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Long Beach Recreation Golf Course – Known as the “Big Rec” to distinguish it from the 9-hole across the street (named “Little Rec” of course), this 18-hole par 72 might seem like a no-go. But a handful of 400-plus yard par 4s and fast, sloping greens make it a challenge. The simple hilly terrain makes it possible to walk around as well. It has a little bit of everything, just like Long Beach itself.
The course now known as Rec Park was built in 1910 as part of the Virginia Country Club, whose members would ride a train and then a horse and buggy down the dirt road to the golf course. The city of Long Beach took over the lease in 1921, and today it is one of the busiest tracks in the country.
Long Beach Recreation Golf Course
Perched on a hill overlooking downtown Long Beach and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Rec Park features a lighted driving range, chip and green, and a cozy cafe.
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The front 9 breaks with tradition by offering only one par 3 and one par 5. You can warm up slowly with two easy, short par 4s playing only about 300 yards. Things get more interesting on the third, a 412-yard par 4 with an OB on the left and a narrow, sloping green, while the fourth is a shorter par 4 that can still pose problems with uphill approach shots and a wide putting surface. The par-3 fifth hole uses two greens and plays either up or down. If it’s playing downhill, it’s only 110 yards from the blues, but stopping your ball on the green requires either a towering wedge shot or massive spin.
The next three holes upped the ante significantly—a trio of par-4s measuring 460, 428 and 412 yards from the blues. Many promising starts were squandered by a misfire that led to the next two goals. But the par-5 ninth is a definite birdie or even eagle hole for the old hitters. At 483 yards, it is straight and slightly uphill, with few problems except for the sloping greens which can be very slippery.
Miss going with your approach shot to the 7th green and you can jump over the fence to find your ball.
The back 9 is a bit simpler and has more variation. It starts with a challenging 426-yard downhill par 4 that somehow doesn’t seem to play downhill— approach shots play longer than you’d expect. On the short par-4 eleventh, you look up the fairway, but your approach shot comes back downhill to a tricky green that slopes treacherously to the right. After a short par 3, you get a drivable par 4 across a grassy arroyo to a flat landing area. The fourteenth is a par 5 down a dog park, so your tee time is between a bark and a growl. Your approach shot is beamed toward the lights of Blair Field where the CSULB Dirtbags play—enjoy rock music mixed with the ringing of aluminum bats.
Photos: Wilson Girls’ Golf Beats Long Beach Poly
The fourteenth is a par 5 down a dog park, so your tee time is between a bark and a growl.
On the par-4 fifteenth, you need to tuck your tee shot between the eucalyptus trees and send another approach shot to the green downhill. The uphill par-3 sixteenth plays toward the parking lot, so if you run out of sunshine—or patience—you can call it a day and head to your car. If you soldier on, seventeen and eighteen are like a two-hole match played back to back. The seventeenth is a par 5 with a high tee box, but watch out for the reeds on the left (certain death) and the row of pine trees bordering the fairway on the right. Standing on the eighteenth tee box, take your time to enjoy the most beautiful hole with rows of palm trees on the horizon and a gentle walkway straight to another difficult green. Your second shot is almost always played from a hanging lie.
It is difficult to say that one of these is the strength of the Recreation Park. Still, the course is pretty well maintained considering all the daily traffic it gets—don’t expect perfectly rolled greens or lush fairways. His speed can be especially trying on the first few holes, but it tends to pick up after that. Does that mean the five-hour round won’t happen to you? We offer no guarantees.
The people who play this reasonably priced course are as diverse as the town around it. Expect a friendly, funky crowd of down-to-earth golfers. You’ll be forgiving off the tee, but you can burn on the greens. No water, and some punishing bunkers, make Rec Park a great course for a confidence-boosting casual round.
An Aerial View Of A Greenskeeper Mowing The Green At A Mountain Resort Golf Course Stock Photo
Playing out of LBC, Phil grips his own clubs and even lets his own shaft when he’s not using it to shoot in the 70s. In between rounds, he is known to regularly play the blackjack table. ORANGE COUNTY, CA | Enjoy a 2-night stay at The Resort at Pelican Hill and 2 rounds of golf at Pelican Hill Golf Club – Ocean North & Ocean South Courses.
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SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy a 3-night stay at OMNI La Costa Resort & Spa and 3 rounds of golf at OMNI La Costa Golf Club – Legends Course, Aviara Golf Club & The Grand Golf Club.
SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy a 2-night stay at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa and 2 rounds of golf at Aviara Golf Club.
Hole By Hole Fly Overs’
SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy a 4-night stay at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar and 3 rounds of golf at The Grand Golf Club, Maderas Golf Club and Aviara Golf Club.
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