Golfing in the Los Angeles Area.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Stevedore

I live in Long Beach and play Reck Park and Lakewood regularly. I work nights am able to play during the week and early which helps as far as pace of play. I'd never play those courses on the weekend or any course for that matter unless it very early in the morning. As for El Dorado, it's awful right now; fairways are a joke and I've seen the greens in better shape then they currently are.

Which is the one off the 405 with the giant Paul Bunyan golfer guy?  Looks like it might be a pitch and putt??

[pls4ms]

Originally Posted by pls4ms

This thread has been helpful to me, as I'll be out in LA soon.  I've narrowed down my selection to the following northern courses: Rustic Canyon, Simi Hills, Lost Canyons, or Tierra Rejada.  Anyone care to help me decide?  Rustic seems to keep coming up, and looks nice, but not sure if that is still the case and curious about the others.

I'll be playing as a single on a Friday evening at about 3pm or 4pm (whenever twilight rates start), then heading back to LAX for a 10:25pm flight.  Just in case that info makes a difference in terms of where you reccomend.  Thanks much in advance.

Oh and one other thing; I'll need rental clubs.  A decent set preferably.  Thanks again.

[Yukari]

I grew up in Long Beach and go back there at least once a month or two.  I don't know if it has a Paul Bunyan Statute, but the one near 405  (if it is near Studebaker) is Eldorado GC, and the one near the LB air port (near Lakewood Blvd) is Skylinks.  The one further up near 110 freeway on the south side has night lights so you can play in the dark.  I don't know the name of that course, though.

One thing I don't like many LA area muni courses is that they allow 5-somes.  Way too long to play 18 holes.  Typically 5:30 to 6 hour rounds.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Which is the one off the 405 with the giant Paul Bunyan golfer guy?  Looks like it might be a pitch and putt??

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Yukari

I grew up in Long Beach and go back there at least once a month or two.  I don't know if it has a Paul Bunyan Statute, but the one near 405  (if it is near Studebaker) is Eldorado GC, and the one near the LB air port (near Lakewood Blvd) is Skylinks.  The one further up near 110 freeway on the south side has night lights so you can play in the dark.  I don't know the name of that course, though.

I went on Google Maps (love the street view option) and was able to find it.  It's the night lit one you mentioned and its called Dominguez GC (directly across the freeway from the blimp)  The holes adjacent to the blimp field are part of another course altogether (I assumed they were together) called The Links at Victoria.  Seems like reasonable rates so its probably busy and falls into the 5-6 round category?

[mdl]

Originally Posted by pls4ms

This thread has been helpful to me, as I'll be out in LA soon.  I've narrowed down my selection to the following northern courses: Rustic Canyon, Simi Hills, Lost Canyons, or Tierra Rejada.  Anyone care to help me decide?  Rustic seems to keep coming up, and looks nice, but not sure if that is still the case and curious about the others.

I'll be playing as a single on a Friday evening at about 3pm or 4pm (whenever twilight rates start), then heading back to LAX for a 10:25pm flight.  Just in case that info makes a difference in terms of where you reccomend.  Thanks much in advance.

Haven't played Simi Hills.  The other three are all fantastic courses.  They're all up in the same area (Moorpark, Simi Valley) and are kind of far from LAX.  If traffic's crappy it could EASILY take two hours to get back to LAX, maybe longer leaving at dusk on a weekday.  I guess if you don't mind the drive then it doesn't matter much with the flight so late, though if you're coming in summer and can play til 8:30 you definitely won't make it back by check in time.

As far as the courses, they're all in the same area in the brush hills.  Rustic feels more linksy, with some close mown false fronts and minimal rough, just scrub brush.  Nice layout.  I've only played the Sky course, which is supposed to be the better one, at Lost Canyons once.  Also a very fun track.  It's actually fairly short for a course with its reputation, so if you want a challenge and are a short hitter that might be a good choice.  Tierra Rejada is also an excellent course.  Great layout with lots of elevation changes and even some water.

I'd say Rustic is the least nice of the three, but only by a small margin.  I think it also has a pretty early twilight, so if you're looking to save a bit and make sure you get back through traffic in time that's totally a fine choice.  Just as far as layout I might choose Tierra Rejada, but it's a close toss-up with Sky at Lost Canyons.  At all three accuracy off the tee is paramount.  If your misses with driver/woods or with long irons are big, you'll lose a LOT of balls and take a ton of penalties.  I've shot 83 and 95 at Tierra Rejada with my putter, short game, and mid-irons feeling fine both times, but on the 95 day just lost too many tee shots on holes where the landing area for the tee shot is fairway flanked by just a few yards of rough, then right into the scrub brush where balls disappear.

[ejimsmith]

Originally Posted by pls4ms

This thread has been helpful to me, as I'll be out in LA soon.  I've narrowed down my selection to the following northern courses: Rustic Canyon, Simi Hills, Lost Canyons, or Tierra Rejada.  Anyone care to help me decide?  Rustic seems to keep coming up, and looks nice, but not sure if that is still the case and curious about the others.

I'll be playing as a single on a Friday evening at about 3pm or 4pm (whenever twilight rates start), then heading back to LAX for a 10:25pm flight.  Just in case that info makes a difference in terms of where you reccomend.  Thanks much in advance.

your flight is at 10:25 on friday and you expect to play an afternoon round in simi valley?  even if you had a helicopter you'd never make it.  in fact, for a 10:25 flight, if you're out there, you should be *on your way* to the airport by 4.  well, not quite, but wow, just the thought of being that far away, at that time of day, on that day of the week, and getting to the airport early enough to check in, is mind numbing.

you should focus much, much, MUCH closer to LAX.  in fact, your best be would be to play Westchester.  sure its an executive course, par 64, but its literally next to the airport.  if you have some experience dealing with LAX (how to return your car, what exit off the freeway is best to use, how to navigate through it) and aren't a rookie there, then you should be able to get a round in at chester washington, which is a straight shot down the 105.   sorry to burst your bubble, but those will be the only 2 choices you have, and i think the 2nd choice isn't worth it.  enjoy Westchester, walk it, have a few beers, and save the other courses for your next visit.

[ejimsmith]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Which is the one off the 405 with the giant Paul Bunyan golfer guy?  Looks like it might be a pitch and putt??

you're talking about domenguez hills.  its a nice range w/ an 18-hole par 3.  its closing on April 2nd though to make way for a Porche "adult" go-cart place.

[Yukari]

No way!!!  Bummer.  It has a very sentimental value to me.  My dad, rest his soul, practiced a lot on that driving range when he first started playing many years ago.  Every time I drive by there, I think of my dad.  Now it's closing for good???  Sad...

Originally Posted by ejimsmith

you're talking about domenguez hills.  its a nice range w/ an 18-hole par 3.  its closing on April 2nd though to make way for a Porche "adult" go-cart place.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by pls4ms

This thread has been helpful to me, as I'll be out in LA soon.  I've narrowed down my selection to the following northern courses: Rustic Canyon, Simi Hills, Lost Canyons, or Tierra Rejada.  Anyone care to help me decide?  Rustic seems to keep coming up, and looks nice, but not sure if that is still the case and curious about the others.

I'll be playing as a single on a Friday evening at about 3pm or 4pm (whenever twilight rates start), then heading back to LAX for a 10:25pm flight.  Just in case that info makes a difference in terms of where you reccomend.  Thanks much in advance.

Tierra Rejada is WACK! Los Canyons' nickname is Lost Balls. Not very fun. Simi Hills is a fun little course. Rustic Canyon is where its at though!

Don't know about rental clubs though, sorry.

[pls4ms]

Quote:

your flight is at 10:25 on friday and you expect to play an afternoon round in simi valley?  even if you had a helicopter you'd never make it.  in fact, for a 10:25 flight, if you're out there, you should be *on your way* to the airport by 4.  well, not quite, but wow, just the thought of being that far away, at that time of day, on that day of the week, and getting to the airport early enough to check in, is mind numbing.

you should focus much, much, MUCH closer to LAX.  in fact, your best be would be to play Westchester.  sure its an executive course, par 64, but its literally next to the airport.  if you have some experience dealing with LAX (how to return your car, what exit off the freeway is best to use, how to navigate through it) and aren't a rookie there, then you should be able to get a round in at chester washington, which is a straight shot down the 105.   sorry to burst your bubble, but those will be the only 2 choices you have, and i think the 2nd choice isn't worth it.  enjoy Westchester, walk it, have a few beers, and save the other courses for your next visit.

Great info by all, and ejimsmith, thanks for bringing me back to reality -- much appreciated.  I guess in my mind I just figured I'd golf Canyon from 3pm until 7pm or so, hit the road at 7:30pm after traffic slowed, and be to LAX by 8:45pm or so.  But if the concensus is that's a dream, then I'll just bag it and find a course in around LA.

My meeting is in East LA and I'll be done at 1:30pm or so.  Any further reccomendations after getting a better feel for my schedule?  Or should I stick with Westchester.  I see Skylinks in your favorites, would that be a stretch also?  Chester Washington looks nice?  Airport stuff like you mentioned I know my way around.  Thanks again.

[Yukari]

I wouldn't recommend Chester Washington.  Muni course with 5-somes.  Not well kept.  If you are thinking of Chester Washington, I think Alondra GC is better.  It is also close to LAX, just SSE side of LAX.

[Shindig]

If you are thinking of Chester Washington, I think Alondra GC is better.  It is also close to LAX, just SSE side of LAX.

Having never played Chester Washington, I never expected to see the phrase "I think Alondra GC is better" ever. Of course, Alondra is where I first broke 100.

[mdl]

Quote:

Tierra Rejada is WACK! Los Canyons' nickname is Lost Balls. Not very fun. Simi Hills is a fun little course. Rustic Canyon is where its at though!

Don't know about rental clubs though, sorry.

As a MUCH better player than me, I'm interested in why you don't like Tierra Rejada.  I get the lost canyons=lost balls thing.  It was a little too target-y, even for the fairways, though I still had a lot of fun there.  But I love the Tierra Rejada layout.  It's just seemed fun to me every time I've been there, though there are some holes there where ANY miss is pretty much a lost ball, which is a little lame.

And I said Rustic Canyon was the lowest just cause the couple times I was there last year it wasn't in very good shape, just felt kind of run down.  And there's a couple sort of boring holes before the cool part of the course.  But I love that course for sure, especially the back nine if I remember correctly.

[Th3R00st3r]

Originally Posted by pls4ms

Quote:

Great info by all, and ejimsmith, thanks for bringing me back to reality -- much appreciated.  I guess in my mind I just figured I'd golf Canyon from 3pm until 7pm or so, hit the road at 7:30pm after traffic slowed, and be to LAX by 8:45pm or so.  But if the concensus is that's a dream, then I'll just bag it and find a course in around LA.

My meeting is in East LA and I'll be done at 1:30pm or so.  Any further reccomendations after getting a better feel for my schedule?  Or should I stick with Westchester.  I see Skylinks in your favorites, would that be a stretch also?  Chester Washington looks nice?  Airport stuff like you mentioned I know my way around.  Thanks again.

Westchester would be a good course for time and money. Besides that, it's literally right next to the airport.

[Clambake]

Rancho Park might be a good option.   It's not too far away from the airport, under 30 minutes even at heavy traffic times, and is roughly between east LA and the airport so you're not way out of your way.    It's a reasonably nice course and a nice old-course layout (lots of trees on rolling terrain).   Much, much nicer course than Chester Washington or Westchester.   It used to be the site of the LA Open years ago, and many of the game's great old stars have played the course.   There's a plaque on the 18th hole where Arnold Palmer took a 12 once at the LA Open.     Rancho Park's biggest downside is the amount of play it gets and how slow it can be, but pretty much any public golf course in the core LA area has that problem.

Other places mentioned that are out in Simi Valley or OC may be nicer and a quicker round, but they are so far out of your way that you'll make yourself miserable from the traffic.

[Shindig]

Rancho Park might be a good option.   It's not too far away from the airport, under 30 minutes even at heavy traffic times, and is roughly between east LA and the airport so you're not way out of your way.    It's a reasonably nice course and a nice old-course layout (lots of trees on rolling terrain).   Much, much nicer course than Chester Washington or Westchester.

Rancho Park is a [b]fantastic[/b] course. I was a member of the Rancho Park Golf Club when I lived in L.A.. That golf course and the golf club are two of the things I miss the most about living there. However, it is not 30 minutes to the airport in heavy traffic times. I have taken more than twice that from the area to LAX many times.

[ejimsmith]

Originally Posted by Shindig

Rancho Park is a fantastic course. I was a member of the Rancho Park Golf Club when I lived in L.A.. That golf course and the golf club are two of the things I miss the most about living there.

However, it is not 30 minutes to the airport in heavy traffic times. I have taken more than twice that from the area to LAX many times.

agreed, its not 30 min from the airport in heavy traffic times.  its an hour.  i commute from long beach to beverly hills every day, and even with my knowledge of routes and sidestreets, i'd give myself an hour to get to the airport on a friday afternoon/night from the westside.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by mdl

Quote:

As a MUCH better player than me, I'm interested in why you don't like Tierra Rejada.  I get the lost canyons=lost balls thing.  It was a little too target-y, even for the fairways, though I still had a lot of fun there.  But I love the Tierra Rejada layout.  It's just seemed fun to me every time I've been there, though there are some holes there where ANY miss is pretty much a lost ball, which is a little lame.

I just never got a good feeling playing out there. I remember a lot of the holes be less then fun to play. Rinky-Dink, Mickey-Mouse. Very forgettable.