Tulare Golf Course

Nice course. The greens were great and I had a blast playing here. I came on a saturday morning and the pace was excellent. Unlike valley oaks I didn’t have to wait around forever at every hole. The staff is very friendly and it is well maintained. Plus it’s cheaper than the other courses in the area. I will return for sure.

I went here on a Saturday afternoon with a friend of mine. It had been nine years or so since I had played here, I usually play about half an hour away in Exeter, because they are cheap out there and I’m not very good to be honest and that’s the perfect place to practice. But it had been a while and I always remember this course being a lot nicer than Valley Oaks when I used to play it, so I called the pro shop to get rates and the guy told me they were having a twilight rate 18 holes for $ 25, rental clubs for my friend were $ 7. That would only be $ 7 more to play here than in Exeter where everything would have been $ 25 altogether for 9 holes and a cart. So I get there pay $ 35 or so for the twilight rate as well as my friends rental clubs and a few golf balls, then the guy at the pro shop comes out to tell me that the rate was $ 25 per person once I’m about to tee off on the first hole and he sees my friend with me. I wasn’t sure if he could refund me then and there, so reluctantly, I agreed to pay my friend’s fee. I was so upset that he didn’t tell me it was $ 25 per person that it ruined my game. To be fair and honest, the course still looks great, just as good as it did nine years ago the last time I played there, it really is a beautiful course and is in great condition. But due to the lack of telling me that the rate was $ 25 per person I wrote a letter and addressed it to the course manager basically saying I was disappointed in my visit and had no intentions of returning. I’m not sure who it was per say that wrote me back but they did the honorable thing by refunding me $ 25 as well as giving me a pass to return. The pass was in my name and I wanted to give it to a friend, so I called to ask if I could do so, the guy at the pro shop transferred me to someone that I could ask, and he chewed me out over the letter I wrote and called it a «bunch of crap». I had every right to complain as I was misquoted on a price, and I felt the lack of communication was unfair. If he can’t understand that in a business people are going to get upset from time to time, and complain, and he can’t learn to keep his mouth shut about it, he frankly shouldn’t be in a public service profession. Since they did the honorable thing by refunding me, I considered returning again, but after he yelled at me over the phone, all I can say is, if this course was the only golf facility left open in Tulare County or anywhere in the world for that matter, I will never return to it again. I am giving it two stars (that’s being too nice, in my opinion), because they did the honorable thing by refunding me, and the course still is beautiful and very well maintained. But the people are so darn unfriendly, and the prices are absolutely ridiculous, that I will stick with Exeter, Valley Oaks, or any other course, but this one for that matter. Never returning again. Avoiding this place like the plague.

It’s been a few years since I’ve played here so this review is strictly for the practice facilities.
I was in the area for the farm show and needed something to occupy my time when visiting vendors got a bit tiring. I decided to hit the golf course to get away from the incessant sales pitches. I didn’t have time for a full round so I spend some time putting around. The practice facilities are very nice, room for 15 – 20 golfers on the range, 2 putting greens and a pitching green with a sand trap.
The short game area is where I spent most of my time. It’s where scoring happens and it’s free to use. The greens rolled true and I’d guess they’d stimp about an 8. They feature some subtle breaks that match what I remember of the course and also have a 2″ hole to refine the skills.
The pitching green was a little soggy and needed to be swept but in doing so I had plenty of balls to work with. The moisture didn’t allow me to work on bump and runs but I was able to work on distance control.
The driving range is a bit short with the last flag at 225. I’m sure it’s good for 90% of golfers but I wasn’t able to work in the driver. All in all its a great range and I wish there was something in Bakersfield that was this nice and didn’t require arm wrestling high school kids for a spot.
Notes:
1. It’s right off the freeway and there is plenty of parking
2. The airport is next door so it provides some entertainment watching the planes. This may bother the big eared golfers that are easily distracted and need complete silence.

No complaints about this golf venue.
A (regular) bucket of balls will cost you $ 5.50 and is a lot of fun to go hit. Balls are also sold for $ 1 each at the golf shop.
While I don’t actually play the course, my fiancé enjoys playing here. I prefer to just hit balls.