Decided to give Big Rec another chance today. Happy to say things are improving. Splotchy patches on the low lying greens are gone. Grass is starting to fill in around the enlarged parts of the greens... Continue »

Decided to give Big Rec another chance today. Happy to say things are improving. Splotchy patches on the low lying greens are gone. Grass is starting to fill in around the enlarged parts of the greens (but still mostly sand. 4 and 17 are the worst.) Greens are rolling better but still far from what I've come to expect from Big Rec. I made some putts that looked perfect going toward the hole and the would just grind to a halt or lose their line right around the cup. Played in the afternoon and the greens were showing a lot of play. In the past the greens would still roll very well even late into the afternoon. On the positive side, it's nice to have soft sand in the bunkers now. (now that the sand is fluffy, please rake your footprints, people!)

Tee boxes are basically dirt and brown grass but considering the drought I don't expect much (unless you want to pay $$$$ at Trump!) I still wish they would cut down the thickets of kikuya where the water collects. You can't avoid having bare spots in the drought but you have to know where the water will collect to keep those areas from becoming weed jungles!

I will continue to play Big Rec on occasion and see how things evolve after this big renovation. i certainly hope the "improvements" will start to pay dividends for the players soon!

Golf conditions today were impressive. Greens are deadly fast and very firm. Watch out for work being done on greens 1,2,4 and 17 to my recollection. The rest of the area on those greens are fine... Continue »

Golf conditions today were impressive. Greens are deadly fast and very firm. Watch out for work being done on greens 1,2,4 and 17 to my recollection. The rest of the area on those greens are fine just work around the skirt of the greens. Otherwise I would say these greens are looking pretty good. Water doesn't seem to be a problem except for some rough areas. They are rough so your mileage will vary. I saw a lot of the rough today but I had decent lies and not a lot of soft mud from overwatering. What I did get was a lot of hard clay in the rough. Not the soggy kind; the really hard clay with grass on top. Sand in bunkers very fluffy. Nice white sandy beaches here. Fairways are in good shape, still didn't notice a lot of soft spots. Tee Boxes are a little bare several of them were cut very short so you may notice some thin lies but since you tee off from there I wouldn't think this would be an issue. Side note, some folks have been torpedoing my reviews lately. The only thing I can say in my defense is, "those were the conditions I played on that day. If you didn't play on the same day I did well guess what, your mileage will vary." And this is a review of a golf course written by ME. Not you. You can write your own review of the golf course as for me, I write what I feel is important for other golfers. And once again conditions do change. We don't live in a bloody vacuum. So bear in mind that little nugget the next time you feel it necessary to blame me for a lousy round of golf.

I have played Rec Park for over 14 years and I have never seen the conditions so bad! I understand there is a drought but that does not explain why there are muddy patches and thick weedy clumps of g... Continue »

I have played Rec Park for over 14 years and I have never seen the conditions so bad! I understand there is a drought but that does not explain why there are muddy patches and thick weedy clumps of grass in some areas and hard pan right next to it! And the greens! They used to be the pride of Big Rec. All of the low lying greens are splotchy! They just underwent a huge project to enlarge the greens and all the increased fringes are basically hard sand with a little grass. What galls me the most is the fact that they just raised the rates! Absolutely inexcusable. Only saving grace right now is the fast pace because no one wants to play here anymore! I will not play here for a while until they fix this course, regardless of the pace!

Not sure what course Ringworld played but this course might be in the worst shape I have seen it in over 10 years. Number 3 green is terrible and the others that they tried to enlarge are struggling... Continue »

Not sure what course Ringworld played but this course might be in the worst shape I have seen it in over 10 years. Number 3 green is terrible and the others that they tried to enlarge are struggling also. The maintenance staff doesn't seem to realize that you can't drive the heavy machinery over wet areas. There are bad tire tracks on the grass everywhere. Hope the greenskeeper figures things out because this used to be a great local course now it is a shell of what it once was.

Greens are GREAT! Hole 17 is in the process of being repaired in front and some holes (4 I can think of have patches that have been repaired) but the superintendent knows this and placed the cups awa... Continue »

Greens are GREAT! Hole 17 is in the process of being repaired in front and some holes (4 I can think of have patches that have been repaired) but the superintendent knows this and placed the cups away from those areas. Green complexes are in good/great shape. Fairways are lush. Bunkers are well stocked and very playable -- white sandy beaches. Rough is thick, punishing, and definitely worth an extra club you bring with you for those shots.. Tee boxes are flat.

Folks if you are getting food at the turn make sure you order ahead. It certainly helps keep the pace of play instead of inserting yourself between groups of golfers that do have the right of way. This isn't a country club.

Pace of play was just under 4 hours. Conditions here are perhaps the best I have seen them in a while. Greens are tough, fast, and roll true. You will have fun. I know the locals appreciate the conditions here.

Play here again? Of course. Especially if they keep this up. BTW. Golfzing $39 includes cart and teed off at 1:45pm.

Played Friday. Have to say the heat really got to me this time. I was dragging and the play slow so I quit after 9. This is my review for the holes I played.

Greens are in really poor shape righ... Continue »

Played Friday. Have to say the heat really got to me this time. I was dragging and the play slow so I quit after 9. This is my review for the holes I played.

Greens are in really poor shape right now. Looks like they aerated half the greens and they are recuperating. The greens are slow, bumpy and look to be cut too short close to the edges. They look almost burned out and/dying. Fairways in good shape. Bunkers well stocked with sand and flat tee boxes.

All Long Beach courses are known for their greens. Unfortunately it didn't show today. I would consider playing this course again in a few weeks. As for now, definitely a wait and see situation.

Got out very early at Big Rec this morning, finished in 4:15 walking. Poa greens and Kikuyu fairways abound, some real patchy areas to navigate throughout the course, rough can be longer Kikuyu and w... Continue »

Got out very early at Big Rec this morning, finished in 4:15 walking. Poa greens and Kikuyu fairways abound, some real patchy areas to navigate throughout the course, rough can be longer Kikuyu and with some bare spots which makes hitting the fairway extremely important. Bunkers were well maintained for the most part with most maintenance work I reported in my July review now complete, although there is still some minor sod replacement jobs in work. Tee boxes are chewed up pretty good. AERATION ALERT: they punched half the greens last week and will punch the second half in another two weeks, so be aware of that. That said, the greens rolled a bit slow on the non-aerated side and even slower on the aerated side ... there's a light top dressing, too. I didn't ask why they are punching so early in the year but it is what it is. Might want to call ahead to any of the LB courses just to make sure you don't get surprised. Last add: to the guy who spits sunflower seeds all over the greens: bite me!

Played 7/15, 3 hours front, ladies day, never wave up on par 3's, sometimes 3 groups on tee, never play ready golf, everybody stands and watches one player hit and on to next player, etc, never putt o... Continue »

Played 7/15, 3 hours front, ladies day, never wave up on par 3's, sometimes 3 groups on tee, never play ready golf, everybody stands and watches one player hit and on to next player, etc, never putt out short putts, don't rake traps, etc., back 9 was 2 1/2 hrs.
course in fair shape, lot of sprinkler leaks, mud holes, scalped areas around greens, new traps being putt in, will be in good shape about a month! Teach the ladies some edequate and ready golf !!

Play early at Rec this AM, got around in 4:10 walking five-ball, $37 non-res rate. Some bunkers under construction on the front side as well as some new sod on greens 3 and 17, played as GUR, it may ... Continue »

Play early at Rec this AM, got around in 4:10 walking five-ball, $37 non-res rate. Some bunkers under construction on the front side as well as some new sod on greens 3 and 17, played as GUR, it may take a few weeks to fill in. Poa greens rolling very nice with only a few poorly repaired ball marks here and there. Fairways are nice and green, a semi-thick Kikuyu ... rough can be thin pine needles to deeper grass and anything in between. I like the layout once you get past #5, but it's a mostly short-ish course (other than 6-8) and decent conditions for a muni. Oh, bunkers: I was only in one greenside and it was well conditioned. Worth an occasional round, very nice looking practice chipping area, too.