Pros:
This is where I learned the game and was a local for 2 1/2 years. This is a great course to learn every type of golf shot with a long hole, short hole, hyzer, anhyzer, forehand, thumber, and elevation holes.
Not a very long course even for So Cal standards but requires very technical shots. Would be considered a "birdie" course as the locals have the course pretty wired in it's normal setup with a 10 or 12 down popping up here and there.
Great local vibe with regular rounds teeing off twice an afternoon (3 and 5pm when I lived there.) It was these pretty good golfers that taught me.
New layout at 10, 11, 12, 13 solves much of the crossing fairway issues, and new teepads greatly improve the experience.
Hole 8 becomes a monster through the woods, and the old easy thumber 13 is now a tough anny/flick across the disc eating forest. Much more difficult as a whole with the updates.
Cons:
Can be a little crowded at peak hours. Course is 10 mins. from the college campus so you get a large mix of golfers, mostly new to the sport. Overall there's minimal problems and everyone's respectful, it's just a few knuckleheads who have disturbed the local neighborhood in the past.
The course can be a disc eating monster. Errant throws can call for ultimate punishment with man discs either sinking in the swamp, digging into the ivy, or hiding in the forests the define the fairways. Lots of tall trees to send discs into. It's an expensive lesson, but you learn.
The multi-purpose factor of the course and the ease of the lost disc are what drop the rating below a 4 for me.
Other Thoughts:
I have a special place for this course as it was my first. Yes its a little crowded and the course is tough when it's wet but more people playing is more exposure for the sport and how many courses are that playable in the rain?
I go up to Santa Barbara every other month and make sure I get in at least 1 round.
Can't wait to get back and play.