9200 Inwood Drive, Santee, California 92071, US
(619) 448-4242
Location Map

About Carlton Oaks Lodge, Ascend Hotel Collection

Carlton Oaks has a long history of tournament golf. Curtis Strange won the 1974 NCAA Championships on the course before Perry Dye redesigned the layout and stretched it to 7,400 yards in the 1980s. The Carlton Oaks Lodge, Ascend Hotel Collection, offers 51 modernized, Asian-inspired rooms just steps from the clubhouse, its Oaks Bar & Grill and the outdoor pool and jacuzzi. 

Facts

Price Range$$
Property Class★★★
Acres168
Year Opened1958
Number of UnitsLess than 100

Amenities & Services

RestaurantsCasual
Room TypesRoom
Practice FacilityYes
Banquet SpaceYes

Rules

Is the resort pet friendly?No
Is resort stay required for a tee time?No

Golf courses at Carlton Oaks Lodge, Ascend Hotel Collection

Reviews

3.1
1832 Reviews (1832)

Reviewer Photos

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Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Poor Condition

Course had an excellent challenging layout from the championship tees. The tee boxes were very uneven and were very shaggy, very hard to find a good place to tee up your ball. The bunkers were also in terrible condition with little to no sand in most of them. The course could be a gem if it was maintained properly.

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

First off the tee

Booked this online and when we arrived were told the price online wasn’t correct, so we’re charged an additional $74 to play. Sprinklers were on the entire front nine, greens were a mess. Love the layout and have played here many times, but it was not a good experience today. If you make a mistake, you should own it and live up to it, not penalize your customers.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Awesome!

As usual it was great! Many improvements on the course too!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 120
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Carlton Oaks

Nicest people in pro shop. A difficult course in afternoon with wind. Getting better all the time.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 73
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

The course has a country feel with lakes and views of the mountains and a great layout. To report new or 7 changes in

I like this course it's got a great layout got lakes and bunkers very challenging. I recommend this course the staff is very nice the cart girl is very attentive and very nice. The restaurant and bars very nice the employees are fantastic give it a try.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Carlton Oaks Review 26May2025

Carlton Oaks remains a consistently enjoyable course. The staff, from groundskeepers to management, is professional and courteous. While the lack of GPS in the carts is a minor inconvenience given the prevalence of GPS watches and rangefinders, and the morning watering of the greens was a slight distraction, the biggest drawback was the poor condition of the sand traps, many of which were nearly devoid of sand. Despite this, playing from the Green Tees resulted in a great round and a positive overall experience.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Once Great Course

This was once the best course in the county. Since a developer has bought the place it’s been run into the ground. This pipe dream of development has been going on for a decade. It’s destroyed a great track with a rich history. Sad.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Needs Improvement

5.5 hour round... tee'd off at 10am 5/26. Played the front 9 in 2.5 hours and the back 9 actually slowed down. Brutal day out there, the layout is great but if staff doesn't get a hold of pace of play and how chewed up it is if you miss the fairway they are in trouble.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

The greens and T boxes in excellent condition.

Fairways poor condition. Great value for money and to practice,

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 73
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

This course is really nice it's easy access to get to off the freeway it's got a driving range of putting green chipping area very tranquil scenery

I really enjoy playing this course the people here are great the employees are all very helpful always in a good mood and the course layout is just fantastic. Very challenging course to play got some Lakes views of the mountains the only thing that's not greater the sand traps. Definitely worth playing the food there is really good they got a real nice bar in the outside patio is used with fantastic views.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Dirt course

Hitting off dirt most of the time. Some parts of the course look nice tho.

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

Solid round, midweek play

Found a good deal on golf now and enjoyed my afternoon. The tee boxes were shaggy and hard to grip with my shoes but the greens were nice and fast. Will play here again.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 86
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
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