Detailed description of Haggin Oaks Golf Course, Alister MacKenzie Course
Haggin Oaks Golf Course, is a Public, 36 hole golf facility located in Sacramento, California. The facility has two 18-hole golf courses. They are The Alister MacKenzie Course and The Arcade Creek Course.
Alister Mackenzie at Haggin Oaks first opened for play in 1932. The course was designed by Alister Mackenzie.
The MacKenzie Golf Course is, considered the "players" course at the Haggin. The course measures a 6,991-yards from the back tees and is a true test of golf for the low handicapper.
The middle tees play to 6,542-yards and the forward tees offer a challenge at 6,057-yards
In 2001 the city put $6.5 million into renovations at the MacKenzie course, improving irrigation and rebuilding the 18th and 9th greens to fit the original Alister MacKenzie design. There are no houses, no buildings and no reminders of the outside world once you're underway. Here, the stately oaks average over 100-years-old, the bent grass fairways and teeing areas are lush casting a brilliant green luster from tee to green.
The greens on the MacKenzie course are small by today's standards and fast, running up to 11 and 12 on the stimp meter when tournaments come to town. With very little water (Arcade Creek comes into play on five holes) and no fairway bunkers, the small, heavily bunkered greens require shot-making and putting to be absolutely razor sharp to score.
#16 is a 192 yard par 3 and the signature hole. The back tees and overshadowed by a dominating old oak on the right side of the green and Arcade Creek looming along the left and wrapping along the back of the green, this par three provides a great test of iron precision. Once aboard, this rather large green has three distinct sections and if you're on the wrong one, three putts are not out of the question.
#18 is a short par five and is very reachable in regulation, but the crossing bunker in front of the green is classic MacKenzie design as it gives the illusion of being green-side, while in reality it is a good 50-yards short of the hole, lulling the unsuspecting player to take one less club than necessary.
If you choose the right club, you're treated to a nice walk up to a stadium area with the scoreboard and clubhouse providing the backdrop. In front of the green, two bunkers guard against the run-up from the fairway. You can sense the history here as Hogan, Venturi, Snead and other greats stalked their eagle putts on the way to great tour finishes.
$21 (cart included), played on Tuesday, June 2017 at 10:43 PM
Bunkers need work; not much sand, and some were unplayable due to having standing water/mud from being watered. It always has been a good course; was signficantly upgraded condition wise for making a bid (successful) to get the US Am Public Linx in the early 90s. The overall condition now is somewhere in between the before and after back then. Nine minute tee times help the pace of play; another muni I play a lot used seven, which really slows things down when it's busy.
Guest (cart included), played on Friday, March 2014 at noon
Good, fun course.
$21 (cart not included), played on Tuesday, May 2013 at 8am
Since I last rated this course in 2010, Morton Golf has unbundled the green fees and carts, making the course a good value. One other great change: the greens are now firm, fast and true. Previously, the greens were soft and bumpy, now they play really well. The staff, grill, and pro shop are always excellent.
$36 (cart included), played on Tuesday, April 2006 at 8am
Fair price for sacramento
$26 (cart included), played on Wednesday, February 2013 at noon
I play this course a lot. I like the speed of the greens.
$31 (cart included), played on Thursday, January 2013 at 10am
Best pro shop and driving range in Sacramento. Lunch in grill is great.
$21 (cart not included), played on Wednesday, November 2012 at noon
Yes, it has a fancy range and golf shop, but what really matters is the course. Just ave. rated too high, there are better in the greater area.
$26 (cart included), played on Tuesday, August 2012 at 10am
Greens were the best ever. Ran true and I could read them.
$21 (cart included), played on Sunday, April 2012 at 4pm
Really enjoy this course ... new 10 minute tee time breaks makes pace of play better.
$21 (cart not included), played on Thursday, May 2012 at 6am
This course is top notch for a public course. Since Morton golf has taken over it's management it is improving weekly. Could soon be among the top ten public courses in USA. Pro shop is top one hundered and restsraunt is above average.
$46 (cart included), played on Wednesday, April 2012 at noon
They need to improve the water/lakes on the course. Water is disgusting. Add bleach or coloring or something.
$36 (cart included), played on Tuesday, February 2012 at 10am
BIG CHANGES IN THIS COURSE! In January 2012 'Morton Golf' took over the total course maintenance from the City of Sacramento. The results: new mowers and course maintenance machines. New employees imported that have lots of experience. VAST improvement in course conditions in just two months. Greens are smoother and faster. For the first time in 18 years, there is fluffy and playable SAND in all of the bunkers. I hit 5 bunker shots today that were true bunker shots! Probably saved me 4 strokes. What we HAD was hard-packed sandy clay in the bunkers that played like hardpan. HUGE improvement. Even better, there are TWO Marshalls out on the course who are there to ensure a pace of 4:30 or better. Our round was 4:10 - a great pace for a fun round. I'm very impressed with the new changes.
(cart included), played on Wednesday, August 2011 at 8am
Part of the problem with this course is the cart fee is bundled in.
$31 (cart included), played on Tuesday, December 2010 at 6am
Seniors can play this course, not to many hazards.
$46 (cart included), played on Thursday, November 2010 at 8am
Overall, very nice condition, especially for this time of year. Too bad the course pretends to be an upscale course and bundles the carts with the green fee. It would be a great walking course. I only play the course when my club has a tournament there, otherwise overpriced compared to other local courses.
$41 (cart included), played on Wednesday, April 2010 at 6am
Greens recently punched led to too many 3 putts. Most all bunkers had standing water 2 days after the last rain. A member of my group actually 'lost' a ball in the water-mud logged 5th hole!
$16 (cart not included), played on Thursday, July 2006 at 4pm
$36 (cart included), played on Thursday, June 2009 at 6am
The price,using a Senior Card, is one of the best. I've played this course for many years and find it to be in good or better condition year round. Note: you pay for a cart here whether you use it or not.
$51 (cart included), played on Sunday, February 2008 at 8am
I play here pretty often because it is so close to my home and many of my friends play here. Haggin Oaks has the biggest store and practice facility anywhere in the Sacramento area. And I take coaching here from Marcus Judge, an awesome pro.
$61 (cart included), played on Saturday, February 2008 at 8am
Next time, I'd like to play it when the weather is better... but it's a nice course.
Latest Golf Course Reviews
-
1
by Brian Clark 2023-10-08
-
2
by Brian Clark 2023-10-08
-
3
by Brian Clark 2023-10-08
-
4
by soundhar G 2023-10-07
-
5
by Brian Clark 2023-10-05
-
6
by Brian Clark 2023-10-05
Newsletter
Off the Fringe, “Golf’s best short read.” The award winning newsletter, sent twice monthly, that provides an unconventional perspective on the golf world.
$10 (cart not included), played on Thursday, November 2017 at
MacKenzie is a gem...when I first started playing down here I thought it was overrated. After playing it more than twenty times I judged too early. The subtleties of the course are outstanding. The bunkers are position perfectly, the distance is always a challenge, and the layout is superb. This is one of the greatest golf courses in California.