Salt Creek (San Diego) ... any love?

[Jim Johnson]

Golfed at Salt Creek Golf Club last week at Chula Vista, just east of San Diego. Using the "search" function on this site doesn't uncover too much information about the course, so I'm wondering who out there has played there and what your thoughts are on it? Conditions were dry there, other than the greens as seen in the photos below. Teeboxes were exceptionally dry, with fairways almost as dry, creating firm and fast conditions. I'm surprised there isn't more mention on the site of this course. I enjoyed it. Yes, it's cartball. But, I found the routing to have a nice flow, there were interesting green complexes, creative and strategic bunkering, and a fun ground game created by those dry fairways. Green fees were cheap, $30 each (twilight rate at 2pm) including cart. Not sure who designed the course. It seems to have gone through at least one ownership change. Improvements were being done to the course, including the use of a temporary green on hole #2 (the actual green itself looked good to these untrained eyes). There were some "suits" having lunch in the clubhouse while we were there, so perhaps more ownership change is in the works. Long story short, I'd play it again if in the area.

A few pics, with yardages stated from the back tees of 6,855 yards and 73.4/132 rating/slope...

On the tee, opening hole, par-4 396 yards


Approach on #1, note the dry conditions


This guy casually walked along the left side of the fairway on #2 as we played down the right, Par-5 532 yards



Temp green in front of the 2nd green


#3 par-3 163 yards


4th hole 441 yards


Looking back on #4


Approach on #5, 367 yards par-4, after a blind tee shot


From behind the 5th green


7th hole par-3 224 yards


8th tee shot 347 yards par-4, slight dogleg right around the bunkering


Attention getter


9th tee, big uphill, 404 yards par-4

[David_Elvins]

the architect is Doak-like in his ability to use external features as aiming points, integrating the course into the surrounding landscape. 

[Alex Miller]

I played here but the conditions weren't great. Looks a lot better now, but I didn't find it particularly inspiring (or even notable). It is still one of the better public courses in San Diego, though that's not saying much.

[astavrides]

Used to be called The Auld Course, designers of record Bickler and Cook. 

[Jim Johnson]

Back nine.........

10th hole, downhill par-4 376 yards


12th hole, par-5 563 yards. The fairway ends at about 275 yards out, in the ravine which crosses on a diagonal from short left to long right. Interesting second shot.


13th hole, par-3 210 yards


Approach on #14, 462 yards par-4


Looking back on 14


16th hole, par-4 393 yards


Looking back on 16


Par-3 17th, 179 yards


#18, short par-5 505 yards. Don't go right.


Cheers,
Jim

[Lynn_Shackelford]

New ownership took possession about one to two months ago.  It will be a tough deal for anyone.  Profit to be made from my understanding is weddings in the clubhouse or construction of a temp tent.
As for the course I haven't played it, but from the pictures it looks like a typical SoCal course.

[Carl Nichols]

Looks like the "maintenance meld" is flipped from the more traditional soft/slow approaches-->firm/fast greens to firm/fast approaches-->soft/slow greens.

[Pete Lavallee]

Indeed Salt Creek formerly the Auld Course is on at least it third and possibly fourth set of owners. It was dedsigned by local architect Cary Bickler with help from John Cook. An honest assessment would be" Best Cartball in SD"; the course is truely unwalkable. There are some good holes though, my favorite being #7, a short par 4 where you drive over a massive fairawy bunker blocking the right side of the fairway. #14 is a good long par 4 where you have a blind uphill drive and a neat skyline green. However there are two clunkers, the 9th is abrubtly uphill, so much so that it would be difficult to just walk it. The par 5 12th is my least favorite as you tee off to a downslope that begs for a layup. However it's then near impossible to clear the creek at the bottom of the hill; driver will get you to the bottom but again you're playing off an abrupt downslope on ungrassed terrain; the hole is very awkward. The good points are that is core golf, with no houses within the property. Nice double ended practice range too; former PGA Tour Pro Brian Gorman teaches there. Conditions are usually very good especially during the winter months when other courses can be quite soggy.

[Martin Toal]

Played it about 10 years ago. Don't remember much except that I laughed at the idea it was linksy, but must have liked it enough because I bought a shirt, which used to be my acid test of "not bad" or better.

[David Harshbarger]

Survey results are back in and they are conclusive:


There is no love for Salt Creek.  The course has been shuttered and offered up for development.


https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/south-county/story/2019-06-12/salt-creek-golf-course-is-now-available-to-developers

[Tim Leahy]

No trees and power lines through the course if I remember right. Most courses in that area are expensive so it must be good for public golfers if it stays open.