+holes 2,4,5,6,7,11,15
+several long holes
+several blind shots
+good variety of open shots, tunnel shots, shots around trees
+good use of OB
+pro shop

-some danger with shots near street
-par info on signs is wrong
-non-discgolfers all around

if I had to choose one to play, I'd pick back 18 just because of the increase in distance and difficulty.

The setting is a pretty typical multi-use park with older trees mixed with some open spaces. I like the design on most of the holes here. Tee pads are situated so that you are forced to throw under low-hanging branches or throw a safe shot around that won't give you a look at birdie. There are multiple pin positions on most holes. One hole (#7?) had a A position under 250 feet and a D position over 700 feet. It's rare to have a piece of land that allows for that.

The park has moderate elevation changes, and many holes use these well, particularly when you are forced to throw over a hill but under branches. There are usually multiple lines to the basket of varying risks. On the shorter holes I found myself debating a safter forehand route (I have no distance with my forehand) vs a backhand route that was tighter but would get me to the basket.

Tee pads are concrete (and sometimes are part of the sidewalk, which is also concrete, as sidewalks tend to be), and the tee signs do a good job of showing the various positions.

The park is all grass, which wouldn't be noteworthy in most parts of the country, but it was the only course I played on my Southern California trip that was all grass. It was pretty wet in spots.

I mentioned that I like the design of most holes. But holes 11 and 12 are really bad. Hole 11 has a 30-foot wide fairway with a parking lot on the right and street on the left. Do you really want people hanging a hyzer out over the parking lot? How is a beginner supposed to play this safely? Hole 12 has a wider fairway but the same general issue. Given the space in the park, it didn't appear that either of these was strictly necessary. Dents in car doors don't build support for disc golf.

Navigation was fine in most places, but I was glad to have the map.

I didn't get to play the front side due to some walkathon that had it closed. Too bad, as I would have liked to have seen the other side. In spite of it being closed, I didn't find the back side too crowded (I only played through two groups).

varying lengths, right and left turns, changes in elevation, and overhead obsticles, all create a game equalling challenge

crowded

26 years ago I stumbled upon La Mirada Regionals DGC. I attempted a fewholes with a Whamo freestyle disc. For the first time in 26 years I went back to where I first laid eyes on a disc golf chains set. A grass roots sort of Holy Land for me now. Played a good round. Had a blast!

Best course in SoCal with 36 holes or the Championship 18 ! Nice Grass through the whole course. Wish there was more tournaments here ! Top rated course with many pin positions !

Some Mud but getting better with maintenance.

Scenic !

Pros: Awesome layout
Great use of the minimal elevation comared to the front 18
Great mix of long and short holes and mandatories that makes it much more challenging.

Cons: -Just the muddiness o and -It is easy to get confused on where the next tee-pad/pin is from time to time. Playing from hole 5 to 6 I got confused as to which pin I was supposed to shoot at since there were a number of baskets around and I couldn't see any numbers.

A classic course , living in the area , i love this course , i drive 45-1 hour to play it as often as possible. This course is a great compliment to the front 18 , alot of big beautiful shots. Hole 1 is an open shot with no obstacles, but that changes quickly , every other hole is a definite technical Shot. A few holes with mando , two HUGE holes requiring big distance . Hole 11 is a very fun shot with what can't be more than 20 foot wide fairy with OB street on the left and OB parking lot on the right , a definite Buzzz shot. PLAY THIS COURSE. All innova discatchers.

Mud on hole 3 , birdwatchers / Random park users every so often.

I almost like this course more than the lakeside front 18, i play it as often as possible because it's one of the first challenging courses i've played, a DEFINITE destination course for Socal , make sure to play this course if you're within 40ish miles. Don't forget to go to Discovering the world in the area to pick up some new plastic, they will let you sift through stacks of almost every disc available , they're an online shop with a BIG stock in the back werehouse.

-Pretty much most of the pros from my review of the Front 18 apply here as well; great scenery, lots of elevation, interesting use of tree lines, well manicured, etc...
-less busy than the Front 18
-this is where Avery Jenkins filmed his "Deep in the Game" vids which you can find here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCs5u9ecVis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ewCoZ8BwM

-Just the muddiness

Much less crowded with parkgoers, but felt longer than the front 18. I more or less like the Front and Back 18 equally. Too many holes played this day to point out some specific ones, but Hole 11 stuck out in my mind. Its the narrowest strip of land that I've seen a disc golf hole on and I like it alot. Its a thin strip of land with the street on the left and the parking lot on the right. If you've never been here, try to set aside the day to play both the front and back 18...you won't regret it!

-Set up in a gorgeous manicured park
-The layout had a little bit of everything, shots to the right, shots to left, as well as short and long shots.
-The elevation changes were awesome. Hole one is a nice downhill shot, hole 2 was a tricky uphill shot with a mando, hole three was hilly to flat, etc...
-This is the first course I've been to with a pro-shop, I though that was pretty cool.
-Short walks between pins and pads.
-Friendly locals
-lots of tree's that enhance play not just a bunch of overgrown disc thieves.
-Great set-up
-All concrete pads

-It is easy to get confused on where the next tee-pad/pin is from time to time. Playing from hole 5 to 6 I got confused as to which pin I was supposed to shoot at since there were a number of baskets around and I couldn't see any numbers. The placard didn't help much because it was facing the wrong direction, but luckily some locals helped me out though.
-Be careful when you tee off on 1, 2, and 3 especially because you end up throwing right next to another tee-pad.
-It was super muddy on the day I was there, I almost fell a number of times on my upshots.

Great course, I only had time to play one round (I also had my wife, daughter, and father-in-law in tow which detracted a little bit) and I would have loved a few more trips around. I'm hoping to be able to make it back and try the front 18 soon. Do yourself a favor though either print off a course map before you go or pay the 25 cents to get one at the pro shop it will make your first round a little more relaxing (I wish I had done that).

Awesome layout
Great use of the minimal elevation comared to the front 18
Great mix of long and short holes and mandatories that makes it much more challenging.
More secluded than the Front 18 unless there is a softball game going on
All Discatcher baskets as of now
Some great holes where you can bomb it with multiple angles/routes
Despite people hating the holes along the streets i love them as it requires placement and accuracy instead of power.

Over Watered lately
Blazing Hot compared to the Front 18
lack of water fountains or restrooms
terrible if there is a softball game, cuts out some of my favorite holes

All in All i like the back 18 better as there are the par 4's that allow you to really rip them. I am unsure as to why the closed the bathrooms by hole 6 but its a bummer as the closest ones are in between the baseball fields along with the closest water fountains.
Teepad 6 is terrible and we are working on a new spot to move it.

-La Mirada Park is a great one, and a great setting for disc golf. The rolling hills add challenge and scenery, Mature trees add obstacles and a nice piney scent while you hike through the course, and the course is well-maintained in terms of mowed grass, litter, etc.
-It's great that there are two 18-hole courses in one park
-While not heavily stocked in plastic, the pro shop is great. You can grab snacks or drinks, but the best part is the trade-in deal. Bring in your used discs and they'll give you half of whatever they'll sell them for in trade-in value. Great, simple way to trade out the old with the new in your bag.
-Pretty hard to lose a disc here. The holes are generally open, so you won't have to track any down in the brush to the right or left of the fairway.
-Even though the holes are open, there's still enough challenge for more experienced disc golfers, and this is a great design to introduce newbies to the game
-Despite its reputation, I rarely had to deal with bottlenecks on the course, and I was playing alone on a Sunday. Whether it was a slow day or not I don't know, but it felt like the course flowed nicely.

-There are some drainage issues throughout the course. It can get a little soggy at times. You won't be covered in mud, but it's a little weird to see soggy grass in Southern California.
-A lot of non-disc golfers use the park, and they can get in your way. At least two groups of people were relaxing/picnicking under a tree in the middle of the fairway on a couple of holes, and all I could really do is try to avoid them and be ready to yell "fore".
-The layout is kind of intuitive, but also a little cramped. There are several shared fairways, and there are places where there are several baskets to different holes grouped together and you can't be sure what you're supposed to be aiming for.
-Hole #11 is just a terrible, terrible idea. One of the most narrow fairways I've ever seen in 16 years of throwing, and on one side you have a parking lot full of cars and on the other a main road. Anyone but the straightest thrower in disc golf would be terrified of hitting a car or causing an accident.

Apparently Steve Ricco of Legacy Discs was throwing this course shortly after I finished; it would have been fun to track him down and say "hey, give me some pointers on hurling this Cannon of yours". I didn't get a chance to play the front 18 at La Mirada; I'll have to come back later for that. But it seems that the consensus is the back 18 are not as great. I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. Still, it's fantastic to have 2 18-hole courses right in one place, and even if the back 18 aren't as great, I'd still play them again. Maybe I'll just walk hole #11 next time though...

Being on a suburban multi-use park, the upkeep here is great. The grass is mowed and the course is clean.

There are a couple really nicely designed holes here. Hole 3 requires a tough tee shot over or through a couple guardian trees. Hole 7 requires nice placement off the tee to have a look at a long approach around the corner.

Navigation is pretty intuitive, although a couple blind tee shots may have you running up the fairway to find the basket.

There is a nice little shop near the first tee where you can grab a drink or snack and check out their small selection of discs.

The course feels very shoe-horned into the space it occupies. Way too many holes play along alternate use areas. Whether it's a baseball field, busy road, or parking lot. It even plays over a number of sidewalks, so make sure to check your surroundings before you throw.

I want to like Hole 11. A short shot with OB tight on the left and right as well as a double mando taking away any hyzer lines creates a very tough shot. BUT the penalites for missing go outside of the game itself. Go OB to the right and you run the risk of hitting parked cars, on the left you're throwing into traffic. If it was water on either side, I would say it's an awesome hole, but the safety concerns completely ruin it.

Being in a busy park playing along a busy road means the course is very exposed. There's no real seclusion.

I enjoyed the back 18 more than the front. I thought there were a few more really creative shots here. However, the safety concerns are much worse here. Your best bet is to play at an off time: mid day during the week.

Absolutely maximized course layout for space available, if not a bit tight at times. Nice and mild elevation changes, with a fair amount of sidehill lies as well. I absolutely loved and was blown away by hole #11, which I have dubbed "The Janokowski Hole". Not just because I'm a Raiders fan, and #11 is Jano's number, but the drive is literally like trying to hit a 64yd field goal and keep it between the hashmarks. The #11 hole layout borderlines between: mad-genius, crazy ballsy & utterly stupid. How many drives have been chucked directly into oncoming traffic here??

Some blind drives had me aiming at the wrong baskets. #3 sign is missing. Could have a few more anhyser drives.

Comparing the Front 18 to Back 18:
Well, I did my best to play and review the Back as its own course, but it's near impossible not to consider the Front during the round. Both courses are immaculately maintained, and while the Front is definitely hillier, it doesn't have some of the the sidehill effects of the Back. A couple of things I liked about the Back vs Front are: less morning dew on the grass (presumably due to lack of lake in the middle), denser amount of trees (holes 4-9), and the incomparable hole #11. Overall, tho, it's really no comparison; the Front is more epic than the Back!
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Uniqueness: A- (for a course that surrounds some softball fields, it's done VERY well)
Difficulty: A- (mild elevation changes; great amount and use of trees; lots of OB)
Fun Factor: A- (some really nice approach shots on #4, #5, #9, #18)
Aesthetics: A- (perfectly maintained; parking lots & softball fences provide OB, but take away from beauty)
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Overall: A-

Easy to follow
Good variety of shots
Less crowded than the Front 18

Hole 6 is a little soggy sometimes
A few holes play really close to the street

I love this course and play it as often as I can. I come here pretty often and play night golf with my buddies using glow sticks to light the baskets... Just dont be suprised when someone steals a glow stick from one of the holes along the street

Also, hole 7 is listed at 700 feet and is a par 4 and the 18th is also a par 4 per the local club

Two 18-Hole Courses On-Site
Concrete Tee Pads
Great Tee Signs
Good Use of Elevation
Good Layout
A Variety of Distances
Very Well-Maintained
Multiple Pin Positions
Requires a Few Different Shot Types
Restrooms In the Park
Practice Basket
Less Crowded Than Front Course

Navigation (Some Tees are on Sidewalks)
No Benches
Very Few Trash Cans
Close to School (Causes Traffic at Times)
Plays (Dangerously) Close to Road

The Back 18 at La Mirada is a nice compliment to the front/lakeside course. The biggest downside to the back course is the front course being there and the two often being compared.

The back course, much like the front, plays through beautiful grassy rolling hills and is very well manicured. Each hole has a concrete tee pad and multiple pin positions with the position marked on the tee sign with red tape.

Navigating the back course can be a real challenge. Not only are the baskets numbered incorrectly, some of the tee pads are on the sidewalk and hard to spot. I had a guide when I played and I would recommend a guide or map to first-timers.

From the "pro shop", head past the practice baskets, and around the tennis and handball courts to the first tee pad. The first hole plays down toward the baseball fields, and hole 2 plays back up towards the water park. The next few holes 3 through 5 follow the same pattern and play to and away from the water park.

Holes 6 and 7 play closer to the houses at the edge of the park and are two of the longer holes on the course at 440 and 452 feet.

Hole 8 is fairly short and plays away from the road, but the road and OB will come into play on several of the next few holes. Hole 9 plays back down, with the road just a short distance behind the basket. The road really comes into play again on holes 11 and 12. For a RHBH or LHFH player it can be dangerously close and if you don't have exceptional accuracy you can easily end up in the busy road or the side of a car.

Holes 13 and 14 also play along the road but have a lot more room for error and play towards smaller, less traveled roads. After 14 turn away from the road and hole 15 plays long, at 573ft. and around the baseball diamond.

The last few holes are pretty easy to navigate and pretty straight forward with 18 ending near hole 1.

Overall the back course at La Mirada, in its own way, lives up to the front course. While the front has more of a wow factor, gets better reviews, and easier to navigate, the back is a lot less crowded, longer, and get less use by other park go-ers. If you are in the park be sure to play both courses, you won't regret it.

-NO BIG CROWDS.
-Great use of the landscape.
-Restrooms are in great loactions.
-Nice and shady.

-Map is a little hard to understand and cost 25 cents.
-Pro shop had a poor selection(but its might just be waiting for a shipment of discs).
-Some holes are a little close to the street.

I really like the back 18 because i felt like i was really able to let loose and play the game with my friends without having to yell "FORE" every throw. The other players were nice and helpful. I the fact that you could kinda play your own course with placement of the tee and there holes. All I can't wait to go again!

The back 18 shares many of the same pros of the front including:

- Moderate elevation changes throughout.

- Well maintained grassy terrain with mature trees

- A great mix of holes with tight shot holes, a few tricky mandos a handful of long bombs mixed in.

- Alternate pin placements on several holes, however not as many as on the front.

- Tee signs throughout with red tape indicating the current pin position.

- Crowds are always lighter on the back 18. If you are in a hurry and the front is busy, the back is your best bet to get quality disc golf in less time.

Navigation is a serious issue here as many of the baskets have the wrong numbers on them.

Some of the holes play dangerously close to the road. Holes 11-15 play in a tight area bordering the road and the parking lot. These holes offer the risk of OB to make it interesting however also a good chance of hitting cars for a lot of players.

Also the ground can get really soggy, especially around the 18th tee pad. It can be really muddy for days after it rains.

The biggest problem with this course is that it gets compared to the Front 18. It is a solid course with a great deal of challenge and variety but it just falls short on the wow factor.

This course is a great alternative to the front on busy days. But the fact of the matter is that more people are on the front because the front is more fun. It is definitely worth your time if you are visiting but it probably won't impress like the front.

The holes are quite challenging and one massive dogleg with trees and everything. I love it.

Not nearly as good as the front 18. In fact, once you get to the last 9 holes of this side...you can sometimes get lost in just trying to figure out where the pin is. I mean the baskets are not even numbered correctly on most of the final 10 holes....

Wish it were a little more like the front 18, but I still will play the back for a challenge.

-La Mirada's back 18 shares many of the characteristics of the Front 18: well-groomed, grassy rolling hills with many mature trees to shape lines and provide obstacles. Mandatories (well-marked red arrows in most cases) force you to take the route the designer intended.
- Decent use of elevation. Nothing drastic but in play throughout.
- Decent mix of long, short, left, right. Generally shorter and slightly more technical than the front 18.
- Detailed signs showing all the pin positions, but do not show the current set-up.

- Due to the manner in which they water the grass, the ground is soggy in multiple places. Take care not to soak your shoes on otherwise sunny dry days. In places, the wetness creates muddy or slick tee conditions.
- Inconsistent tee pads: some are merely sidewalk with red tape denoting the tee, others are short, slippery concrete that provide sketchy footing at best.
- Plays very close to roads, parking lots, a water park with blaring music, and baseball fields. In general has a very urban feel.

- This course made me nervous: random bits of sloshy wet ground out of nowhere, slippery tee pad conditions, throwing through four tight mandos with roadway to the left and parking lot to the right, and throwing alongside a baseball field's infield fence.

This course is very much an extension of the "Front" course and shares many of the same features and amenities. The park is beautiful with soft green grass and lots of mature trees. Plenty of elevation in play on this course along with a variety of lefty vs. righty holes. Not quite as many pin positions on the back side as the front but still enough to change up the feel of the course. Fantastic tee signs with tape indicating the current pin position. Awesome locals: I was playing solo and every group I came up to let me play through without me even asking. Restrooms, drinking fountain, and a minimalistic pro-shop on site. Practice basket by the pro-shop.

Special kudos to the local woman who was out cleaning the graffiti off the baskets.

Posted distances on the back side were just as far off as the ones on the front. Some of the concrete tee pads on the back side are showing their age with cracks or sunken spots that pool water. The course was pretty soggy when I played. Baskets #11-15 were missing when I played the course.

The locals have a temporary configuration set up which replays some of the holes to make a full round of 18 available. I liked the balance of long vs. short better on the "Back" course vs. the "Front". The birdie holes seems more birdieable and the longer holes more challenging.

It's absolutely a lovely green grassy, sprawling park with rolling hills. Maintained very well. Just a wonderful place for a course. Lot's of beautiful old growth trees. The back part of LaMirada seems less crowded than the front making it great for disc golf. The signs are very informative. Tee pads are suitable. Plenty of holes for the big arms to let err Rip. I like the variety - Long holes versus shorter ones.

Even with the map I had printed out, me (and my wife spotter extraordinaire) were busy always running ahead to find out whether we were playing the right basket or not. It started with the fun # 1 throw. The number on the correct basket read 2. So we started confused, found my way for the middle holes and then somehow missed a few holes at the end. My other major con for me was there wasn't one hole here that really had the "Wow" factor. You know, that hole where you think to yourself, "This is really a great disc golf hole." Lots of OK to good holes but no memorable ones. Not a signature hole in sight!

If I'm being frank (Like Simon Cowell so often says) I was really disappointed in the back 18 here. Being in such a lovely park and with the LaMirada mystique, I was expecting more. Number 1 thing that needs to be done to help the first timers with the navigation issues. Secondly, I feel this course could use a slight makeover in it's design. With this wonderful ground, I would think one would be able to design a top flight 18 course.

AUTHORS NOTE: I've been informed by a local that the 4-5 baskets that were removed are still AWOL. The fools that I talked to led me to believe that I had somehow missed them. So I feel better about my course navigating skills (after 31 years and 200+ courses played) and I'm still comfortable with the rating that I bestowed on the Back 18 here.