Forest Meadows Golf Course

All kinds of shots needed mostly straight… just do not hit the trees. The greens are smooth with a few plug repair marks. What lowered my rating by one star are the bunkers. They looked like 105 shell holes raked out. Nothing but dirt, rock, silt and mud. Rather than damaging my clubs I took a drop OUT. What added an additional star is the gas powered golf cart. It was a jeep the way it drove all over the course… down the bank, up the ob hills, over roots and through the trees. Flying down the narrow pothole filled cart path was almost worth the green fee. Do be careful of the thousands of gopher holes everwhere except in and around the greens. Richard in the pro shop is friendly and helpful but can not move a twosome faster than 2 ½ hours for the front nine without any marshals. My foursome jump passed them on the back nine, Because of the 20 minute wait at tee boxes we enjoyed the beautiful hills and vistas. If I’m in the area again I will bring my clubs and play.

At only $ 18.50 for an early morning tee time as of July 5^th, 2014, this is a great value. Long holes and clusters of short holes, gopher holes too. The first 9 holes isn’t nearly as well manicured as the back 9 where the nice clover fairways are beautiful. Leave the driver in the bag unless you are a very straight hitter. Get it just a little off the fairway and your ball is lost in the pines and poison oak. Friendly folks working the pro shop and the 19^th hole help the positive experience stay positive.

It was a religious experience. To be able to golf in such a humbling environment as towering redwoods, mirror ponds, grand views of the Calaveras foothills and snow-​capped Sierras, took turns as being host from hole to hole. And there was hardly anybody there on a Sunday afternoon, which is unheard of for any city golfer like myself. It was like having your own personal course.
It is a shorter executive 18 hole course with a lot of par 3’s and only one par 5. A par 60 if you will, but that by no means translate into an easier round. Challenging elevation changes and narrow holes makes command of your game a premium.
Outside of the sheer beauty of the terrain and architecture of the course, it could use better maintenance. Lot of the greens were scarred and the sand traps were closer to hard clay traps. Maybe it is just remnants of a wet and cold winter, it may well look a hell lot better in the height of summer.
But for $ 26 to walk on this peaceful and breathtaking course, how can one lose. A recharge for the soul is what this place brings. Just in time to end a great weekend.