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Rating Index Rating
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4.4
484 Reviews (484)
5 Stars
254
4 Stars
171
3 Stars
40
2 Stars
16
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.4
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.4
91.5%
Recommend this course
452 out of 484 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
13 Reviews (13)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.4
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.2
Amenities
4.3
StaffFriendliness
4.7
84.6%
Recommend this course
11 out of 13 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
43 Reviews (43)
5 Stars
26
4 Stars
11
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.7
88.4%
Recommend this course
38 out of 43 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 6830 yards
Slope 125
Rating 72.7

The River Course at Alisal enjoys a scenic backdrop provided by the foothills of the beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains. Stands of mature live oaks, native sycamores, and elderberry trees sway against the vivid hues of the mountains. Though scenery abounds, don't get too distracted because the golf course demands a fair amount of attention. It's a challenging but not punishing layout that features a variety of hazards that will reward length and accuracy. Seemingly wide fairways are bordered by mounding and the large greens have subtle but tricky undulations. One of the toughest holes is the par-4 seventh, which has a challenge waiting for you everywhere you look. A beautiful vineyard runs the length of the hole on one side and on the other, there is a lake that runs all the way up to the green.

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River Course at the Alisal
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Course Details

Year Built 1992
Golf Season Year round
Architect Jack Daray, Jr. (1992) Stephen Halsey (1992)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
GPS Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Golf Simulator Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Indoor Practice Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill

Available Facilities

Clubhouse
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Reviews

4.4
484 Reviews (484)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good course

Nice flat and beautiful fairways. Greens are consistent and way to read .

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 23
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Solid

I ve plaid this course over 5 times in the last year. Always a good experience. Always in pretty good shape enough of a challenge without being too tough. Staff is friendly and the price is fair and pace of play is good

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Ric

New tee boxes on the back 9 are great. They keep the course well maintained and the staff in the pro shop are friendly and helpful.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

We enjoy playing The River Course but would like to make a couple of suggestions:

—provide an ice chest to guests. It was high 80’s and cold hydration was critical

—towels in the cart

—sand was more like dirt. The bees were abundant. Perhaps cultivating the sand would help AND would make it easier to get out.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Day at the River Course

We were really impressed with the course and had a lot of fun out there. Good work by the staff. We’ll be back.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great course

Great course. Beautiful conditions. It is a little mundane. A lot of easy holes and not a lot of variety but super good conditions and beautiful scenery. Great for beginners but is not that challenging

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

CAncelled upon arrival because greens were punched.

The golf shop staff told us that they would notify Golf Now that we were not satisfied with the condition of the greens and didn't play. We asked for a refund because the greens were punched and we were not told this. We called the pro shop and sent emails the the head pro. All went unanswered. Horrible customer service!

Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser

Not worth the price

Recently played here on a quick 2 day vacation from LA. The course charged me 90$ at 9 am only to find out they let a 5 some and a 6 some out before us. Pace of play was horrendous not mention holes 10-18 were having all of their tee boxes repaired. So instead of having a 150 yard par 3 it turned into a 50 yard par 3 not to mention all the other holes were absolutely ridiculous. It felt like the back 9 was a pitch and putt. I understand that courses need to be maintained but the greed to charge almost 100$ a person only to have half of a golf course actually playable is completely ridiculous. Also, a 6 some really? I won’t be playing here again.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Back 9 under construction but no proce reduction

I play this course several times each year and I was shocked when I made the turn and found the tee boxes moved forward up to 100 yards! Hole 17 is only 40 yards in total length! The price should be reduced during the repairs to the back nine tee boxes. A great course usually and once this is behind them I will be back out there.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great layout and features.

First time golfing here impressed with the staff , clubhouse,on course snack bar. The scenery and layout of the golf course beautiful. The only regret was the tee boxes on the back 9 we're under construction and you had to tee off on make shift tee areas. Other than that would play here again and recommend this course.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Temp tees

The entire back nine was on temporary tees, so the course was not playing the way it should be. 17 was a 40 yard par 3. Other than that, the greens were in pretty good shape as were the fairways.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Twice a year
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 13
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 36
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Disappointing

All of the tees on the back nine were under renovation so the temporary tees were moved up to the fairways as much as 150 yards, very disappointing and boring experience so it was difficult to gauge the course as a first timer. Not sure my friends would give me credit for scoring 4 birdies and an eagle in the back nine. The front nine was nice though, challenging.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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