The Bogey Golfer © Course Guides
Saddleback Golf Club - Overview
Saddleback is a relatively new course, having opened in 2001. Since it is new, there aren't any noticeable trees (although about 3,000 have been planted), and so it feels kind of wide open. The plus side of this is that on a clear day the views of the front range are spectacular. The downside is that the surrounding countryside is basically farmland -- pretty flat. However, while the surrounding farmland is flat, the course itself is well contoured and rolling. As the course develops and the trees begin to fill in, I think it will turn into a gorgeous parkland-style course.
The course itself is very well-designed. From the tips, it plays at just over 7,000 yards, a very challenging length for serious golfers. The shortest men's tees are 6,144 yards, a good length for us bogey golfers. There is also a set of intermediate tees at 6550 yards. There are three sets of women's tees ranging from 4,935 yards to 6,144. The course was built on a generous amount of land, and you never find yourself feeling cramped because you're afraid of hitting into an adjacent fairway. It offers an interesting variety of shots, with doglegs left and right, and both power holes and strategy holes. There's a tantalizing par 4 that plays 247 yards to the middle of the green -- but it's all forced carry over the water... (Playing safe and going around the lake turns it into a 294 yard strategy hole.) There are greens allowing bump-and-run shots, while others insist on a full carry. Water comes into play on twelve holes.
The course is well-watered and lush (and therefore the rough is pretty rough!). Both fairways and greens are in excellent condition. The greens run fast and true, but also have subtle breaks requiring careful scrutiny, and a steady hand. Bunkers are well-contoured and starkly visible (no excuses about not knowing they were there...).
Carts are readily available and reasonably priced. However, the course layout is great for walking (no long hikes between holes). Midweek green fees are $28 for a full round, $15 for nine holes. Practice facilities include a driving range with multiple targets, and both chipping and putting greens to hone your short game. The pro shop and snack bar are well stocked and reasonably priced. The clubhouse is modest, but has a great patio facing the course to the west. The staff is cheerful, helpful, and friendly. |
Saddleback Golf Club - Course Detail
This review was written playing from the 6550-yard gold tees, which were tough but fair (you get duly punished when you richly deserve it). The opening hole is a 403 yard par 4, that plays pretty much straightaway. There are bunkers lurking on both sides of the fairway, but the hole looks wide enough as you're standing on the tee box, so by all means hit your driver here. If you get a clean tee shot, then you're well positioned to get on in two. If your drive is short, you're well-advised to layup on your second shot, because there are bunkers to consider in close to the green. As you're hitting your approach shot into the green, the front looks deceptively steep -- you'd swear there's no room to land short without rolling right back into the fairway. However, when you actually reach the green, you'll see that it's mostly an optical illusion.
The second hole is listed as the easiest hole on the course, since it's only 368, and again plays straightaway. I'd offer a caveat to this, however. If the pin is placed on the left side of the green, there is almost no room for your approach shot -- the green is very wide, but shallow from front to back, and there's a bunker immediately in front of the left side. Play to the middle unless you're really good at sand shots.
The third hole is a 523 yards par 5, with a dogleg right. A cavernous bunker guards the dogleg. If you can hit 250 yards on the fly (which I certainly can't), hit straight over the bunker. Otherwise make sure you stay left of it. The approach to the green is really interesting. There's a big bunker which basically blocks the fairway about 60 yards from the green, and there's nothing but rough between the bunker and the green. So play the hole backwards, and plan to layup in front of that bunker, and hit a sand wedge or lob wedge into the green. (This is one of those holes where the bump-and-run isn't the right option.)
The fourth hole is 145 yards across a pond to an island. The green is plenty wide, and also pretty generous from front to back too. So despite the intimidation factor, don't be afraid. If you can reach the green, the shot will definitely hold.
Number 5 is a short but deceptive par 5. It's short because it's only 486 yards. It's deceptive because it is up a significant hill -- the hill feels like it adds a good 75 yards to the length. You need all the power you can muster here, so go for the driver off the tee. The fairway is plenty wide, but if you stray to either side, there are fairway bunkers lurking. Speaking of bunkers, there are also bunkers lurking just short of the green, too! The green is long and skinny, running a good 40 yards from front to back.
Number 6 has a plaque on the ground warning that it's 275 yards to the pond. If I normally hit 275 yard shots, this would be useful information. The pond in question is on the left side of the fairway, but it's clear down the right side. This is only a 385 yard hole, and it plays a little bit downhill, so there's no particular reason to go for distance here. Hit your three wood, or a long iron, and make sure you keep it in the fairway. Your approach shot to this green is important because there's a grass bunker guarding the front of the green. For some reason, every time I land in one of these I wind up taking two shots to get out.
The seventh hole is another uphill hole, playing 396 yards. This hole is going to be difficult to reach in two for us bogey golfers, so my advice is to sacrifice distance, and focus on hitting it into the fairway. On your third shot in, pay attention to the pin placement, since this is another huge green. If you want to get up-and-down for par, you're going to have to land it close. Bogey is a good score here.
Number 8 is a pretty straightforward par 3. Make sure you use plenty of club. The yardage is nominally 165, but pin placements can add or subtract a good 15 yards.
Number 9 is 358 yards, uphill. Hit a driver off the tee, since the fairway is plenty wide, and you need all the help you can get. A pond guards the green on the front left, so make sure you give it plenty of room as you approach the green (a left hand pin placement is an invitation for disaster...).
Number 10 is a chance to get back some of that "uphill" stuff you saw on the front nine. The distance is a relatively sedate 347 yards downhill. There is trouble to be had on the left (fairway bunkers), but if you can get a clean tee shot, it will feel good to be hitting a wedge or short iron into this green for a change.
Number 11 by contrast is pretty gnarly. You have five tee boxes lined up overlooking a swamp. (The swamp has an elevated bridge winding across it, just like an interstate highway going through a Louisiana bayou.) Bring your "A" game to this hole!
Number 12 also forces you to hit across a swamp, but it's only just in front of the tee box, to get inside your head. At 393 yards, the hole isn't punitive, but it does want you to get a decent tee shot. If the tee shot is short, you ought to lay up on your second shot to avoid the rough patch fronting the green. (Might as well play your final shot from a good lie if you don't reach in two). The fairway is a bit too narrow to hit your driver, so pick something you're going to hit straight.
The par 5 thirteenth is 495 yards, and it's basically wide open. Go ahead and hit your driver. Its defense is up around the green anyway. The green has a cute litte creek running across in front. The green is very wide, but not very deep, so you're basically playing target golf on your approach shot. I wouldn't recommend going after this green unless you're inside of 150 yards. You'll need to hit it high, and land it soft.
The 14th hole is a longish (406 yards) hole, with a bit of an elevated green, and a dogleg right. There's a pond on the left you need to stay away from, and a native area on the right, so accuracy is at a premium. Driver is an okay play if you're not likely to pull or hook the ball. Bogey is a good score here, so don't be discouraged if you don't hit a perfect drive, just keep it in play.
The 15th is a brute. It plays long - a 454 yard par 4 -- that is also uphill, and usually upwind. Oh by the way, there's a nasty bunker immediately in front of the green that you have to clear on your final approach shot. Double-bogey is not a bad score here. Keep the ball in play, and keep hitting solid shots, even if they're mid-irons.
The 16th is a teaser. It's a short par 4 that wraps around a pond. If you decide to go across the pond instead of around it, it's do-able, but challenging. Even if you decide to do the smart thing, and go around the pond, it's still fun to take a couple of, ahem, older less cherished golf balls, and try to reach, just for fun. It's 247 yards across from the gold tees, and about 225 from the blues. There's a drop zone in front of the reds...
#17 is a 201 yard uphill par 3. Pay close attention to the pin placement, because the green is easily 40 yards from back to front. There's a creek which meanders up the right hand side. Best to just ignore it, and concentrate on hitting your shot straight.
The closing hole is another brute. It's a par 5, 565 yard uphill monster. You need to crush your tee shot, and then crush a fairway wood or a long iron just to reach the 150 yard marker in two. Fortunately, the fairway is wide enough to let you try for it. Bogey is a good score on this hole; just keep the ball in play, and hit solid shots, even if you're not trying to get home in three.
So to summarize -- this is a tough course, especially from the gold tees, and bogey is a good score. Your scoring opportunities are #2 (unless there's a left-hand pin), #4 (gotta hit a straight short iron over the water), #8 (calls for a good midiron), #10 (keep it in the fairway), #13, and #17. You can run up big numbers if you're not careful on #3, #5, #7, #12, #15, #16, and #18. Keep the ball in play, and take what the course gives you!
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