Pros:
• Grippy rubber tees on every hole
• Pro Shop onsite that offers advice, disc sales, and lessons. Great place to learn your forehand game!
• Incredible local scene with lots of friendly people throughout the course. Unfortunately, too many friendly people at times.
• Great use of elevation change
• Plenty of trees and natural obstacles, with creative angles everywhere
• Lots of long holes, with the majority playing 300+. A few over 400 as well.
• Offers continued challenged for seasoned players, or repeat players of the course.
• A few benches around the course, and plenty of trashcans
• Course is well kept and has an onsite staff to assist with maintenance inquiries. You can borrow a broom from the pro shop as well!
• 2 tees on every hole to provide variety and challenge for all levels of players. Some safari holes are in place here as well, but are difficult to play because of the amount of people on the course.
• Definitely a disc golf exclusive area, but a few holes play close to the edges of the park (Holes 2 and 4). Watch out for your upshot on 2, and your tee shot on 4.
Cons:
• The crowds here get intense, especially on weekends. Lately, it has even bled over to the weekdays as well. It becomes difficult to play through and/or skip around because there are people on EVERY hole.
• Wind comes into play, especially in the afternoons. It blows in hard off the ocean and can easily add 3 strokes by the time you are done.
• Some alternate tee leave you scratching your head, like on 14 where the "short" tee is 15 feet closer to the basket.
• Black Widows in the Port-A-Potty. Watch out!
• More uphill holes than downhill holes (how is this possible?)
Other Thoughts:
Beautiful HB, where the prevailing tradewinds of the Pacific Ocean can make or break your game. Like surfing, it is better to get to this course before noon before it blows out, both with wind and crowds. This course offers possibly the most variety of any course within a 50 mile radius. Plenty of elevation change that is used creatively, and the scenic Central park provides a perfect backdrop for this coastal course.
This is a historic course, being the 2nd permanent course in the world after Oak Grove (Hahamongna) in Pasadena. The layout has definitely changed over the years, and there is some grumbling that the current layout has become stagnant. Most prefer the great variety of the front 9, only to find the back 9 playing mostly flat along a small peninsula among the trees. However, it is usually the Back 9 that ends up being the equalizer for a good or bad round - it is tougher and longer than the front.
The Pro Shop is a great ambassador to disc golf, and has a staff that is familiar with the game and more than happy to offer advice. They also have a pretty decent selection of discs and plenty of snacks and drinks to keep you going. Candy bars on ice are a specialty here! The "Higher Flyers" group is the local team here, and have monthlies the first Saturday of every month. They are also a great group of people.
This course is a mandatory play if you are visiting or traveling to the Orange/LA/San Diego county area. To fully enjoy it, try to hit it in the morning before 9am if possible. Weekdays provide even more opportunity to enjoy a round without having to wait at every hole. Even when you do have to wait, this beautiful park does not disappoint with its breathtaking scenery. Signature hole is without a doubt Hole # 1, off the "cliff" by the pro shop down to the basket 280 feet away. Always an ace run for experienced players, I think about 60 people aced it last year. They have an "Ace Board" at the Pro Shop.