An unofficial list of California courses that are closed (9th update)

[Greg Hohman]

I'm adding one of three nines at Bajamar, Ensenada MX. Lagos (Percy Clifford 1976, David Fleming 1991) closed a couple of years ago, a guy who lives there or in the area told me yesterday. Oceano and Vista remain.

And in the San Diego area in the 2000s timeframe, Riverwalk went from 27 to 18 and Cottonwood closed its Lakes course, which was 18. I will try to identify the years of the closings. I think each Riverwalk nine had a name; if I am right and can find an old scorecard, I will provide the name of the closed nine.

Arguably saddest case given its quality: Barona is still using only nine of the original 18.

[Mark Kiely]

Greg: I suspect the closed 9 at Riverwalk is what was once called the Friars nine and renamed Sunset nine a few years ago. When they renamed it, it was my understanding they broke the 27 holes into an official 18 and the Sunset nine (which always seemed to struggle, conditions-wise, compared to the other two nines).

[David_Tepper]

I drove by the closed San Geronimo course in Marin County, CA on New Year's Day. It is sad to see that course empty and abandoned. I am still mad about how that course was forced to close.

[JohnVDB]

I just read a post on Reddit that Sea Ranch is closing


https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/s/o7N2Wvsfmo


I meant to get up there in the past but never did.

[Matt Schoolfield]

I just read a post on Reddit that Sea Ranch is closing


https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/s/o7N2Wvsfmo


I meant to get up there in the past but never did.

Confirmed at my club today. Interesting course for various reasons, but I wouldn’t call it great. Mostly fun to see early/late career dichotomy.

[David_Tepper]

John -

Bummer news about Sea Ranch. Thanks for the heads up. I know the course has struggled for a number of years, but to hear about it shutting down is bad news.

Lauren & I used to go up there once or twice a year in the 1990's and rent a house for a long weekend. I played the course many times.

In fact, before we decided to buy a place in Dornoch we were seriously thinking about buying a place at Sea Ranch.

DT

[David Kelly]

Add Desert Dunes to this list.


https://www.desertdunesgc.com/

“It couldn’t wait for you?” was my partner’s reaction to the news. I’m retiring next week. We are moving to the Coachella Valley. Played DD three times, liked it a lot. What I remember most, or think I do, is the drama of the first few holes, the eponymous “dunes” (man-made, I assume, and necessitating considerable earthmoving). I can’t think of another course, in my limited experience, that has such an imbalance, leaving one a bit disappointed to end on comparatively “flat notes.”

In the 90s you could play it for $15 in the summer, which I often did and was generally the only out there in 100+ degree heat. It was better than most Coachella courses due to the absence of housing anywhere near the course - at least then, I haven't been out there for 20+ years.  It would have been a lot better if Jones had left more of the dunes exposed but it was definitely above average for the area.

[Greg Hohman]

David, still no housing around DD. I may have read that the area is to be a nature preserve.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Sea Ranch Golf Links  " closed indefinitely"