DarkHorse GC: Aerial
View of a green from DarkHorse Golf Club.
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3.9
1536 Reviews (1536)
5 Stars
791
4 Stars
463
3 Stars
153
2 Stars
63
1 Stars
66
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.1
Pace
3.8
Amenities
2.7
83.2%
Recommend this course
1345 out of 1536 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.2
19 Reviews (19)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
7
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.4
Value
4.2
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.0
Amenities
2.8
StaffFriendliness
4.0
89.5%
Recommend this course
17 out of 19 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
81 Reviews (81)
5 Stars
34
4 Stars
23
3 Stars
15
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
7
Conditions
4.1
Value
3.9
Layout
4.7
Pace
3.8
Amenities
2.6
StaffFriendliness
3.9
84.0%
Recommend this course
68 out of 81 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7005 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.7

Nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, DarkHorse Golf Club tumbles across a magnificent landscape that once served as a cattle ranch. The course incorporates a variety of elevation changes that range from subtle to dramatic. This tough layout is definitely not for the faint of heart. From short par 3s to monstrous par 5s, this course has a little bit of everything. The severely sloped greens demand accuracy and the bunkers were strategically placed to provide a multitude of shot-making opportunities. Tricky doglegs and uphill and downhill lies aren't the only challenges you'll face, there are also several water hazards that come into play throughout and an abundance of trees that make it even more difficult to navigate your ball. DarkHorse G.C. is situated 50 miles east of Sacramento and though it might be a bit of a drive to get there, local golfers consider the round well worth the trip.

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Course Details

Year Built 2002
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Keith Foster (2002)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
GPS 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, MC, AMEX, Discover
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code No Denim, Collared Shirt Required

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in California (2014 #4)
  • Golf Advisor: Golfers' Choice (2014 #32)
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Reviews

3.9
1536 Reviews (1536)

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Loved the challenge

Great layout! Bunkers need a little more care. Fairways were good with a nice roll-out. Greens were in good shape...still can't believe that golfers can't repair their divot. Warm up on mats. Great targets on range.

GPS on comfortable carts is nice!

Take the drive up there. It's worth it!!

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

What a Let Down

Booked a 740 am tee time, guy who checked us in told me it was for 730 (he was wrong) so we didn't get a chance to warm up at all.

Then, when we forgot something in our car and attempted to drive the cart in the parking lot, the same dude screams at me and says the carts aren't allowed in the parking lot. I told him I've never seen a course not allow this before, and he said it's because people leave their carts in the lot, which I've never done or seen. What a way to start the round!

Then, on 16, the course maintenance people were working on a sand trap, their carts in the middle of the fairway. It didn't even cross their mind to move their carts so we could play the hole and not hit their carts. They finish up their work on 16, and go right to 17 and do the same thing.

Then, on 18, what looked like the course manager and a maintenance person were working on some irrigation/drainage issue in the middle of the hole, as we tried to play the hole around them.

It's a first world problem, but this was literally the worst golf experience I think I've ever had. From the rudeness and incompetence of the guy in the shop to the clueless maintenance people, this place doesn't seem like they care if you're there or not despite paying $85 to play their muddy course.

It's a shame because this course used to be a gem with an actual clubhouse. It's a great design with beautiful homes everywhere. But whoever owns it now is running it into the ground and it seems they couldn't care less about providing a good experience to golfers. I won't be returning until they get their act together.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 214
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 100 Contributor
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 13
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful & Challenging

My title says it all. I absolutely loved this course. It was both beautiful and challenging. I can’t wait to play it again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Mayhem at Darkhorse

Brought my cousin from SD and his daughter, he hadn't played in a year and it was her first time playing so we got there early to warmup. Got to the course: no range balls.

Beautiful Top Tracer, covered range... no range balls.

Then, no carts. Carts weren't ready until 25 minutes after our T-time. We did get to witness a fight between an employee and a group that just finished.

It's not exactly the employees fault, they should just get more carts. And hire some staff to collect range balls. Problem solvd.

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

A little maintenance would go a long way

Seems like bunkers haven’t been tended to in months. A little TLC would go along way. Nice lay out. Would be hard to beat if they had appropriate bathrooms and clubhouse. Range was closed as they had no balls. No on course ball washers or yardage markers. Seems like ownership is cutting corners on maintenance, facilities, and staff.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Downhill Father’s Day at Darkhorse

No range balls available—at all. I felt so bad for my cousin, visiting from out of town. He hadn’t played for a year and really wanted to hit some balls before we played.

No carts available until after our T-time. Sent out 25 minutes late… it was a rough start.

Beautiful course. But, the bunkers—which used to be so good—have turned into hard pan.

5+ hour round… not a bad place to spend time, but that is some slow play. Problem with sending groups off every 10 minutes.

Easy fixes: get a bigger cart barn and 20 more carts. Hire more staff for the range. Space out T-times. Re-sand the bunkers. Then Darkhorse will be back to its former glory!

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

I love Darkhorse

One of my favorite courses. Excellent layout, fast greens incredible experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

Tough Course and Pins

Overall the course was in pretty good shape but the quality has gone down from the previous times I played there. The traps need some work and so do a few tee boxes. I was only disappointed because I know what the traps use to be in the past.

Aside from the course itself the facilities needed a little upkeep, but nothing major. Did feel a bit rushed and also backed up but I think that’s because a few people snuck out as singles earlier than they were supposed to

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Great course away from the many people

At first view. You wonder where the club house is. But if you’re a golfer. That doesn’t matter. The range is good. The practice putting area is big. Course conditions right now are great. Rough isn’t to high. Can find balls. Greens are receptive, but quick. This course makes you think off the tee. Greens make you wonder if you’ve got the break right. All and all. Good course. Great staff. Friendly. Tough track if you’re a first time player here. But worth it.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great day of golf.

First time at Dark Horse. Recommended by a friend. Beautiful course, great views, lots of wildlife. Staff was super nice. Hoped to hit a few practice shots but range balls were out of stock. My group was on the slow side and by the time we got to the turn, all the food & drink options were closed down which was a bummer but we had a great day regardless. Definately going back. Thanks Dark Horse!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Almost a 5

The course fairways and greens are very good. The only thing holding it back from being a 5 is the sand traps and some of the tees. The traps (at least the ones I was in) had a thin layer of sand, which was fairly wet and compacted and some of the tees could use a rest. The course overall is in very good shape.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Love this cours

I hadn't played this course in year's. I took my 16 year old son with a friend of mine and his son. We had a fantastic day. Course was in great shape.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Appreciation

I cannot express my apprection for the staff, the service, and the condition of the course. Outstanding! From the owner, his son, and now best of all a red-headed grandson, all the greens keepers too many to name, and the newest staff Robert,who greets us with a smile as well as his pooch , Kahlia, who wags her tail as she welcomes us out. I just found that my dear friend is finally a member, Brian Hixon and his son Preston. THEY GAVE UP A MEMBERSHIP TO JOIN THE BEST! I have been after him for a time, but I got to thinking father/son father/son father/son. Having lost my son 12 years ago, I think of the great opportunity for families to take their kids golfing. To show them how to äppreciate"a great course with some real basic life lessons. Repair your divots,honesty play it where it lies, and biggest lesson of all, to be sucessful "KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN AND FOLLOW THRU". THAK YOU DARK HORSE FOR KEEPING UP WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE. Jim Sullivan

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Used cart

Bathrooms / Check-In

It took 20 minutes to check in which was very annoying. That process should not require such a long time. The guy at the front moved like a snail and we were first in line as he took forever on the phone with someone and then another 10 min with us.

Men's restroom was a mess. Trash overflowing everywhere.

Carts stop working in many GPS dead spots which required us to call the front. Very annoying.

Some sand traps were wet and hard.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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