Golf Course Review Corica Park Golf Complex SOUTH Alameda California
Reviewed by: michaelko, Elk Grove, CA
Golf Playing Conditions 8.02 GREAT
Played Sat 6/1, 7am, first off: 3:30 round walking. Missed the GK plays, but was able to get here a few weeks later.
I really enjoyed the layout. It has a lot of links style routing.
The greens were running fast… and newer greens are near impossible to hold… so you do have to play some roll-out.
I feel that if you replaced the Oakland Airport with the Pacific Ocean, you’d have a legit $200+ course. That stretch of back 9 that abuts against the airport are some quality holes.
There are some elevation changes, quite a few uneven lies… I think it’s #12… a beast of a par 4 hole uphill. Easy walk.
Corica Park Golf Complex SOUTH Alameda California Hole 11
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Squeezed in one more round on the NorCal trip teeing it up around 3:00pm at Corica Park Golf Complex South Course on Thursday. This was my second time playing the course and I enjoyed the layout even more. Great variety of fun holes with not one letdown. Last time teed it up for a shotgun start on the 13th hole during its grand opening. This time starting on hole 1 playing as it was designed felt better. The front nine is pretty open allowing you to grip and rip. The back nine quickly contrasts the front with tighter layout bringing many trees and at times OB in play. The closing stretch 15-18 is fantastic. Two signature Par 5’s (15 & 17) reachable in two with a tough final hole Par 4.
The Review
As for the conditions, it’s in great shape.
Greens, bent, were smooth, fast and firm. The only bumps you run into are not properly repaired ball marks but due to how firm the greens are the ball marks are not deep. These are huge greens with many undulations and very challenging. They were a blast to play.
Fairways, santa ana bermuda (does not go dormant) mostly lush, full coverage, except some spots in front the greens that are being worked on, firm and tight. Exactly how they should be for this Australian links design.
Rough, just adjacent to the fairway, santa ana bermuda as well, lush and tight like the fairways. Secondary rough is either 4 inches to foot tall fescue or California wild bent grass. Looks beautiful and is very challenging to escape from. Was in great shape. Although many of the California wild bent grass around the green complexes since I first played it have been cut down a little or been trampled down. This is actually a good thing from a pace of play standpoint. The times I hit my ball into the wild bent grass during my first round it was very difficult to find.
Bunkers, great shape with quality sand. Better quality sand on the back nine than front nine.
