Carlton Oaks GC
A view of a hole at Carlton Oaks Golf Club.
GolfPass Icon
Rating Index Rating
Tooltip Information Icon
3.1
1829 Reviews (1829)
5 Stars
238
4 Stars
657
3 Stars
433
2 Stars
272
1 Stars
229
Conditions
2.5
Value
3.2
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.4
58.5%
Recommend this course
1174 out of 1829 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.3
84 Reviews (84)
5 Stars
15
4 Stars
31
3 Stars
15
2 Stars
11
1 Stars
12
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.6
Layout
4.1
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.5
StaffFriendliness
4.4
67.9%
Recommend this course
57 out of 84 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.1
180 Reviews (180)
5 Stars
24
4 Stars
54
3 Stars
45
2 Stars
28
1 Stars
29
Conditions
2.5
Value
3.3
Layout
4.0
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.5
StaffFriendliness
4.4
59.4%
Recommend this course
107 out of 180 reviews
Read Reviews

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.

Book a Tee Time at
Carlton Oaks Golf Club
Powered by GolfNow.com

Course Details

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

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
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 Activities

Swimming, Billiards
The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+
waivedfees
10 rounds of waived fees
golf ball.svg
$120 in tee time credits
teetime protection.svg
Tee Time Protection
redeemtrophy
Redeem GolfPass points

Reviews

3.1
1829 Reviews (1829)

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Gopher Golfing

The course has been overrun by gophers. There must be a million of them with holes and mounds all over. The tees were okay and the greens were okay but everything else was terrible condition. Play Winter rules All over. The course has potential but it's kind of sad. If you need a golf fix badly then it's okay but otherwise not worth it. There was a large crane bird by one of the greens and while we were there it caught three gophers.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 32
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played

Time is money

Don’t waste your time or money. This once entertaining track is in the worst condition I have ever seen.

Tee areas are overgrown. None are flat.

Course is so bumpy that the golf cart will kill your back.

Fairways are more hard pan than grass. Bunkers are like wet cement. Gopher holes are everywhere. Greens look OK, but they have so many types of grass that green speed is erratic.

$80 for a round is insulting. They should close and renovate. Don’t waste your time or money !

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
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 10
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 2
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 10
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 8
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 85
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 5
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 1
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
Nearby Courses
San Diego, California
Public
3.6637012019
915
Lakeside, California
Public
2.6667
3
San Diego, California
Military
2.8476941176
300
San Diego, California
Military
3.9527
275
San Diego, California
Public
4.6923282145
458
San Diego, California
Military
3.7833
120
San Diego, California
Resort
1.0
2
El Cajon, California
Public
3.6550383453
1169
Jamul, California
Semi-Private
4.3735131117
1010
Golf Packages

Best of San Diego Package

CLICK BELOW
SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy 4 nights’ accommodations at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar and 3 rounds of golf at The Grand Golf Club, Maderas Golf Club, and Aviara Golf Club.

California Dream Golf Getaway Package

CLICK BELOW
SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy 6 total nights' accommodations at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar (3 nights) and Silverado Resort (3 nights), along with 4 rounds of golf at The Grand Golf Club, Aviara Golf Club, and Silverado Resort (North & South Courses).

The OMNI La Costa Resort & Spa Stay & Play Package

CLICK BELOW
CARLSBAD, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The OMNI La Costa Resort & Spa and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Aviara Golf Course, OMNI La Costa – South Course, and OMNI La Costa – North Course.

The Grand Golf Getaway Package

CLICK BELOW
SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar and 2 rounds of golf at The Grand Golf Club.

The Lodge At Torrey Pines Stay & Play Package

CLICK BELOW
LA JOLLA, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Lodge at Torrey Pines and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Torrey Pines – South Course and Torrey Pines – North Course.
Now Reading
  • Home

  • Memberships

  • Library

  • Account