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Alumni Park reviews
8
1
The most challenging water hazards you'll find 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 1, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
There are 10 baskets carefully designed around the 2 man-made lakes with reclaimed water in Alumni Park at Pepperdine University.
The course map, available from this site, is a MUST! But with it you'll be led on a VERY challenging and enjoyable round with one of the more scenic vistas you'll find.
The first tee starts you at the top of the hill in the parking lot. But you can't park there because it's permit parking for the school. If you're looking up the hill it's to the left of the tower with a cross on it.
Google maps leads you to the Pepperdine entrance, which is on the north side of Alumni Park. The guard will give you a parking permit which allows you to park on the street heading up the hill. I don't recommend you enter this way. Alumni Park has a long stretch that runs down to the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). You are better off to go to the south side of the park and park on Malibu Canyon Road. You can see the 4th basket from the corner of PCH and Malibu Canyon Road. This way you're closer and not parking on a fairly steep hill without need of a parking permit. The guard house opens at 7am so if you're early this is better access.
The first basket is in the middle of 4 mature trees so it's a challenging shot throwing down into that cluster from way above it. It's also a little challenging to walk up the dirt path to get to the parking lot, but well worth it if you like elevation challenges, and who doesn't?
The second tee is on a bluff overlooking the first lake. Another elevation shot to a basket nestled among trees on the hillside on the other side of the lake. If you are a chicken then there's room on the right to avoid the lake. I took a chance, but even a good shot for me still ended in the water, even though it was really close and on the edge. I met another disc golfer there who told me that he came once when this lake was drained and he took out 45 discs. If you don't use the map it's hard to see this basket, but it is right where the map says it is.
The third tee sends you directly over the lake to a very visible basket on the south side. There's no shortcuts here for chickens. If you love your plastic don't use it on this one and just skip it.
There are some funky blue markers in the ground in a few places that say disc golf on them, but they don't correspond with the tees on the map much. I just ignored them and used the tee locations on the map. There are not really any identifiable markings for the tees, so again, YOU NEED THE MAP.
The fourth tee sends you down the hill over the open grass to the basket among some trees visible from PCH.
The fifth basket is near some ball golf greens back up the hill where the 2 lakes join. Oh by the way, the disc golf course is always preempted by the ball golfers. Right now the Pepperdine golf team is practicing for the NCCA playoffs, so you can't play 3, 4, 5, and 7 if they're there. The playoffs should be over by the end of May.
Bravery is required for #6 since it sends you over the second lake. The basket is visible at the bottom of the hill on the shore of the other side. Then #7 sends you back over the lake to the visible basket to the south, which you also can't play if the ball golf team is there.
The 8th basket has been moved so you should play to #9 on the map. The 10th basket is also moved from its location on the map, but is clearly visible down by the north end of the second lake. Play that as your #9.
Finding the new location of the 10th basket is a challenge, especially if you don't know where to look. It was moved to the north entrance on the map, where the dirt road leaves the pavement going up the hill.
The course map, available from this site, is a MUST! But with it you'll be led on a VERY challenging and enjoyable round with one of the more scenic vistas you'll find.
The first tee starts you at the top of the hill in the parking lot. But you can't park there because it's permit parking for the school. If you're looking up the hill it's to the left of the tower with a cross on it.
Google maps leads you to the Pepperdine entrance, which is on the north side of Alumni Park. The guard will give you a parking permit which allows you to park on the street heading up the hill. I don't recommend you enter this way. Alumni Park has a long stretch that runs down to the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). You are better off to go to the south side of the park and park on Malibu Canyon Road. You can see the 4th basket from the corner of PCH and Malibu Canyon Road. This way you're closer and not parking on a fairly steep hill without need of a parking permit. The guard house opens at 7am so if you're early this is better access.
The first basket is in the middle of 4 mature trees so it's a challenging shot throwing down into that cluster from way above it. It's also a little challenging to walk up the dirt path to get to the parking lot, but well worth it if you like elevation challenges, and who doesn't?
The second tee is on a bluff overlooking the first lake. Another elevation shot to a basket nestled among trees on the hillside on the other side of the lake. If you are a chicken then there's room on the right to avoid the lake. I took a chance, but even a good shot for me still ended in the water, even though it was really close and on the edge. I met another disc golfer there who told me that he came once when this lake was drained and he took out 45 discs. If you don't use the map it's hard to see this basket, but it is right where the map says it is.
The third tee sends you directly over the lake to a very visible basket on the south side. There's no shortcuts here for chickens. If you love your plastic don't use it on this one and just skip it.
There are some funky blue markers in the ground in a few places that say disc golf on them, but they don't correspond with the tees on the map much. I just ignored them and used the tee locations on the map. There are not really any identifiable markings for the tees, so again, YOU NEED THE MAP.
The fourth tee sends you down the hill over the open grass to the basket among some trees visible from PCH.
The fifth basket is near some ball golf greens back up the hill where the 2 lakes join. Oh by the way, the disc golf course is always preempted by the ball golfers. Right now the Pepperdine golf team is practicing for the NCCA playoffs, so you can't play 3, 4, 5, and 7 if they're there. The playoffs should be over by the end of May.
Bravery is required for #6 since it sends you over the second lake. The basket is visible at the bottom of the hill on the shore of the other side. Then #7 sends you back over the lake to the visible basket to the south, which you also can't play if the ball golf team is there.
The 8th basket has been moved so you should play to #9 on the map. The 10th basket is also moved from its location on the map, but is clearly visible down by the north end of the second lake. Play that as your #9.
Finding the new location of the 10th basket is a challenge, especially if you don't know where to look. It was moved to the north entrance on the map, where the dirt road leaves the pavement going up the hill.
Cons:
There are no numbers on the baskets, but this presents no problem since 8 of the 10 baskets clearly match the map and the two that do not are at the end where safari works fine. I saw an old Facebook post which included numbers on the tops of the baskets, but those numbers are gone now.
Since you're on the Pepperdine campus Alumni Park, which their ball golf team uses, you may not be able to access all the baskets if the team is practicing, but I doubt this is too often since golf season is over at the end of May for students.
There are no tees visible and you'll get confused if you try to use the blue deals in the ground that say disc golf. But this is no problem if you ignore them and use the map.
Since you're on the Pepperdine campus Alumni Park, which their ball golf team uses, you may not be able to access all the baskets if the team is practicing, but I doubt this is too often since golf season is over at the end of May for students.
There are no tees visible and you'll get confused if you try to use the blue deals in the ground that say disc golf. But this is no problem if you ignore them and use the map.
Other Thoughts:
What a beautiful place for disc golf! This well manicured park has a spectacular view of the Malibu coastline. It's not far from the Getty Villa if you want to include that in a trip here. Or there's a lot of surfers in the surrounding waters if that's what you like.
The lakes are very challenging. I left one of my discs in the water, but if that's the only cost to play here then I'm good for that. After all, most of the state parks charge a $10 entry fee.
The lakes are very challenging. I left one of my discs in the water, but if that's the only cost to play here then I'm good for that. After all, most of the state parks charge a $10 entry fee.
