Posted on February 14, 2019February 11, 2019 by Vic Flores

GK Guru Round Up: Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada

Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 6
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 3

Royal Links Golf Club

Golf Course Review Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada

Reviewed by: rob1563, Las Vegas

Finished the 2 days of doubleheader golf by joining Matt, JohnnyGK, and Ed at Royal Links for a noonish round. Thank you Matt for the invite.

Similar conditions to when I played it December. Fairways are dormant and painted green, but no effect on play. Rough is also dormant and you get a nice contrast to aim. Bunkers, there’s a 105 of them, all brutal, I hate them all, especially the front right one on the Postage Stamp 8th hole. But seriously, good bunkers, just realize it’s better to eat a shot and hit out sideways than to challenge them if you’re more than halfway to the front edge. Greens were smooth and medium speed, which we could not adjust.

To add to Matt’s advise of a bringing a GPS or laser, make sure you look at an overview of the course before you play. There’s an absolute blind green (#2), and a handful of blind shots, especially in the first 6 holes. Make sure you read the hole plaques for some history.

EDIT: it shows I rated 7.3 (vs 7.6 in December), it’s definitely closer to 8 than 7.

Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 1
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Clubhouse

Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Clubhouse Entry
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 6
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 9
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 15
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 16
Royal Links Golf Club Las Vegas Nevada Hole 18

Posted on February 13, 2019February 8, 2019 by Vic Flores

RoundUp: GK Guru Visit Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada

The Revere Golf Club (Lexington)

RoundUp: GK Guru Visit Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada

Reviewed by: JohnnyGK, Thousand Oaks
First round of 36 at The Revere Golf Club on Thursday 1/31 with rob1563, famed02 and mpisarski01. We had a 40 minute frost delay on a cold Vegas morning. Still managed to snap some nice photos so please check them out.

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The Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada Hole 4

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The Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada Hole 10

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The Review

This is a great facility perched up in the hills loaded with the best views of the Las Vegas I’ve seen. They have two 18 hole golf courses both unique and fun. The Lexington Course is by far the most challenging so be ready bring your A game for it. Green are fast, mostly smooth and surprising held shots well. They are however very undulating, large and difficult to read. The fairways are tight, winding in all different directions, have lots of contours and doglegs. They were in very good shape, lush, firm with over-seeded rye. Finding the fairways off the tee is essential as missing them means you are likely in a desert hazard.

The rough is over-seeded rye as well this time of year but maintained low so not much of issue to hit from. You are glad they have it because it helps hold up errant shots heading for the desert hazards. Tee boxes (we played the Silver tees which are by far the most popular) are small which means there is not much room to place the markers. Consequently there is a chance you will have some tee boxes with a lot divot damage. However they have plenty of grass to find a good spot to hit from.

Bunkers, like many courses in Vegas, can be thin with small pebbles. I’d say the bunkers are where the golf course needs the most improvement from a conditions standpoint.

As far as service. It was excellent throughout the day. It was a busy day but that did not hinder the on course service as we saw them many times. Active starters and marshals to help keep pace moving.

Clubhouse and Food. Excellent. I have had breakfast there before and asked Ed how his breakfast was which he said it was very good. As Rob mentioned, they have a fantastic $5 hotdog and draft beer deal (some quality beer choices on tap).

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The Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada Hole 16

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The Revere Golf Club LEXINGTON Henderson Nevada Hole 12

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Parting Thought

I highly recommend this golf course but as much as I like this course, I like their other 18, the Concord Course more … see Concord Review.

Posted on February 12, 2019February 6, 2019 by Vic Flores

Round Up: GK Guru Visit Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada

The Revere Golf Club (Concord)

Round Up: GK Guru Visit Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada

Reviewed by: JohnnyGK, Thousand Oaks

The second round of the day, 1/31, was on the Concord Course. We teed off at 12:56 and just completed 18 holes before sundown. Joined again by rob1563, famed02 and mpisarski01, this was my first time playing the Concord Course and I was very impressed. Had heard how this course is the little brother to the Lexington Course, IMO, no way, this golf course is equally as fun if not more fun. As good as the views on the Lexington Course are, the views on the Concord Course are better. There are so many elevated tees hitting to beautifully framed fairways and greens. It’s a blast. And the 18th hole is instantly one of my all-time favorite closing holes. Dramatic downhill Par 5 that if you catch your drive just right can roll all the way down for a mid-short iron to the green. However the green complex is exceptionally guarded (see photo).

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The Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada Hole 5

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The Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada Hole 15

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The Review

As far as the conditions, even better than Lexington, that is if you don’t mind dormant Bermuda rough. Personally I love the framed dormant rough/over-seeded fairway look and this course does it as well as I’ve seen just about anywhere. Plus with most fairways bowled if you hit the rough it kicks back into the fairway, sure is nice to get a lot of good breaks out there. Greens are large and challenging. All in great shape, smooth, firm and fast. Fairways lush with over-seeded rye providing great lies all day. Tee boxes, a little bigger than the Lexington Course so consequently less divot damage in great shape. Bunkers, actually a step down as far as quality of sand than the Lexington Course which was not good to begin with so that’s where improvement is needed most.

As with the Lexington Course, great service with many visit from the on course service. We played the silver tees, next time I want to step back to the gold tees if playing in the winter. If playing in the Summer, it’s a different ball game because all the dormant rough kicking you back in the fairway in going to be lush Bermuda rough holding up your ball providing awkward difficult shots. I bet the golf course is at least 5 strokes harder in the summer. I will find out!

Check out the photos I just posted!

Highly Recommended.

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The Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada Hole 10

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The Revere Golf Club CONCORD Henderson Nevada Hole 7

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Posted on February 11, 2019February 6, 2019 by Vic Flores

Golf Course Review Rams Hill Golf Club Borrego Springs California

Rams Hill Golf Club

Golf Course Review Rams Hill Golf Club Borrego Springs California

Reviewed by: rudyclub, San Diego
Played 2/3/19 Grabbed a HD for 10 am. POP just under 4 hrs.
Fairway’s were perfect. Emerald green & lush. Ball sat perfectly.

Rough was no big deal. Easy to get out of with little issue. Traps were in great condition & consistent. Tees Lush & level. The only less than perfect were the greens. They were mostly in good to great shape. Looked a little rough, but actually ran smooth with good roll at a little over medium pace. But many had sick/bare spots along the fringes. They mostly did not come into play, unless you were trying to putt across them or had to land a pitch on them. 90 % of the green surfaces were not affected. Only small portions.

Really enjoy getting out here. Easy recommend to go out & play.

Rams Hill Golf Club Best Playing Conditions 2018 - San Diego County — Rams Hill Golf Club Best Playing Conditions 2018 – San Diego County

Posted on February 10, 2019February 6, 2019 by Vic Flores

Golf Course Review Willows Run Golf Complex EAGLE’S TALON Redmond Washington

Willows Run Golf Complex (Eagle’s Talon)

Golf Course Review Willows Run Golf Complex EAGLE’S TALON Redmond Washington

Reviewed by: jamesph99, Redmond
Played Willows Run Eagle’s Talon yesterday (Sunday, 2/3/19) and found it to be in decent winter shape.

Greens are very nice, rolling pretty smooth at a medium slow pace. The rest of the course feels much more like winter golf here. The fairways are quite wet in places, the rough is pretty long and lush, and the bunkers are really awful. Tee boxes are a bit beat up, and could probably benefit from the markers being moved around a bit. No drink cart, and the shack at the turn was closed as well, which was a bit disappointing. I can’t blame them though, as there was almost nobody there. It was kind of nice having the place to ourselves, and the quality of the greens certainly made up for any of the other shortcomings of the conditions.

I’m also really glad I got the round in, as we got about half a foot of snow last night, and today’s high temperature was about 30. I’m afraid it’ll be a little while before I get back out.

Posted on February 9, 2019January 30, 2019 by Vic Flores

Golf Course Review PGA WEST Stadium Course La Quinta California

PGA WEST (Stadium Course)

Golf Course Review PGA WEST Stadium Course La Quinta California

Reviewed by: UNCLEDDBOY23, Peoria, Arizona

Overview: Finally played the Stadium Course at PGA West on Sat 1/26/19. It’s hard to believe that PGA West has been open since 1985 and that the first course opened for play the following year. I think we all remember the hole in one that Lee Trevino had during the Skins Game back in 1987. I just remember sitting at home in Buffalo, New York and thinking “this is a golf course and community that looks absolutely amazing.” There was the sharp contrast of the green over-seeded rye grass versus the dormant Bermuda grass and the Santa Rosa Mountains providing a scenic back drop. The sun was shining in La Quinta and I was wondering if I would ever to have a chance to play a course like this. For all intent and purposes this was the beginning of desert golf in the Southwest part of the United States.

PGA West has now grown to 6 courses … with three of them being private and the other three being daily fee resort, but the Stadium Course was the one we all wanted to play because it was the course that we saw so many times on television and all we heard was how difficult it was.

The Clubhouse:

The Stadium Course shares a clubhouse with the Nicklaus Tournament Course and has a large pro shop and a nice place to eat (Ernie’s). Service was good at the bag drop and in the pro shop, but outside services at the end of the round was not good. A member of my group left a chap stick and his suntan lotion in the golf cart, and he went back for it 5 minutes after we had our bags removed. The player assistant said he did not remember seeing anything and that he would not remember if anything was left in the cart because they had cleaned 166 carts today … disappointing to hear this type of customer service.

The Course Review:

The Stadium Course was in great shape. The Desert Classic had just being completed on the previous Sunday, so it was still in PGA Tour shape. The greens were firm and quick, the fairways were lush and the sand in the bunkers was very good. I now understand fully about the Indio effect and how you need to bring that into the equation while reading putts. I can now say that the Stadium Course is a position golf course. You need to miss in the right place. It was a stern test of golf and I especially enjoyed 16, 17 and 18. I think 16 is an underrated hole and is very difficult because if you miss it down the left side you are in very challenging bunkers.

Final Thoughts: Pete Dye created a very good course that has held up over time and is a course that should be played if you visit the Coachella Valley.

Posted on February 8, 2019January 30, 2019 by Vic Flores

Golf Course Review Rooster Run Golf Club Petaluma California

Rooster Run Golf Club

Golf Course Review Rooster Run Golf Club Petaluma California

Reviewed by: BSF, Novato, CA

Played early Saturday 1/26. This is by far the best draining public course in the Marin/Sonoma area. With all of the rain we have received north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this is the spot to play. Fairways had roll, no standing water on the course, no plugs & no lost balls in the rough. Had a couple of mud balls, but nothing severe. Carts were 90*, but a very easy walking course.

If you are looking to play in the North Bay during the rainy season, this course will provide the best playable conditions, hands down.

Posted on February 7, 2019January 30, 2019 by Vic Flores

Golf Course Review Aviara Golf Club Carlsbad California

Aviara Golf Club

Golf Course Review Aviara Golf Club Carlsbad California

Reviewed by: JohnnyGK, Thousand Oaks
Had an early birthday present given to me by Alex326 who picked up my green fee to play Aviara Golf Club on Friday 1/25. I’ve always wanted to play it having read so many positive reviews and seen so many beautiful photos. Thank You.

The Review

Outstanding golf course while not being in its typical immaculate shape yet still in great shape and tons of fun. Loved it. Place is loaded with signature holes. One of the most beautiful sets of par 3’s I’ve ever played.

Greens were smooth, fast, holding shots and very tricky to read. Without question the most challenging aspect of the golf course. Other challenging aspects were the many tight tree lined holes with thick rough. We found the front 9 rough more thick and prevalent than that back nine. The course has it’s fair share of small strategically placed water hazards close to the green complexes but not much water besides hole 8, 16 and 18 that come into play other than par 3’s. It’s a hilly course that winds its way through the high scale Aviara community/resort and there are some steep uphill and downhill shots to be found.

As for the course conditions besides the greens that I already mentioned, the fairways in very good shape. Mostly lush with full coverage. I’m not sure if the golf course closes for over-seeding before the Kia Classic at the end of March to get them pure and LPGA tour lush or if the turf is just more suited to warm weather and really perks up then. Rough, lush with some real thick stuff as mentioned its best to avoid. Bunkers in great shape with quality sand, little firm and perfectly manicured. Tee boxes, we played the blue tees and I was surprised by the mediocre condition. They had full coverage but thin at times and with noticeable divot damage. Still just fine to hit from but for such a high-end course but this caught me by surprise.

Parting Thoughts

Regarding the amenities and service, top shelf, of course. Great staff, service, clubhouse, practice area and high-end feel throughout the day. I understand the food is delicious but did not have time to hang out after with Alex for bite to eat as I needed to take on the traffic and run an errand on the way home to Thousands Oaks. btw – grab a complementary cookie afterwards, tasty.

This was a golf experience I will never forget and can’t wait to have again. I’d like to come back in April-June after the Kia Classic as I hear the golf course is in mint condition then as well as the flowers being in full bloom. Highly Recommended. Check out some of the photos I posted.