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David L. Baker Golf Course reviews
10
0
birdbrainDG
Experience:
102 played
7 reviews
Disc Golf on a Golf Course! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 10, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
I was fortunate enough to stumble upon David L. Baker during a trip from Chicago to the Los Angeles area. I heard they just got permanent baskets in the ground, AND that you could play at night - twilight-style. Upon driving by, I was relieved to find this to be true as I saw a lit up golf course with baskets spread throughout! How exciting!
This course features brand spanking new Innova Discatcher 28's. One of, if not the best basket on the market. Flags equipped and bands numbered, the targets look immaculate.
The disc golf course plays along the same track as the golf course. There are 3 sets of tees, Gold's being the shortest and Blues being the longest. The baskets are all precariously placed on a particular side of the golf green bringing in OB potential on virtually every approach on the Par 4's and every tee shot on the Par 3's.
There are water hazards in play on 7 of the holes on the course, and the sand traps and golf greens play as out of bounds areas. Combine that with the cart paths where applicable, you got yourself a pretty challenging layout.
The entire property is lit up in the evening for Twilight golfers, so you can play at night time without even needing a glow disc if your drives are accurate!
The flow and shape for this course was definitely golf style and I enjoyed the fact that you could stop at the shop or the car after hole 5 and hole 9.
This course features brand spanking new Innova Discatcher 28's. One of, if not the best basket on the market. Flags equipped and bands numbered, the targets look immaculate.
The disc golf course plays along the same track as the golf course. There are 3 sets of tees, Gold's being the shortest and Blues being the longest. The baskets are all precariously placed on a particular side of the golf green bringing in OB potential on virtually every approach on the Par 4's and every tee shot on the Par 3's.
There are water hazards in play on 7 of the holes on the course, and the sand traps and golf greens play as out of bounds areas. Combine that with the cart paths where applicable, you got yourself a pretty challenging layout.
The entire property is lit up in the evening for Twilight golfers, so you can play at night time without even needing a glow disc if your drives are accurate!
The flow and shape for this course was definitely golf style and I enjoyed the fact that you could stop at the shop or the car after hole 5 and hole 9.
Cons:
As is common with disc golf courses on golf courses, and more so an issue with this course in particular because the golf & disc golf layout are so similar, THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC. Fortunately I only had a group of 2, so golfer's were lenient in letting us play through. But be patient and give right of way to the ones pelting really hard balls really fast.
The layout is lackluster and repetitive in some ways. EVERY basket is next to the golf green or bunkers. Yes, that presents challenge, but it can get boring quickly if that is the key feature on every hole.
This course is practically wide open. I do not recall throwing a tee shot to avoid any sort of tree in the fairway. This takes away from the fun factor as it quickly becomes grip and rip, throw a careful approach shot 18x. You truly are playing a golf course layout.
I understand this is a newly planted permanent course and the disc golf hours have recently expanded. However, as a first timer, the clubhouse staff seemed to know nothing about the disc golf course other than it was there and it was the same price as golf.
Signage/Map - I'm getting nitpicky here but now that this course is permanent with baskets in sleeves, a map and disc golf tee-signs would definitely improve the course. It wasn't too hard or time consuming to figure out where to go as it follows the golf holes.
Tees - Disc golfers tee from the golf tees. That will definitely cause issues in the future for all golfers alike. Perhaps designate areas from the cart path.
The layout is lackluster and repetitive in some ways. EVERY basket is next to the golf green or bunkers. Yes, that presents challenge, but it can get boring quickly if that is the key feature on every hole.
This course is practically wide open. I do not recall throwing a tee shot to avoid any sort of tree in the fairway. This takes away from the fun factor as it quickly becomes grip and rip, throw a careful approach shot 18x. You truly are playing a golf course layout.
I understand this is a newly planted permanent course and the disc golf hours have recently expanded. However, as a first timer, the clubhouse staff seemed to know nothing about the disc golf course other than it was there and it was the same price as golf.
Signage/Map - I'm getting nitpicky here but now that this course is permanent with baskets in sleeves, a map and disc golf tee-signs would definitely improve the course. It wasn't too hard or time consuming to figure out where to go as it follows the golf holes.
Tees - Disc golfers tee from the golf tees. That will definitely cause issues in the future for all golfers alike. Perhaps designate areas from the cart path.
Other Thoughts:
It truly was a treat to get to play this course a few times while I was in the area. I really enjoyed being able to throw at night with no glow plastic. I threw all my rounds from the White (middle) tees. I wish there was some more technicality brought in to the course design as the open tee shots are a plenty here. Fun course to play for sure!
11
0
Only open for weekly & monthly events, but worth it. 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jul 9, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
The first thing to remember is that the David L. Baker ball golf course is only open for disc golf tee times from 4:30 - 6:30pm on Monday nights and the first Sunday of the month from 4:30 - 6:30pm.
When I was there yesterday there were 20-30 people waiting in line, in golf cart groups, to tee off at 4:30pm and from what I hear this is common. The disc golf events here are sponsored by Ryan and Jeff Spohr from West Coast Disc Golf, who also currently run events at La Mirada and Huntington Beach.
So look for the Innova flags and banners off to the right of the ball golf putting green since that's where they're set up to take your $20 to participate, which includes a golf cart and prizes if you're good enough to place in your division. Here's the PDGA site showing results and 118 names of current event participants (https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/37325).
Now to the actual disc golf...
Water, sand, and greens are out of bounds. The 7 water holes (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, and 15) are serious hazards. I lost a few discs and so did many of the ones I played with. The good news is that there are course divers that regularly go in to retrieve golf balls and they turn over MANY discs to Ryan and Jeff so you can hopefully get your disc back. I saw at least 50 discs in a pile waiting to be reclaimed. Shots are not played from in the sand or on the greens, but just like the water, you play from where it went in and take your penalty.
HOLE 1 is an Ace run but requires a technical shot since the basket is placed behind the back right of the green and next to a sand trap.
HOLE 2 is like many of the par 4s here, which allow the big arms to air it out. The approach is again tricky since the basket is on the left front side of the green and next to a sand trap.
HOLE 3 has water on both sides of the fairway. Usually the gold tees, which the event use, are shorter, but in this case they are the long tee. So the distance is not 159' like the scorecard says for gold tees, but is more like 342' which is what the blue tees are listed at. I lost a Gstar Katana here that took a crazy roll from a good shot and sadly rolled straight in. The water is hopelessly murky to see a disc. Again, you are contending also with sand and the green.
HOLE 4 is another long shot and the approach a near a green and sand trap. A guy I played with was throwing over the green and hit the pin for the ball golf hole and ended up on the green here for a penalty. So be careful of that hazard.
HOLE 5 is a nice change since the basket is off to the left side and not near a green or sand.
Before you go on to six you can stop by the restrooms at this point and/or get some refreshments.
HOLE 6 is the event's only par 5, according to the guys I played with. If you're not careful here the water on the right will take your disc.
HOLE 7 is treacherous. This basket is the nearest to the water of any hole. And it slopes toward the water. And you either throw over the water, the green, or sand to get there. And if you're not careful then one of the 3 palm trees near the water will swat your disc out of the air and into the water.
HOLE 8 has water that a RHBH will hyzer over, but it's short and shouldn't be as much of a problem as the green and sand are here.
HOLE 9 is long, narrow, and next to a lot of water. The fairway water here must compete with hole 3, 7, and 13 for claiming the most discs. Then when you're past the water you're throwing at a basket placed at the back right of a large green which requires a nice touch shot.
Before you go on to ten you can stop by the restrooms at this point and/or get some refreshments.
HOLE 10 is short and easy. I saw a notepad on top of the basket with a tape measure in case you think you have a chance to win "closest to the hole."
HOLE 11 is back to the plain ole long and wear you out holes, but the basket is on a slope on the back left side of the green, when you finally get there, and requires a soft touch so you don't get a roll away.
HOLE 12 is on the back right side of the green. Like most of the par 3s you should be fine if you can avoid the green and the sand.
HOLE 13 is long and over water. Most of us would drive about 300' before attempting the throw over the water. I did that and still lost a champion Katana there that I hope to get back after the diver rescues it. Some will play around the lake to the left and others to the right. But there's something special about throwing over water on a challenging hole like this. It just may cost you some plastic, however, for an unsuccessful attempt.
HOLE 14 is a fairly simple par 3.
HOLE 15 is tricky since the basket is behind a bunker and you can't see how the water winds around and is nearer than you think. And sand. And a green.
HOLE 16 is long and elevated on the back left of the green. Be careful of rollaways from this basket.
HOLE 17 is long and gave me the double bogey blues.
HOLE 18 is a good finish since you're throwing blind at a basket behind the green next to a large sand trap.
When I was there yesterday there were 20-30 people waiting in line, in golf cart groups, to tee off at 4:30pm and from what I hear this is common. The disc golf events here are sponsored by Ryan and Jeff Spohr from West Coast Disc Golf, who also currently run events at La Mirada and Huntington Beach.
So look for the Innova flags and banners off to the right of the ball golf putting green since that's where they're set up to take your $20 to participate, which includes a golf cart and prizes if you're good enough to place in your division. Here's the PDGA site showing results and 118 names of current event participants (https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/37325).
Now to the actual disc golf...
Water, sand, and greens are out of bounds. The 7 water holes (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, and 15) are serious hazards. I lost a few discs and so did many of the ones I played with. The good news is that there are course divers that regularly go in to retrieve golf balls and they turn over MANY discs to Ryan and Jeff so you can hopefully get your disc back. I saw at least 50 discs in a pile waiting to be reclaimed. Shots are not played from in the sand or on the greens, but just like the water, you play from where it went in and take your penalty.
HOLE 1 is an Ace run but requires a technical shot since the basket is placed behind the back right of the green and next to a sand trap.
HOLE 2 is like many of the par 4s here, which allow the big arms to air it out. The approach is again tricky since the basket is on the left front side of the green and next to a sand trap.
HOLE 3 has water on both sides of the fairway. Usually the gold tees, which the event use, are shorter, but in this case they are the long tee. So the distance is not 159' like the scorecard says for gold tees, but is more like 342' which is what the blue tees are listed at. I lost a Gstar Katana here that took a crazy roll from a good shot and sadly rolled straight in. The water is hopelessly murky to see a disc. Again, you are contending also with sand and the green.
HOLE 4 is another long shot and the approach a near a green and sand trap. A guy I played with was throwing over the green and hit the pin for the ball golf hole and ended up on the green here for a penalty. So be careful of that hazard.
HOLE 5 is a nice change since the basket is off to the left side and not near a green or sand.
Before you go on to six you can stop by the restrooms at this point and/or get some refreshments.
HOLE 6 is the event's only par 5, according to the guys I played with. If you're not careful here the water on the right will take your disc.
HOLE 7 is treacherous. This basket is the nearest to the water of any hole. And it slopes toward the water. And you either throw over the water, the green, or sand to get there. And if you're not careful then one of the 3 palm trees near the water will swat your disc out of the air and into the water.
HOLE 8 has water that a RHBH will hyzer over, but it's short and shouldn't be as much of a problem as the green and sand are here.
HOLE 9 is long, narrow, and next to a lot of water. The fairway water here must compete with hole 3, 7, and 13 for claiming the most discs. Then when you're past the water you're throwing at a basket placed at the back right of a large green which requires a nice touch shot.
Before you go on to ten you can stop by the restrooms at this point and/or get some refreshments.
HOLE 10 is short and easy. I saw a notepad on top of the basket with a tape measure in case you think you have a chance to win "closest to the hole."
HOLE 11 is back to the plain ole long and wear you out holes, but the basket is on a slope on the back left side of the green, when you finally get there, and requires a soft touch so you don't get a roll away.
HOLE 12 is on the back right side of the green. Like most of the par 3s you should be fine if you can avoid the green and the sand.
HOLE 13 is long and over water. Most of us would drive about 300' before attempting the throw over the water. I did that and still lost a champion Katana there that I hope to get back after the diver rescues it. Some will play around the lake to the left and others to the right. But there's something special about throwing over water on a challenging hole like this. It just may cost you some plastic, however, for an unsuccessful attempt.
HOLE 14 is a fairly simple par 3.
HOLE 15 is tricky since the basket is behind a bunker and you can't see how the water winds around and is nearer than you think. And sand. And a green.
HOLE 16 is long and elevated on the back left of the green. Be careful of rollaways from this basket.
HOLE 17 is long and gave me the double bogey blues.
HOLE 18 is a good finish since you're throwing blind at a basket behind the green next to a large sand trap.
Cons:
Pay to play is a con for many, but I think it's worth $20 to get a cart. This course is over 8,000 feet and that's a long walk.
This is technically a "temporary" course on dgcr since its not available to play most of the time. If Ryan and Jeff don't go there to set up the temporary baskets for these events then the course should not be listed here. Most of the temporary courses on dgcr are setup once a year but David L Baker is a bit different. Since these events have been going on for awhile it is now listed as a permanent course on dgcr. But remember not to bother the ball course people since the only way you play here is to join the weekly and monthly events.
An event only course is no fun for course baggers who want to get in and out. If you come here you should plan on 4 hours. You might get out in 3 hours if you're lucky, but don't count on it or you're likely to be disappointed. But if you like a slow paced social experience with pretty good disc golf then this "event only" David L Baker course isn't a CON, but a PRO.
This is technically a "temporary" course on dgcr since its not available to play most of the time. If Ryan and Jeff don't go there to set up the temporary baskets for these events then the course should not be listed here. Most of the temporary courses on dgcr are setup once a year but David L Baker is a bit different. Since these events have been going on for awhile it is now listed as a permanent course on dgcr. But remember not to bother the ball course people since the only way you play here is to join the weekly and monthly events.
An event only course is no fun for course baggers who want to get in and out. If you come here you should plan on 4 hours. You might get out in 3 hours if you're lucky, but don't count on it or you're likely to be disappointed. But if you like a slow paced social experience with pretty good disc golf then this "event only" David L Baker course isn't a CON, but a PRO.
Other Thoughts:
As Orange County disc golfers discover these events at David L Baker in Fountain Valley's Mile Square Park it is only going to get more crowded. One guy I met said this is about all he plays lately. I can see why. If you like the social experience, a well laid out course, and GOLF CARTS (!) then you'll like this place and tolerate the $20 cost as well as the extra time it takes.
