The Ranch Golf Club

The course is very challenging and a great test of skill. The only negative is the bunkers: They have no sand and look like waste areas. Unsure how to play from them: waste area, ground under repair, bunker but no sand ????

I loved playing this course and will be back soon even though 90% of the bunkers were hard as a rock with weeds - just completely neglected. The ones with "sand" were hacked up, like previous golfers were too frustrated to rake. You really need to hit it straight and know your distances and how to play deep elevation drops and some major gains as well. Multiple blind shots so you can't expect to score well without seeing/playing it first. (#2 for example requires a shot left of what you see as a fairway, and you really have no idea what the landing area is like) Greens were in pretty good shape, even for end of day play. Some pin placements were almost evil. You really need to ride since there is a long distance between many holes and many extreme ups and downs. Really incredible views, lots of wild turkeys and even some steer since it crosses ranch land. If they tended the bunkers it would be fantastic. Also, no driving range, just a small net.

I wondered who designed this course. There are 1 to 2 mile drives between holes and you need to go up and down the hills every hole.

Great view of downtown SJ. Be prepared...bring lots of cheap balls. Course layout is suited for the most accurate of players. 20 plus hadicapper should avoid this course

I understand the desire of new management to address previous issues, and to cut expenses, but carts on the fairways have destroyed the course beauty. No ball washers, clean, up kept, bunkers, nor rakes?
The experience has fallen to its lowest thus far.

It's nice that it's no longer cart path only. The bunkers are in absolute horrible shape. They have weeds growing all throughout the middle of the bunkers and it's basically hard packed dirt.
I sat at the bar for 10 minutes after my round to grab a drink and the bartender was standing out on the patio on her phone. When she came in she stayed on her phone and didn't even attempt to help me.

Bunkers are unplayable & the greens are not being maintained.

Wow, what a beautiful course, but right from the first tee, it is either drive straight or forget it. If you ball does not land in a green area, pull out another one as you will not find it. The layout is what makes this course. Lots of elevation changes and beautiful views. Fairways were in good shape. Greens ran nice, except they must have tons of hackers playing there because it seems like no one knows how to repair a ball mark. Literally hundreds of marks on each green. If I had a long putt, often had to repair 7 or 8 before I could putt. And the bunkers. I really should take 2 stars off just for that. I mean come on, I get it if you don't have the money to redo fully, but send a guy out with some weed killer at least. Seriously, there were 2 foot tall weeds in most of the bunkers. There is more sand in my car after a trip to the beach, then in all the bunkers combined.

Except for the bunkers the course was in good shape. Most of the bunkers have no sand.

Pace of play was awful. The group in front of us was very slow. Holes were wide open in front of them. We teed off at 7:30 AM hoping for a quick round. It was just over a five hour round. We did not see a marshall the whole time we were playing.

Score card says no carts on the fairways on any holes. We noted carts on the fairways and asked when we finished and were told that it had recently changed. Carts are now allowed on the fairways. Would have been nice to know prior to the round.

If you like target golf with extreme elevation changes , this course is the one to play. I think it was much harder course than a flat land course. Hard to judge distance and several holes with blind greens or fairways. Hit straight or bring an extra dozen golf balls .

The Ranch Course played as expected - meaning accuracy was rewarded over distance. I am 63 y/o and did not find distance an issue playing from the white tees and some easier holes from the blue tees. Off the fairways are generally lost balls because of ravines or deep dry grass. Lost only three balls and felt lucky. Beautiful scenery. Reminds me of Wente except vineyards are located there.

Like the reviews before, the course is very tough and probably not for beginners to play all the time. But with that being said, it is a very enjoyable course.

Course condition was pretty good, minus the bunkers. They are in the process of putting new sand in them , so only a few were done. Fairways and greens were very good, though some of the tee boxes were a bit beat up (we played the Blues).

Overall, a good experience. Staff was friendly. Will be back.

There is no sand in any of the bunkers on the course.
They are full of weeds and impossible to play a decent shot out of.

Played here for Father's Day with my son. The course itself isn't in as good a shape as it was a few months ago and the sand traps were all mud holes basically.. Overall I like the course layout and the narrow fairways can be challenging but it seems to be drying out considerably on certain parts of the fairways which makes no sense since the bunkers had water or were mud pits. For what they are charging I would expect better course maintenance,

This is the course you play when you think you have game. You will reveal to yourself the strong and weak of your game.

Don't blame the course for your ups and downs, it may be you are biting off more than you can chew. Select the proper tee--not sure--adjust to another after a few holes and enjoy this marvelous layout.

Course condition great (presently, bunkers need sand) but otherwise its a true test. Bring at least a dozen balls for course knowledge, ball striking/control, and decision making are absolute keys.
Note, front is as different from back as nite and day.
Great finishing hole/18 par 4. Enjot!

The course is in sad shape and neglected probably due to low interest in playing this course. The bunkers don't have sand in it, the grass on the roughs is not trimmed, some of the greens are patchy and yet they charge premium green fee to play this course. There value for money is not there. Skip this course and play other good courses around the bay area.

This course has HORRIBLE sand traps !!!! I don't think they ever maintain it. If don't maintain, then get rid of them, please..... This is unacceptable for a course like this.

If I fail to find a golf buddy, my first choice is the Ranch!
Makes you think about each shot, so you yourself become your own golf buddy. Ask yourself and answer yourself.
Do not expect any forgiveness.
Miss shot = lose ball
Awesome design on the mountain area with beautiful views.
I asked my wife, "can you go with me as a spectator?"
Wife answered "are you kidding me?"
Then I said " I am going to the Ranch"
Wife said "Okay, I will go with you!"
1-beautiful view
2-so private
This course really makes you humble, but there will be good reward on a good shot!

It was a fun course, but not for the beginners which is why I would not recommend it to most of my friends who play just for fun. The frustration of the course is that If you do not hit your ball just right, it is gone!!! However, it is a beautiful course with well maintained greens and fairways. But the sand traps are like concrete!

Have played this course at least forty times since it's inception. I for one love the challenge of the course and it will test every part of your game. I played in May and every single green side bunker was rock hard without any sand. It was impossible to hit a shot from any green side bunker.

From the fairways traps not much of an issue as they played like waste bunkers. The rest of the course was in good shape and the greens were very good. You should put on the Golf Now web site that there is no sand in the bunkers so we have a choice to book or not. I will not play the Ranch again until the bunker issue is fixed. Hard to believe they are charging us the price to play with such a glaring problem.