9200 Inwood Drive, Santee, California 92071, US
(619) 448-4242
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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
1935 Reviews (1935)

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Beautiful Back 9

Greatly appreciate being able to play the back 9 holes in the morning. Perfect that they allow this and wish all course did similar. The course turf and visual was beautiful, rough is challenging to find balls and assume that they was swallowed up in one of the numerous gopher holes. Love the roly poly fairways and greens. The only 'wish' is that the bunkers had actual sand vs the hardpan-thought that was strange.

Will absolutely do this one again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 21
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Just a gem!

Such a great course. It’s a great mix of relaxing and challenging holes. Beautiful scenery on every hole and an easy place to spot wildlife of all sorts! Course is in great shape!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Better than before

Course was in better shape than last time I played. Definitely seems like more effort was put into it. Kinda get what u can here. Layout is puzzling and tricky. Lot og dry areas and dirt. Cart girl 10 out of 10.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 25
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 53
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

GREAT LAYOUT BUT 6 HOUR ROUND IS BRUTAL

I have played Carlton Oaks a number of times over the last couple years and routinely make the drive from South Orange County to play. It is a great layout and has a price point that won't break the bank. However, despite the awesome layout, the conditions are notoriously brutal and the pace of play. The last couple times I have been here has been a minimum of 5 and 1/2 hours with the last one just shy of 6 hours. A 5-hour round is already pushing it but 6 hours with no Marshall pushing groups along is unacceptable. I would strongly reconsider making the drive back down until that issue is resolved.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 99
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Course conditions

Very poor fairways condition , no sand in bunker, don't why you were prevented in parts of the course the it wa maintain .

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
2.0
Previously Played

Grainy greens

Pretty sure they have stopped seeding the greens with specialty grass for greens, the grass on the greens is long and thick making putting tough.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 34
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Previously Played

Greens could have been better

Expected the course to have been in better shape after the winter rains, but the greens were like carpet and there were vernal pools in surprising spots.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 159
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Bumpy ride

The course, even the cart paths, are so bumpy that my range finder went flying off a few times.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

Could be great course.

Love the layout and staff is friendly. The conditions aren’t great, mostly greens and tee boxes are often uneven.

I’ve played lots some of the local courses, this is one of my favorites for the layout and challenge, but one of my least favorite for the conditions.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 41
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Carlton still a jewel.

pace was slow because it was crowded. still very relaxing conditions and pace was still enjoyable.

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

Read this review if you’ve never played here

In my opinion, this is the best layout in San Diego county next to Torrey South. Yes the course is rough around the edges but here’s why: Three winters ago the torrential rains flooded the whole course. The super and his team having been rebuilding it starting around the greens and tee boxes - which are both good now. They’re doing an excellent job for how extensive the damage was. I recommend playing lift, clean, and place unless you specifically want to practice playing from bad lies. Just find decent grass and make the course play like it has better conditions. The ground is bumpy to drive on so just stay on the cart path and use 90 degree rule to minimize that inconvenience. The greens are generally probably like a 9.5 speed and roll really true. It’s absolutely worth it if you know what you’re getting into and how to manage the damage that was done by the floods so that it minimally affects your experience. This is a gem of a layout that demands good ball striking and offers many holes that can be played in a variety of ways.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Unmet potential

Pace of play was slow, fairways a mess, rough badly overgrown. I’m newer so expect to lose balls but not because of poor overgrown roughs. I was not alone.

Overpriced play for quality of course.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 20
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Carlton oaks

Each hole is unique designed by a world class course designer but the heavy rains have left the fairways in average condition. One of the most challenging courses with more band diversity than any course I play

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