Local Southern California Disc Golf Courses

(This summary was written by Mark Ross up in Pasadena) I know of six disc golf courses in LA and one in San Diego. However, I can't remember specific directions to all of them.

Oak Grove

I assume you know about the Oak Grove course that is on the way to JPL, right across from La Canada HS. This course has the distinction of being the first disc golf course. It is a dusty course with a lot of trees (quite beautiful in the spring, but not the rest of the year). All holes are par 3 and most are less than 200 ft. A strong left-handed shot is an advantage on this course. The trees and the terrain make this course difficult to stay ahead on. If you are unfamiliar with directions to JPL, take the 210 W to the Oak Grove/Berkshire exit (about 7 miles from Caltech) and turn Right. Proceed NE one block and turn Left at the T. Make the next Right and follow the road down to the bottom of the park. Park in the parking lot next to the baseball diamond. The first Tee is at the NorthEast corner of the parking lot. There are no reliable signs at this course, so it may be necessary to follow an experienced group around the course to find all the tees. This shouldn't be a problem because this course is very heavily used during the evening and on weekends.

La Mirada

This course is wide open and grassy. Many of the holes are more than 300 ft. The course is well-suited to beginners and to throwers with a big and not too much accuracy, as there are very few trees to get in the way. This is clearly the best and most pleasant course in LA. There are 18 well marked holes that get fairly heavy use and 9 more holes (the back 9) that are not marked at all. The pro-shop by the tennis courts sells golf discs with a reasonable selection. Note that on Sunday afternoons the park fills with families at picnics and most of them have no idea that they are on a golf course. I have seen families set up their blankets directly under the disc golf baskets. Take the 210 E to the 605 S to the 91 E. Exit the 91 Freeway at Beach Blvd and turn Left (you could take the 5 but it tends to be slower). Proceed North on Beach Blvd 2-3 miles and turn Left on La Mirada Blvd. Proceed NW on La Mirada 2 miles and turn Right on Alicante (2 blocks after Rosecrans). Turn left on Adelfa and park in the parking lot that will be on your left in about a block. The first Tee is SW of the parking lot facing West. Warning: This course has a lake and golf discs don't float. Alternate directions (which I think are slower): Take the 5 S and exit at Rosecrans. Follow the signs to Biola Univ/La Mirada. Proceed east on Rosecrans 3 miles and turn Left on Adelfa. One of the best things about the La Mirada course is its proximity to Discovering The World, a shop dedicated to disc golf. This is the place to go for all your disc needs. The shop is located on Beach Blvd north of the 5 Freeway and south of Artesia Blvd. If you're following my first set of directions, it will be on your right. Call them if you need directions to any disc golf course in LA. You may also want to get on the mailing list for their catalog. Phone number: (714) 522-2202. Hours: M-F 10-6; Sat,Sun 10-5.

Azusa

This is a tiny 9 hole course squeezed in a half-block square park. None of the tees are concrete, but most of them have signs. All of the holes are quite short with one par 2. This course is not worth going out of your way for, but may be more convenient if you live in the area (a friend and I used to play this course at lunch when we worked in the area). Nobody knows about this course, so don't expect to see any other disc golf players. Take the 210 E to Asuza (2 miles past the 605). Exit and turn Left. Proceed North on Asuza 2 miles and turn left on 12th St. Follow 12th St. until it dead-ends. The course will be on your right. The first tee is in the NW corner of the park next to the tennis courts.

Sylmar

This course is like Oak Grove only bigger. It has lots of trees, lots of dust and a wide variety of holes. It's somewhat nicer than Oak Grove, but not as nice as La Mirada. Some of the holes are quite long and the course as a whole is much more spread out than Oak Grove. I've only played here a couple of times, but what I remember most is the variety. Take the 210 W about twenty miles. Exit at Hubbard and turn Right. Proceed NE on Hubbard several blocks and turn Left on Eldridge. Turn Right on Sayre and continue until you hit the park.

Whittier Narrows

This course is flat and grassy with some trees. The course is not that well-maintained, but most tees are concrete and have a sign indicating where the hole is. The course is quite spread out and it takes some scouting to find where the next tee is from some of the holes. Take the 210 E to the 605 S. Follow the 605 S to the 60 W. Take the second exit which will be Santa Anita. Turn Left on Santa Anita and go over the freeway. Continue for about 1/2 mile. Turn left at the Tee. You should see the baskets on your left.

Huntington Beach

This is a grassy course with a lake, somewhat like La Mirada. The course is smaller than La Mirada and not as well-maintained. There is ALWAYS a stiff breeze blowing at this course, so be prepared. An ultimate disc will not serve you well here. Take the 210 E to the 605 S to the 405 S (or your preferred method to get to the 405 S). Exit at Golden West, turn Left on East Dr and Right on Golden West. Proceed South on Golden West about three miles. The park will be on your right.

San Diego - Balboa Park

This is a varied course most similar to Sylmar, although not as big. Dusty, with a lot of trees and a few extremely long holes (at least one par 5). There is a shop in the park that has golf discs for sale and has a few battered discs for rent if you've forgotten to bring yours. The holes are well-marked and the course is heavily used. Drive to downtown San Diego. Exit the freeway at the Balboa Park exit and follow the signs to Balboa Park. That's how I remember it anyway. If you get lost, Balboa Park is well-known in San Diego, so it shouldn't be hard to find someone who knows how to get there. I hope this gets you started. Let me know if I've missed some or if my information is outdated. Mark