This is perhaps the best run busy facility in the Southland. Heavy play on both courses, every day, but the pro shop runs this place like a well oiled machine. Pace of play sometimes a challenge because the courses are challenging and a wide range of skill levels play here—still tolerable. Mats only range, but great mats and lots of room, handy putting green and sand trap at range, short and medium yardages well marked, reasonable range ball prices and condition of balls. “Secret” short game practice area a short walk from clubhouse is a must visit; two greens with multiple targets, two bunkers, can almost hit a full lob wedge from one green to the other. Another nice practice putting green on the walk over—ask about short game area in pro shop. Zaharias course my favorite; a couple quirky holes but challenging and fun routing with a very long par 3, a par 5 with a hellish elevated green, a couple devilish par 4’s—2 holes on back 9 are nearly identical but every other hole is unique. Nice aesthetic water features pose manageable risk. Bunkers have gotten a little thin, and sometimes a few holes can be wet in the landing areas, but overall this course is in excellent condition for all the play it gets from golfers who don’t repair divots and ball marks. The main thing is that it is tree lined and has a fair amount of elevation change, being on a big hill—it has a very midwestern feel and differs substantially from most SoCal desert-like courses. Trust me, if you are making a trip east to play, this is where you want to go to tune up, get used to trees lining the way and blocking some shots. Excellent pro shop selections as well. Just an exceptionally run place for all the play and skill levels it sees. Really a must play in SoCal.

For a flat track that gets a lot of play, Angeles National as it has matured is an extremely well run fair, challenging, fun to play course in fine condition overall. It has an excellent grass practice range and large chipping green also useful for putting practice, unfortunately no practice bunker, but reasonable range ball rates and deals for regulars. Nice putting green by clubhouse, though could use a little more straight putt areas. Course has survived floods from the nearby Hansen Dam wash, and severe fire damage, with truly incredible grounds crew work—it comes back quickly and better every time, really impressive overall maintenance. Wide variance in holes, reasonably roomy off the tees but little margin for error on most edges, two reachable par 5’s if you play the right tees for your true distance, three long par 4’s, an excellent short par 4, great mix of par 3’s, no two holes look or play alike. Will use all your clubs, more irons and hybrids than fairway metals, driver on 11-13 of 14 holes so some strategic thinking required. No overseeding so fairways get brown and the lies are tight, but the turf condition is excellent. Green surrounds are lush. A few severe green slopes, but most of the undulation on the greens is gentle, no crazy humps; reads are fair, no tricks. Could be walked early weekdays or late afternoons, never too much of a trek between green and tee, but not really practical to walk. Environmental areas rarely in play for good players. Excellent pro shop and range service, really nice people run the place, nice clubhouse with good restaurant and decent snack shop. Plentiful ice for your cart in hot weather, no free water bottles but water on course; GPS and ice buckets on carts (no washer); adequate beverage cart service. They do most of the little things extremely well. Issues: Can get busy, esp weekends, and routing forces a couple backups so pace of play can frustrate at times. Ball marks on greens are a real problem throughout this course, don’t know why but a consistent issue. Bunker sand thin. But for a flat course with a lot of play, this is really an excellent place to practice and play and hang your handicap. A really fun course to learn over a few rounds, it’s rating and slope are right for the first timer but come down significantly when you learn the course. Owners and management take really good care of the place and of golfers of all stripes. If this were the only course I could ever play, I would be totally fine with that.

Played the blues today, first time at this course since the old Ocean Trails days with the missing 18th hole. 10 minutes between tee times. Twosome finished just under 4 hours behind another twosome, no empty tee times today but not all foursomes playing—very happy with pace. Best ocean views around, almost every hole. The course is in beautiful shape, and has outstanding sand quality in the bunkers (there are a lot). Front nine has a lot of very similar holes, not very interesting; back nine much greater variance and some very fun short holes. Very nice staff, locker room access, good parking, deluxe carts. Walking would be extremely difficult due to the elevation changes (not even sure it is allowed). Must drive straight; fairways not too narrow off the tee, but there is little room on the sides for error, usually means a lost ball. Greens are course’s best defense—very heavily tiered and undulating, getting away without a three putt or five is tough. Would be especially difficult in solid wind. NOTE: There is NO short game area as otherwise reported here, other than for lessons. A small bag of about 20 balls is free; large bag is $25, so expensive to practice here without one of their several deals for regulars. Good alternative to Pelican Hill, comparable in many respects, but not on interest and variety of holes. Would love another go at this course, could get used to its idiosyncrasies.