Horse Thief Country Club

[COURSE CLOSED IN 2018]

Horse Thief Drive, Tehachapi, California 93561

  • Office

    +1 (661) 823 8571
  • Fax

    +1 (661) 823 8337

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Rural countryside and residential.

  • Designer:

    Bob Baldock

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
6719
6348
5677
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
72
70.2
73.1

Location

Latitude:

35.088652

Longitude:

-118.648337

How to get there:

50 miles SE of Bakersfield

From the west side of Tehachapi centre, follow Tucker Road South. After 1.5 miles (and crossing the 202) turn right on to Highline Road West After 3.5 miles turn left onto Banducci Road. After approx 7 miles Banducci Road becomes Comanche Point Road as you enter Stallion Springs. Ignore the first left turn into Stallion Springs Drive. After a further 1.5 miles take the second left turn into Stallion Springs Drive. After 200 yds turn left into Horse Thief Drive. After 250 yds turn left into Golf Club.

Horse Thief Country Club

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.

Est. 1974

Horse Thief Country Club: GOLF COURSE CLOSED IN 2018, possibly on a permanent basis, pending a renovation or change of use. Check current status before planning a visit.

[Original Where2Golf description]: Located in the Stallion Springs community, not far from the railroad town of Tehachapi, Horse Thief is a testing course that roams its way across ruggedly scenic, undulating, rock-clad terrain. Although it has perhaps seen better days in terms of general upkeep and presentation, the course has many positives, and plenty to probe all departments of your game.

Within this rolling environment, many holes have pleasant elevation changes while other stretches are notably flatter. Especially on the back-nine, ancient, gnarled oak trees and rocky outcrops line the fairways, in contrast to the front-nine where residential housing flanks some holes, although never too closely.

Water makes one or two telling appearances on the earlier parts of the course, while bunkering is generally to be found guarding the fronts of the greens, rather than threatening your drives from the tee. Throughout, the holes follows the natural contours of the land, without the help of additional earthmounding, which could have improved the look and line of some of the flatter holes.

If you've only time for nine holes, try to play the more natural and interesting back-nine, where you can enjoy many picturesque views onto the Cummings Valley and its scenic backdrop, provided by the Tehachapi mountain range.

List of courses: California / Nevada

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Course closed in 2018; unknown if and when it will reopen.

Green fees

Check with club (if and when the course reopens).

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted. Golf carts available to rent.

Practice facilities

Limited

Did you know?

Horse Thief golf course is located at 4000 ft above sea level, in the heart of the Stallion Springs community, just outside the famous railway town of Tehachapi. It takes its name from Horsethief mountain to the west, in whose foothills it lies.

The town of Tehachapi was preceded by a settlement a few miles to the west, called Williamsburg or Tehichipa, which was in existence in the 1870s. When the Southern Pacific (SP) railroad established a line through the mountains in 1876, which included the world-famous Tehachapi Loop, Williamsburg saw its business transfer to the railroad's newer depot location at Tehachapi.

Today the railroad and its famous loop are used to transport large quantities of freight, but no longer passenger trains. As the huge modern freight trains loop around the mountain, the front of the train often passes over (or under) the back of the same train (see tehachapi.com/loop for more information).

Where2Stay

  • The Lodge at Westwood West

    18100 Lucaya Way, Stallion Springs, Tehachapi, California 93561

    +1 (661) 822 5581

    Visit website

    The Lodge at Woodward West is primarily a banquet and event facility, however individual room reservations are accepted (limited services). You can enjoy the spacious main lodge rooms or the Lodge's smaller, economic hilltop rooms.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Horse Thief

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      No

  • Best Western Country Park Hotel

    420 W Tehachapi Boulevard, Tehachapi, California, 93561

    +1 (661) 823 1800

    Visit website

    This recently constructed hotel features free high-speed Internet access, well-appointed guest rooms with large desk/work area, refrigerator, microwave, DVD, VCR, and wet bar in all rooms.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Horse Thief

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