Wrote an optimistic review in June. While it was OK for a while, the drought has since had its effect. The greens are OK as are mostly the immediate surrounding areas. The fairways vary with some nota... Continue »

Wrote an optimistic review in June. While it was OK for a while, the drought has since had its effect. The greens are OK as are mostly the immediate surrounding areas. The fairways vary with some notably worse and others greener and decent, but on average there are a lot more extended areas that are dry, thin, occasionally bare and stressed. But getting out at 4:10 for super twilight at $11 on a Friday with relatively short notice is something. We acknowledged the conditions, played on, enjoyed it and the beer afterward. But I'm a local and it's a fallback option. For anyone else, it's likely you'll find better options before you get near here.

I've actually been out at Altadena twice this week including this afternoon — a 5:00pm tee off with my buddy. It's been over a month since kmersola's fine review for which I have only one correction (... Continue »

I've actually been out at Altadena twice this week including this afternoon — a 5:00pm tee off with my buddy. It's been over a month since kmersola's fine review for which I have only one correction (probably an auto-correct thing) that Altadena's sister course is Eaton Canyon, not Eagle Glen. Last time I reviewed the (grass) driving range had been down from wind damage but it has been back in service for a few weeks now. I thought there were several things worth noting in the current conditions. They were punching the tee boxes and fairways when I was out earlier this week, and when I was out today a worker was out throwing seed where needed. With the exception of the odd thinner patch, the fairways were generally lush to a bit shaggy. Similarly, the rough was thick in many places. I took these to be good things — conditioning maintenance that will hopefully enhance the conditions. It seems like they actually trying to give the course a little love and left me with a positive feeling of anticipation. With the current, predominant lushness around the course it feels like the course is getting healthier and that it will be better than usual conditions here when they trim it all down. As it is and on the day, there were some heavy patches in the fairways as well as mixed rough, much of it heavy. My buddy reported his bunker experience as very firm. The greens are in very good shape and have been since recovering from aeration. The surface is very consistent both as to visually and performance and the look is almost velvety. They are running a touch on the sluggish side of medium but smooth and I think the pace will pick up over time. As usual, this is hardly a destination course and I agree with kmersola that Roosevelt is nicer, but for what it is worth, Altadena is a decent regulation nine with two par 5's, not an executive course. Getting out for $10 — less than a medium bucket — with plenty of daylight it was good deal and a lot more fun than pounding on the range. With a little bit of time for the conditioning to take effect and some sprucing up with the mower, there is a chance that in the near future the course could end up in as nice shape as it has been in several years — elevating from the dog-track state of recent memory to a serviceable little nine with quite decent conditions and very nice mountain views. I'll keep you posted.

Played Altadena last week for the first time in probably a decade or two. Not because I was intentionally avoiding it, but more because I was playing elsewhere, and don't usually care for nine hole co... Continue »

Played Altadena last week for the first time in probably a decade or two. Not because I was intentionally avoiding it, but more because I was playing elsewhere, and don't usually care for nine hole courses. This was one of the courses my high school team used, which was my initial introduction to it.

Being that it was 20 years ago, it's hard to say this with much certainty, but I feel the course may not be in as good of shape now as it was then. I suppose this isn't surprising, as it's hard to keep a course in good shape for that long (particularly a public/municipal one).

So how is it right now? It's ok-ish. Like it's sister course, Eagle Glen, it only costs $20 to play (walking), and you pretty much get what you pay for. Tees, fairways, and greens are ok. Bare spots exist throughout, mostly in the rough, and especially in front of the tee boxes (almost as if they were waste areas). Bunkers are half decent, but not raked very well (lots of footprints), and sand is inconsistent, and has grass growing in some of them. I think I saw standing water in a few, as well. Greens are very small; so while they have color-coded flags, they don't mean much, since front, middle and back are only a handful of yards apart.

If you are looking for a course like this in the LA area, go to Roosevelt in Griffith Park. It's an executive course (six par 4s, three par 3s), but the conditions are better, and it's a few bucks cheaper.

I played Altadena last Friday with a buddy. It was maybe the second time I've played there in recent months, prior to which I had stayed away for well over a year — a testament to my disenchantment gi... Continue »

I played Altadena last Friday with a buddy. It was maybe the second time I've played there in recent months, prior to which I had stayed away for well over a year — a testament to my disenchantment given how convenient it is to me for casual rounds. What follows here is rendered moot by the fact they heavily punched and sanded the greens since Friday, but seeing how severe my most "recent" review was and not having posted the last couple of times out, I needed to do at least a quick update. Of note is the current absence of driving range access. A wind storm a few months back took down about six poles on the right side and it has been closed ever since, but I knew that when I booked the tee time. Overall the course itself has recovered from the desperate and partially bare dog track that sent me away. It has its usual stretches of thin and bare, usually extending out immediately in front of teeing areas, but the fairways are mostly green and playable. The greens were decent, firm and on the quick side with some bare patches only on the edges of the par-3 8th. Missed the bunkers entirely. Based on the review thread, I seem to be about the only GKer who ever plays the place but, for what its worth and once the greens recover, it is now good as a practice track at twilight rates which is usually the standard it maintains. I needed to find someplace on short notice and it was one of the few places that had tee times available, so as Carl would say, it's got dat going for it. The length and layout made it a perfect walking course for nine holes for my buddy, and with no big expectations, it worked out well for us.

I hadn't been out here in a while and for this course I don't always report on it, but it is time. I went out to grab some twilight holes a couple of days ago and got through six, which is plenty to a... Continue »

I hadn't been out here in a while and for this course I don't always report on it, but it is time. I went out to grab some twilight holes a couple of days ago and got through six, which is plenty to accurately tell you that the course is currently a dog track. Some of the fairways may actually be more exposed dirt than playable grass. Really shocking — almost like an abandoned course except mown. I don't know what they are, or are not, doing, but I can't recall it ever being this bad. The area around the greens is generally OK and the greens ran medium to medium quick and were not as bad as the rest of the course but still a little frumpy. Now I live close enough that I might pay twilight rate to practice— moving my ball onto grassy patches in the fairway. That's a "might" based totally on convenience. For The rest of you, stay away until someone makes a more positive report. Based on what I saw, it will take months to recover, assuming management makes the effort.

Went over this afternoon as a single. Short story is that the greens have been punched with larger holes and sanded. Sand seems to have mainly dissipated, but bumpy, shaggy and slow. Like most places ... Continue »

Went over this afternoon as a single. Short story is that the greens have been punched with larger holes and sanded. Sand seems to have mainly dissipated, but bumpy, shaggy and slow. Like most places that haven't had a mowing with all the rain, the fairways are pretty thick also. Not ideal conditions, but I'm digging the rain for the longer term benefits.

I was in the area this AM and decided to go play here, as I never had. Excellent customer service in the shop and out on the tee and done in 1.5 H. For sure an old time course, that has a pretty nice ... Continue »

I was in the area this AM and decided to go play here, as I never had. Excellent customer service in the shop and out on the tee and done in 1.5 H. For sure an old time course, that has a pretty nice layout. 3039 yards from the blues. Beautiful setting with the San Gabriel Mts in the background. And nice old style CA homes around the outside of the course. It has some teeth left in it and would and could be an excellent course with some TLC. The tee boxes (not all) are a little beat up. Fairways are a mixture of brown/green and bare areas, but they are playable (they do need more water on them). No rough to speak of. Bunkers for sure could use more sand. Greens were nice but needed to be mowed so they were very slow. Grass driving range with plenty of stalls. Nice little cafe on the premises as well. Nice that this is still in the area for those who are just starting golf and for the junior golfers. Not going to be rated as one of my all time favorites, but it got the job done for a golf fix.

Got out early super twilight Saturday, 12/21, hooking up with another single, trying to ensure getting some golf in before the rainy week. In reverse order, greens were in decent shape, quick side of ... Continue »

Got out early super twilight Saturday, 12/21, hooking up with another single, trying to ensure getting some golf in before the rainy week. In reverse order, greens were in decent shape, quick side of medium, and no blighted or problem areas. Missed the bunkers but the area around the greens provided a good chipping base. Winter fairways offered good rollout, more than adequate lies, and generally green coverage. Teeing grounds were in good spots, mostly level with good coverage. Same as it ever was, nothing too special but no complaints and an enjoyable nine.

Went out twilight yesterday, 10/12 as a twosome around 3:30. Turns out the greens had been punched, probably no more than a week previously and, while not a lot of residual sanding, were in waffle-iro... Continue »

Went out twilight yesterday, 10/12 as a twosome around 3:30. Turns out the greens had been punched, probably no more than a week previously and, while not a lot of residual sanding, were in waffle-iron mode. Personally, I was in no-warm-up-casual-nine-mode, so it wasn't a huge deal to me. It seems they are combining greens with some other maintenance as the tee boxes were generally shaggy. I noticed seed on some of them as well as some dampness indicating extra watering and assume they're giving them some growing-in time before the next cut,. So, for general purposes, the average golfer would probably stay away for a couple more weeks. Otherwise, the fairways have the occasional substandard patch but are in good, playable shape in the main. Rough varies and includes bare sections, but is otherwise good and more often not overly punitive in the greened up parts. I avoided all bunkers. We got out a little ahead of the late Friday wave and so had no pace issues. Perhaps because I had no expectations on the waffle greens and didn't overthink the putting, I probably only missed one putt I felt should have been made, and drained a curving 12-footer and a 30-footer from just off the green, both to save pars. Go figure. One of my better rounds here in a while. Not a destination course, but nice to see them putting some work into it. I often don't even bother to write up my rounds here, but I'll report back in a few weeks.