Horse Thief Country Club is a Semi-Private 18 hole golf course located in Tehachapi, California.
The Horse Thief Country Club Golf Course first opened for play in 1974. The course was designed by Bob E. and Robert L. Baldock.
Par for the course is 72. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,719 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 5,677 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 6, a par-5 that plays to 563 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 11, a par-3 that plays to 134 yards from the back tees.
Watch out for # 9, a 385 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole at Horse Thief Country Club is # 11, the 134 yard par-3.
The course closed at the end of January 2018.
As of March 1, 2018, The Tehachapi News reported that Horse Thief Golf & Country Club has been closed for more than a month, and no plans to reopen it have been announced. The 171-acre golf property is listed on loopnet.com for $2,835,000. The marketing brochure suggests ideas for improving the property, such as adding a 50-room hotel, restaurant, bar, clubhouse, business office and outside patio.
The future use of the property or whether it will ever again be reopened as a golf course is unknown.
$10 (cart not included), played on Saturday, July 2017 at 9:40 PM
Update from last year. The back 9 was closed, and they were just starting to mow and try to get it in shape to play. The front 9 was open, and in fair shape. The course is still up for sale, and no improvements have been made. So again, the course has not had all of the care it needs and deserves. Wish I had the 2.8 million to buy. However it is in sort of a remote location, so getting golfers out there could be a challenge. Call before you go!
$41 (cart not included), played on Saturday, July 2016 at 10:16 AM
I have played this course several times over the past 5 years during the summer. It has gone through several management changes, and the course has suffered accordingly. The most recent management change just occurred on August 1st. They will be razing the old club house and building a new one with a 50 room hotel. We'll see, it could be a great course to play if the fairways were in better condition!
$31 (cart included), played on Saturday, September 2010 at 8am
Through miscommunication we wound up with 9 players. The starter told us we could play 5 and 4. The marshall, who we were later told was the general manager, hassled us from the first tee. Even though we were waiting for the group in front of us, he continued to hassle us. At the fifth hole we left. They would not give us even a partial refund. Worst treatment at a golf course in 30+ years of golfing. I will never go back.
$26 (cart not included), played on Tuesday, September 2010 at 8am
The new management has done a great job in ressurecting this course! and it shows! With the new water supply to begin Jan 1,2011, it will enable them to accomplish all of the planned improvements. The biggest problem then will be the increased play from the outside!
$26 (cart not included), played on Sunday, September 2010 at 8am
Course maintenance has been much improved over the last year.
$41 (cart included), played on Tuesday, June 2009 at 6am
It's too bad the conditions of this course have deterioted over the past years. This used to be one of the prime courses to play in Kern County, but lack of maintanence and poor management have led to the course's present condition. Once rated one of the top courses to play in the state it has declined to the status of one to avoid.
Latest Golf Course Reviews
$36 (cart included), played on Thursday, August 2018 at 12:30 PM
I am writing this posthumously. Played this course over a hundred times starting in 1981. Had it's ups and downs, but always fun creating shots to deal with boulders and trees that are part of the charm of this course. Heartbreaking to see it fall into disrepair. Thanks for the memories, Horsethief Golf Course. RIP. Kirk Smith