These courses (Balboa Encino) are just close enough to my parents house that I don't quite go crazy sitting in traffic going to or from them. I have really enjoyed playing here on and off for the last... Continue »

These courses (Balboa Encino) are just close enough to my parents house that I don't quite go crazy sitting in traffic going to or from them. I have really enjoyed playing here on and off for the last several years. The greens, like now are in good shape. They are not fast. Balboa right now may be slightly faster than Encino. I rarely hit a bump on the green or find a bad lie in the fairway. It is easy to get out as a single. They have replay rates. The driving range is much much improved compared to about 2 years ago. They have an extensive chipping area and nice putting green. Even though both courses boast easy layouts you still have to golf your ball to score well.

Played 3/22. First time in a long time. I know it's a very busy public course, and it is what it is. The process of getting out is pure chaos. Starters are overwhelmed, customers/players were difficul... Continue »

Played 3/22. First time in a long time. I know it's a very busy public course, and it is what it is. The process of getting out is pure chaos. Starters are overwhelmed, customers/players were difficult and often rude. People trying to change groups and courses last minute, b$tch y singles demanding to get out, trying to know who goes when, carts brought up one at a time, leading to confusion as to who gets what carts. Chaos.

As far as the course: Greens were great! Smooth, true and fun. I had many crummy lies in fairways due to uneven turf. Sometimes I had better lies in the rough at times. But totally playable. Tee boxes were OK. Avoided the sand all day, so nothing to report there. Surprisingly, we got around in a little over 4 hours on a Friday aternoon. I always enjoy playing out here since I get to so rarely.

The biggest surprise was the driving range. Last time I was here, it was a dirt field that you hit into from mats not much softer than the concrete. Now it is fantastic, and worthy of being a destination-range. Very, very nice. Cash only on the machine unless you pre-pay for a key. Bring single bills.

One tip to patrons here: Please play from the appropriate tees. 'The tips' are for skilled players with single digit handicaps, not people who think they need to play from the tips. There is no associated enhancement to your manhood, and you are indeed a source of jokes and ridicule to the group waiting behind you as you walk into the adjoining fairway to play your next shot. Also, quick update on the laws of probabilities: If your drive went 240 yards, and you are 260 yards from the green, there is likely very little chance that the folks on the green ahead of you are in any imminent danger from your next shot. As much as those of us behind you would look forward to commenting as you play your third shot from 50 yards short of the green you held us up to wait clear, please go ahead and hit to keep it moving. This course is great for all skill level of golfers, please have some consideration for everyone else.

All in all, it's always fun to play out here. Not crazy difficult, super convenient, affordable and the people are a gas to watch.

Went out with one of my monthly groups on Saturday and this time they made the call to play Balboa. This decision did not upset me in the least as my game has been so bad the last few months that I th... Continue »

Went out with one of my monthly groups on Saturday and this time they made the call to play Balboa. This decision did not upset me in the least as my game has been so bad the last few months that I thought a confidence course like Balboa would be great. Wrong! But that's a story for another time.

Balboa was in better than average shape overall but no one is going to leave this place and swoon for weeks thinking back on it. I will say though that while the layout is pedestrian at best, the greens are in the best shape I've ever seen them and actually rolled lightning quick. It was pretty shocking to really have to rein in the speed on the downhill putts or find your ball ten feet past the pin. They also looked great with just a few ball marks or imperfections.

Rains have done the fairways good around this place, but they're still not as good as you would hope after all that water. But better than you'll often find this place. A lot of good lies will greet you after your tee shots, but you'll also be left disappointed a few times where it's thin and dry. That's life. The rough is a good option to hit from to be perfectly honest.

Bunkers were in pretty good shape and the tee boxes were not all quite level and not all very lush, but it's working, playable golf and that's what you get when you come here. POP was surprisingly slow at exactly five hours. Didn't feel that way though which was odd.

Pleasantly surprised overall at current course conditions at Balboa. Enjoy.

Was it the best idea to play golf in a rainwater catch basin after days of rain? No, not at all. Balboa's strength is not drainage. Depending on where you hit the ball, your ball could be fine or s... Continue »

Was it the best idea to play golf in a rainwater catch basin after days of rain? No, not at all. Balboa's strength is not drainage. Depending on where you hit the ball, your ball could be fine or stuck in a muddy area or puddle. Had to lift clean and search for land 4 times. While this didn't bother me, what brought an Iron Eyes Cody tear to my face was all the golf cart tracks doing governmental shutdown levels or destruction to the course. Sure, a lot of rope was used to keep lazy idiots from doing their worst but thoughtlessness beats rope any day. A pair of strangers in my group made me wince a couple of times with completely unnecessary driving leaving a wake of tracks behind them.

The surprising positives - the two bunkers I was in were in good shape and the greens seemed unnaturally smooth. I would say medium plus speed which is as fast as Balboa goes. I also had some really nice grass to chip out of on some of the holes - others - a bit patchy.

Interested to see how the course fares after it's had time to dry out and grow.

Played 2/1 at 10am. POP 3:40.

Played with a group of 3 Brits who were great company. The fairways were pretty drenched from the rain with plenty of standing water but still provided good enough lie... Continue »

Played 2/1 at 10am. POP 3:40.

Played with a group of 3 Brits who were great company. The fairways were pretty drenched from the rain with plenty of standing water but still provided good enough lies not to effect the round too much. The tee boxes were all level but fairly chewed up. I found myself using the full club length extensions on the par 3's to find a decent spot to tee up the ball. The rough along the fairways was hit or miss, as usual. It was never overly penal, just very patchy and plain dirt in other places.

Where the course shined today was in the green complexes. The rough around the greens was all very consistent and was good to chip out of, put a number withing tap in range throughout the round. The greenside bunkers had dried nicely and were fluffy enough to hit any type of shot you like out of them. The greens themselves were excellent. They were medium-fast and incredibly smooth (for poa). I figure this has a lot to do with no one playing them on Thursday. Even on long putts (over 30') I rarely saw the ball bobble off its line or bounce in the air.

While it's shorter and lower rating and slope than Encino and even Woodley Lakes, I think it's the best layout of the three. The smallish greens with a decent amount of break and narrower corridors make it fun.

Played Balboa 8*00 start on a Sat. Unlike 20 years ago when there would have been a hundred guys waiting around for a spot on one of the 2 courses, it was easy to sign in. We had a 3some, went out as ... Continue »

Played Balboa 8*00 start on a Sat. Unlike 20 years ago when there would have been a hundred guys waiting around for a spot on one of the 2 courses, it was easy to sign in. We had a 3some, went out as the same. POP 4 hours 20 min, not bad for a Sat out here. The course is not in great shape, it probably never is. It's been a long time since I played here, same issues. LA City course, gets plenty of play, not enough maintenance. Greens were real nice, mid-fast, yet softened up by over night rain. Fairways very weak. Numerous GUR & many other bare spots, some really large, like 10' by 40 '. Thin grass at best, even in better fairways. Rough is ok, not crazy high, but tough enough to hit out of without being to penal. Mix of kikuyu, crabby grass & many others. Couple bunkers I was in were ok, firm but not rock hard. Tee boxes level. Overall it was fun morning, but just a so-so muni course. I will drive out of LA & spend more $$ rather than come back.

Long time friends got together in a reunion and we picked this course because we used to play here in in the early 90s when we were all new in golf.

Our tee time was 07:48am. At 11:10 we walked of... Continue »

Long time friends got together in a reunion and we picked this course because we used to play here in in the early 90s when we were all new in golf.

Our tee time was 07:48am. At 11:10 we walked off the 18th green. Very pleased with the pace from the groups ahead.

I was only in one bunker 3rd or 4th hole, by the green. There were fluffy but a thin layer of sand, and not prepped well- it seems they just dumped and spread out the sand without conditioning it.

The fairways are thinning with lots of bare brown spots- some rolled okay, some are too wet for the ball to have any roll.

The back tee markers for most holes (17 out of 18) were moved forward between the blue and white tees!!! ...ugh. What is the use of slope/rating when they're not going to use it properly?

Finally the greens were so soft. They look nice and green, but there are ball marks that had been fixed halfway and some are totally left for others to fix. I have to admit, some of the greens rolled okay.

All in all, the conditions here last Sunday was not good although everyone had a pretty good round. Maybe we're just remembering how much better it was. I'll tell you what though... we're not planning to come back and do a reunion here again!! LOL LOL LOL LOL

Played Balboa at 6am on 7/30. My partner and I breezed through in 3 hours, walking. Overall the course is in decent muni shape. Clearly, they have been watering the course quite a bit to combat the he... Continue »

Played Balboa at 6am on 7/30. My partner and I breezed through in 3 hours, walking. Overall the course is in decent muni shape. Clearly, they have been watering the course quite a bit to combat the heat. The tee boxes were fine. Fairways are a mixture of nice grass, hard pan, and clumpy or bare areas. But, for the most part, if you were in the fairway, you had a decent lie. Not a great cushion under your ball, but enough grass for a good strike. With all the watering they're doing, the rough around the fairways is quite lush. Normally, the rough around the course is not too much different than the fairways. But right now the rough is 1 to 3 inches, and is a bit difficult to hit from in many areas. This is what rough should be. But it has not been the norm at this course, until now. The two greenside bunkers I was in had very good, firm sand. Very nice to hit from. The greens were very receptive to approach shots. They were quite soft and ran medium speed, with little to no bumpiness. For the $20 senior walking rate this is a good deal.

Got out to Balboa this week in need of a confidence round and it did the trick. Got out there past noon so it was $21 + $5 for the push cart. Pretty great value if you ask me. We had some initial conf... Continue »

Got out to Balboa this week in need of a confidence round and it did the trick. Got out there past noon so it was $21 + $5 for the push cart. Pretty great value if you ask me. We had some initial confusion at the tee box, but then went out after another group and moved well pretty much all day, finishing in just under four hours, which was great and unexpected.

Conditions are currently good enough to justify that greens fee without a doubt. No, the fairways aren't lush and green, but they're grass in most areas and a dull beige. There are some good areas to find, but the fairways could definitely use some more rain. Rough is just slightly longer but not generally a problem to play out of if you find your ball there.

Greens were a little slow and bumpy after recent aeration, but nothing too terrible. They actually looked in better shape than they rolled, but it was at least easy to keep balls on the greens for the most part. Still, any line was an adventure but I imagine they'll be better in the coming weeks. Sand was avoided all day but looked pretty good. Tee boxes fair at best.

No cart service anywhere to be found which is probably a good idea on a course where the ninth hole is pretty far away from the main snack shop by the starter. If there was a snack bar out there, I didn't notice it this time. Played as a single and was paired up with three interesting older gentlemen who were all very unique characters. It was a good time.

Layout at Balboa is of course nothing to write home about, but it's a very serviceable 18 holes of golf which is a great place to get out to when you need to try some new stuff or just let it fly and try to get your groove back. And at $21 walking it's a great deal.