Pros:
I've played the front 18 at La Mirada quite a few times, but I've always been told that you HAVE to try the bask-side too. That's why when I had a few hours to kill one morning, I decided to play all 36 and finally get a round in on the back 18. I started by playing the familiar front side to get warmed up, and I'm glad I did!
The back at La Mirada is a longer, more technical course than the front. The front has more hills, and more baskets sitting on hills, but the back does a good job of making you feel like you're not on a typical socal course. First off, it's quiet. Unlike the front where you have joggers, homeless, people fishing, and other randoms... the back was almost entirely disc golfers. It made the round feel more private, and that's a rare thing around here.
My favorite stretch was holes 1-4. This felt like world class disc golf. The hills, the manicured grass, the lines... it was awesome. Holes 5-9 wind through a wooded section (not east coast wooded, but more open), and holes 10-18 wind back around some baseball fields toward the pro shop.
You'll throw just about every shot in your bag out here. Big hyzers, placement straight shots, annys, and I even threw a couple of thumbers over blind hills. It was fun!
Each hole had a concrete teepad (or shared a sidewalk), mandos were clearly marked, and all the baskets were in decent shape or better.
Add in he fact that La Mirada has a pro shop, bathrooms, and another 18 holes on site... and you're gonna have a good time out here.
Summary:
- Concrete pads
- Nice baskets
- Pro shop
- Practice area
- Two 18 hole courses on site
- Variety of shots and lines
- Variety of distances
- Elevation!
- Well maintained park
- Fun factor!
Cons:
My first gripe about the back 9 is the layout. It took me a while to find hole 1 (even with the map), and once I got going I found the actual layout differed from the map I had in my hand. This probably isn't an issue for locals who know their way around, but for a newbie out-of-towner like me... I was lost. Some of the baskets are close together so I had to figure out what target went with what hole, and this required me to walk ahead a few times to scout.
Hole 10 seemed out of place between the parking lot and the road. Another one (maybe 14 or 15?) was right up against the parking lot as well. One bad throw and you can smash a car pretty easily.
Finally the walk from 1 and 18 to the car is looooong. Had I known this before I started I probably would have parked closer, but it's a hike.
Other Thoughts:
All in all, this facility is a must visit for any disc golfer in the area. Both the front 18 and the back 18 are incredible courses. Against popular opinion, my favorite was probably the front. It just fits my game better I think. Even so, the back is a monster. Park in the lot next to the tennis courts if you want to visit the pro shop, or maybe park in the north lot near the baseball fields if you strictly want to play the back. Have fun!