The Crossings at Carlsbad Course Review
Introduction
The Crossings at Carlsbad has numerous elevation changes, with dramatic tee shots. Designed by Greg Nash, it winds through the natural hills and vegetation. While many of the tee shots will look daunting, the fairways are fairly wide for the majority of the course.
Although just playing just 6,835 yards form the tips, it will seem longer with the undulations and elevation changes throughout the course. the Crossings at Carlsbad is a par 72, rated at 72.6 with a slope of 132.
This course plays slow, and it even says so on the card. In my opinion, it shouldn’t play any slower than any other course. It is just an excuse, and a way to say we aren’t going to enforce quicker play. We had a little more than 4 and half hours to play and had to pick up after the 15th hole. So it would have been at least a 5 hour round, probably closer to 5:15, so make sure you have plenty of time to play! Thankfully we had played The Loma Club after we landed that morning.
Course Conditions at The Crossings at Carlsbad
The overall conditions at The Crossings at Carlsbad were great. The tee boxes didn’t have any issues except for one that was very damp. Fairways were were phenomenal for January, and were decently dry for receiving some rain the day before. And the greens were pleasantly great and rolled pretty close to true as you could expect for ones that have a mix of Poa Annua in them. Again, overall very solid.
The Range and Pro Shop
Nestled above the putting green and 1st tee, the pro shop and restaurant of the Crossings at Carlsbad has a good view of the surrounding area. The pro shop has anything you would need or want. We checked in to a very helpful staff with no issues.
While the range was closed the day we were there, we went ahead and took a look. With plenty of room for, it gives you a glimpse into what your first tee shot will feel like.
We found the putting green to be larger than most, and that it rolled very close to the actual greens. There is also a very good sized chipping green and a second chipping green with a bunker nestled next to it. Plenty of room to practice here.
The Front 9 at The Crossings at Carlsbad
Hole 1 starts you of on a par 4 with a down hill tee shot. The bunker will be your aiming point, wanting to land just left of it. Short or left will be your best misses here.
Hole 2 is another par 4. Keep it down the left, but not on the fairway bunkers, for the best look into the green. Short and left again are your two misses here.
Hole 3 is a par 4 playing back up hill a bit. Avoid the very penal bunker in the middle of the fairway. Once again short and right are your misses here. Do not be long or you will be taking a drop.
Hole 4 is a slightly down hill par 3. All in all, just don’t be short. Long is much better here than short. Left is also good.
Hole 5 has a potential for a big tee shot. Keep it down the left hand side to hit the large hill and speed slot. Too bad is was damp when we played it! The fairway is wide off the tee but narrows the further it goes. Getting there in 2 is possible if you hit the speed slot, but don’t try it with a fairway wood. Anything right of the green here is a goner. There’s not much to the lay up, just hit it to the number you want left into the hole. Short is the best miss here, or just avoid the bunker on the left.
Hole 6 is a par 4 that plays downhill off the tee, and then back up hill to the green. Just keep it out the left hand bunker and in play off the tee. Not sure how the building on the left doesn’t have a net, but it has been pelted with golf balls, including my buddies. On your approach, short or just right are you best misses, although this is not a tough green to hit.
Hole 7 is a par 5 with a picturesque finish (really not sure how I didn’t take a picture of this!). If you look behind you off the tee, there is the Ely Callaway Performance Center. I’m curious if they have found my ball with the website address on it yet. Anyways, avoid the bunkers and hills on the left. It’s doubtful you will go for this in 2. The lay up will actually be well short of the water. Down the left middle is best, but anything in the fairway will be fine. Just a smidgen long is better than short into the water here. The green has multiple levels so if you want to make a birdie you will need to hit it on the same level of the flag.
Hole 8 is a shorter par 4. Take a long iron or hybrid for your tee shot, as there is a ravine between the fairway and the green. Anything left with your approach will be gone, so keep it just a bit long or right with your misses.
Hole 9 finished the front with a par 3, playing only 139 from the back tees. Just right is your best miss, but you really need to hit the green here on this short hole.
The Back 9 at The Crossings at Carlsbad
Hole 10 is a par 4 at 339 yards that plays tougher than it’s handicap off the tee. Just a hybrid or long iron is all you need off the tee here. Pick whichever club you have more confidence in because you need to hit the fairway. Anything just short of the green here is fine. Just avoid going left.
Hole 11 is a par 4 with a dramatic elevation drop off the tee. There is plenty of room to land it so don’t be scared. On your approach just short, or left are the best misses. Although right isn’t bad if you have a good short game.
Hole 12 is awkward to get to. You must drive across the bridge and behind the green all the way back around to the tee box. Very poor routing but not my design. When you finally get there, you will find a longer par 4 at 447 yards. With one of the wider fairways, you will need to blast one down there. There are no fairway bunkers to speak of here. This is the same for the green. Take dead aim with any miss to the left.
Hole 13 takes you back across the bridge to another short par 4 at 349 yards. A fairway wood or hybrid would be the smart play off the tee here. There are some smaller fairway bunkers but shouldn’t come into play if you pick the right club. This will be the toughest approach yet on the back. Anything left will be into a penalty area and two bunkers loom to the right. There aren’t really any goof misses here.
Hole 14 is a short par 3 at only 131 yards. Any miss right isn’t too terribly bad. Worst case scenario is that the pin is on the top platform, which would make it much harder to keep the ball there out the bunker or deep lie.
Hole 15 is a par 5 with a tough tee shot if you have never played here. You will need to cut the corner a bit to keep your ball in the fairway and avoid running out of room. Longer hitters may be able to reach the green in 2. Anything just short or left is good. If you are laying up, keep it short of the creek. This will leave you around 120 yards to the green. There are 2 distinct parts of this green. There is a deep swell on the right side, so if the pin is there do not leave it way left. Just the opposite if the pin is on the left.
Hole 16 is the other par 5 on the back with an elevated tee shot. A nice left to right tee shot is perfect here, avoiding the large bunker on the right. Take your medicine here and make it a three shoot hole unless you bomb one way down the fairway. Lay up down the right side of the fairway for the best angle into the green. Short is the miss here as long as you are not in a bunker. Short far left would be the best. Anything long, kiss it goodbye.
Hole 17 is a slightly down hill par 3 and plays the longest at 191 yards. Anything right of the green will not be coming back. Long has some penal bunker so keep your misses short or left.
Hole 18 is a great looking finishing hole. Keep you tee ball in the fairway, out of the bunker on the left and especially out of the trash on the right. With your approach, avoid the trash again on the left. There is room on the left for a miss.
Conclusion
We enjoyed The Crossing at Carlsbad course overall. Unless you get out early, expect a long round of golf. It shouldn’t be, but its going to be. We had a marshal give us a pretty lame excuse on the 10th tee as two groups were stack up. If you have read my top 5 pet peeves, you know this did not make my day better. Other than that, fairways were good, greens were really good, and had no issues with the bunkers (I mainly stayed out but my buddy said there were a couple thin ones). I would come back here, but would grab one of the first few tee times for sure.
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