Good luck with the move and let me know if I can help. I know it’s not the sole reason for your move but don’t move here just to play golf 12 months of the year.  🤣 it’s really not worth it. You’re better off buying a condo in Florida and flying there every other weekend to get away from the cold. 

I’ll be doing business mostly in LA but some in SD so was kind of looking for something that would be convenient to both. I’m just looking for somewhere safe that would be close to some decent golf. 

[jkim]

Oak Creek will make you rent a tube of balls if you want to use the chipping area.  Range balls are $18 for a large. Last I went the range was in good condition. But its been a few months.  Try to play twilight at Oak Creek, it is $80, cart included.  

 

Costa mesa also charges to use the grass range.  It is a few dollars more.  They have two courses but are very slow.  At least a 5 hour round if you are lucky.  Thats a big if!

 

Tijeras creek has a grass range.  Haven't been there in a while. The have a creek card you can buy for discount rates.  I found it difficult to use as a single. Go check out there website. 

 

San Juan Hills also has a discount card membership.  I don't don't have it but from what i've been told it can be hard to get a tee time even if you have one.  I don't think the course is all that great. 

 

I live in San Juan Capistrano.  Right in the middle of LA and SD.  It may be an option for you to live.  I mainly play the muni in San Clemente.  It's inexpensive but a fun track.  $39 on peak weekdays to walk. Or I go to oceanside to play Arrowwood.  $50 after noon with a cart.  Great course.  

 

Both the muni and San juan hills has mats.  

 

Golf is expensive in OC.

[johnrobison]

7 hours ago, hammergolf said:

I’ll be doing business mostly in LA but some in SD so was kind of looking for something that would be convenient to both. I’m just looking for somewhere safe that would be close to some decent golf. 

Perhaps consider somewhere more inland where you can take the 60 to LA and the 15 to SD. You'll have better access to courses that play in 4 hours for more reasonable rates.

[makana]

I have lived in Irvine for 5yrs now and I STILL cannot get the grasp of the everchanging golf environment here in OC. 

 

I play Strawberry a bunch. Twilight rounds played at Costa Mesa (5hrs long. YIKES) and on Sundays we play out in Chino. 

 

As for practice: 1x a week at Oak Creak. $18 large bucket on grass (yikes) and i chip and putt before each round thats when i practice that. Otherwise I have a mat and net return at my place to work on my swing and get dialed that way. 

 

OC golf has gone way down since 2020. I wish I could give you a solution. Country Club prices are through the roof. I have hopes of joining Santa Ana CC or Mesa Verde CC, maybe Huntington Club one day once this recession hits hard. For now just skirting by...

[fjk]

Agree w above. There’s actually a lot of good golf “inland.” If you don’t mind the hot weather and being away from much of the city centers of socal, inland will be much lower cost of living and much better golf options. 

[Siper11]

On 9/20/2022 at 1:07 PM, hammergolf said:

After doing research, it seems like the decent public courses that are there are very overcrowded and buying a “membership” only gives you an option to make tee times earlier with a small discount. The majority of my golf/practice would be on weekday afternoons and Sunday’s. That’s why I’m leaning to joining a private club since the cost per round and practice might not be that for apart. Just out of curiosity what are the range of monthly dues at private clubs there?

Depending on where you live in Irvine, Oak Creek and Strawberry Farms both have good practice facilities. If you're close to those courses, I suggest buying the discount cards for both. I used to live in-between them and never had an issue getting in golf after work.  

 

As for private courses, do a search and you'll find quite a few threads. Living in Irvine, I'd recommend Santa Ana CC or Mesa Verde CC.

 

 

[kekoa]

I've lived in Irvine for about 8 years now.   Would I love to move out- yes!!  But my kids are in the Irvine School district so we are stuck for a while.

 

Golf in the area is very frustrating.   We used to play Oak Creek and practice there a lot pre-pandemic.  Rates were good and conditions were pretty good as well.   As mentioned above, the place has really gone downhill.  Not only because of the number of golfers, but they also have a hard time finding good/stable employees.

 

Clubs within 30-45 minutes of Irvine to consider:

 

MVCC

Mesa Verde

Santa Ana CC

Dove

Coto De Caza

Aliso

Newport CC

Big Canyon

Old Ranch

Seacliff

Shady Canyon

Yorba Linda CC

Friendly Hills CC

 

Most of these clubs will cost anywhere from $15k to $250K for initiation and approximately $1,500+/month.  You probably need to account for another 5-10% a month extra for dining, guest fees, cart fees, assessments, etc...  The best practice facility at any of thee above mentioned CC's would have to be Shady although I have never played Big Canyon.  I've played all the others though.  Best/Toughest course would probably be MVCC although conditions can be hit or miss.   If I were to join a club today, it would likely be Hacienda CC.  The range kind of sucks as it is very small, but they have a good short game area and the the course is really good and challenging.

[Pepperturbo]

IMO best of the above pvt list in no order, played them all: Mesa Verde CC, Santa Ana CC, Coto De Caza CC, Shady CC, Yorba Linda CC (I play there often, but maybe the best tournament tracks are Hacienda CC, and Riviera CC in Palisades.  Monthly's $1000-$1800 plus other cost requirements.

[darom86]

Inland a bit and worth a look is Bear Creek in Murrieta.  There is also Pauma Valley.

[Shushwap]

On 9/20/2022 at 5:11 PM, hammergolf said:

Yeah, I’ve been doing the research and from what I can see my housing cost will triple, cost of goods will double, income tax will double, and golf is 6 - 8 times higher and much less quality. On the good side, If I move I won’t be shoveling snow and can play 12 months a year. 

I say move to AZ.. sounds cheaper and much more fun 

[tw422]

13 hours ago, Shushwap said:

I say move to AZ.. sounds cheaper and much more fun 

You are 100% right....moving to CA for golf is not good.  Much cheaper and better golf.

[Phatferd]

Nobody ever mentions it so that probably tells you something but in San Clemente there a private course called Bella Collina. It's a Gary Player design and a very unique layout (27 holes) that you either love or hate. 

 

The practice facility isn't the greatest but it has everything, besides a bunker that I know of. 

 

It's like like $6k/$600 or $7500/800 family. 

[AC168]

If golf is important to you and you don’t want to pay $100k plus initiation and $1,300 plus monthlies, I’d look to move somewhere else.  Hacienda is probably your best option but driving range is small but they do have smaller practice areas and the course is really good.