Good old Balboa, for me, a nice comfortable fit like my favorite tennis shoes.
Tees: level enough with places to stick your tee in the ground
Fairways: there were some dried out spots but I never fo... Continue »

Good old Balboa, for me, a nice comfortable fit like my favorite tennis shoes.
Tees: level enough with places to stick your tee in the ground
Fairways: there were some dried out spots but I never found one, the landing areas are in good shape
Rough: thick in some spots, non-existent in others
Bunkers: all the ones I was in or looked at were full of nice fluffy sand except the fairway bunker on the right side of 10 which was full of water, GUR. Water pipe leak I believe.
Greens: greens were fantastic, of course they always seem to be just before they punch 'em!
POP: out at 6:30 am, in at 10:05=3hrs 35 min
Overall: the greens are great right now get on 'em as they are going to punch at the end of the month!

Balboa today 8:07, finished at 12:30.
Tee boxes: mostly level-ish, and a little rough in spots, but like I always say you're using a tee so it can't be all that bad!
Fairways: mostly good with some... Continue »

Balboa today 8:07, finished at 12:30.
Tee boxes: mostly level-ish, and a little rough in spots, but like I always say you're using a tee so it can't be all that bad!
Fairways: mostly good with some bare burnt out areas, but not in the places you should be playing from.
Rough: a bit thin in spots and thick in others, so a mixed bag.
Bunkers: never was in one.
Greens: real nice, the practice green which slow and bumpy was nothing like the course. The greens accepted shots, rolled well and were quite fast in the usual spots.
Overall: not in top shape but very playable.

Course was super green. Fairways were decent shape and greens were true. Tee boxes could use some help. Still a great value and great views of the city. It's a real treat.

Course was super green. Fairways were decent shape and greens were true. Tee boxes could use some help. Still a great value and great views of the city. It's a real treat.

Course is in GOOD SHAPE! Greens & Fairways are the best I've seen them in along time.

Course is in GOOD SHAPE! Greens & Fairways are the best I've seen them in along time.

played here today 7/27/14 and had a great day. Hot and humid, rained earlier which may have kept people away, but the course is in great to excellent shape and nobody was there! Couldn't believe it.... Continue »

played here today 7/27/14 and had a great day. Hot and humid, rained earlier which may have kept people away, but the course is in great to excellent shape and nobody was there! Couldn't believe it. Played in under 3.5 hours with another person in my group, both of us walking and we didn't play rushed at all. Just had no one in front of us all day which was great. Service by the staff was very good, I had to renew my card and they sent me out anyway and said I could pick up my new card after my round, which was nice.

Greens were about as good as I've ever seen them at Balboa, rolled really nice and held amazingly, hit a 3 wood to #7 green from about 220 and it stuck on a dime, almost too good, had a 50 footer for eagle and then 3putted, wow I suck!

Fairways were real real nice, once again, about as good as I've ever seen them. They were mown very consistent and had very few bare spots at all. I don't think I ever had a bad lie in any fairway.

Tee boxes were fair. Fairly level and I could just about always find a good spot to hit from, they weren't the best, but I have seen them much much worse.

Traps were perfect. I was in one and it had nice sand and wasn't hard pan underneath.

Overall, try to get and play Balboa if you can. The staff is nice and you can tell they are really trying to improve the playing conditions of this cool layout. Nice to get out to a place and walk a round.

Yeah here I am again reviewing Balboa Park . . . I guess I am I the only one who plays there. Like I said before the city has plenty of water so most of the course is in pretty good shape, there are a... Continue »

Yeah here I am again reviewing Balboa Park . . . I guess I am I the only one who plays there. Like I said before the city has plenty of water so most of the course is in pretty good shape, there are a few bare spots due to the heat, but mostly nice and playable.

Balboa is in real good shape right now, city has water, I ran into a few things I don't see at other courses lately. Plush rough, mostly full plush fairways, nice sand in bunkers and greens that not o... Continue »

Balboa is in real good shape right now, city has water, I ran into a few things I don't see at other courses lately. Plush rough, mostly full plush fairways, nice sand in bunkers and greens that not only roll well but accept approach shots without the ball bouncing to the back of the green!

Played in the "Big Game" this morning and found the course in good shape and the greens very nice. POP, just over 4 hours, we went off at 7:10.

Played in the "Big Game" this morning and found the course in good shape and the greens very nice. POP, just over 4 hours, we went off at 7:10.

Played in the SCGA 2 man qualifier this morning. Got out on time (8:45) and got around in just under 4-1/2 hrs. The course is in pretty nice shape right now, not as good as it gets but very playable. ... Continue »

Played in the SCGA 2 man qualifier this morning. Got out on time (8:45) and got around in just under 4-1/2 hrs. The course is in pretty nice shape right now, not as good as it gets but very playable. Of course being a city course water is not as big of a problem so the grass is green, rough is full and the fronts of greens are grabby . . . not what you get anywhere else as most courses are dry with plenty of bounce right now.
Tee boxes: mostly level with good coverage
Fairways: nice green grass everywhere it needs to be
Rough: thick in some areas, and thin in others but still there (just not on the left side of 16 where it is needed!)
Bunkers: the one I played out of was fine, not fluffy white sand, but not wet mud either. Very playable
Greens: the greens were a bit on the slow and bumpy side . . . it seems all the city courses are having trouble getting the greens back to "nice" since the last aeration. Playable, excepted shots well, just a bit slow and bumpy
POP: 4:20

Overall, good to go, just not "as good as it gets".