-Dedicated land for disc golf
-beautiful coastal flora
-large shot variety required
-forced lines and strict fairways requiring placement.
-uncrowded

-navigation is tough
-poison oak...worse than DeLa...in every rough!

This course has such a strange meandering layout over a very unusual stretch of land. With the constant mist and fog (when I've played) coupled with the moss swaying in the trees and the old baseball fields and abandoned campus buildings, Oak's has a ghostly atmosphere to it. I've played 8 or so times, and it has always been empty (or felt empty). Even if there were people out on the course, fairways don't parallel each other, so I never saw them.

Has concrete tee pads with notches carved across

Has tee signs

Has many benches throughout course

Has multiple basket placements for some holes

More open than wooded fairways with some holes having slight changes in elevations - which will be fun to the casual player

Baskets are hard to locate on some holes - need flags or bright paint

Needs more next tee signs - recommend a course map for the first-timer

Some holes require blind shots - recommend a spotter

Ice plant vegetation made footing difficult to throw

Some holes have fairly long walks in between such as 1&2, 3&4, 7&8, 9&10, 11&12, and 13&14 - not really a con in my book but some may not like the additional walking on top of it being a long course

Pay to park

This a nice, challenging 20 hole course in Seaside that I enjoyed playing while vacationing out here. Being from the Southeast, I noticed that the flora here is very strange from what I'm accustomed to seeing. Lots of spongy ice plants are scattered throughout the course - making it very difficult to get a firm footing when throwing. The trees here are a factor in catching discs. Some of the holes could have used some next tee signs to direct flow. After holing out on #7, I went to hole #9 tee pad by mistake instead of hole #8. Fortunately, there was another group ahead of us that alerted me that we missed hole #8 - what a scenic hole that is with the low canopy trees! The Mach V baskets were in great shape to play with but some are hard to spot from the tee pad with the trees in between. Some holes had some long walks between holes but I didn't mind it since it was cool and windy on the day I played. This is a fun course to play but beware that it's fairly remote and lacks the amenities of a nearby restroom/porta potty, water fountain, and parking can be a long walk.

- Free course
- Full 18 and another Full 18 nearby
- Large circular concrete tee pads. They're my all time favorite pads
- Tee signs mapping distances and multiple pin positions
- Multiple pins
- Not a lot of underbrush to lose disc in
- Some variations in elevation
- Unique terrain
- Not crowded

- No current pin position indicator
- Rundown dilapidated course surroundings
- Tee signs were beat up, one was missing.
- Hard to see baskets need a splash of color
- Directional signage between holes was lacking
- Mostly open or hyzering around or up and over the landscape
- Windy course

Let's start with the parking confusion. It's mentioned by other reviewers that parking is free at the vet clinic, but it was a little trickier than simply parking there and walking to the course. It was the weekend when I played the course and the clinic was closed, yet the prominence of the "towing of unauthorized vehicles" signage remained. I decided to just bite the bullet and pay the 4$ all day parking fee. It was nice that the parking pass dispensers took cash or card. Later, I ran into a local that confirmed that parking at the Vet clinic on any day of the week was a safe choice with no chance of being towed. There are campus police roaming around, so do be careful.

As for the course, it was fun, but kind of trashed. The tees signs were run down, and there were old neglected items throughout the course. It was kind of cool, kind of and eyesore. It didn't take away from play, just an observation. I liked how different the trees looked and those weird rubbery bushes were throughout the course. Poison oak wasn't as big of an issue as the reviews and signs made it out to be. It probably could be in non winter times of the year though. All the different terrain, variations in distances, and slight elevation changes made for a fun round, even if the layout was a little more open than I'd like. Also, those tee pads were legit. I loved them

With the amount of land that this course was built on I doubt it ever has overcrowding issues. In the middle of the course navigation became difficult due to the lack of directional signs, luckily we trailed a duo of players. At one point we they even left an arrow etched into the dirt/sand for us to follow. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I didn't like about the course other than there were a lot of the same shots over and over again. To be honest, it got a little boring. I would have liked to see some more creativity on the course. Most holes didn't really punish bad drives off the tee. I think the course was between a 3 & 3.5 . The close proximity to another 18 may have influenced the my decision to round it up a little.

Park for FREE at the VA Clinic.

Mix distances for the shots. On 01/17/15, the two long holes were set at the longest distance, one at 700+ feet and the other just under 700 feet. The photos of the course are not current as they do not show the very nice large circle T pads at each hole.

2011 PDGA Tournament was played here and that is when all of the improvements took place. The signage is accurate and intact.

Holes 10 through to 27 are the best of the course.

None.

AWESOME views of Monterey Bay on a clear day.

The course plays through two distinct pieces of the property. The beginning and end of the course play through a flat area with scattered trees and bushes. There are some longer holes here, and many where you have to get a little creative to place your shots where you won't end up behind an obstacle to your next shot.

The middle of the course is a lot more interesting. There are a couple shots with cool elevation changes, using a fairly small but very steep dropoff to create a tricky uphill shot, a fun downhill shot and a couple pins with roll away potential. This part of the course also brings a more wooded area into play, forcing some shorter but more technical line shaping. You'll have to have some diverse line shaping skills to score well in the dense small trees here, and missing your line will require creative shot making to recover.

Navigation is tricky if you want to play just the Oaks layout. Signage and concrete tees are only installed for the worlds layout and the numbering doesn't correspond to the original layout. There are also several changes to the layout from the original, so the map isn't quite accurate and the next tee signs on the course aren't always accurate either.

The open part of the course got a little repetitive. Lots of poison ivy in the woods, keep an eye out especially on the paths between holes. The tees that aren't on the worlds layout are often pretty soft sand and don't provide the best footing.

Parking is difficult, I found it easier to just pay for a metered spot than try to figure out where it was legal to park for free. You may want to park halfway between the two courses on site if you plan on playing both, the lot by the oaks course was gated off and there didn't seem to be much right by this course.

Beginners will find this course significantly tougher than the Cypress course, with more length and more holes that offer some punishment for errant shots. Experienced players will find some really nice challenges on some of the holes here. A guide would be really helpful to avoid wandering and missing holes.

(Note, my rating for the combined worlds layout would be higher than my ratings for either of the individual courses on site, it offers better variety and challenge and doesn't have the same tee and navigation issues.)

The course layout was very challenging, but fair. It required a pretty range of shots.
Wind can be a negative or a positive, but it good to get experience playing in wind.
Course navigation was good, so long as you have a map (use the worlds map)
I really liked the elevation usage, I.e on 2, 5, 12, 16 etc.
OB was in play on a number of holes and certainly added to the challenge on some open (and windy) holes.
The circular tee pads and signage were both good.
On several of the holes there were long PVC poles o getting discs out of trees. Very helpful and necessary.

It feels like a desert at times, very remote.
Play with a partner. I played alone without losing a disc, but a spotter or second set of eyes will help.
Almost all of the holes required a driver, with the exception of 3 or 4. Maybe some additional shorter technical holes would make it slightly better.
Trees do an excellent OB of catching discs, so take advantage of he poles that are provided on som holes.
A lack of benches and trash cans could be a negative for some.

This is a review based on the 2011 worlds layout. I really enjoyed the course, definitely a different experience than I am accustomed to in NC.
I had a good time playing in he wind, but bring appropriate discs.
I preferred this course over Ryan Ranch because it provided a different experience than I've had. For those ball golfers out there, I thinks this is similar to playing an Oceanside links course like kiawah.

• The course is in great shape and challenging
• Interesting terrain and scenery
• A nice mix of interesting and unusual shots
• Plenty of room to warm-up/practice
• Friendly folks
• Fairly easy to navigate
• Tees are all new concrete circles and the baskets are in great shape
• Signs are all new although not completely clear in a couple spots

• Wind can be fun (not a true Con)
• Footing can be challenging in places with the ice plant, sand, and other fun things
• No restrooms/water that I could find

Tips
• Do take one of the Otter maps located here: http://www.dgcoursereview.com.../2b556208.jpg
• Take water and use the restroom before you head out. It's also not a bad idea to tell someone where you're going. It's deserted out there. Or bring a spotter, which is not a bad idea.
• I think you can still park on Engineer Lane for free in the lot near #9.
• Save yourself some pain and start on #1 to get warmed up.
• Pay attention to where #25's basket is. It's towards the road a little to the left of the tee box. As you can't see it from the tee, it's easy to throw to the wrong spot, and do ignore the white plastic pipe sticking up in the air. That's not a basket indicator.

Random Thoughts:
Let me first state that the course(s) are still set-up for the Worlds tournament that occurred last year, so this is really a review of that set-up versus the original Oaks course (i.e. 19 holes on the Oaks and 8 on Cypress). Having said that, I had a surprisingly good time out there. Now I did make the mistake of starting on #11: a 705 foot ass kicker of a not-a-good-warmup-hole with few precious desirable landing spots. Nothing like a 6 right out of the gate. And truthfully, I think the difficult holes are really on the Oaks course, which is why I recommend you start on #1 over on Cypress to give yourself a chance to get warmed up. But even with that error, I really really enjoyed this course. After reading the reviews, I was a bit trepidatious about playing this course, and while I certainly see the complaints (the ice plant, the poison oak, the dense shrubbery), I believe the positives about this course far outweigh the negatives. This course changes its personality every few holes. You start out in a lightly wooded area and then you're out in a lake bed, and then you're in the deep woods, and then you're back out in the open, and then back in the woods. There is constantly interesting terrain around you and it's quite enjoyable to not just play through but walk through. It's also kinda cool/creepy to walk through the abandoned baseball fields in those spots. It's like you're disc golfing in an abandoned city. Anyway, as for the holes themselves, well, you're going to need every shot in your bag and you're going to need to be precise...in the wind. There are few places on this course where you can just rear back and let fly. You always have to be thinking about your path and landing zone on this course. Not just because there's a tremendous amount of OB on this course, but because there's precious few desirable landing spots. And by desirable landing spot I mean: non-OB, decent footing, visibility of the basket, and a desirable attack angle on the basket. And this is in play on every shot. Not just the tee shot. And if that weren't challenging enough, the wind is JeckyllyHydy out there. It's not blowing one minute, gusting the next. I threw back to back tee shots that landed 100 feet apart because I misjudged the wind at that moment. You're also dealing with a lot of elevation changes both uphill and downhill. Combine that with the wind, and once again you're using a lot of brain power before you throw. As far as signature holes, I would say I liked #14 because you not only throw over the lake bed on your first throw but you have to hit a billiard like shot uphill into a pocket of trees on your second shot. #15 is an enjoyable tunnel shot in a visually interesting forest. #17/18 are fun (yet butt puckering) bomber shots. I liked #9s demand of precision, and I enjoyed missing the island green on #4. I also enjoyed the challenge of the long and tree filled #27 which will demand 2 if not 3 precise throws. So with all that said, how did I do out there? What can one expect? Well, I'm probably an Intermediate/Lower Advanced player at this point in my disc journey. I'm typically right around par on the courses I play. For the 27 holes out there that day, I walked out with +9 including ~3 penalty strokes, which I felt was quite fair. Most of the time, the strokes I gave away were my fault versus anything 'unfair' on the course. So I really have no complaints about the course set-up. It seems like the right amount of difficult yet fun to me.

Bottom Line:
Of the courses I've been to thus far, I think this one may be the one that has the most elements of what makes disc golf fun: elevation changes, trees, terrain changes, long shots, short shots, left shots, right shots, OB, precise landing zones, wind, etc... The only thing really missing there is water. Is it a tough course? Absolutely. Is it beginner friendly? Noooot really. But I really enjoyed my time on this course and look forward to going back. Bravo!

I was fortunate to play the 2011 Worlds layout in advance of the event with course designer Merle Witvoet. The map for the 2011 Pro Worlds layout (and the updated Oaks layout) should be available by 7-1-11. Many holes have been redesigned and new placements installed in the past few weeks in preparation for Worlds. Some holes were permanently relocated, especially around the "ropes area".


Land is dedicated to disc golf only, although there may be an occasional dog walker or hiker.


The new tees are 10 foot concrete circles. With constantly shifting winds and multiple pin placements these round tees allow for approaches from all directions. Definitely better than playing from the sand.


Multiple pin placements on almost every established hole with more to be installed on newer holes.


Course is built on coastal sand dunes. There are many oaks, ice plants and grasses. This is a rugged piece of property with its own special beauty.

Great variety of holes utilizing the elevation change, wind and vegetation.

Prevailing winds add to the challenge especially on more open holes. Windier in the afternoon or when weather moves in.

This course is challenging both in design and ruggedness of the terrain. Not recommended for beginning players or those with physical limitations. Course is sandy and many areas are covered with large patches of ice plants adding to the challenge. Oak trees are very dense and make it difficult to retrieve discs and to get out of trouble.
OB areas are well marked and add to the challenge.

Sand and ice plants make for challenging footing on the fairways.

As with all courses in this area, there is poison oak. Be prepared if it is a problem for you.

No restroom facilities of any kind. Ample opportunity to rough it.

Due to elevation changes and/or vegetation, some pin locations for Pro Worlds are blind. Designer is already working to install flags and trim vegetation to increase visibility.


Not recommended for beginning players or those with physical limitations. It would be near impossible to use a stroller or cart. Would recommend the CSUMB Cypress Course across the street instead.


Would not recommend playing alone. Vegetation can be very dense and lost discs are a definite possibility. Again, play the Cypress Course instead.

This course really is exposed to the coastal winds. Players not familiar with wind play will suffer. Bring a jacket or sweatshirt as the constant ocean breeze can get chilly after a while.


Pro Worlds will use the redesigned 18 holes for the Oaks course plus 7 from the Cypress Course across the street. Pro Worlds numbering is different, with normal Hole 1 on the Oaks being called Hole 11 for Worlds.


The hard working volunteers are finishing the installation of all new tees by July 1st.


I had a chance to play the seven holes from the Cypress Course. While they are set on more typical park land with grass and sidewalks, there was still challenge from the wind and elevation changes. OB roads and sidewalks are well marked and add challenge to these holes. (Other extra holes will not be set up until Pro Worlds.)

The Oaks course gives you everything you want in a course. Elevation changes, wind, woods, open areas, left hand shots, right hand shots......beautiful scenery, distance....the works!

With all those great pros, the course is in shambles. No one seems to know where the first teepad should be, several baskets in th 8-10 positions are missing and the navigation is downright cumbersome. My group of four experienced players who had all played the course before, spent more time looking for where we were supposed to throw then actually playing. After playing a new and improved Ryan's Ranch in the morning, this course was just frustrating. You can definitely see how great this course could be if it were cleaned up and navigation provided! This local club has lots of courses to maintain so I don't blame them, they do great work!

DO NOT FOLLOW LINK FOR MAP ON DGCR, IT IS OUT OF DATE!

Very challenging pin locations and green variations. This course has excellent flow and plenty of natural beauty to compliment the design. Definitely a championship caliber course, with a great mix of long fairways and tight wooded greens. New O.B. areas make for even more of a challenge. Certainly a rugged course, with no forgiveness for bad shots. There are also some great look-out spots in which you can see the entire Monterey Bay. The wind does add another challenging factor into the course design, since about half the holes are w/ tail wind, and the other with a stiff head.

All in all, I can see why the local tournaments held at the Oaks probably draw so many World Champions and NT point leaders each year; and is also most certainly deserving of the 2011 Pro World's!

No concrete tee-pads yet. Lots of wind on a breezy day (almost everyday), can make it a challenge for those not used to such conditions.

Definitely worth playing if ever given a chance!

California State University @ Monterey Bay Oaks Disc Golf Course is even longer and more cumbersome than it's name. It sits on land that was abandoned by the US Army. There are two old ball fields complete with rusting scoreboards and fences, old training grounds and buildings in the distances. The terrain is rocky, sandy with overgrown bushes, native trees, lots of cypruss trees and a constant wind a'howling. And I happen to agree with the army. I'd abandon this land too. I didn't find it redeeming or attractive in any way. The course was made even more challenging with the ever present winds. Perfect shots landed in trees never to be found. This is a course one could never play alone or as dusk approaches.

For me, pretty much the entire Oaks course was a con. Start with the navigation. Even with the map, we were helplessly lost after # 1. Luckily (?) we went back to the parking lot and hooked up with CSUMB students Alec and Colby who guided us through the course. The teepads were sandy natural and were not good. There were some majorly challengingly holes there. I will admit that. My playing partner is an advanced player who does not back down from a challenge and he too, had nothing good to say about this course. The lack of fairways, poison oak and wind left me wanting my round to be over.

On our Bay area trip I was able to play a number of wonderful 18 hole courses that one could maybe compare to CSUMB Oaks. They are Stafford Lake, Skyline Wildnerness Park in Napa, DeLaveaga and Ryan's Ranch. All have that Cali ruggedness to them. All have that extreme challenge. IMO what differentiates the other four from CSUMB Oaks is they have a natural beauty to their courses and while extremely challenging, they are fair and therefore enjoyable! I didn't find the Oaks course to be fair, enjoyable or otherwise enjoyable in any particular way. Sorry!

How do I start? Other reviewers who loved this course are dead on. Lots of variation, blind pins and huge wind. A few amazingly long holes, several are uphill shots that have to go up a "cliff face". The few short holes are killer too; #6 is one of the hardest tiny holes I have ever played kind of like the very end of I-5 at DeLa off the tee but tighter. I think I could throw that hole 100 times in a row.
The Ice plants that cover the ground, the namesake oak trees and the oddball debris and ghost Bball fields just add to the odd mystique. I could go on and oh yea the ocean is just over the hill.

The sandy "tee areas" are very tough at times. The course is very hard to navigate the first time even with the map (but is doable.)
No signs is a short coming. No facilities; water or toilets etc.

If this course had "real" teepads and signs it would be a challenger for DeLa as best in the area. If it had 27 too it would really be a challenger.
You will need good navigation skills to learn the layout get the best map you can.
All in all a KILLER course! NorCal rocks!

Lots of variety of shots. Alternate tees provide alternate shots not just shorter ones. Great variety of holes. Very challenging with a good mix of lengths. Almost always have the course to yourself. Easy enough to create your own alternate tees to suit your mood and/or conditions on the course.

The wind is extreme. It blows very hard everyday especially in the afternoon. Can be nearly impossible from the long tees when the wind is at it strongest. Flow could be better with just a few minor adjustments to pin location. Cosmetics are neglected like on most Monterey courses: few actual tee pads, not a lot of places to sit, rugged terrain. (As a local this has never bothered me considering the layout is still world class, and this is how all of our courses seem to be.)

This may be my favorite course when played from the white tees. The wind is ever present here so bring some overstable discs. This course will make you a good wind player if played enough.

+ Good use of the elevation
+ Easy to distinguish alternate tee pads with white and blue stones/flags
+ Nice views
+ Seats and trash cans at some holes
+ Practice basket

- Most holes are long, not too many short ones
- Still needs tee pads on all the holes

This is another course where a guide or map would be more than helpful. The wind picks up pretty strong in the bay area in the afternoon but that can help to get some big throws.

This course is a big challenge and was made for the seasoned disc golfer. There were a number of very memorable holes. The course made good use of the terrain that it was on. There were just a few other people at this course and the course is built on land that I do not think will ever be used for any other purpose.

This course punished everything, even a good shot. Most holes were super long and with the added trouble of strong winds there was little to no feeling good, except for the one putt that I made. Trying to navigate this course with a map was hard enough as several tee signs were missing and pin placements were somewhere completely different. Tee pads were dirt with numbers painted on cement stones. This course will just frustrate you at every turn. The course appears to play right through a high ropes course that might still get some use.

This was probably my least favorite course on my recent disc golf trip. I am sure a good portion of this was the wind factor that made throwing anything with control difficult. The most frustrating part was just trying to navigate this course. I threw shots that I thought were great only to find out that I still had another 300 feet to a basket that appeared a lot close on their map, specifically hole 4 really frustrated me with that. Still I can see how this course offers a good challenge and if a few holes were changed slightly, this course would be much better.

Course has characteristics that make it one of the more unique courses I've played. Course feels like a city that was abandoned, from the old unused baseball fields and the old warehouse buildings to the strange vegetation, everything feels 'different' from other courses. It is very challenging and the layout is well thought out, has very good flow.

Navigating the course is very difficult without a guide. Can be windy.

Hole #6 has one of the strangest fairways I've seen.

Large open course with many elevation changes. Ocean view from some of the elevated pads. Elevation changes along with the wind variable makes for some challenging play. No crowds and no waiting! I was there mid-morning and I only saw 3 other people playing.

The worse tee pads that I have ever seen. I've played on dirt pads before but these were far from smooth and even had some soft sand. No signs giving direction or distance. I printed the map from the Links/ files but it still took me a lot of extra time finding the pads and the baskets. It seemed like the next pad could have been a little closer from the previous basket or more obvious which way to go. Flat out poor layout.

This course has some potential. It definitely has some unique features. Holes #7 through #9 play around a couple of really old ball fields reminding me of a deserted town in some old movie. The piano with a tree growing through it back near hole #6 is different. It just seems like with the land that they had to work with it could have been laid out much more user friendly. Being from northern CA I'm used to every hole having a sign with a map of the hole showing all of the multiple pin placements, a bench to place your bag or your butt, a trash can and a nice concrete tee pad. But then again, you need the bench because some of the course gets pretty busy and you need to plant your butt and wait. The lack of crowds at both of the courses I played in Monterey was VERY nice. If I had time to play more than 1 game next time I'm in town, I will give this course another chance. DON'T FORGET THE MAP and some water!

great for wind and long drives. very nice surroundings, plants, wildlife, etc. some very nice holes that are as fun as they are challenging.

no tee pads, the natural pads that are used are mostly uneven and some angle up and down hill significantly. no signage at all and the course map is almost unusable, and i used a map all the time in the marines.

there were some great holes here, i don't want my review to show only the courses shortcomings but i feel that if this course is ever finished, tee pads and signs it would be a great course. with a guide this course is much more fun, you spend way less time looking and not finding.

The vegetation is the type that I think you will only see near the ocean shore. Be prepared for a challenge. The entire course is long. For me, a huge fan of courses in natural settings, this course is paradise, it is completely overrun with native trees and relatively large shrubs. At CSUMB Oaks you will encounter abundant sand, wild overgrowing trees and bushes of several varieties, even the occasional critter. The Oaks course has carved out trails that allow a golfer the opportunity to see some of the wild countryside that a park course just cant provide. As a disc golfer from the Rockies, at times I felt like I was on the moon because the ground, the vegetation, everything, was so unique, I loved it!

There are many memorable holes on this course with the scenery changing by the hole. Numbers 3, 5, and 10 all make you attempt up-shots. Number six has you maneuver under an amazing tunnel of tight trees. Some holes are open, others downhill bombs, some with large bushes, and almost of them all with the sea wind to contend with. The practice basket is even in a unique spot, in some bushes near the parking lot. Hands down, the best thing about this course is the setting. Although I have favorable opinions about the Cypress course, Ryan Ranch and Don Dahvee, if I was told I could only play one course in the Monterey Bay area it would be this one.

There are no signs, and therefore you will get lost at times and have to eyeball distances. At times the walks to the next tee can be very confusing. Another player kept having to ask to see our map, he gave up in frustration before we could invite him along with us. Bring a map. 11-12 was very hard to find especially since 11 was in the b position which is even more far from 12's tee box. At the #14 tee area someone wrote on the chairs expressing frustration with the lack of signs and blind shots, I got a good agreeable laugh out of that. The tee boxes are just rugs rolled out over the sand. Some of the abandoned buildings and baseball field make the course feel equally forgotten. On the day I got to play this course the wind never let up to give us a break, scores were very high. Beware, the trees will eat a disc whole at close range and high speeds and mock you with its grasp.

Take water and map. For all of its frustration, there are some very memorable shots on this course. If you are like me and you can take a challenging course in stride and LOVE being in a natural setting you will most likely have a great time here. When I reflect on this course, I think of it as a course with five or six signature holes, all of which rank pretty high for me personally, that get overshadowed in my memory by its lack of signs. This might be the best college campus course I've played.

Just in case you need reminded again, take a map.

Decently long on many holes with some nice uphill.downhill shots. Both woods and open areas, good variety. Can be windy which makes it interesting. Not very crowded.

blind tees, so hard to play for the first time and you have a lost disc hazard.

I played this course with a couple locals who were nice enough to show me the holes and find about 10 would-be-lost discs for me. One guy was an almost-pro who shot about 4 under and said it was a decent round for him.