Courses worth playing near Sherman Oaks - Tournaments in the area?

[3_Jack_Par]

Anyone interested in playing next weekend? I think it would need to be on Saturday.

[3_Jack_Par]

I've been out to Woodley Lakes a couple of times in the past two weeks, and I've been pleasantly surprised about the practice facility. Sure, the range grass is a little torn up, but it's grass, which I understand isn't super common around here. The practice green is huge and rolls pretty well, and they have a decent looking short game area that I haven't taken advantage of yet. Plus, $5.50 for a bucket of 80 balls is probably the cheapest I've seen anywhere, even where I come from in Michigan. I just need to stop going in the late afternoon and getting stuck in rush hour traffic on the way back...

[3_Jack_Par]

Anyone have any thoughts about Camarillo Springs? The past two weekends, I've driven out to Olivas Links and River Ridge (played Victoria Lakes yesterday), and on my way back to LA, I've seen the course from the freeway, and it looks like it's in good condition. I checked the scorecard, and it looks like a decent layout, but I don't think anyone mentioned it in this thread, so I'm wondering if it's not worth checking out for some reason. I'm thinking of going back out to River Ridge this weekend to play the Vineyard course. I liked Victoria Lakes, and the greens were in good shape, and it's a great price, so I might make the trip again.

[Dave52]

Camarillo Springs, for me it's not a must play. It's worth playing, but I wouldn't say it's anything special.

I think the idea of playing there is better than the actual round, the front side isn't bad, it's a solid lay out. But the back is disappointing, for me there's maybe one good hole on the back. Holes 2-6 on the front can have a bad odor in the air as well, depending on the time of year.

River Ridge is better, I think Sterling Hills nearby is better as well.

[3_Jack_Par]

One of the guys I played with on Sunday mentioned Sterling Hills, and I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread, as well. I had looked at their website before, and was all set to play there until I saw that carts are mandatory on weekends until twilight, and this weekend I was trying to play early enough to get home before the Super Bowl kicked off. I'll probably give it a shot some weekend when I can do twilight.

[DisappointingPar]

I played Sterling a few months ago and it was so muddy. It was better for me to hit the rough than the fairways.

Recently I've been playing Rustic/Los Robles/Moorpark CC.

[ShutSteepStuck]

Simi Hills is a decent course in Simi Valley. Let me know if you want to get out there or Rustic sometime this month.

[quote name='3 Jack Par' timestamp='1391501328' post='8595256']
One of the guys I played with on Sunday mentioned Sterling Hills, and I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread, as well. I had looked at their website before, and was all set to play there until I saw that carts are mandatory on weekends until twilight, and this weekend I was trying to play early enough to get home before the Super Bowl kicked off. I'll probably give it a shot some weekend when I can do twilight.
[/quote]

[3_Jack_Par]

With all the rain we're supposed to get the next few days, what kind of shape will courses be on, say, Sunday? I know everything has been really dry, but I'm not sure how courses drain around here.

[Dave52]

Well, we got some rain last night and I played Hansen Dam this morning. It was in perfect shape, greens were rolling nice, the course drained really well.

We should be getting more rain the next two days, but I think if it's not actively raining on Sunday you should be fine.

I would avoid the Sepulveda Basin courses though, horrible drainage there.

[3_Jack_Par]

[quote name='Dave52' timestamp='1393555085' post='8762348']
Well, we got some rain last night and I played Hansen Dam this morning. It was in perfect shape, greens were rolling nice, the course drained really well.

We should be getting more rain the next two days, but I think if it's not actively raining on Sunday you should be fine.

I would avoid the Sepulveda Basin courses though, horrible drainage there.
[/quote]
Thanks for the info. I stopped at Woodley Lakes on Sunday afternoon to hit a few balls, and the parking lot told me all I needed to know about ever playing there on a weekend. I was probably going to head out to Ventura County again.

[Dave52]

Yeah. I'd head out to Ventura. I feel like I've played Sterling Hills after some rain and it was a little muddy, so you may want to pass on that one. Maybe check out river ridge ? I rustic seems like it would handle rain well too.

[3_Jack_Par]

[quote name='Dave52' timestamp='1393626168' post='8767380']
Yeah. I'd head out to Ventura. I feel like I've played Sterling Hills after some rain and it was a little muddy, so you may want to pass on that one. Maybe check out river ridge ? I rustic seems like it would handle rain well too.
[/quote]
Yeah, I'm booked for Victoria Lakes at River Ridge just before 10:30. Hoping the rain will have moved on by that point. I missed out on playing last weekend when the weather was beautiful, so I really hope this works out.

[pinseeker18]

Hey guys I'm up for Sunday morning rounds going forward. I also have a membership at Calabasas country club if anyone wants to come out as a guest.

[3_Jack_Par]

I'm taking some people to LAX early in the morning on Saturday. Might try to take advantage of being down there to play somewhere new. I might also try to stop by Byron Morgan's studio in Huntington Beach. Any recommendations for course to play down that way?

[DisappointingPar]

There aren't many good courses out there unfortunately. The West Side is pretty expensive so you have mostly private clubs.

How far south of LAX are you willing to go?

[3_Jack_Par]

[quote name='DisappointingPar' timestamp='1398882807' post='9205097']
There aren't many good courses out there unfortunately. The West Side is pretty expensive so you have mostly private clubs.

How far south of LAX are you willing to go?
[/quote]
I've been doing a bit of looking around, and I'm definitely finding that it's some serious cash at some of the courses around there. I'm thinking of going over to Brookside instead, and giving that place a try. I've avoided it previously, because it sounds like it plays really slow on weekends, but I'd be getting there early, so I'd hopefully avoid the worst of it...though I don't think that's going to work, because there's nothing available in the morning on the Koiner course. So I have no idea.

I'm looking to keep it within an hour of Sherman Oaks.

[DisappointingPar]

Brookside is not bad. If you play the #2 course it plays fast enough. On the Koiner #1 course you could play a 5 to 5.5 hour round. Nay #2 is easier but I like it a bit more.

[angrybill]

Olivas Links is a good course in Ventura and in great shape. This course is especially nice in the summer when the heat is up in the San Fernando Valley. Right near the ocean.
Los Robles is a nice track in the Thousand Oaks area
Rustic Is nice.
Calabasas Cc is a nice course, but you have to be a member or guest.

I play Simi Hills once a week, which is in good shape.

Lmk if you ever want to play during the week.

[DisappointingPar]

[quote name='angrybill' timestamp='1398989935' post='9214471']
Olivas Links is a good course in Ventura and in great shape. This course is especially nice in the summer when the heat is up in the San Fernando Valley. Right near the ocean.
Los Robles is a nice track in the Thousand Oaks area
Rustic Is nice.
Calabasas Cc is a nice course, but you have to be a member or guest.

I play Simi Hills once a week, which is in good shape.

Lmk if you ever want to play during the week.
[/quote]

Los Robles is super easy though. It's decent but not much to it. They have some cheesy 450 yard par 5s. It's a good ego mender

[3_Jack_Par]

Everything I could find in the area anywhere near the Airport was either outrageously expensive or has been aerated, so I ended up driving over near Riverside and playing Hidden Valley in Norco. It's quite a beautiful course, with a ton of elevation change, and a relative bargain at $70 on a weekend morning. It's in great shape, too. I'm definitely going to try to get back out there before I head back to Michigan.