The Ranch Golf Club

Nice view to the valley
Challenging course layout
Bunker somewhat thin on sand

I have played the Ranch a few times and it is always a stern test of golf. Many forced carries off the tee and several on second or third shots. The greens are generally running tour speed and many are very undulating. The biggest overall challenge is that a missed shot is quite often a lost ball. There is no other fairway, or rough area to recover from. 10 yards off the fairway is in a canyon. Had one of my best ball striking days this last round there and still couldn't break 100 (shot 101 - 19hcp) due to 7 three putts and 7 or 8 lost balls.

This course has about 8 holes that are either quirky or just excessively difficult. Landing areas no bigger than 15 yards wide with hazards on both sides was a constant theme.
Be ready to lose a lot of golf balls and shoot a high score.
Despite that, course and greens were in pretty good shape. The bunkers were miserable. I'm in no rush to go back.

This is a must for all golfers visiting South of the Bay area!

Pretty views as this course is located up in the hills with sweeping views of San Jose. The course winds through a residential community and has huge elevation changes. It is target golf at its most frustrating. If you can accept that, then you might have a somewhat enjoyable round. If playing for the first time, hope that your playing partners aren't as there are several places where your landing spot is blind. Fairways tend to be narrow and there isn't always a lot of rough. Get ready to lose balls even with shots that aren't terrible. The bunkers are unfortunately not well maintained and are pretty hard. The greens are decently quick and roll well for the vast majority of the time. They are severely undulating, however, so landing on the wrong tier above the hole can make lag putting nearly impossible given the hole locations. The course's reputation precedes itself, so it's not very crowded. Other local courses (Cinnabar, Coyote Creek) are more fun and in better condition. Still, I only paid $29 for my round, hence the 4 stars.

Course is really challenging. The course is in great shape and the greens are fast. I love to practice here. Only down side is no driving range to warm up.

This course can be a challenge, especially for novice golfers, but it is a lot of fun. It has beautiful views of the valley and a friendly staff. Just wish it had a few more par 3's. I highly recommend this course, especially if you can catch a deal for green fees.

The Ranch is one of the more challenging courses in the BayArea. It's beautiful in its lay-out. It's a shotmakers' golfcourse. You are either spot- on or you pay a price (extra shots or lost ball). Hope that the holes now not playable 6 through 9 and 10 (inclement weather destroyed a bridge so these holes are not reachable), are soon included again.

The incomplete course - close of holes 6 to 10 is really bad and taking way too long to reopen.

Then they keep letting people to come in and it gets bunched up at the replay holes stating at the first hole.

Will not recommend anyone for the course until they fix the holes.

Played the course on a Saturday morning, when we checked in we were told holes 6-10 were not accessible, so we had to play 1-5, go to 11-18 then replay 1-5 again to get in 18 holes. Nothing on the web site that we saw, or Golf Now, as to the issues. There is a bridge out so access to the holes 6-10 is not available since last winter.

The course is extremely over watered, yes in the middle of a 3 year drought. Balls were plugged and lost in the middle of the fairways. Second shots from the fairways or around greens were hit out of mud and slop half the time, like it was February not October in CA.

There are numerous fairway and green side bunkers - none of them contain any sand. You have to hit out of dirt and/or mud. We were told the head of maintenance did not believe in sand or the expense of putting sand in them. Then with the over watering, they were a disaster. We finally just took a free drop out of them to prevent damaging our wedges.

The clubhouse and restaurant were very modern, it seemed apparent they make their money from weddings and events, not the golf course. I would never go back.

Spectacular setting for some spectacular golf. Not a course that you can really score at due to the ubiquitous OB and natural brush areas. Several holes remain closed still. Greens were aerated on Sept 22. I will come back to play the whole course.

Cart path only for 18 holes got really annoying, especially when I played on a really hot day. Packed sand in every bunker; it really felt more like clay.

The Ranch when it's complete (which it is not right now with holes 6-10 being closed) is an excellent course. Fantastic and true rolling greens, great mind games on holes (can't just hit away), and beautiful to just look at. We hear they are going to repair the path and get the other holes up by next month, which is badly needed.
1. Bunkers have not been maintained. not sure why. they have little sand, hard and sometimes a little rocky.
2. holes 1 - 5 which have to be played twice, the greens are getting a little chewed up from being overplayed.

Good time overall, but look forward to getting the course back to full, and presumably to getting the maintenance on things like the bunkers done.

On the plus side, did have my first ace on a short (100yd) par 3.

Got a great deal on Golfnow and the prices are a little lower due to some of the holes being under repair. With that being said the course was in great shape (little wet in some places) and the greens rolled great. Very narrow fairways and was only able to hit driver on a few holes even from the tips. Most the time I don't enjoy target golf but had a blast today hitting shots over canyon's, etc. One of the more difficult courses in bay area. Make sure that you miss your drives in the right areas because if you even hit a shot that might be on the edge of the rough its gone!

What a great course. Played the course while staying with some friends in S.J. (I'm from Montreal). I was advised by the front desk that the course was not playing the #6-#10 holes due to flood damage back in January...really!!?? My immediate though was: It takes 9+ months to repair a flooded area??

I really enjoyed the course, and the difficulty. It really sucks that it's taking them so long to repair the damaged area....

You replay 6 holes due to flood damage so this course is a nice discount and worth it. I played from the black tees and it was a great challenge. Down side is a lot of sensitive areas and all cart path only. We ate in the bar after our round and had the best blackened salmon ceasar salad ever. Bar manager was extremely pleasant.

My second visit to this fabulous course and magic happens to me here. The views are incredible, weather was great, and I love all the challenges of terrain here..really makes me strategize my play. Hit a new personal best drive of 299yds on hole#1!! Awesome is the only way to describe my day here on the course. Staff are courteous, friendly and make you feel welcome. Course is in excellent condition, and you get a work out with "cart path only" rule.

Even though holes 6-10 were closed, the course was spectacular with the views and the challenges of making golf shots over ravines and the natural growth. Because of these closed holes, (due to the storm December 2014), we were able to replay the first five holes and get a second chance to improve.
I was told by staff that these closed holes should be open by the end of September 2015.

If you can play here, you can play anywhere. I love the challenge that this course presents. You must be patient and take what it gives you.

Had to replay holes 1 to 5 to get in 18 holes. Fairways is in average condition although the greens are rolling smoothly. Little sand in bunkers. Several lost balls by everyone due to falloff of canyon construction of course. Seems like someone in group was always looking for his ball on 14 holes. Too tough to walk so pace of play was good as cart golf can be. No practice area other than putting green.