Susi, I asked this question when I went out to Los Angeles last October. Check out the thread here:
In need of information on Los Angeles area courses!! (http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=192451&an=0&page=1#Post1 92451)
Here's my synopsis of my experiences there:
I couldn't have asked for a better disc golf experience - I got to meet and play disc golf with Dave Vincent at Emerald Isle, and at La Mirada with Rhett Stroh, Discette and Dave Dunipace, all amazingly friendly people! Suzette and Rhett, thank you so much for the discs, that was super nice of you!
While I've posted full reviews on my web page of the disc golf courses I've played, here's a brief synopsis and ranking in my order of preference: <ul type="square"> Whittier Narrows, Whittier, CA - Despite warnings that this course would be long, open, and boring, this was my actually my favorite course in the Los Angeles region! Course designer Dave Dunipace even once described the Whittier course as "a fairly dry test of skills" but it had almost everything I look for in a disc golf course. While it was mostly pancake flat and didn't have the elevation changes of La Mirada, the Whittier course had appropriate hole lengths for skilled golfers. Most of the holes were in the 300-450 foot range through scattered mature trees that forced honest drives. Additionally, with low ceilings and manicured short grass, this course was a rollers delight. I was thrilled to deuce some 350-375 foot holes with a backhand roller that I would have never reached with an air shot through the trees.
Emerald Isle, Oceanside, CA - Disc golf on a ball golf course done right. Loved the experience, even if I found the OB greens way too often.
Riverside Golf Club, Riverside, CA - Playing on a ball golf course with over 12,500 feet of total length from the long tees, this Fly18 course is the whole enchilada and then some. The disc golf layout parallels the ball golf layout for the most part, with the disc golf tees set in front of the shortest bolf tees, and the polehole usually located short of the greens. A few holes have pin locations near OB bunkers and greens, but thankfully much less so than at Emerald Isle where the green seems to come into play on almost every hole. Renting a cart on this almost pancake flat course isn't a must, but it definitely helps with the length of the holes, as well as some of the long walks between holes. Fans of pro par four and pro par five golf will enjoy the length and challenge of this course, and you'll certainly get a lot of field practice as many holes require a driver or roller to be thrown several times in succession. With the extremely short grass on the ball golf fairways, I was able to throw some of the longest roller shots I've thrown in my life; some in excess of perhaps 450 feet. (which is considerably further than I could throw an air shot) Careful attention must be paid to the wind however, and rollers that drift errant will go considerably far in unintended directions.
If I lived locally I would likely play this course often, but it's not for everyone. Being able to throw for long distances (400 feet or more) is very helpful, and at least 300 feet is a must. Shorter-armed throwers and those who do not have a competent roller in their arsenal will be at a great disadvantage and would likely get bored quickly, especially from long blue tees. On the longest layout, the front nine flows rather nicely, but the back nine starts to grind, especially on holes#14 and 15, which are two 1075+ foot pro par five holes in a row that are almost completely wide open. It's almost like they got to this point in the course design and decided to stop making it interesting. While I'm obviously a fan of the trend to move to higher par golf, I think having three 1000+ foot holes in the span of six holes (hole 10 = 1062 ft., hole 14 = 1075 ft., hole 15=1083 ft) that are basically long for the sake of long is dumb, imo. Furthermore, I was shocked when on the 17th hole of this layout, I looked at my bag and realized I hadn't thrown a midrange disc the whole round; it seems very strange to throw between 70 and 80 throws at a course and not once use anything besides a driver or a putter.
I'm glad I went back a second time to play this course from the shorter white tees. This layout is "only" 9,320 feet and alternates between deucable 250ish and 320 foot par three holes, and 500-600 foot pro par four holes, which normally play from tees in the trees that shoot out into the fairway, then back to protected baskets and interesting pin positions. The par fives are a more realistic 800-870 feet long, and at this length, a birdie four is easily achievable. On the shorter layout I used a mid-range disc on several occasions, even from the tee, and witnessed other diverse shots such as tomahawks and sidearms being thrown that were never utilized on the long layout. I shot 5 under par on this layout, and had much more fun and appreciated the course that much more. This is absolutely the way to play the course, and I recommend that all golfers rated 950 and below play these tees first.
La Mirada Regional Park, La Mirada, CA - Loved the elevation changes and the opportunity to throw rollers. Thought most of the holes were a bit shortish though and played way too close to walking paths, sidewalks, city streets, baseball fields, parking lots, etc.
Veterans Park, Sylmar, CA - Driving to this course through the foothills surrounding Los Angeles is stunningly beautiful, with lots of cool views of the surrounding mountains. I liked the patriotic theme at this course, with tees and poleholes that alternate in color, in order, from red to white to blue. With really nice cement teepads and brand new tee signs and poleholes, this course has a professional touch, and worth the nominal $2 daily fee. The first three holes play over some lovely rolling grass, and the 2nd hole has neat brickwork around the polehole position that is reminiscent of the USDGC. It's too bad that the lower portion of the course can't hold grass like the upper three holes, because it makes for a dry, dusty, dirty disc golfing experience.
Oak Grove, Pasadena, CA - Like Sylmar, the views of the foothills on the way to this course are awesome. Once arriving, there's something to be said for being able to play the very first permanent polehole course in the world. To bang chains where Frisbee throwers first did so 30+ years ago and ignited our sport is really cool! The first hole starts out with a low ceiling shot that almost demands a roller - that' s probably the only time I've ever thrown a forehand roller off the first tee. There are a few fun downhill holes, including a neat one that throws over a basin that I'm told once held water. On a sad note, the course is dry and dusty like Veterans but also very poorly marked - good luck finding your way around with out a tour guide. [/list]
