Olivas Links

[Tommy Williamsen]

Every once in a while you come across something of a surprise. I was playing golf with my nephew in California and staying at my brother-in-law's place in Oxnard. We had just played Sherwood and wanted to play more. We stumbled on this little gem. $21 and a barrel of fun. It played linksy and had some really good holes. Nice job Forrest Richardson.

[Bill_McBride]

I always enjoy playing Forrest's courses. 

[Evan Fleisher]

Agreed...fun little place to play and a great bargain!

[Scott Weersing]

Ah yes, Olivas Links is a fun links course.


Here is a previous thread:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,28898.msg565359


I really enjoy the great greens and routing of the course. I played it back in January and it was strange to see all of the ponds dry and with grass and dirt. Perhaps they have filled up once again.


The course is fun because of the wind that comes off the ocean in the spring and summer. In the winter, the Santa Anas blow the other direction.


Kemper Sports does a great job managing the course and keeping it in good shape for all the play it gets. I thought it was strange that they painted the dormant fairways green in the winter, but it played fast and firm.


The course does not have the great bunkers you would expect on a links course but that is ok. It keeps the maintenance costs down.


My favorite holes: The fourth, a par five with a green that slopes from front to back. The ninth and 18th share a double green. And I like the 11th green with its punchbowl features.

[Mark Kiely]

I had driven by it a couple times and taken a look, which didn't do much to entice me to play it. But then I finally did, and I absolutely loved it. Can't wait to get back out there.


In case anyone's interested in a more recent look at it, I have a Flickr album of 35 photos from last August here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/24952137@N00/albums/72157655610026464/with/20808209310/

[Forrest Richardson]

Glad you found it, Tommy. One of the drawbacks is not having a true clubhouse. I do applaud the City of Ventura for committing to the remake of both Olives and Buenaventura, but it has certainly hurt Olives Links to not get the clubhouse it so deserves. Fewer group outings and much less of a following is the reality when you simply do not have a place to congregate before and after.


Would be interesting to know what parts you liked best — hopefully the wind was not howling toward you at the 14th   

[Tommy Williamsen]

Forest, I like the greens complexes the best. The wind was blowing pretty stridently so I needed to run the ball onto many of the low profile greens. My nephew only knew how to launch the ball into the air. He never even thought about a run up shot. He learned a bit about it that day. I thought the greens surrounds allowed for a great deal of imagination. Some places off the green could be putted, some chipped, and some flopped. There weren't many trees but the ones that were there made you think about ball placement. I also liked the native grasses. It gave it a links feel. It was fun and didn't beat you up. I'd go back if I were in the area.

[Forrest Richardson]

Great to hear. Sounds like you read our playbook!