Alex Cortez
Google
I was really excited to play Sea Ranch. Given the landscape of the area, as well as the price and well designed website, I came with high expectations. The website featured a nice course guide (which you usually find at well maintained and organized courses) so I anticipated the real deal. Unfortunately, I left a bit confused about the experience and very underwhelmed.
This place could/should be a gem. With gorgeous views, amazing landscape and layout, you’d expect it on a top 50 list or something. The greens were very nice - soft, receptive, true. The views were stunning as anticipated. The club house is quaint and nice, cool gear, staff was welcoming. You’ll receive a warmup bucket of balls and a nice complimentary course guide which was cool. But unfortunately that was about it for my positives….and the round hadn’t started.
The course is quite spread out so not the easiest to walk but the alternative are old, noisy gas carts. Also, “cart paths” are non existent - they’re just matted down grass and dirt paths that were really bumpy - be careful for bumps and pot holes.
The tee boxes were in acceptable condition, though a number of holes were hard to tell where you were hitting to, so the course guide came in handy and it’s one of those courses that you’d have an advantage the second time around. Unfortunately, the fairways didn’t exist - this is what really ruined the experience. It wasn’t just fairways that were a bit hairy and hadn’t been mowed for a few days….there were true fairway cuts, everything was all bumpy like a field and the grass was all grown over. It truly felt like I was playing in a random meadow. Attached is a picture of the fairway leading up to the 18 green - no fairway or chipping area at all.
For the price, was very let down. Seems like the new ownership (from what I’ve read?) has a lot of course maintenance to do over the coming year, or they can just own the “small course on the bluffs” feel and drop the price for a round in half.