Santa Barbara Area Golf Courses

[Mnalette]

Will be spending a week in Santa Barbara and will have time to get in one round of golf, maybe another if I am lucky. I have been comparing and researching 3 different courses in the area. The three courses are Ojai Valley Inn, La Purisima, and Olivas Links. What are anyones reviews on the three and what would you expect conditions to be like in the early part of April.

 

I have played Ojai Valley Inn before, but it has been awhile, long before the restoration a few years ago. Have never played the other courses.

 

Searched the CA subforum and found great info, but looking for more current info.

 

A thought about prices, found a few specials at all three. Underpar has a deal at Ojai for $89 with cart and replay, Groupon has a deal at La Purisima for $65 which includes cart, range balls, and $10 credit for lunch, Olivas Links has a special on their website that says Tuesdays are twilight rates all day $29 to walk with cart would be $44.

 

Thanks for the input !!

[shadymg]

if you're staying in santa barbara, then you could probably quickly play at Santa Barbara Golf Club. I played there last year and it was a very well kept course and pace of play was great. I can't remember exactly how much, but it was very affordable as well.

[b.helts]

None of those courses are in Santa Barbara.

 

In order I’d go La Purisima, Olivas Links, Ojai Valley Inn.

 

Condition will be dependent on how much rain we get. So far so good. But late winter rains can make courses soggy around here.

 

Also check aerificarion schedules. A lot of the high traffic courses will punch In Late march/early April and October.

 

Santa Barbara Golf Club is a fun muni that is usually in good condition. Sandpiper is a great track with several holes on the ocean Always in good shape.

[Mnalette]

Thanks for the input so far. Don’t mind driving a bit out of SB for a good course, so don’t mind areas surrounding SB proper. Will look more into Santa Barbara Golf Club.

[just plain bill]

LP is so great we'd drive up from camarillo to play it when i visited from phoenix. river ridge has 2 great layouts that are probably superior to olivas, but we play all 3 when i visit, and i like all 3.

[msyy486]

I liked Olivas Links and River Ridge in Oxnard area when I lived in Ventura county. Olivas links was good for walking because the course is flat, but fun course. However, I remember there was quite windy in winter afternoon.

[just plain bill]

for a mostly fllat course, olivas IS fun! they carved out some pretty cool holes, as well.

[ButterCutter2]

why isn't sandpiper in your consideration set? price? what about glen annie? they often have deals through golfmoose.com

[just plain bill]

Played sandpiper once. Just didn't feel like it was worth the $ to play a coupla holes on the ocean. The par 3 on the water was very cool, however!

We played glen annie once or twice. I'd rather just play the 2 river ridge courses or olivas...or make the run to LP. Tierra rejada is pretty interesting as well.

[dave willie]

Soule Park is a great muni right in Ojai. I personally thought it was a more difficult course than Ojai Valley, and it's very reasonably priced.. La Purisima is worth the drive, about an hour north from Santa Barbara. Golfmoose.com also has specials for 2 people with cart for $69 if I remember correctly.

[Mnalette]

Thank you for all of the recommendations. I left Sandpiper off the list due to price. I played it once before, all be it a long time ago and it seems overpriced for a few holes on the ocean. I am leaning towards La Purisima. Hoping that conditions are good in April. Seems many people prefer that course over some of the others. The price of Olivas Links is tempting and being about 30 minutes from Santa Barbara it’s fairly close compared to La Purisima.

 

Any one have thoughts on Rancho San Marcos? I played the course many years ago and remember it being fun. How have conditions been there recently and would it be one to consider in the area ?

[just plain bill]

Seole park! Forgot about that one! Is 18 the hole you can try to drive over the wall of trees?

[just plain bill]

If you can only play one round...hmm...and if time is a bit of a factor...hmm...and you better play in the morning...afternoon wind is brutal...I mean, LP is a big boy course, but olivas really gives you a links feel, for the most part...both river ridge courses are among my favorites...hmmm!!! Tough choices...LP can hand you your @zz...olivas is a ton of fun...if you haven't played a links style, olivas felt like I was in britain a bit...I dont know, lol...we stopped going to LP cuz we had to get up at 4:30 to be one of the first groups. Wind makes it unplayable, really...aw, go play olivas or riv ridge.

[theothertwo]

why isn't sandpiper in your consideration set? price? what about glen annie? they often have deals through golfmoose.com

 

Yes. Sandpiper is beautiful, just make sure greens are not punched.

[dave willie]

Seole park! Forgot about that one! Is 18 the hole you can try to drive over the wall of trees?

I think you have the wrong course in mind. Soule Park is rated 72.8/128, and not even players on this forum can drive a 480 yard finishing hole.

[just plain bill]

maybe it's 9 i'm thinking of?

if i remember correctly, the hole before it goes uphill, with the green kinda on the left. maybe it's the 2nd shot on 18 i'm thinking of? and the tee has eucalyptus trees right behind it?

[dave willie]

maybe it's 9 i'm thinking of?

if i remember correctly, the hole before it goes uphill, with the green kinda on the left. maybe it's the 2nd shot on 18 i'm thinking of? and the tee has eucalyptus trees right behind it?

Nope, doesn't sound like Soule Park

[just plain bill]

i just googles 'soule park course layout' and it looks like they removed the trees guarding the green that you could hit over. the pkg lot is on the left. pretty sure that's 18 or 9 cuz it ends at the clubhouse. it's been 12+ yrs since i've been there, tho. i remember when they reversed a hole that had the driving range fence along the right. help me, lol!

 

just remembered. there was a police horse barn near a hole. i think the tee was elevated and dogleg left?

[Mnalette]

Thanks for all the info and reviews on the courses in and near SB. I haven’t made a choice just yet. Will let everyone kow which one I end up playing and give a course report.

[just plain bill]

we look fwd to your report! what day/date are you playing?

[Mnalette]

I am not sure what day/date but it will probably be Tuesday 4/2.

[just plain bill]

I wont be over there then. Heck.

[teejaywhy]

i just googles 'soule park course layout' and it looks like they removed the trees guarding the green that you could hit over. the pkg lot is on the left. pretty sure that's 18 or 9 cuz it ends at the clubhouse. it's been 12+ yrs since i've been there, tho. i remember when they reversed a hole that had the driving range fence along the right. help me, lol!

 

just remembered. there was a police horse barn near a hole. i think the tee was elevated and dogleg left?

 

Gil Hanse did a nice renovation of the course in 2005. Definitely worth a re-visit.

[dave willie]

Here's a picture of #9 at Soule Park.. It's an uphill hole that finishes at the clubhouse. The bunker shown is one of four that cross the left half of the fairway, which are a very long carry to get over. You can play to the right of them which adds length to the hole.

[Mnalette]

Bumping this thread. Looking for updates on conditions for the courses in and around the Santa Barbara area. Anyone have info on La Purisima, Ojai Valley Inn, Sandpiper, Olivias Links, Soule Park, and he city course in Santa Barbara.

 

If anyone in the are wants to play 4/1,4/2 or 4/4 let me know. Thanks for the info!

[dave willie]

La Purisima is playing really tough right now. The rough is, well, very rough. Most of the time if you hit into the rough you will have a bad or very difficult lie. Fairways and greens are in decent shape, but the bunkers are in substandard condition. If you hit a lot of fairways and greens, you will do well. Get off the fairways or into the bunkers, and it could be a long day. I'm hoping that with warmer weather the grass will grow and fill in the bare spots, and conditions will improve .

If you want to play in early April at one of the courses you listed, PM me.

[trilinkrealty]

La P and Olivas are really good courses. If you are willing to drive a bit (not far from Olivas Links) Rustic Canyon is amazing! You will want to play 36.

 

Also maybe someone else has played it (I haven't) but Rancho San Marcos looked awesome when I drove past. Anyone played?

[Hack Daddy]

Nothing bothers me more than a "links" course, that isn't. Unless you have firm and fast fairways, big greens, etc. don't use that descriptor. I though Olivas Links was trash. Would never play there again. Camarillo and Oxnard are windy AF by default, so at least there's that...

[ASN21]

Rancho San Marcos is a great layout course but it’s very very windy there. Makes it play super tough. Sandpiper is the crown jewel IMO. Fell in love with that course. There was another course, can’t recall the name, Abbie something. It was a tough and fun course as well.

[b.helts]

ASN21 is thinking of Glen Annie. Fun track.

Rancho San Marcos is probably doing well right now but check conditions before you go. They have serious, chronic water problems.

Sandpiper is always solid.

I played La Purisima on Saturday and while a little rough around the edges, it’s in good condition.