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
1890 Reviews (1890)
5 Stars
243
4 Stars
674
3 Stars
458
2 Stars
281
1 Stars
234
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.4
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.5
63.6%
Recommend this course
1215 out of 1890 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.2
58 Reviews (58)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
17
3 Stars
23
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
5
Conditions
2.9
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.7
StaffFriendliness
4.5
67.2%
Recommend this course
39 out of 58 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.2
139 Reviews (139)
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
46
3 Stars
39
2 Stars
20
1 Stars
16
Conditions
2.8
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.4
67.6%
Recommend this course
94 out of 139 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
1890 Reviews (1890)

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 510
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/14/2023

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 160
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/07/2023

Hi, Pablo7216916. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Thank you for the 4 stars! We aim for a 5-star experience, so we always welcome feedback for improvement. Thank you for playing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club.

Played On
Reviews 28
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/28/2023

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/23/2023

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 28
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/07/2023

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 04/07/2023

Hello, WarriorX327. We appreciate the review. You rated us 3-stars which means there is room to improve on your recent experience at Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club. Let us know, in the comments, how and where you would like to see changes from the course. Thanks for the feedback!

Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Best I have ever seen the course

Been playing here for years. Granted it is in a flood plane so there is still a few extra water hazards from all of the rain. But from fairways to greens I have never seen it look better excited to play there again soon.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/31/2023

Hi, u7812645. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. Thank you for the 4 stars! We aim for a 5-star experience, so we always welcome feedback for improvement. Thank you for playing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club.

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/24/2023

Hello and thank you for your 5-star rating! We're delighted you enjoyed your round. Please book another round with us soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

Carlton oaks No money for proper maintenance

This course used to be one of the gems of East County. Unfortunately these days it’s been taken over by a group that doesn’t seem to have Golf as the forefront of their business. There is large debris piles everywhere, NO sand in bunkers literally decomposed granite with gravel, fairways are horrible, greens are cut poorly, aprons are very nice, tee boxes are extremely uneven. This is basically like Cottonwood used to be. If the rates were cheaper it would be 100% worth it however for the max rate in the mornings it’s simply not worth the price tag.

I do not believe this has anything to do with the maintenance crew, it seems like their hands are tied. It always boils down to a few thousand bucks a month and this course could be in much better shape.

Forget about getting food here used to be very good along time ago. now the food is not good at all and the staff is extremely so for service we have outdated outdoor seating they don’t even have utensils or drink station outside to make it faster and easier for their staff they have to continuously run in and out.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/24/2023

We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us, James8267435. We are going to pass on your feedback to the team. Thanks for visiting Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club, and we hope to see you again in the future.

Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Carelton ch-oaks

shut it down already.

the course deserves a peaceful ending.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

Thank you for taking the time to review and leave feedback on your recent round with us, u749902259. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. Your feedback is extremely important to us. It is always our utmost goal to provide our golfers with a fun and enjoyable time and apologize if we missed the mark. For further resolution in this matter, please feel free to reach out to our staff in the pro shop at (619) 448-4242. We hope to hear from you soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Beautiful course for your buck

Course was actually really beautiful compared to the reviews that were written, great round and stuff is supper friendly.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/24/2023

Hello, Gilll. Thank you for visiting us at Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club. We appreciate your 4-star rating and review. We hope you join us for another round soon.

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Carlton Oaks

First time playing here and thought it was a pretty good course. There were some spots where water was pooling, but other than that it was in good condition. It felt like a decent public course, not quite as good as the more expensive places but good for the price. There was a good mix of holes with challenging shots. Pace was pretty slow.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/24/2023

Hello, u314162083233. Thank you for visiting us at Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club. We appreciate your 4-star rating and review. We hope you join us for another round soon.

Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

Hi, SWAGGWALRUS. We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us. We see you rated the course 1 star and are interested in learning what we can do to improve for your next visit. We take single-star feedback very seriously at our course. You are welcome to comment further or reach out to our team in the golf shop. We always appreciate the feedback. Thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club.

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

Course is in best shape that I’ve seen.

Had the best day I’ve ever had on this course. Not crowded. Very friendly staff.

The course wasn’t all dried out. Actually had new green grass growing in the fairways.

Pace of play was excellent. Played a 4 hour round.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

We appreciate you taking the time to review the course and rate us, uBHDY1318BH. We are going to pass on your feedback to the team. Thanks for visiting Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club, and we hope to see you again in the future.

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Value

I have read reviews on this course and some not very good. I booked this on Golfnow and got a deal for $56 bucks for 2 players including cart. This course is not plush but in very decent condition. Hardly no rough spots and fairways and greens are in great shape. Its not country club standards but better than most Munis I have played lately with exception to Torrey pines and Balboa. Not an easy course. Lots of water and hazard areas . They have a great 19th hole with great service. I would come back again.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

Hello, arthur3085641. Thank you for visiting us at Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club. We appreciate your 4-star rating and review. We hope you join us for another round soon.

Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Great course for the price

Love being able to walk on after work and finish a full 18

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/24/2023

Thank you so much for the great review. We are glad you had an incredible time, and we hope to see you again soon! Thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club.

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Horrible conditions!

This course is in absolutely horrible condition. Not even worth playing! Don’t waste your time or money! The carts have no windscreens either so it was really cold. Never again!!

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

Thank you for taking the time to review and leave feedback on your recent round with us, u000006908409. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. Your feedback is extremely important to us. It is always our utmost goal to provide our golfers with a fun and enjoyable time and apologize if we missed the mark. For further resolution in this matter, please feel free to reach out to our staff in the pro shop at (619) 448-4242. We hope to hear from you soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

This is a tough one to review. Pete Dye design, that has died many years ago… Course maintenance is nearly non-existent and feels like you’re hitting balls in the backwoods. The layout has major potential, but it’s too rundown to be playable. If it was $30, I’d play it once or twice maybe, but for $80 it’s robbery. There’s a plan in the distant future where housing developers finally get their permits and renovate the course back to it’s “glory,” although I’d say that’s 4-5 years from now.

1. Tee boxes: patchy, uneven.

2. Fairways: diseased grass, patchy, just awful. Same with the first cut, or rough… frankly it’s all the same.

3. Greens: there’s potential, although not maintained well.

4. Bunkers: overgrown with grass or flooded with water. On the bunkers that look okay… no top sand.

5. Pace of play: Lots of beginners, so it plays slow on the course. Lots of divots and pitch marks not repaired.

6. Staff: nice people, decent food

7. Range: old dirty balls, very poor quality

8. Carts are fast at least, no gps though.

9. Dye design railroad ties are rotted. Instead of being replaced the gaps are patched in with concrete.

I’d play here for $150+ when renovated, but you couldn’t pay me $80 to play there again in those conditions.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/31/2023

Thank you for taking the time to review and leave feedback on your recent round with us, AlexMathews. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. Your feedback is extremely important to us. It is always our utmost goal to provide our golfers with a fun and enjoyable time and apologize if we missed the mark. For further resolution in this matter, please feel free to reach out to our staff in the pro shop at (619) 448-4242. We hope to hear from you soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

Played On
Reviews 21
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Another course with atrocious playing conditions

I’m visiting from out of town. This is the 2nd course in a row with atrocious playing conditions. Tees not cared for. I saw a sign on one hole for “ground under repair.” Are they kidding me? The whole course is ground under repair! Fairways are pretty much non-existent. Some small patches of grass surrounding dirt or dormant grass. Bunkers not playable. The only saving grace are the greens which are not bad. And someone please tell me why this is also the 2nd course that doesn’t offer pull carts? Doesn’t anyone around here like walking a golf course without having to carry their bag for 18 holes?

I can’t say my experience golfing in San Diego has been enjoyable. Perhaps I have to significantly lower my expectations.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Commented on 03/17/2023

Thank you for taking the time to review and leave feedback on your recent round with us, u894307069. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. Your feedback is extremely important to us. It is always our utmost goal to provide our golfers with a fun and enjoyable time and apologize if we missed the mark. For further resolution in this matter, please feel free to reach out to our staff in the pro shop at (619) 448-4242. We hope to hear from you soon, and thanks for choosing Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club!

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