Anaheim course suggestions

[Bryan Tipton]

I will be in Anaheim for the Golf industry show (Feb 18-24).  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  

Thank you.

[rjsimper]

Do a search for "Anaheim" - I seem to remember a thread from 3-4 months ago from a member who was in town at a convention in Anaheim and looking for a game.

The long and short of what you'll find, though, is that there is little to speak of within 30 miles in any direction of Anaheim.  Orange County is famous for overpriced unimpressive public golf.

[Evan_Green]

Bryan

According to Mapquest Oak Quarry in Riverside is 45 mins away. That is without traffic. You would have to do the driving not during rush hour. Not sure if you have the time to drive that far, but thought I'd bring it to your attention.

www.oakquarry.com

Evan

[Gib_Papazian]

Bryan,

I hate to suggest something this pedestrian in the company of the architectural aesthetes on this board, but Anaheim Hills is an amusing and modestly priced jaunt that I recommend.

Pelican Hill - either course - is excellent. Sincerely - anti-Fazio dogma aside.

But the price tag is egregious.    

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Pelican Hill is closed for at least another year to year and a half. Anaheim Hills can be a really neat course at times, but architecturally, some holes a bit bizarre. East of Anaheim, about a half hour tops, I suggest Goose Creek. South of Anaheim, Arroyo Trabuco, Southwest of Anaheim, Shady Canyon, For shifts and giggles--make that rolling down with laughter with all sides hurting from the pain--Ocean Trails/Dump National (Trump) and of course North of LA, Rustic Canyon. I also recommend Angeles National.

Now, if your into the obscure, go see Recreation Park in Long Beach and tell me that wouldn't be an excellent course if in the right hands.

Brian and everyone else planning on attending, stay tuned, as I'm going to be organizing dinner & golf, golf or just dinner during Industry Show week. I'm hoping all can attend.

[Wayne Freeman]

Pelican is indeed closed and Shady Canyon is very private.
   The best bets close to you are
            Arroyo Trabuco-  very good Tom Lehman effort, and
              quite reasonable.
            Strawberry Farms
            Oak Creek-  Pelican without the ocean
   
            Recreation Park and El Dorado are quite reasonable
                 muni courses in Long Beach, up the road about
                 25 minutes, and ok
            Out in Riverside, about 45 min. without traffic are
               Oak Quarry-  excellent layout and beautiful quarry
                    holes, but not in great shape right now.
               Eagle Glen, and Goose Creek,  both good.

[Ryan Farrow]

I am also planning a trip to the industry show and have been looking for some courses worth of study. I'm not really looking for courses that close and will go out of my way a bit. Let me know if I am missing anything here:

On the way from AZ to So. Cal:

TPC Stadium Golf Course at PGA WEST

Stone Eagle

Everywhere else:

Los Angeles Country Club

Bel-Air Country Club

Riviera Country Club

Lakeside Golf Club  

La Cumbre Country Club

Wilshire Country Club

Valley Club of Montecito  

Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course

Rustic Canyon Golf Course

I think I will need to take a few days off of school  
Any other suggestions public or private will be appreciated.

[Tim Leahy]

I haven't seen Aliso Viejo in Mission Viejo(within 30 miles of Anaheim) mentioned yet. It is a Nicklaus company public course, 27 holes. Not a classic design, cart ball at its best, but very challenging and great elevation changes, drop shot par three's, etc. Also very good condition when I played it about a year ago this time of the year. Some of the greens could have been used on a miniature golf course, but you can't say it wasn't interesting or challenging. Also, within range of Anaheim is Industry Hills, Eisenhower course, very challenging and extremely interesting, used to have tour qualifing on this course, cart ball, but very fun public golf. 36 holes.

[Jim White]

I'd rank the public courses in the area as follows, accounting somewhat for quality, price, and drive time from Anaheim:

1)  Rustic (yes, even w/ the drive)
2)  Oak Quarry
3)  Arroyo Trabuco
4)  Goose Creek
5)  Eagle Glen
6)  Oak Creek
7)  Anaheim Hills
 Industry Hills
9)  Brookside (Pasadena)
10) Aliso Viejo
9,896,431)  Coyote Hills (stay away)
9,896,432)  Westridge (run)

There are two great private courses:  Riviera and LACC.  Good private courses I've played: Bel Air, Hacienda, Wilshire, Shady Canyon, Santa Ana CC, Mesa Verde, San Gabriel......

If you want to bang balls, hit the Islands Golf Center just east of the 57 on Ball Road.

Enjoy the OC, hopefully the fires will be out by your arrival.  
 

[SL_Solow]

For anyone going down toward San Diego, don't overlook Barona Creek.

[Forrest Richardson]

I suggest looking for the short, par-3 Desmond Muirhead course that Walt Disney commissioned in the 1960s/70s. It is somewhere under the new Downtown Disney area and parking structures for Paradise Pier Resort.

[Stan Dodd]

Muni golf that is reasonable, fun, scenic and easy to get on can be had at San Clemente Muni.

[David Stamm]

I'll second Stan on that one. San Clemente is fun and scenic on certain spots on the course. The restaurant is being remodeled and the 1st and 10th holes have been shortened by about 20 yards each becuase of this, but it's good value for money. Best bang for the buck in OC I think. Original 9 by Billy Bell and the additional 9 by his son.

[Pete Lavallee]

David,

How easy is it to walk up and get a game at san Clemente?

[David Stamm]

I just played Sunday and got out in about an hour. I try to play there 2-3 times a month. If you want to go IM me and we'll figure something out. I've only played by walking up because the local residents in SC have the tee times filled up all the time. The course keeps 2 times slots open each hour. The course is alot of fun.

[Stan Dodd]

They keep times, as David mentions, for walk-up play.
Dave Cook is the pro, a high school classmate of mine and a great guy.  He makes every effort to help you enjoy your day.
I think most days you can walk up and be out in an hour,

[Tim Leahy]

I'll second Stan on that one. San Clemente is fun and scenic on certain spots on the course. The restaurant is being remodeled and the 1st and 10th holes have been shortened by about 20 yards each becuase of this, but it's good value for money. Best bang for the buck in OC I think. Original 9 by Billy Bell and the additional 9 by his son.

How is that Fred Couple's course in San Clemente? Worth the drive from LA?

[Don_Mahaffey]

Is Willowwick ( I think that's the name...muni in Santa Ana?) still open?

[Jim White]

Tim - you're thinking of Talega.  It's been discussed a bit on this site, but I don't think it's one of the better values in South Orange County.  It's not bad, but it's not great either.  A few fun par 3's, and one particularly bad par 5 (#13, I believe), that features a creek running across the fairway at about 280 yards, which is fine, I guess, if you could see it from the tee.  I'd rather play Arroyo Trabuco.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Don,
Billy Bell's Willowick is alive and well and making it's owner a ton of money. It's a cash cow if there ever was one!

Lots of fun with some holes that could use some recovering. The course used to play quite interestingly when a dry creek bed used to flow through the course, creating some really strategic golf holes. It was also only 12 holes! (Originally)

[Jon Spaulding]

With Pelican closed, public golf in OC is rubbish; about a 2 out of 10. The best you'll do in OC is Arroyo Trabuco.....and it is a marginal layout with marginal conditioning (on a good day). Suggest you rent a car and go to one the following:

1) Rustic Canyon
2) Barona
3) Torrey South (leave early)

If you have a membership at home, a lot of the clubs in OC accept reciprocal play; I would strongly recommend going that route.

[David Stamm]

Jon, does Hacienda accept reciprocal? If so, that would be a good choice.