DarkHorse Golf Club

This was the worst experience at a golf course to date. Prior to teeing off the the course staff was rude to people checking in for their tee times. When I booked online our rate was $69/per golfer but at the course they charged us $79/per golfer and they wouldn’t honor the online rate.

It was a hot day so I had a mini cooler with water and Gatorade to help stay hydrated throughout the round. The owner of the golf course yelled at me for trying to bring the mini cooler on the course even though I showed him there was no alcohol in the cooler. To make things worse they didn’t have a cart girl working during our who round to be able to purchase drinks from. They did have 2 holes that had water jugs on them but there was spiders floating around in there so drink at your own risk.

They recently got new golf carts that you can’t drive in the parking lot so you will need to carry your golf to and from the cart check-in/drop off area. The carts have screens in them which seemed pretty cool except they send you approximately 10 notifications per hole which can be pretty distracting.

The greens and tee boxes were in pretty bad shape and the fairways were flooded from overwatering. Almost all the greens haven’t been manicured so most putts are bouncing on the way to the hole.

Even after all that my group was in pretty good spirits until the owner of the course starting yelling at my group from the tee box while we were putting on the green to let the group behind us hit up on us. I’ve never seen anything like it at any course. We pulled up to a par 3 while the group in front of us was teeing off and had to wait approximately 5-7 minutes for them to finish the hole before we could tee off. After we tee’d off and went to the green to putt, in the meantime the group behind us pulled up as well as the owner of the course. The owner began yelling at us “let this group hit up on you to help speed up play”. We looked over at the next tee box and the group in front of us hadn’t even tee’d off yet so we told him no that cannot hit up on us. There was nowhere for us to go and we had to wait at every hole for the group in front of us before we could continue play. There was also a group in front of them so it looked like it was just jammed up due to the course overbooking tee times. We spoke with another group on the course that said the owner was pressuring them to skip holes so it wouldn’t be backed up.

Overall the only thing I liked about our experience was the course layout. The owners rudeness and unprofessionalism as well as overcharging from what the online rate was is enough for me to never return to this course again.

If you like to be yelled by the owner to have people hit up on you or pressure you into skipping holes because they overbooked then this course is for you. Also, if you can go the whole round without hydration or eating because there is only a hotdog stand at the turn then you’ll have a great experience at Darkhorse.

There is a longer story here - but from our experience, the staff was rude. Won’t be going back and will tell everyone i know. It was not good:

The GPS restrictions on the carts are horrible. We would get stopped in the middle of the fairway, no where near “restricted zones”. Mentioned it to the staff and he could have cared less. It took at least 25 extra minutes to play the course because of the stopping and starting of the carts. I would not go back and play the course until this is resolved. Oh, and a trash can or two on the golf course wouldn’t hurt either.

Irrigation a little uneven....some very wet spots, some araes around greens dying....otherwise beatiful!

Great practice facilities, new carts, fabulous hot dogs!!!!

The course has consistently improved over the last few years. Staff was great.

This course used to be great back in 2004-2008. The owner and GM aren’t friendly at all. Greens are beat up, fairways are wet. Used to enjoy this course but the lack of amenities, unwelcoming staff, and course conditions will keep me from coming back. The Ridge in Auburn is a much nicer course.

Overall average course with great surroundings but could have been better informed on no clubhouse and little drinks and no food until hotdogs stand showed up tee boxes very spongee

The staff at the check in was rude, inconsiderate, and refused to help us. We went to the check in as we were making the turn and looking for something to drink and I walked up and another player in my party was having difficulty with the staff, and I just walked up and I was told by the person that "he's frustrated because we aren't making up our mind". Remember, I just walked up - this was my first impression. I looked at the guy - and said, that was rude as I just walked up. I grabbed my drink and left. Apparently, this went on more with my other party and when we were leaving I said to the GM(apparently this person was the GM???) that he was rude to me and I won't be coming back. I later heard from my party that he told them that it "wasn't his job" - so the GM of the course tells clients that it's not his job to help provide them drinks? Really. Won't be going back which is unfortunate as the course is fun to play.

Having played this course periodically since 2004 it has definitely seen its ups and downs. The layout has always been fantastic but the pace of play is poor with no marshall. Amenities are limited due to the lack of a clubhouse. Another small pet peeve is that they won’t let you take a cart to the parking lot. Therefore if you’ve got some physical limitations (bad knees) it makes schlepping your own clubs a little annoying.

The owner keeps making the course better and better. The sand traps are superb as are the greens. They recently got new carts and put in a TopTracer range. A clubhouse would be nice but if you are all about the golf, this place is the best!

Over watered the sand traps. Greens are in excellent shape save too many unrepaired ball marks. Front desk staff service is good.

The course has a very nice layout and the holes are very entertaining, and very fair. The course needs maintenance and upkeep. The pace of play was very very slow. Four hours and 45 minutes is more than I can take. I quit four holes early.

This could be a great facility with the right management.