The Mission Hills Golf Course Owners Don't Budget A Lot For Directional Signs!
or maintenance or grass seed or fertilizers. This is another of those courses if you're planning on playing it, you best do it soon, because I can't imagine it'll will be operational for long.

First, they make it all but impossible to find the place. You drive into the nursing home complex and weave your way through to the very back. The course doesn't really look like a golf course. It appears abandoned or maybe a rundown city park. But when I walk up and see these two old gentlemen sitting at a picnic table, one old guy reluctantly gets up and takes my $5. It's Sunday afternoon at 3 PM and there are two other golfers on the course.

The disc golf is typically golf course, lots of wide open spaces. It's almost totally flat with large scattered trees. They've tried pretty hard to accommodate us disc golfers. They actually have nice tee signs complete with a sponsor for each hole. The baskets are older, faded Discatchers with the yellow rims. They are either from Verdugo course or the Tujanga course depending on which reviewer you believe. I think they were shipped here from The Mozambique National Presidential Course. Some have numbers, some not. Some have a next arrow hanging from the catcher part. They proved very helpful. The pads are rubber mats. Some are flat and level, some not. They used to have a course map attached to the front door but it has disappeared. There are a few discs for sale in the little office. The online map I had printed off was a little hard to decipher.

Holes 1 and 6 have raised baskets. Most baskets are tucked in behind trees or fencing. Distances are mostly in 250'-350' range. There are a few clearly marked Mando signs. I really liked # 15. The tee sign says it 220' but I think it's a little longer. It has a double Mando between two large trees about 225' out and about 25' in front of the basket.

# 7 is like a real disc golf hole. It play 280' with the basket behind a large tree and then up a small hill.

The distances on the tee signs are often off or way off. # 11 says 320' or 330' and I estimated it to be an easy 500'.

Many tee signs have multiple distances listed but no way of knowing which position the basket is in. # 10 lists 280'-320'-340' but you don't really know and I'm sure they have never changed the basket positions. As I was leaving, the gentlemen who was seemingly in charge told me some baskets were missing or something but he didn't really know for sure.

Some pads are pretty uneven and lumpy.

Just a general feeling of grunge and unkemptness.

The $5 fee is easy on the budget but I'm not sure if that's per round or all day. Because there are no gates here, players can and do show up after hours for a few holes or maybe some twilight play. Mission Hills feels more like you're playing in a county park than on a manicured golf course. It probably never gets real crowded. The guys working here are beyond low key and are friendly and welcoming to us disc golfers. If you can actually locate Mission Hills, you might find it worth your time and $5.

New course to play in the valley
Baskets from Tujunga are back in play
Even mix of long and short distance holes
Mostly grass playing field
Holes are well spaced apart to avoid jams and bunching up
Beginner-friendly course

Not a huge challenge (e.g. little OB, few trees, and only 2 mandos)
Fee is $7 per round (not all day)
You do have to share a course with ball golfers and play around them.
Not great shade cover (but there are benches and trash cans regularly through the field).
Not a scenic venue; no signature hole (yet)

Currently the tee pads are temporary and I am not marking a point off for that because I expect that to change soon.

Parking is a little tricky the first time around but should be easy thereafter.

There are snacks/water/bathrooms at the office, but not a full-fledged pro shop if you need that sort of thing.

We were a bit shocked that you have to pay for every round played. We wanted to have a second go-through to improve our scores but were told we needed to pay $7 again. At that price, this course is not a good value (especially compared to Sylmar ($2) or Oak Grove (free)).

All in all I would give this place a go if you live nearby or there is a tournament at one of the other courses. Otherwise, this is not a destination course unfortunately.

I do hope that this is just the beginning and that they continue to evolve the course (and their policies).