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Rating Index Rating
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3.7
431 Reviews (431)
5 Stars
97
4 Stars
188
3 Stars
91
2 Stars
31
1 Stars
24
Conditions
3.5
Value
3.7
Layout
3.7
Friendliness
4.1
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.4
77.9%
Recommend this course
351 out of 431 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.5
24 Reviews (24)
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
13
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
3
Conditions
3.4
Value
3.5
Layout
3.5
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.3
StaffFriendliness
4.1
75.0%
Recommend this course
18 out of 24 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.6
46 Reviews (46)
5 Stars
11
4 Stars
20
3 Stars
5
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
5
Conditions
3.5
Value
3.6
Layout
3.7
Pace
3.6
Amenities
3.4
StaffFriendliness
4.1
76.1%
Recommend this course
35 out of 46 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Balboa Golf Course delivers outstanding value as a municipal course, with well-groomed fairways and consistently maintained greens that reward returning players. Friendly pro shop staff and a smooth pace of play make each round an enjoyable experience.

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Municipal
Par 72
Length 6628 yards
Slope 116
Rating 70.5
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Balboa Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1954
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Steve Timm (2008) William P. Bell (1954)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $11 - $18
Pull-carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper attire is required.

Food & Beverage

Food & Beverage

Available Facilities

Banquet Facilities
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Reviews

3.7
431 Reviews (431)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 10
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 6
This course/club is great for:
Locals 13
Walkers 13
Seniors 9
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 14

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 216
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played

Fairways cut nice and short and fast. Greens MUSH

Greens were terrible. They were bushy. Not cut. Slow as heck.

Fairways were nice. Cut short and defined from the rough with actual edges. That’s about it.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Balboa golf course

Booked the wrong course and ended not playing. Apparently this happens a lot so I will definitely look at your online booking options. Not a very nice experience and a waste of money because I travelled far.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Pace of Play!

Course was in good shape. Fairways are a little dry and has some areas which play like dirt, but overall in good shape. The pace of play was amazing. We finished the full rou d in 3 hours 30 minutes.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 216
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played

Stuck behind drunks.

Had to walk off after nine as it was taking too long being stuck behind the group of drunks who were slinging shots back and testing each other with cans every other hole, they were behind a hole and a half.

Two hours and 40 minutes on a Monday afternoon are you stuck behind a bunch of drunks who don’t care about anything. It’s not my idea of a quick round as it should’ve been, as it used to be on this course.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good value

I played here for the first time in many years. The course condition was fair - the greens are in nice shape, the fairways weren't as good. The course layout is straight forward, with gentle doglegs on some par 4s, and a couple of long par 3s. The fairways are wide, making this a fun course for intermediate players. It's probably too long for beginners, and too wide to challenge low handicap players. Keep your expectations realistic for a high traffic mini, and you'll have a fun round.

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 26
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Quick Greens

Balboa/Encino golf courses are in transition for the good .. Balboa I liked cause it had some forgiveness (Bit wider fairways ..) Greens Were Nice and Quick Easy to Read .. the downside was Pace Of Play.. Which is always an issue with Public Courses..

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Value

The greens were in very good shape. The entire course was in the best shape I have seen. We were able to complete our round in 3:30 which is fast for us.

The value is terrific and we were able to book at the last minute.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Discount

When the greens are being aerated, there should be a discount. Because you're not getting full value for your dollar.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 41
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Better than most

Pace of play was a little slow due to the slow group in front of us. Other than that, it was enjoyable although we got rained on for two holes.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Great Value

Overall you get great value for your buck. You have to expect that a round can take some time, specially if you have a tee-time after 10. Otherwise a great muni course that has some wide fairways.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

This place needs help and with what you’re charging, you can afford it

This course needs a marshal or Two to help pace of play on the course especially when you have people hitting three and four Tee shots from the blues that can’t hit past 100 yards! Is gas that high that you can’t afford to mow the course especially the by the trees?! Try mowing the rough grass. Help Pace of play big time.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Default User Avatar
Anonymous
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice golf course

I’ve played this course many times in Balboa and Encino. It’s an easygoing, enjoyable course with mature trees and truly excellent greens—surprisingly good, in fact. I can highly recommend both the course and the entire facility without hesitation.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 271
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 216
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played

Almost US Open type greens!!! Wicked firm and fast!

Greens are almost like concrete! US Open type firm and fast!

Really fun to play on right now, this winter firm greens. They bounce like crazy and are very slick.

Shame they have to punch them in a few weeks.

Overall the course is good. Some new sand in some bunkers that is a bit over-fluffy so very difficult to play out of.

I wish they would add the OB line back on the right side of 1 & 2. Too many people hit the ball onto Encino and have no etiquette so they just walk over there to hit the ball when there are people on Hole 9 of Encino trying to tee off. It’s terrible. They need to learn the rules. But it would help if the OB is put back.

Also wish they would put the bunkers back where they used to be such as right side of 6. Course is definitely 3 to 4 strokes easier.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Balboa slow play

Very unhappy they sent is out behind a teen tournament and we had to wait 40 minutes at the third hole. I could only play 9 after paying for 18. Very disappointing

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
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