DarkHorse Golf Club

I got there early to hit a few balls off the driving range, but it was down, and I didn’t get an email stating the driving range was down. After waiting 45 minutes and starting to golf the golf carts kept saying we were in off limit areas in the fairways and 5 ft into the rough of various holes. Driving range was down.we finished our round in about 5 hours. The whole day was a mess. I will not be heading back to dark house any time soon.

Thank you!

There are several area within 5-60 yards of the greens that need complete re-seeding or sod. At most courses that would be considered “ground under repair”, except no repair has been undertaken.

Even without having a clubhouse this course is one of the finest in Northern California.

Staff was great and course was challenging and in great shape.

Every time I play this course I notice improvements or improvements in progress. Enjoyable golf experience.

Beautiful course, tough. Greens were recently punch not great, tee boxes need work.

Played the beautiful Darkhorse golf club today. Tees and fairways in good shape. The greens were still recovering from being Punched 2 weeks ago. Perfect weather and great pace of play made for a super fun day.

First the course is in great conditions. When I booked the tee time a few weeks ago I contacted the course to see if they were clubs for rent and we were told yes they had clubs for rent at a rate of 25 per set. When we got to the course they could not even put together a complete set. They tried to put together 3 bags with wedges and whatever they could find laying around. If we did not drive over an hour to get to this course we would not have played. Also when we got back to the clubhouse after the round the gentleman in the pro shop shack tried to show me a set of clubs we would have gotten. Was he adding insult to the injury? We would have brought our own clubs from Sacramento had we been given the right information. I should be refunded my green fees for the day.

So I hardly ever get on here and write reviews, but after playing this course for the first time in 5 years, I was compelled to give my review considering this used to be my favorite course in all of Sacramento.

First of all, I have always LOVED this course layout. In my opinion, it is in a classy part of Auburn and it is a fun course to play and it is usually always in good to great shape. I do know that back in 2019, the course was sold and the new owners did put a ton of money into the course itself, repairing bridges I believe and had some resodding done and they even had all the bunkers professionally redone by getting rid of the old "Mud Sand" and replacing it with proper drainage and Pebble Beach type sand. So huge props to the new owners on the work they had done to improve the course!

However -- I had to only give them a 3-star rating due to Darkhorse now NOT having a clubhouse. Golf Pass really needs to update that on this website as they show they have one in their description. Back in 2019, the new owner tore down the old clubhouse and just replaced it with sod, which was at the top of the hill from the parking lot.

I know the old clubhouse wasn't all that great, built mainly out of wood. BUT it was something and it did give you a place to get something to eat at before your round and hang out with your buddies after the round. Tell me one great golf course that you know that does NOT have a clubhouse or a 19th hole. I seriously can't name one.

Now, all they have for when you arrive is just the tiny little shack that is still at the top of the hill off to the left. That is where you go to check in and pay your fare and pick up your cart (oh and the nice bathrooms are still there too - and I have always thought those were a little out of place).

Anyway, then when you pick up your cart and take it down the hill a bit to the range, there you will now find a half covered metal shed, which is something that you would see on a farm and looks totally out of place with the impression that you have coming in with this being a classy course. The metal shed is actually the cover for the driving range, in which they have tried to make it into a mini TopGolf experience.

Now, don't get me wrong, that is cool in itself - and there aren't many covered ranges in Sacramento that I know of. However, if you are paying $100 a for a round of golf and you are playing on a course surrounded by beautiful views and multi-million dollar homes, I can't help but feel that warming up on a range under a shed that makes you feel like you are on a farm and with no clubhouse to go before or after the round takes away from the overall traditional golf experience of the day. I am sorry but for $100, you are paying for more than golf.

Oh and another thing: Since they don't have a kitchen, they go down the street to get Subway sandwiches every day (Hey I love Subway just like the other guy and it does give them business too) for them to sale. Also, just know that they do check your coolers so they are making sure that you are buying their alcohol (in which they apparently stock in that little shack at the top of the hill). And when the round was over, I had found a club to where I could not find one employee to even give it to so I no idea where their lost and found is. I guess it is in one of the corners of that one shack.

I have seen on social media where the owner blasted right back at people criticizing them for not having a clubhouse and saying that it was just not "Cost Feasible" (which hey I am sure some of that is true), but I would add a note to the owner: Take a look at the brand new clubhouse that Antelope Greens just built during the Pandemic mind you, if THAT course could build a brand new clubhouse, you truly have no argument.

Sadly, I have heard so many people that I know that loved Darkhorse saying it is just not worth the cost to go back until they get a clubhouse and sadly, for the price that you are paying, I have to tend to agree.

So bottom line -- If you only care about going and playing the course and then leaving right afterwards and driving all the way back to Auburn to go grab a beer at like Moonraker, I would recommend. However, if you do care about the overall golf experience and having a place to go to before and after the round with your group, I would definitely recommend The Ridge or even Alta Sierra Country Club instead.

Great layout and value. Unfortunately the greens were punched but it’s just that time of year. Different sets of tees set up well for all kinds of players. Can’t wait to play again when the greens are back to normal because the rest of the course was in great shape!