Played 9/16/19 @ 1108am with a teeoff.com deal. Got checked in and sent out right away. Didn't run into anyone until the 7th hole which is unusual at Big Rec. This was by far the fastest I've ever played here- 3 hours 25 minutes (Unreal for a Long Beach course!). Tee boxes had some issues, especially the par 3s which were really chewed up. Fairways and rough had good coverage with no bare spots anywhere. Rough was only an inch or two longer than the fairway, balls were easy to find unless you got under a tree that's when it was longer. I wasn't in any bunkers but they looked good. Greens seemed like they were punched recently and were still healing. There was some light sand on them with a couple of greens having some issues- 9, 10 and 11. The greens did roll true for the most part, give it a week or two and they should be great.

Played 9/4/19 at 0720, they were just starting to punch the front 9. Didn't know it until I checked in at the pro shop. We were sent out on 10th tee box and played the course backwards. Course was in decent shape and was the greenest I have ever seen it, they have been watering the course and it shows. Tee boxes were pretty chewed up and it didn't seem like they have been rotated in a while. Fairways were lush and a little on the bushy side. Bunkers are a mess right now, all the watering that they have done has washed most of the sand away. All that's left in the bunkers is hard dirt with rocks mixed in. Greens on the back 9 were ok and a little on the bumpy side. Greens on the front 9 are just crap right now! It seemed like they used all the sand from the bunkers and dumped it on the greens. Its going to be a while until they will be semi-playable...

Played 8/28/19 @ 0740 and finished in 3:45 mins... Read the earlier reviews and got worried about the conditions and so I came in thinking it was going to be in bad shape. I was surprised, there are some rough spots here and there, but overall the course was great to me. They only had 4 cart path only holes and the new sod is growing in nicely- especially on the back 9. They have 40th anniversary pricing going on- which is a bargain for this caliber of a course. Tee boxes were level for the most part, fairways are coming along with some bare spots and ground under repair areas. Rough wasn't bad and was only a couple of inches longer than the fairway. Bunkers were great to play out of, although some of them have rocks. Greens could have been better but were rolling good- they had a light sanding on them which made some putts slower. Customer service was wonderful!

Played 8/3/19 @ 0620... The course just opened back up 2 weeks ago- so don’t expect prime time conditions right now. Some parts of the fairways had some issues, but most of them are rounding out. Tee boxes were good to almost great- mostly level. Fairways were pretty good, some spots had a great deal of sand in large areas. Rough wasn’t too penal, mostly cut down and easy to find your ball. Greens looked faster than they were- the starter said they were 10 on the stimp, but they were more like 7 or 8. Customer service was impeccable! From the bag drop to the end of the round- everyone was ready to help you with anything you needed. Overall, it was wonderful experience playing here. BTW- it gets pretty hot out there this time of year- 110 degrees by the time I finished.

Played 7/12/19 at 0730. They have just increased the rack rate by $5... Course was in good shape. Tee boxes fairly level except on the par 3s (hole 7 is really bad- it's like a pitcher's mound), fairways have several different types of grass growing with occasional bare spots, sand traps were ok but have a lot of rocks in them. The greens were rolling nice though, they looked really fast but weren't. All in all it was a nice round...

Played 7/8/19 at 1100- got out early and finished in 3:45 mins. Haven't played here since they've increased their rates and took away many of the birthday round perks. I almost forgot how I much liked playing here. I don't have that much to add since the last review. The only thing is that 13th tee box is having some major work done and that they have you playing from the forward tees. Everything else was wonderful- customer service, cart girl and the bar just beyond the 18th green...

Played 6/8/19 10am... Donovan Daily is no longer managing Willowick, so no more hot dog deals. Billy Casper now runs it (they run Birch Hills and Alta Vista)- just recently punched the greens the beginning of the week. Apparently the greens haven’t been punched for 4 years! There are still homeless people “living” near the 5th hole- they just moved their boxes from the previous spot. Condition wise, no improvements yet but the starter said they’re working on it. Pro shop empty, no merchandise at all... Tee boxes- daisies all over the place, fairways- 5 different types of grass to hit from, sand- hard as a rock, greens- slow with many, many bumps. The only reason why I keep coming back is because my friend is too cheap to play anywhere else, I might as well write a review and warn people before they come...

Played 4/1/19 @ 12pm right after a tournament. This course usually plays slow but today was extra slow. Tee boxes were mostly level from the blues, rough non-existent, fairway and greenside bunkers were a mixed bag. Some bunkers had fluffy sand and some had a nice top level with packed sand underneath. Greens healing nicely from being punched, some were pretty bumpy on the back 9. Give it a couple more weeks and the greens will be great.

Played 3/20/19 740a. Course was in ok shape. The greens had recently been punched and were a little bumpy. Some tee boxes weren't very level and it took some searching to find a level spot. Fairways were a mixed bag and depended on whether you were on a downhill or uphill lie. There were no hard pan areas for the most part. Rough virtually non-existent, maybe one or two inches different from the fairway. Bunkers inconsistent, but I think it was because of the rain packing the sand down. Greens will be a lot better in about two weeks. Unless you are a senior, make sure you try and book your tee time on their website, otherwise the rack rate is $50 weekdays...

Played 3/19/19 1148a. Course was playing really nice. Greens are healing well from the aeration a couple of weeks ago. Tee boxes were pretty level, fairways were in great condition, rough was just a little longer than the fairway. Sand traps were the only rub on the course, a little inconsistent. The greens were a little bumpy but were rolling well. In a couple of weeks, the course will be great.

Played 3/10/19 @ 720a with a Donovan Daily deal. Conditions were par for the course here... Tee boxes uneven and beat up, fairways thin in most areas, rough non-existent, sand traps horrendous, greens bumpy and slow. There is a homeless encampment on the side of the 5th hole and they have messed up the bathroom that's between the 4th and 5th hole. Beware when you go in there, it will make you gag! Not sure if I will come back any time soon.

Played 11/21, 711a tee time and done in 4 hrs. Course was in great condition! Greens were tuned up for some reason and really rolling fast! Probably 11ish on the stimp. The course plays hard in the first place, but with the greens that fast it is really challenging. As for the rest of the course, the tee boxes were level for the most part, fairways had great coverage, rough not to penal. If you have any wayward tee shots, you will find some patchy areas... Sand traps have wonderful sand in them- nice and fluffy but playing in the morning it was a little compacted due to watering. Senior rate is one of the most reasonable for Orange County.