In the mood for par 3 and a change of scenery, I headed up to Pasadena. This is a very nice little 18 hole course and it’s in great shape. The holes r... » More

In the mood for par 3 and a change of scenery, I headed up to Pasadena. This is a very nice little 18 hole course and it’s in great shape. The holes range in length from about 85 to 130 yards. There are huge trees everywhere and a small creek running through the front 9. I really dislike hitting from mats so I did tee up on the grass. The fairways are lush, the rough is nicely trimmed and the greens are soft and medium speed. There are no bunkers. It was fairly busy so POP was slow at 2hrs but it was a very nice way to spend the morning. Recommended.
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I played CA Oaks yesterday for the first time in about 10 years. I remember enjoying it back then but I haven’t read much favorable about it since. I ... » More

I played CA Oaks yesterday for the first time in about 10 years. I remember enjoying it back then but I haven’t read much favorable about it since. I drove by it last week to take a look. What I could see from the road seemed ok so I took a chance and booked a 7:50 am tee time. Other than masks in the pro shop and foam in the cups, there were no Covid-19 precautions in place. Players were riding 2 per cart, rakes were in the bunkers and ball washers were available on the course.

The fairways varied from nice to completely bare. The better ones are in the area closer to the road. Maybe it’s because they get more sun than the holes that are back in the narrow woodsy part of the course. The rough was very deep, hiding the extremely bumpy, uneven ground. A twisted ankle was a real risk. The greens were slow but in good shape other than unfixed ball marks. Tee boxes were uneven and in need of mowing. The bunkers had a playable amount of sand.

Even with all the negatives, I have to say I enjoyed the round. It’s target golf and there are some really fun holes. POP was good at 3.5 hours. If they can make some big improvements in the conditions, I would play there again.
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I played 5-10-20 as a single and again today with some friends. Both days the course was very quiet. Check in was easy and all of the staff is very f... » More

I played 5-10-20 as a single and again today with some friends. Both days the course was very quiet. Check in was easy and all of the staff is very friendly. It was nice today when the starter remembered me from last week.

Conditions are overall mostly good. Other than just a few brown and damp spots, the fairways are green and well cushioned. The rough is thick and just long enough that the ball will sink about halfway down. I was in one bunker that had good, thick, fluffy sand but the majority of them were hard and filled with weeds. There is definitely still some work to be done around the course. The greens were in very good shape. They were only medium fast but with all undulations and multiple tiers, they are really the most challenging part of this course. I enjoy the many mounds and swales surrounding many of the greens. They are beautiful to look at and a lot of fun to play. The par 3 8th with it's island green and the colorful shrubbery surrounding the tee boxes is one of the prettiest holes I know of. Making par on that both days was very satisfying.

POP was good- 3.5 and 4 hours. I have yet to get a good score here but I like it so much I’m sure I will be back soon for another try.
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I played today. I wasn't initially thinking of playing here but a few days ago, when cleaning out an old golf bag, I found a rain check from the cour... » More

I played today. I wasn't initially thinking of playing here but a few days ago, when cleaning out an old golf bag, I found a rain check from the course for 9 holes. This was given to me way back in 2017 after suffering through a 3-1/2 hour front nine. Happily, they honored the voucher so I got to play 18 holes for only $19 with a cart.

I arrived 40 minutes before my 10:30 am tee time. The driving range and both putting greens were open and in very nice shape. I hung out there while waiting for the threesome I was to play with to arrive. Interestingly, during the entire time, no one at all teed off. There were a lot of groups waiting. I don’t know why they didn’t send anyone out.

The course was in really good shape. Like putt4dough said yesterday, the fairways were very nice with only a few thin or brown spots. The rough was short and thick. I wasn’t in any bunkers and didn’t take notice of how they looked. Most of the tee boxes, other than being not level, were in good shape. The greens were smooth, free of ball marks and rolled a medium-fast speed.

I always enjoy playing here. It’s just a nice old style course. Most fairways are narrow and lined with many trees. There is water only on the 3 par 18th. There is a good mix of basic and quirky holes with elevation changes and doglegs. The only one I think is really stupid is #17. There is a tree and utility pole in the middle of the fairway and big trees on either side. Not much fun.

POP was good at 3.5 hours. I’d be glad to play here anytime the conditions and pace are as good as today.
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Today was my first time playing Brookside. I’ve tended to avoid it as I’ve often heard how crowded and slow it can be. I decided to give it a try with... » More

Today was my first time playing Brookside. I’ve tended to avoid it as I’ve often heard how crowded and slow it can be. I decided to give it a try with an 8am tee time hoping to get in before the crowds. I was paired with a very nice threesome of guys. I walked and they each had their own carts.

The usual precautions are in place – masks in common areas, no putting green, waivers for carts, foam in the cups. They did have portable hand washing/sanitizing stations set up near the check in. The only available restrooms were on the course and in the Rose Bowl Parking lot. The pro shop was closed so I was unable to get a logo ball :-(

The course conditions were pretty good. Several fairways and greens showed signs of recent punching, but it didn’t affect play at all. The fairways had good coverage but the grass was so dense – and the rough so long and deep- that it was a lot of work pushing my cart. I often took a round-about way to my ball just to avoid walking through it.

Early in the round, the course was very damp. That, combined with the deep grass, caused very little to no roll out. The greens were so slow it was ridiculous. They did speed up a lot by the back nine, though. I was in one bunker and it was just damp dirt. Some of the others looked much better.

The layout was really boring. Other than one par 3 where we hit over the ditch, there were no memorable holes. POP was ok at 4:15. Overall, I had a good time but it’s just not a course I can see playing again.
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