Bennett Valley Golf Course, Santa Rosa, CA

I hope you read the three reviews above. I agree totally with all three, but would strongly discourage anyone from trying this course is you're even a remotely serious golfer. The staff was very friendly, but they allow fivesomes, which were unbearably slow. Really, fivesomes? Ahead of me were two fivesomes. That wouldn't be so bad if the five knew how to play a fivesome. They would wait for each rather than hit when ready. Admittedly, I was playing alone early one Tuesday afternoon, but it took 90 minutes to play the first three holes. Painful!! I quit and went back to the pro shop to get my greens fees back, which the staff gave me no trouble with. They offered to give it to me in pro shop credit, but I made it clear I would not be coming back. I drove down to Foxtail North and was able to play a much nicer course. 18 holes in 3.5 hours with several other players on the course. I hate to be negative, but come on. Fivesomes??

I played a 4.5 hour round on Monday 11/7, with three very nice locals. Nice layout, fast but true greens. Very Friendly Pro Shop staff. A muni bargan, that I would play again. My new local friends confirmed the pace is often slow, and becasue of the price you get slower players. Still worth it.

A very pretty course for a muni - unfortunately lots and lots of other people know how nice this course is so it's almost always over-scheduled and slow, slow, slow. No online reservations or discounts means the course is less competitive for the cost-conscious. More dangerous than other courses as well - the number of hack golfers who've sliced into your fairway and are trying to heroically blast back into their own is pretty frightening. Not only does they up the danger level but it slows down play even more.