Comments: The Willowick golf Course in Santa Ana, CA is a pretty simple and straight forward golf course that should draw players looking for a full Par 72 course that they can bomb & gouge to their hearts content without the fear of hazards such as ravines, lakes, hills, eco-areas, etc.

The majority of the terrain in Willowick is flat with minimal topography features, you'll experience straight fairways the majority of the holes with only about two holes showcasing dogleg turns. To combat the fairly straightforward fairways, the designer placed some tough and tall bunkers smack dab fronting the green. A good majority of the greens have a huge sand trap right at the front making sure you do not try to lay up your shots, and if you try and blast it over prepare for a good many sloping areas around the green that will frustrate you to no ends when you place a good shot in the green and watch the ball roll a foot into the fringe and then roll down a hill 20 yards down hill.

The greens at the time we played in the afternoon had many "scar" marks from previous punches of the hole. The value was decent for $35.00 smack-dab in the middle of Santa Ana. For some reason our threesome was paired with two other walk-ons. We could've done with one, but at least the two guys were amicable and were just a touch better than us. The course also has a small driving range for players to warm up. Be careful in this course, I would rank this the most dangerous course in So. Cal since many of the tee off areas and greens are right next to each other so you can get pummeled by players are you tee off. There's also a lack of nets or trees/brushes in areas to protect the tee off areas from wayward shots, the day we played we saw many close-calls.

Summary: All in all Willowick Golf Course was a decent average course with no wow factor but if you're new or just looking to wail away on your shots then this is a good course to choose. Only full 18-hole, par 72 where I have not lost one ball. Simple layout but you still better play well if you want a good score.

The Oceanside Golf Course is a public course with a great location and rates. Rates are lower for city residents, but we paid around $32 for a Saturday morning game. Located in Oceanside near Camp Pendleton, this course as great views of hills and animals such as ducks, rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. There are several water hazards and ravines that challenge good shot calling.

The course displays two faces depending on rain. When it's sunny, the course is mild with a great view of the wilderness on the back nine. The 12th hole is a shot up a hill, so stay pumped walking up. When you get to the 13th hole, you get a nice high par 3 straight downwards to the pin. Careful on the way down, if it's slippery you'll go down like a bob sled on the slick cart path with your cleats.

If you play the course after a rain, then the course becomes a challenge with portions of the course flooding making relatively simple shots very complicated. So be prepared to lose balls in newly formed lakes that you weren't used to if you only play in normal So. Cal weather.

Great price for a North County San Diego golf course. The Oceanside Golf Course has several dog legs make this a challenging course begging you to power a shot through trees if you have the guts. Great scenic locations once you get away from the front of the course. Speed of play not too shabby, no back-ups past 1-2 groups.

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Date Played: April 7, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Number of players: 4
Driving range: Yes, $4 small and $7 large bucket
Putting green: Yes
Cost: $17 for full 18 holes
Course: 3,180 yard, Par 59
Time to play course: 3 hours

Notes: Has 6 Par 4s, but majority are on the back 9 which is more popular. Not too busy on a Saturday when stopped by, but post 1 p.m. on a Monday had some 1-2 group backups.

Comments: Played full 18th holes at $17, less than a buck a hole. With a bucket at the range to warm up my hit was about $21 for a 3 hour round. Reviews sow this as a quick executive course so I thought it would be mostly par 3s, but there are actually 6 par 4s that are long and straight. THe back 9 is the preferred if you're looking to play only 9 holes since it has four par 4s as well as a little lake surrounding two holes. Front 9 is mostly short Par 3s but are fine for new players of those looking to work short game into play.


Grass was fair overall, some brown areas but nothing overtly dead or bare. You end up crossing the street four times meandering between the three sections that comprise the course. There are several tight holes where you have to watch out hitting into the streets at the tees.


Downsides are that you tee off from mats and some weird backups of groups encountered when I thought it would be clear on a Monday afternoon. Driving range is plentiful though kind of tight and really lacking in high rubber tees. I actually had to use my own rubber tees of the mats during the game which I ended up forgetting on one of them.


Still for the price I prefer this executive course compared to the other one in Lake Forest.

Overall: Good for the price if you're looking for a low-challenging course to work short game on. Located next to John Wayne Airport so good for those working nearby offices looking for a quick game after work since it's lighted.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Played Saturday morning 11/3/07 in the early afternoon for $45 with their emailed coupon. Heard that this course was tough and ate a lot of golf balls, and they were right. My foursome had difficulty just blasting off the tee without losing balls on the hillside or creeks that run through the area. There are some very steep dog legs as well as a couple very tight fairways to drive off the tee to. For the price you do get some great views of San Clemente and the hillsides and homes surrounding it are very nice. Played pretty easily with only a few minutes wait time between playing groups. Greens are fast. Worth the price, difficulty level is high but take it easy and you should play fine.

Played a game at the cart-only Arrowood Golf Course in Oceanside at just past noon on a hot and balmy Saturday with temperatures hovering just over 81 degrees. I was hoping to be impressed by this course which just opened last year after two of my playing partners were able to try out this course a few months back and exclaimed that the greens were in immaculate condition and there was a hole you hit over water into an island. Unfortunately the hot summer and increased traffic to. The clubhouse had a nice pro shop with adequately stocked supplies and OEM clubs (Burners, Raptures, Super Quads) available to buy. An afternoon tee time was priced at the regular weekend rate of $85 which includes a golf cart and $5 discount for Southern California residents. If you want to try out this course on the cheap, I suggest the 4:00 p.m. tee time which clocks in the late twilight rate of $30. The heat was bearable only due to the occasional light breeze, but when it died down the sun beat down on you horribly. Due to the hot weather these last few weeks, there were not a lot of players on the course at high-noon; we had a couple 4-somes moving at a good pace ahead of us and a two-some behind us. So we were able to play at a leisurely pace. At the time the course was just being aerated.

The greens were in o.k. condition, but the tee boxes were in need of fixing and divots were not fixed on the greens. The rough grass was long and kept you from bombing over them in hopes not to lose your balls into them. There were some challenging fairways, but not too distinct with the “lake” hole the 16th consisted of a pretty large island with ducks and dirty water that you needed to carry on the second shot after your initial drive. I enjoyed the challenging 18th hole with required you to drive your ball over a hill and right before a water hazard to the enclosed green surrounded by 3 bunkers. If you hit a slope and not on the green, the ball will roll into the lake.

While a nice course, with good scenery, I felt that for the cost of playing that the tee boxes, greens should be in better condition or discounted because of the aerating. The course would have been a better value if the fee was at about $65. For the $85 we played I felt the San Juan Hills course in San Juan Capistrano offered more of a challenge with the same layout and yardage type and the Aliso Viejo Golf Course in Aliso Viejo had just a good view of the county, both at relatively the same or lower price. So if you’re looking to play a good course with nice views and not feel like you’ve spent too much, check out Arrowood in the twilight or super-twilight hours.

Update to Lake Forest Golf Course. They've recently raised their rates. Early bird is now $11 instead of $9. Doesn’t seem like a lot, but for a dinky quick 9-hole course that takes less than an hour and is mostly Par 3s, $11 before 7:30 a.m. is too high as well as $12 for the late owl special, especially when there is always a wait on every hole. For the same price I’d rather go to Casta Del Sol in Mission Viejo and for $12 after 5p.m., get a full 19 holes with decent Par 4s and better location.

There’s a few golf hoppers at Lake Forest that just come to play without paying since there’s no marshall in the morning. Played behind a guy that was alone and he had his dog with him running around and playing two balls even when we were right behind him.

The only additional note is that the driving range has replaced a majority of their practice balls with new Nike practice balls. This is a long time in coming since the old practice balls looked liked that were not replaced in two years. The second level hitting area also has been closed to players who drive longer than 275 yards (irons on top deck only for those people) since I guess some balls have been going into the busy street or homes across the way.

Review- July 26, 2007

Played Aliso Viejo Golf Club Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m., the twilight rates were $27.00. After taking off to the first hole you will notice the long drive up past construction (cart rental is a must) since the course is being torn up due to a new housing project being built next to it. A formally 36 hole course, this 18 hole course is situated along a mountainside in Aliso Viejo, lots of hills to go up and down in. There are about 3 small lakes to navigate around during course of play.

The greens are in immaculate condition, very green and the rough is tall yet maintained. The rough swallowed up tons of balls from me since they were lush and overlapped each other. I would at times catch my ball rolling into the rough and as I walked towards it’s location I could not find it at all. There were many times my ball rolled not too far off the cart path, but the lushness of the rough ate all balls headed in it’s direction. The view from the tees was great, many views overlooking Orange County on a clear day. Mostly Par 4’s, there is a nice Par 3 hole, 157 yards straight down a hillside. Since we played an evening time there were only a handful of golfers on the course making it one of the more quieter games I’ve ever played.

The only downside to the course was we were given a bum golf cart causing us to pull the cart up hill for a few holes until the battery gave out and we had to wait for a replacement. The delay cost us at least two holes. We played about 12 holes in 3 hours and had to stop due to the receding sunlight. I only played this course since in a year it will be turned into a private club and the usual weekend rate of $75 is a bit to expensive I think since due to the construction they make you repeat a couple holes to make a full 18. But for $29 in the evening and low traffic on the course, the price is reasonable. A truly great location marred by high price and construction near the site. Oh, and the pro shop was pretty bad in service, no acknowledgement as we checked in and when we called the shop when our cart died, it sent me to voicemail. Only after calling back multiple times using different extensions did I get a hold of someone to send a replacement cart to us.

Played here on 7/14/07. Although mentioned that this course is busy, it is not at bad as other courses I've been at. Was able to play the course in 5 hours, started at 3p.m., ended around 8p.m. Could've finished sooner, but there was a 3-some ahead of us who played the championship tees when they weren't that good and slowed the pace of play.

Since it was after 2:30p.m., was able to get twilight walking rate for $32 and cart for $47. I walked for my foursome, I wouldn't suggest this for the summer, this course is LONG and winds around the San Juan neighborhoods so you cross streets and underpasses. I was the only walker there, no wonder they make people cart it in the morning, and this place is all hills. The location is really nice, mostly along the hillside and views to the Mission. Some homes scatter along the course that you do have to watch out for. There's a nice par 3 on top of a hill just above a lake that will try your accuracy and distance with a 7 iron.

Lots of squirrels and bunnies abound. One of the few course where you don't find lost balls, if it's lost in the bushes, it stays lost. The driving range is located across the street from the clubhouse, so park in the course area after the driving range. Good location for the price.

Date Played: June 23, 2007
Time: 12:52 tee time in the afternoon
Number of players: 4
Driving range: Yes, one grass and two mat hitting areas
Putting green: Yes, two next to club house and one near the locker room area which may be for instructions only
Cost: $30
Course: Mesa Linda course, Par 72
Time to play course: 5.5 hours
Notes: The restrooms are located away from the pro shop/driving range and across at the dining area. The restrooms are to the back of the locker rooms. Also, though it says Country Club in the name, this i a public course, right in Costa Mesa near Adams & Harbor Blvd. off the 405 fwy.

Comments: We waited twenty minutes once our tee time came up for the group in front of us teed off, the course was slow on the Saturday morning. There were a group of women to play after us, and after waiting so long they gave up and went back to the pro shop to ask for a refund. This is the only course we have played so far with the wait so long at the tee. After 4 holes we thought we finally got space between us and other players, but at a long par 5 we got backed up again behind two groups. Ended up watching one of our guys feed trail mix to squirrels. There was no check-in person at the first tee which should have helped with pace of play and the one time we did see a marshal, he was just driving around talking on his cell phone.

We found out the delay was due to a tournament ahead of us, so the course did not time manage well since that group was also hosting a "Hole in one" challenge that caused them to bring out measuring tape on one of the holes. Out of the group I was playing in two said they would never play this course again, which is a shame since the cos was cheap ($30, cash only) and the layout was fine with trees situated along the course. The rough sections were notoriously wicked since they were not cut well and many a balls were hit to them but lost since the overgrown grass would swallow them up easily. Fairways were green with no noticeable yellowed grass and some flowers planted along the cart paths. Sand bunkers were a plenty, but sand was compact with my 3 times in the sand I was able to get out in just one shot with a sand and iron used. Some of the bunkers were deeper than on the courses I played so it looked like when you see PGA pros sunk deep in them when we were playing. Many of the courses were dog legged with few super-stright gains, so you either blasted through or over trees or brought out your 3 wood to work the ball around a turn. Greens were fast and with various bumps, I was the only person to manage a birdie on the entire 18. Once hole played to the right of the Harbor Avenue, and one of our big hitters hit one onto the street, hopefully no car was hit at this process.

Overall: A price for the course as reasonable for an mid-OC location, good fairways and tree locations. Course play and ranking were hampered by the overgrown grass and horrible waiting time. We play par 72s usually in 4.5 hours, this course broke all records and took us 5.5 hours and wasted the great weather with waiting and waiting. Customer service at the pro shop was bad, no acknowledgment to customers or mention of the tourney nor delays and I didn't even get a receipt. Worst service I have ever had.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Just played this course today. Usually senior players during the week due to it's close proximity to Leisure World aka Laguna Woods. Pretty cheap to play, $14 regular and $9 for early bird. I usually play early weekends and sometimes it does get backed up on the tee, usually play the 9 holes in about under an hour and a half. Super short course with the Par 3s as low as 85 yards, and the two Par 4s at around 208-214 yards. Just bring a putter, pitching wedge and your strong driver/3 wood for the par 4s.

Played Casta Del Sol Golf Course in Costa Mesa, CA on May 28th, Memorial Day. Great weather and paid $23 per person on the Monday due to holiday rates otherwise it would have been $16.00. Great challenging course even though only par 61/62 due to challenging greens and hilly fairways. Not a lot of players after 2:00 p.m. so was able to play the entire course in under 4.5 hours with 5 players and waiting for one group ahead of us. The course was in good shape though expect a lot of rabbits and ducks which has a few smelly lakes. Did see on back to back holes in the middle of the fairways and tees one decapitated crows head and on next tee a dead rabbit. Need marshalls to be on the look out more. Other than dead animals the course looks nice with nice views and great price. If you live in So. O.C. and choosing Casta Del Sol vs. Lake Forest Golf & Practice center during the weekdays, pay the extra $3 and play CDS, you won't be disappointed.

Played David L. Baker Golf Course in Fountain Valley, CA on Saturday, May 26th. The course has finally gotten a bit better and greener fairways since last year. Expect packed courses on this location due to the low $27 fee for a par 62 18 holes. Ended up waiting behind 3 teams on the first tee. Pretty plain simple courses with some just 87 yards straight. Barely any trees at all so expect a lot of people yelling "Fore!" and ducking a lot since not a lot of room separates the links. The ponds lining the course are dark green, one of the dirtiest I've seen, should clean them up since it's murky and kind of nasty. Good price for a weekend, but expect loads of people. Played 3 people in about 4 hours.