Recreation Park 18 Golf Course

Long Beach golf continues to be the worst destination for golf in Southern California. I have considered Big Rec my home course, since I began playing a year and a half ago. I know most of the employees, the instructors and definitely the regular players, grinding it out at the practice facilities. But the management and the course have made themselves so painful to patron, I'm not sure I can continue visiting.

Today, I visited the empty second green on the fifth hole as it is the only place in Long Beach to practice short game. There was a very petty little boy practicing his putting. I walked up and started chipping. Rather than being gracious, continuing his own session, and allowing me to continue mine, he made it known that he was the only one allowed to practice on the green. I asked him to mind his own business, but he called the management instead.

Now, I am no tour pro, but I have played to an 11 handicap in a little over a year and a half by practicing or playing everyday. The manager arrived to back up the petty little boy who can't share his toys, and the manager told me that Petty Boy was allowed to practice but not me. The manager blamed Gavin Newsome and Robert Garcetti, or whatever Long Beach's mayor is named. Though, neither of them were around to actually kick me off the green. Just three dudes in golf carts, not taking responsibility for their own actions. It was more blame casting, and "I'm just doing my job" nonsense, which the manager himself claimed to hate as he was doing it.

But that wasn't the part that rubbed me wrong. The manager, not a politician, made it very clear that they had made a special exemption for the very poor representative of their organization, the petty boy, because he is trying to get a tour card. Like I said, I'm not a tour pro, but I take the game seriously, and I put all of myself into it. I am really embarrassed for this course and game I've loved. The manager made it very clear that having all the privileges of a lifetime of golf makes this little boy more important than a golfer whose game was born on those same greens, and has used and loved the same facilities.

And the very worst part, this kid that they gifted extra course privileges, I've never seen him at the course ever before. He's not a local. He's not even impressive when he swings. He's an ego tripper that has self-aggrandized his game, and a rat. As he followed me around afterward, talking trash and abusing me, it was clear that this kid will never drop his ego enough to find the head space where champions live. So thank you Big Rec, for making me feel small over a newcomer to the course just because he's had a lifetime to master the game. If you ask me, the players who only have hope of getting better, nothing as divaesque as making the tour, and continue to practice all the time are the players that I would be serving, if I managed a course. And I would choose better people to represent my course than an arrogant kid, who believes himself more important than anyone else around.

Go play somewhere else. Nowhere in the state is as awful as Long Beach golf courses. I've been playing all of them, but Long Beach is by far the worst, and it breaks my heart.

Great and fun course. Wide open fairways. A few extremely difficult par 4’s. My new favorite LB course.

I had a great experience playing here. Nice long course with wide fairways. The condition was well and the staff was friendly.

$57 for a rec course with aerated greens is just plain robbery. Especially when there was no indication that they were... I would go back if greens and price was better

Played today with a Golfnow Deal Time for $50 walking. I was able to use some promo codes to reduce the rate.

I wish I would have known that they were aerating half of the greens. Fairways had decent coverage, but lots of unrepaired divots. Lots of unrepaired ball marks on the green also (not the courses fault). There is a sign at check in stating not to check in until 15 minutes prior to your time. We waited over 15 minutes for a guy who checked in 40 minutes early and was complaining that he was overcharged. The sign also states single riders only, even if you're from the same household, but I saw many dual rider carts. The course is not following their own rules. $50 to walk is too much for this course, in the present condition.

Pace of play was really excellent, fairways were in good shape, rough was cut low, greens above average. Overall a good course to play in.

The T time was late but the staff made it up by giving us free range balls without me asking. Good job. I was surprised how good the fairways were given the heat wave. On top of that the greens were very receptive and it was 95 degrees when we played. Despite the heat the course was in Great condition!!

Great pace, great track , very comfortable place to play

This track is in good “covid-19” playing conditions @ least they are watering the course. not worth the price unless you get a discount rate.