Meadowlark Golf Course

Pretty ok pace due to the Memorial Day weekend. Nice layout with no surprises.

Played Meadowlark in Huntington Beach Thursday 05/10/2018, with a 12:15PM scheduled tee time on a Golf Now Hot Deal $35 per player with cart, plus fee.

Arrived early 10:30AM driving up from Mission Viejo early to assure time to stretch, practice pitching and chipping. The parking lot was about 20% full and the course was pretty open. I mention this to note that Meadowlark is one of those rare facilities (at least that I have found) that will not send a Prepaid player out on course early even if there is room available. I don’t believe I saw a single golfer tee off between 10:45 and 11:45 with a foursome went off. My partner and I were called to the tee at 12 noon along with a single.

Upfront I have warm feelings about Meadowlark, as it is the course I learned to play golf on in 1971. I like the layout of this course and the challenges. As such I will share some complaints from my best friend who has a different view of this classic course built in 1922. (Having moved to HB in 1969 when there was very little around, I can’t imagine how this got built in 1922).

The course has ample parking, a nice pro shop, and restaurant. The practice range is OK, with mats the only option. The practice green is very representative of conditions on course both in speed and contour. Carts were neatly lined up in front of the pro shop. The are clean efficient and simple, no GPS. Weather for our round was perfect, blue sky, fluffy clouds, and about a 5-knot wind that would grow to 5 to 10 knots as the round progressed. High was in the mid 70’s cooling off by 4PM to the low 70’s.

Chris our single played the course to an 8 over from the blues, my playing partner played to 10 over from the whites, I played from the whites. Meadowlark is not an overly long course playing 5,568 yards from the blues, and 5251 from the whites.

Tee boxes were mostly level, light divot damage, with some lush brown spots. Ground was neither too hard nor too soft. Good footing was easy to find.

Fairways were mostly lush, with patches of brown grass, roll was very good. The course had the sprinklers on at 11:00AM for a short period. As we reached the back nine, my partners had trouble on the right side of the fairways in areas that significant shade and as a result were more marsh than fairway on #12. There were several other small muddy spots. They did not affect me but were a problem for my partners. (unkind words were spoken about the course watering during play).

Meadowlark features concrete cart paths, which the course forces you onto in same areas around greens. Many of these are in desperate need of maintenance. Either Kidney belts or raised ground clearance are needed until they can be patched replaced.

Fairway rough is thick with bare patches, sticky and penal. These are aided by a large tree population defining the fairway. There is water on the course, but it is not the primary defense of the course.

Fairway bunkers – there are very few fairway bunkers on the course, but those that are present are like their greenside counterparts, well cared for and filled with fluffy sand.

There are three forced carries of water, none of which are that daunting. The primary defense for this course are the postage stamp size greens. The greens are Poa Annua mowed very tight resulting in very fast greens, firm with few levels lies lots of slope in all directions, and ridges. The pin placements today were most frequently on a ridge or the break of a false front. On several occasions balls that landed within 5 feet of the pin rolled to the fringe or off the greens. I felt the greens were very hard, but fair, my playing partner described them a upside down salad bowls, and again did not have kind words for them, despite them rolling reasonable well even late in the day, and with few unrepaired ball marks.

Pace of play was good, it could have been a little better but we had a foursome of twenty somethings playing in front of us, that were playing multiple shots, and tended to wait until the green in front of them was clear despite not being able to get a shot straight down a fairway or over 200 yards at any time during the round. They did mange to hit a tree and almost hit me and hit balls into some yards on shanks. This brings up the point that well we say the cart girl at least four times during the round, we did not see a single marshal. Pace of play was 4.5 hours.

I really enjoy this course. The greens are in very good condition. The elevation changes, judicious use of water, bunkers and trees puts a premium on finding fairways. The upside-down salad bowl greens mean you want to use a very lofted wedge if you can.

At the Golf Now Hot Deal price of $35 this is a very good course, at rack rate during the week can still be a good value. Right now in this condition I recommend playing. The coastal location makes for great playing weather, and the design of the course will challenge you. Bombing driver is often not rewarded.

This is obviously a locally supported course because the parking lot was full on a late Tuesday morning.

We arrived early for our 12:45 start and killed some time at the driving range. We still had to wait, however, until 4 foursomes in a tournament (ON A TUESDAY?) before we could start play. Having to follow them around the course meant an almost 5 hour round.

The course is showing its age along with a somewhat stale layout. The close proximity of the fairways meant stray balls hitting nearby. The fairway grass is thin and the greens are small with impossible pin placement on several holes.

We were paired with 2 locals who said they hadn't played the course in 3 years and that it would be another 3 before they play it again. We travel to this area at least once a year and won't be back either.

I love the course but my playing partners don't like some of the concave greens ⛳

This is a challenging, short course. It's almost always in great shape. Ive played here multiple times, and haven't been disappointed once. I like that the average golfer has many opportunities to make birdie. I had 3 in my last round. Tee boxes, fairways, and greens are in good shape for late January. Very green. Definitely worth the drive to play here.

I was very disappointed in the condition of the course especially the greens. It is a very walkable course which would reduce the cost but anyone paying more than $25 is getting a bad product. The staff at the front desk was very helpful and the food afterwards was good also. I probably will not return.

No ambassador! People jumping in front of you .One guy brought his dog and wanted to teach after cutting in my wife shot up on them he threatened me with 6 iron !

Every time I play this course, I vow it will be my last time. You have to have a minimum of 5 hours for 18 holes, be happy with a total disregard of any kind of etiquette, and be happpy with a five ball, followed by a two ball in front of you. Bunkers arn’t raked, pitchmarks are never repaired and there is never, ever a Marshall to be seen. It is all about squeezing as many people into the course as possible - end of story. Their only saving grace is the amazing chef at half way - great food, wonderful guy! All power to you. You should consider making him the GM - then you will see a well managed Golf Course. So sad ....

I view the course as a place to practice , and try new shots. Most of the holes are short, fairways are decent, greens are in good shape , flat, and slow. If you are a single digit handicap, this is not the place. If you are a 10-20 , and want to work on your game, it's great value

The course is in very nice shape and a great value for the money. Play is a little slow for a mid Sunday round.