San Diego Country Club Review

[uscmex]

Hey Guys

Just joined SDCC and I am writing up a quick review for those who get a chance to play out here. IMHO it has the best greens in San Diego. Designed By Bill Bell who also designed a few other courses here in So Cal (helped design with Thomas, Bel Air, Riviera, LACC, Stanford University Golf Course, and solely designed including Brookside in Pasadena, LJCC, Sandpiper, Torrey Pines) Not too shabby of a list.

 

Practice Facility:

2 tiers of range levels routines rotated. Real grass and mats on the lower tier (never used). Range has a high fence so drivers can be hit from back tier. Good grass, nice range balls, great facility. Also has a large chipping/pitching green located adjacent to the range. Usually has 4 hole locations and very indicative of the conditions of the course.

 

Practice Green:

Extremely large practice green with many hole locations and even more similar conditions (speed, pace, etc) as the real greens. I was out there today and I had the stimpmeter at 12.

 

Locker Room:

since the club was established over 100 years ago, there have been some updates in the locker rooms. Bathrooms stalls are large with plenty of reading material, showers are available, all sorts of hair/body products are available as well. Lockers are spacious with individual lockers for shoes on the bottom. Guest lockers, about 1/2 the size are available. The muzak may need some upgrades but for the most part it is what a locker room should be like!

 

Course:

(Disclaimer: some of the rough and collar areas are dormant until April or May, so the course has some yellowing but it actually plays harder right now then when its all green.) At 7033 yards from the BLACK tees, its not exactly short. This course is all about pin placements. It can be very, very difficult based on the pin placements. The greens are large, undulating, quick, and missing on the improper side can be a certain 3 putt. The PAR 3's are relatively hard, with IMHO the hardest hole on the course being #11. Its Approx 160 yards but at 3 tiers and undulating, I have had balls land 2 feet from the pin and spin 50 feet of the green. Hole #3 is 236 from the back tees and surrounded by bunkers. The PAR 4's are relatively standard with lots of bunkers in the landing areas and greens surrounded by bunkers. A few holes over 460 PAR 4's but most are reasonable in length. The PAR 5's are not easy at all here! Small landing areas for second shots, tough bunkers in landing areas and greensides. A few are reachable but certain doom lurks on a few like Hole 8 is over water on the second and surrounded by bunkers on the left side. Hole 16 is 603 from the back tees and is the easiest of the PAR 5's!

(anecdotal evidence: I heard they held a USGA Open qualifier here a few years back, and the average score was 86! While I havent verified it i can attest to one day shooting 72 and the next day shooting 81 and at least 5 shots were pin placements!)

 

Ride/Walk:

This is a course that is routinely walked by the members. Its not very difficult to walk the course. Carts do not have GPS but are very smooth riding. I havent seen caddies out here.

 

Staff:

The staff is very nice and cordial. The Pro Shop is helpful and professional. No complaints there!

[JackpotJohnny]

Nice review, I've always been curious about sdcc
If you don't mind me asking since you just joined, what kind of special are they having, if anything at all

[uscmex]

It is a fantastic course. I played it a few dozen times in high school and college but in the last 2 months I have been out there 10 times.

They just ended an "Ambassadorship Preview" which previews the club at a very attractive rate. I bought a full equity membership due to many factors but one of them was the flexible rates and initiation fees. Feel free to PM me and Ill send you more details.

FYI April 1st is "Monster Day" where only Black Tees are played and the pins are in the hardest position and supposedly running the greens to 14-15. Ill let you know how it goes.

[UCLAsoltyfish]

My favorite course in SD and top 5 of all time. Greens are incredibly fast, fairways are carpets. Pretty amazing place to play. Only downside is it's location.
[quote name='uscmex' timestamp='1300257310' post='3059880']
It is a fantastic course. I played it a few dozen times in high school and college but in the last 2 months I have been out there 10 times.

They just ended an "Ambassadorship Preview" which previews the club at a very attractive rate. I bought a full equity membership due to many factors but one of them was the flexible rates and initiation fees. Feel free to PM me and Ill send you more details.

FYI April 1st is "Monster Day" where only Black Tees are played and the pins are in the hardest position and supposedly running the greens to 14-15. Ill let you know how it goes.
[/quote]

[Titleist-Golfer]

Isn't that a nasty part of town? Bullets whizzing by as you tee off?

[golfnhack]

I played the US Open qualifier out there in 2009. I really enjoyed it. One if my top 5 courses I have played in the US.

[UCLAsoltyfish]

It's definitely out of place if you know what i mean. The condition of the golf course is superior to riviera and the other exclusive LA clubs from my personal experience.
[quote name='Titleist-Golfer' timestamp='1302236070' post='3131969']
Isn't that a nasty part of town? Bullets whizzing by as you tee off?
[/quote]

[golfnhack]

Phil and Tim Mickelson play out their often. It is their father's home course I believe.

[Stick Shootin]

I am lucky enough to get to play at this course often. I agree with most of what was said by uscmex except on the Par 3's. IMO #3 is one of the harder if not toughest Par 3's on the course. From the back tees if the pin is in the front there is no way you will be anywhere near the flag. Course is always in beautiful condition, greens are as quick as a glass table. Right in the heart of Chula Juana, this course is definitely out of place as said before. However I enjoy every round here and would love to become a junior member eventually. GolfnHack, my buddy works in the pro shop and all the employees watched Phil tee off yesterday and go "beast mode" LOL. I've played nice courses (Pebble Beach, PGA West, Pumpkin Ridge, etc) and San Diego Country Club is RIGHT UP THERE. Layout is killer, conditions are pristine, greens roll as true as can be and there are never any divots in the green! (I always figure its due to the old members rolling the ball up). Anyway if you get the chance to play out there take it in a heartbeat. Thanks for the review uscmex and congrats on the membership!