Carlton Oaks GC
A view of a hole at Carlton Oaks Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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3.1
1884 Reviews (1884)
5 Stars
243
4 Stars
672
3 Stars
455
2 Stars
280
1 Stars
234
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.4
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.5
62.8%
Recommend this course
1210 out of 1884 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.1
54 Reviews (54)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
15
3 Stars
21
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
5
Conditions
2.8
Value
3.5
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.7
StaffFriendliness
4.5
64.8%
Recommend this course
35 out of 54 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.2
137 Reviews (137)
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
46
3 Stars
37
2 Stars
19
1 Stars
17
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.5
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.4
66.4%
Recommend this course
91 out of 137 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Carlton Oaks features a challenging Pete Dye layout that consistently earns praise for its interesting design and playable greens. Exceptionally friendly staff and affordable pricing make this a rewarding value for San Diego golfers.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort/Public
Par 72
Length 7304 yards
Slope 142
Rating 75.1

Carlton Oaks Country Club is the only public Dye Design golf course in San Diego. The course is covered with hundreds of mature trees interspersed with sparkling blue lakes and meandering creeks. The layout offers a diverse mix of holes that all possess a unique character. They all offer different challenges in the form of either water hazards of strategically placed sand traps along the fairways. Tricky pot bunkers and interesting elevation changes were also incorporated into the design as well as Dye's signature railroad ties. There are five very different sets of tees that offer a challenging round from the back tees but also enough playability to appeal to a range of skill levels. In addition to the enjoyable layout, Carlton Oaks is one San Diego's most centrally located courses, sitting just minutes from downtown and many of the city's major attractions.

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Carlton Oaks Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1958
Golf Season Year round
Architect William W. Mast (1958) Perry Dye (1989)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $15.00 - $25.00
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill

Lodging

Lodging Available

Available Facilities

Banquet Facilities

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards
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Reviews

3.1
1884 Reviews (1884)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 37
Patio Dining 20
Watching the Game 20
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 54
Water Hazards 53
Undulating Greens 41
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 44
Locals 35
Walkers 24
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 38
In the 'Burbs 35
Worth the Drive 26

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once every three months
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Used cart

If you are expecting a paced round at a course in good condition, this is not it.

Had a noon tee time. Easy to find. This place is a cow track. Its lumpy, no fairway grass, and crappy conditions. We paid for 18 holes and quit after 8 holes. It was that bad.

Sorry to the course for a negative review. But this is a not a course if you are coming to SD to play golf that should be on your list.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Nice Course

Pace of play could have been better but that was just because of the group in front playing from the Black tees when they should have been playing from the ladies tee box their slow play allowed me to catch up to a very friendly couple. I enjoyed their company to and played the last 11 holes with them.

Tee Boxes could use some care. Greens were in great shape but the speed of the greens had no consistency. I will play here again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Not Good

Sorry. I played this course 10 years ago and stopped due to poor conditions and now… it is worse. I paid $52 as my online/prepaid rate and I want my $$$ back. Slow play was in part due to a he fact that you could not find your golfball thru the gopher holes , brown fairways and many dirt runoffs. I could mot openly invite friends to play beyond the kind courteous staff.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Getting Better

I’ve played here quite a few times. It’s been ravaged by floods in the past and they are slowly recovering. It’s a great layout and can be very difficult from the wrong tees. Fairways are firm and fast and the greens are in good shape. I hope they keep improving and bring it back to its past glory.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 94
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 64
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor

Horrible

Yes, the course is in bad shape. It straight up looks like a desert with some green patches mixed in. Now there is a new twist to the sad state of this course. Some of the idiots that play this course are out of control. The insanely drunk group in front of us drove their cart into the river and I do mean all the way in. It was still there when we passed by. I'm all for a few beers on the course, but this was ridiculous. I honestly don't know how much lower this course can sink.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Value!

For a full course and the decent conditions, you can't ask for a better price! This course seems to be a secret gem (a secret for now) as you can usually get a decent tee time and the conditions are never bad. If you get off the fairway too far you may disagree with the conditions, but that's what you get for missing the fairway, lol. They are remodeling the off-course amenities so I'm excited to see it progress, but it will likely cause it to become busier, good for them!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Hoping to see improvements

I know they are going to reconfigure course and build homes soon. Can’t wait til that happens as course is pretty poor shape right now.

Greens are okay.

Took way to long to play.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Much improved conditions. Teeoff hot deal worth it

Compliments to the greenskeeper staff and owners on the much improved conditions since the last time I played here maybe a few months ago. The tee boxes, fairways and approach areas around the green complexes have new grass and there seem to be less gopher holes than I remember from last time. Bunkers are still pretty much hard-pan dirt though. Greens were slow but decent condition with minimal ball marks. Lots of coot bird poop on #12 green but I think they cleaned up the debris from the two lakes as it didn't smell as bad as before and it was very scenic, with lots of other birds/cranes grazing around. Always very windy in the late afternoon, I should've clubbed up more often (and hit putts harder)! Was a fun day out at Carlton. Cart girl came around a few times. It was a packed day so pace was pretty slow. Hot dog at the turn from bar was hot and quick. The bar is great for sports and their regular menu is decent if you decide to stick around afterward.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Improving

The course had fallen into disrepair lately but has made significant progress over the past 6 months. New grass around the greens and tee boxes. It still has a ways to go but the improvements are welcome and make the place look better.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

OMG

A total mess the fairways was a combination of weeds, dirt and craters

they explained they’re doing a multi million dollar renovation but honestly, we should’ve paid half what we did

i’m sure it was once Beautiful, but it has not been maintained in a very long time. extremely rundown and half of the vegetation was dead.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 73
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

This course has some great features very challenging course you'll see when you get there

This is a very challenging course to play Lately the tea boxes have new grass look very nice and the greens are in very good shape and the fairways are starting to get nice thick patches of grass in there this is a very good course to play don't pass it up get out there and play it great course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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