South El Monte, CA

Whittier Narrows Park

2.955(based on 28 reviews)
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8 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 5.5 years 318 played 306 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Barely Notice It's There

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

A pancake-flat course that could use a facelift and more obstacles.

I will have a lot of bad things to say about this course later on. However, I will note that at first I thought it was pretty cool to be in a historic park. Apparently it hosted Worlds at some point in the distant past. It's a fairly pleasant environment as the land is dedicated to park use. The grass is thick throughout and parts have a nice low canopy of trees. The place is infested with loud birds, which is a pro for me.

The main 18 course was straightforward to navigate. Without hills, it's also easy to walk and you'd be hard pressed to lose a disc except near a couple of fenced in powerline towers. I was the only disc golfer on a Monday during the day.

The gameplay here is acceptable. Predominantly the course is open holes in the 300' range. Trees should be easy to avoid, but a couple of holes have some extra challenge, whether proximity to parking lot, one guardian tree, or a low ceiling.

There are at least 27 holes here so plenty of options to prolong the round. I think there was also an alternate 9-hole course worked in to the middle of the front 18 that would offer more possibilities - I didn't hang around long enough to find out.

Cons:

I have a whole laundry list. The course just seemed to drag on compared to every other course I played on this trip to LA.

The amenities are inconsistent and generally lacking. The front 9 had minimal tee signs, but none after that. Most holes had small concrete tees, but a few only had rubber pads and quite a few pads had the wrong numbers, presumably from previous iterations of the course. There were at least two kinds of baskets in play but neither was very good. Minimal maps and navigation guidance.

Roads and parking lots are at risk frequently, and I skipped one hole entirely due to the hazard. I also found the parking lot a bit seedy on a Monday. There were a lot of people parked there that weren't anywhere to be found on the course.

Maintenance was okay but not great. Grass was on the long side throughout so you won't get any skip action.

I can think of only two holes with 1' or more of elevation change. Most holes don't really have obstacles either to speak of, so it becomes very monotonous.

This was also a hot and sunny course to play. Sections don't have any tree cover. Combined with the monotony, this really creates the opposite of a compelling experience.

Other Thoughts:

Whittier Narrows was an interesting historic look at disc golf, but time has not treated it well. Or perhaps it was always a drab, slightly questionable piece of flat park land. Anyway, it has an acceptable number of okay holes and very few holes make me angry - just none get me excited. Overall it's Reasonable, but not anywhere I'd return to unless I lived nearby.

~Similar Courses: Carver Recreation Center (Chattanooga, TN); Chattahoochee Pointe Park (Suwanee, GA); North Midway Park (Broomfield, CO).
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2 0
dobsonr
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 40 played 33 reviews
2.50 star(s)

It's Electric! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 1, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Lots of open holes that have a ton of options for what you can throw. Plenty of room to air it out.

- There's grass! The park itself seems to be relatively well-maintained.

- Not far from the city. You don't feel like you're in the city while playing here, more like you're in a suburban neighborhood.

Cons:

- The electrical wires. There are a few fenced-in areas of electrical towers running power in different directions. When you get near them you can HEAR the electricity - it sounds like a swarm of cicadas. Made me pretty uncomfortable being under them.

- Not much variation in the course design. Most of the course is flat, and there isn't much in the way of technical holes.

- Several baskets were missing.

- Navigation. Even with the map we had a hard time finding many of the tee pads.

- No signage. Would really help!

- Some of the holes played dangerously close to busy roads. Be careful!

- The course is in a public park that seems to be very popular. There were lots of people around, having barbecues and picnics, going on walks, and lots of kids running around. Several holes were unplayable due to the amount of bystanders in the park.

- Technically the course doesn't cost money, but the parking lot does. I suppose you could park in the neighborhood to avoid this. I imagine the money goes towards maintaining the park, but as far as the DG course goes, it doesn't seem to get much TLC.

Other Thoughts:

Not a bad course at all, but not particularly worth going out of your way to play here. If I lived closer I'd probably play it more often, but I vastly prefer Oak Grove and Chavez over Whittier.

I played on a Saturday, so it made sense that the park was pretty busy. I'm going to make a point to get back there on a weekday and I'll be sure to update this review if that changes my playing experience at all. Hopefully linking up with some locals will help with the navigation and improve the overall experience.
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5 0
aghanDG
Experience: 11.6 years 3 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

18-Basket Course Review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 28, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This review is for baskets 1-18. The course offers 27 baskets but the 18 baskets tend to be relocated more often.

Baskets are in good shape.

Concrete Tee pads - Missing on Basket 2.

Marked Tees on walking paths on some baskets.

Open and flat course. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends because it is located in the group picnic area of Whittier Narrows. There are toilets on site.

The terrain consists of grass, a few dirt patches here and there, and walking paths. They have shortened the holes, since noted on an earlier review, so you don't need to strong arm it. Perfect for working on technique. The course offers a lot of challenges for all kinds of throwing types. Not a lot of people are at the park during the week day.

Cons:

Lots of mole hills, gopher holes, and other small terrain dangers if you are not careful. Watch your step. Weekends, especially during summer, get really crowded with picnickers. You'll end up playing the Back 18. There are a fair amount of electrical towers that are fenced off, so you have to be wary where you are throwing.

Other Thoughts:

A lot of trees for shade, also become obstacles. I wasn't sure if this was a pro or con :D.
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7 0
The_Warwolf
Experience: 22 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 23, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I played very early and except for my feet getting soaked as usual I really enjoyed the course. The hole layout makes for reasonably good birdie attempts but also requires some technical throws with either low ceiling or shaped shots that will challenge you off the tee.

There's no long bombs required (at least in the first 18) but a couple baskets require solid distance if you're looking for a birdie (if you play what appear to be the long tees on the map then I think you can play a really fun longer version of the course - they're not necessarily marked on the course and might not have pads but rather be from grass areas).

If you play in the morning during the week there's no one around. I played between 7am-8am and had no problem navigating the course. The map under "Links" was pretty good.

Nicely groomed, clean, real bathrooms, enjoyable surroundings overall. Great course if you're like me and go before work and just want to get through a round without too much hiking or blind shots.

Cons:

There isn't really any hole you can fully open up on (at least for 1-18). I don't think it ever occurred to me that I couldn't reach a basket from the marked tee (except for the trees I kept hitting!) so it was mostly about shot placement and not distance. FYI I average drive around 350ft and max out at 375-400 depending on wind and luck :)

I think once you understand the hole layout (better than on your first time out) you could probably shoot some low scores depending on skill level. If they vary the basket locations then I can see some more difficulty, otherwise it's all pretty straight forward.

I could see this place getting very crowded in the afternoons and weekends. Not sure if the high schoolers spend time in the park, but it's very close.

Other Thoughts:

This course is very enjoyable and worth a visit if you get a chance. I wouldn't say this is a MUST play course, especially not if you're coming in from out of town as there are other courses I'd rank higher, but if you're a local and get a chance to play then it's definitely worth a round or two. I plan on getting out there again.
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6 1
SuperBurrito
Experience: 29.8 years 15 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Mixed Results 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 10, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a large well groomed grass park with slight rolling hills/mounds. There are three 9 hole loops that start and end at the main parking lot.
- Many of the Holes have good tee signs.
- Most holes have a good tee pad.
- Plenty of fun holes to bomb on.
- Plenty of free parking on the streets and a huge lot ($6/car on the weekend)
- Real bathrooms.
- Paths and parking lot offer up some OB to make things a little bit more challenging.

Cons:

When we last arrived there were 200-300 people playing soccer/futbol across holes 16-19 and hole 27. There was absolutely no playing those 5 holes and the basket closest to the parking lot had been filled to the brim with bags/water/coolers/jackets and had items piled on top. I had to laugh.
- Weekends may be much worse if you want to play all the holes.
- Hole 2 throws right next-to/over a fenced in SUPER powerline structure/pole. It may be impossible to retrieve a disc if it lands in the middle, unless you like climbing razor wire or have a really long pole.
- Not all holes have a tee sign. 19-27 have no signs at all. (print the map!)
- Not all holes have a tee pad. The higher the number hole the more likely you will be teeing off from a marked spot on a path or from a well used spot in the grass.
- Many of the baskets are very old designs and smaller or lower than you would normally expect. (this is minor and may actually add to the challenge)
- Sheriff watched us (and everyone) the entire time, so be prepared for that kind of presence.

Other Thoughts:

Like most public park courses this one is much better to play on the weekdays. For sure print out the map if its your first time or you are expecting to find/play the last 9. The first 9 had the best tees and markers. The second 9 was pretty good as well with a couple missing markers. The last 9 has no markers and only natural or path tees. Figuring out where the next hole is can be very difficult sometimes. Not the most challenging course out there but there are many very fun shots here. Hole 13 is the highlight of the course if it is in the position where it is on a island in the parking lot!
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5 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Long, Spread Out And A Little Tricky To Navigate! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Whittier narrows is this large, sprawling, flat park with scattered mature trees. I found a kiosk at the start by the parking lot. the kiosk had no disc golf information on it. There are concrete tee pads with kind of a speed bump marking the front edge. The signs are a large yellow poles with large fiberglass tee signs on them giving you the distance and a map.

I got confused right off at # 2. # 4 plays right through a picnic area. # 6 has an oval shaped tee pad while # 7 and # 8 both tee off sidewalks. I had a hard time finding # 9 pad. Then the second 9 start on the other side of the parking lot. # 13 is a fairly narrow hole for this course. The basket was not set on the island today, too bad!
# 18 plays back to the beginning and I have no clue as to the whereabouts of the final 9 holes.

Cons:

Navigation was quite sketchy for me. I looked all over for numerous tees. Never did locate holes 19-27.
Park is wide open and flat. The island hole is the only hole that seems to have to have much personality. Others just seemed long.

Other Thoughts:

I'm quite sure that I would have enjoyed this course more had I been able to hook up with any locals. Unfortunately, there was nary a local to be found a 7:30 AM on a Wednesday morn. Just me, a few parks maintenance men, a few squirrels and a couple of folks wandering about. I doubt very much whether any of these folks or critters could educate me on the missing 19-27th holes. All in all, a very average course.
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5 0
Schanen11
Experience: 16.6 years 20 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Long course, bring your big arm 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Three 9-hole courses all start and end near parking lot. If you're out to play 9 you can have your pick (I recommend 10-18)
-Some pin placements put low-hanging tree branches into play and force some shot-shaping.
-Hardly ever busy. Most days I'm the only one out on the course.
-The island hole (#13) is really fun to play.
-Back 9 has a different feel than the front and mid 9.
-Real bathrooms between hole 7 and 8.
-Locals are very friendly and laid-back and will help you navigate if needed. I've met and played with more people at this course than any other in the area. Don't be afraid to ask if you can tag along if you happen to be out by yourself.

Cons:

-Can get swampy in some areas in the mornings due to excessive watering.
-Parks & rec hacks up the fairways with the mower.
-Fire ants - be careful in the patches of dirt!
-Baskets are old and worn
-People in charge of pins rarely ever alternate pin placements.
-#3 and #4 are long holes for the sake of being long (currently anyway). These would be much more interesting holes if they made use of the patches of trees and put the pin somewhere near/in those.
-$5 parking on the weekends!!! Park on street north of holes 3/4/5.
-Dirt teepads on 19-27 with the exception of holes that start on the sidewalk.
-Occasionally you'll run into a family making use of a fairway as their BBQ area.
-With the exception of #13, there really isn't a cool unique hole on this course.

Other Thoughts:

Since moving nearby, this has become my 'home course'. My first impression of this course was not good as I could only rarely clear 300' with a driver. Playing here more and more over the past 6 months has forced me to work on adding distance and now my drives are in the 350'-400' range. This is a great place to go to work on your game, since you will rarely have anyone playing behind you. Also, it's semi-beginner friendly as there really isn't anywhere you can lose your disc with the exception of the fenced-in electrical towers.
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2 4
LiLHomeGirl
Experience: 11.2 years 7 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

I'm Tired! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 10, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Distance, distance, distance! Great practice for rollers. Tree and grass.
- free parking when we went.
- "rest" stops are possible but you are visible. The linked fence surrounds the entire park.

Cons:

- signs are confusing. Bring a map.
- a few holes should be modified for beginners.
- slightly boring course.
- safety for solo ladies is just ok. Plenty of people during the day but I wont be going there alone.

Other Thoughts:

Not my favorite but will go back to practice my distance shots.
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7 1
BZoods
Experience: 14.8 years 27 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-27 holes separated into 3 easy 9's all starting near parking lot
-multiple pin locations
-Some pretty decent variety in length
-Park wasn't busy when I played, no conflicts with other uses
-Decent teepads for the most part
-Not too busy when I played

Cons:

-Pretty open and flat, gets kind of repetitive.
-Not much need for shot selection... you can play the full course without much issue by using the same shot type throughout
-Some questionable basket locations that make you throw along road ways or to baskets that are less than 10m from parking lots.
-19-27 aren't as easy to navigate as 1-18.

Other Thoughts:

I played this along with Sylmar, Oak Grove, La Mirada, and Huntington Beach in one day and this was probably my least favorite of the bunch. Expected a bit more out of it, and left a bit disappointed. I think the land could be better used as an 18 hole course instead of 27.
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7 5
Mabuku1
Experience: 12.8 years 33 played 5 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Abandoned course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 9, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

I'm trying to think of any, but none come to mind. It's at a park that has real bathrooms. You will be the only person here with the occasional person walking their dog. There are tee signs for every hole, but not baskets for every hole. That's about it.

Cons:

The course looks like it has been abandoned for decades. Baskets are not kept up and paint doesn't match on any of the baskets that are bent to hell on some and missing on some holes. Other holes have baskets that are shared baskets with one or more other holes. Park is completely empty, as it is tucked away in the corner of two freeways. And a tiny neighborhood right next to it. I think the park was made for the neighborhood that is in the middle of nowhere.
It is not connected to whittier narrows regional park, so if you don't know the area you will have a hard time finding it. it is right next to Legg Lake, just east of it.
I don't recommend playing here untill whoever is in charge of upkeep of the course does some... Upkeep.

Other Thoughts:

Don't come here. Go to la mirada. You will thank me for steering you away from a bad expierience. I really wanted it to be a great course, but it is anything but that.
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10 1
DiscinTim
Experience: 16.2 years 4 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice and open.. literally! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-relatively well maintained grass and lots of it
-concrete teepads
-nice and empty most of time
-some nice long holes to break out your arm
-variety of shot opportunities, a few bombers, rollers, and even an overhand or two if you feel inclines
-good risk reward with some holes
-9 'bonus' holes
-old teepads make for some good safari play

Cons:

-back 9 is hard to navigate, but the map here helps
-if you play later in the day on weekends there are people having large parties, and they tend to stray into the fairway or pick up your discs(mainly on the front 9)
-lots of police/trucks driving through (not a bad thing, but those with prop 215 related concerns may want to keep their eyes open)
-the gates around the towers are most often locked, make sure to check before you take a risk shot that might land you inside one.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of my favorite courses in Socal because you can really open up your arm and throw some long tee-shots. Its also rarely crowded, and you can play a whole round without waiting for anyone ahead of you.

When baskets are in their long positions you have a chance to play some 'real' golf, and its not just a birdie festival.

It would be really nice to see someone from SoCal step up and throw a tournament there this coming season. Its been a long time, and the course has great potential.

The weekly tournaments are starting to become more popular again, despite an incident with ace pool money being used for club activities.
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14 0
DocHaole
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.7 years 79 played 48 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Lateral Epicondylitis 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- 27 holes with a lot of big distance holes.

- Tee pads, signs and baskets are in good shape.

- Fairly light non-DG traffic, practically deserted on weekdays.

- Easy navigation with the map, the only trick is crossing the parking lot.

- Good mix of long and short pin positions. The course layout makes it really important to cash in on the short holes. And rewards big drives.

- Excellent use of obstacles and OB including power lines, trees and island holes.

- Well maintained, clean park. Grass is regularly mowed, perfect for distance rollers.

Cons:

- Super flat, on every hole.

- The course just has weird vibe to it. I know it's a subjective thing to say but the combination of being practically deserted, the police patrolling and the random trucks in and out of the parking lot just give it a strange feel.

- Pay to park on the weekends, don't fall for it you can park on the side street for free.

- Alt 9 is hard to follow, use the directions on this page.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a great change of pace from the others in the LA area. The most open distance holes that you will find in the area.

I have to admit that my first trip here I was disappointed with the weird vibe, flat land and lack of aesthetic value. But having come back again and again and playing in the weeklys I have come to really appreciate the course.

It's a solid course with a good challenge and it's worth checking out if you are in the area, but it won't' knock your socks off.
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16 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Flat, but fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a sprawling park that is grassy and scattered with mature trees but no brush. Some creative use of fenced off and road ob adds some challenge and risk to an otherwise flat course. The trees are used well to make a mix of holes that allow for lots of different lines, and holes that define a specific line to get through more dense areas of the park. There is a good balance of right and left turning holes, and enough distance to add some good challenge.

The park is nicely taken care of, with recently mowed grass and no real litter or vandalism issues. The front and middle 9s have nice concrete tees and decent signs, making them easy to follow. There are a lot less people here than other LA area courses, so you can get through 27 holes here in the same time that 18 holes take at many other parks.

Cons:

The course does a good job of mixing up hole shapes, but it feels a little repetitive because of how flat the course is, and there isn't much variation in the foliage throughout the course. Some holes feel long for long's sake, and too many fall into a tweener distance where the vast majority of players can't ever get a 2, but there isn't enough risk to cause many 4s.

The third 9 is a little hard to follow, the map and daKineSurfer's review make it a lot easier. A couple holes share a basket, and so you might have a conflict with two groups playing to it at the same time. There are a lot of picnic areas scattered around the park, and several are in places where an errant disc could easily end up. The road as ob is a fun obstacle, but can be an issue if there's much vehicle traffic.

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice park course, but a little lacking in risk/reward decisions and variety. Beginners will find it a little long, and might get frustrated. More experienced players will need to throw long to score well, and find this a good place to work on distance rollers with hard ground and short grass. This isn't a destination course, but it's worth a stop if you're in the area.
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14 0
OcDiscGolf
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.3 years 23 played 19 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nice Historic Course, But not enough Elevation change 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 31, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

• Well marked tees with signs on most holes
• Great use of obstacles, including Electric pole pylons with 10 ft barbwire fences. Luckily the fences are unlocked so you can retrieve your disc
• Plenty of long holes - bring out the big arms!
• Additional 9 Holes in addition to the Standard 18
• Creative use of angles - not all RHBH hyzer
• Well maintained baskets
• Crowds are kept to a minimum - maybe because it is a bit out of the way
• Good concrete tees on most holes
• Beautiful old growth Trees
• Plenty of bathrooms and trashcans


Cons:

• Virtually no elevation change - the park is quite flat
• Can be very wet in the morning or after a storm - mud in some areas
• 6 Bucks to park, although you can park on the 2 side streets, Lexington and Durfee
• No Pro Shop or snack shop
• Course is "off the beaten track" - kind of a bit in BFE
• Next door to some sort of Police substation with police cars constantly coming and going. As long as that's OK with you it doesn't pose a problem.

Other Thoughts:

Whittier Narrows is a course in the L.A. area that has been around for quite a few years, and was home to the 2001 PDGA National Championship. The course is a challenge for players of all levels, and has some of the most creative use of obstacles I have ever seen on a course.

Although there is no significant elevation change, there are plenty of angles of all types - some extreme hyzers, some controlled anhyzers, and a bunch of tree tunnel shots. Rollers will definitely be at home here as plenty of holes play in the 400+ range. Although it does seem a bit daunting at first, there are plenty of birdies to be had.

Signature holes include a hole that is a slight hyzer to a grass "island" in the parking lot, shooting over a small 2 lane road. The road is OB and gives the psychological effect of water. It makes for an interesting placement shot. Another hole plays around 3 giant power pylons with 10 foot high barbed wire fences - the basket is in the far right corner.

Errant shots are definitely punished at this course. An Extra 9 holes in the back established by locals allow the course to be played to a full 27 holes.

I would play this course again, but my personal preference lends itself toward courses with more elevation change - for me, I really want to see half the holes have some some elevation change or it gets a bit boring. There are only maybe 4 holes on this entire course that offer any sort of elevation change. Overall though, a challenging course that definitely deserves a play, but there are much better in the L.A. / North O.C. area.
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11 1
backswing_aplenty
Experience: 18.8 years 83 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Long and flat 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 31, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Tucked away in a little used part of the park the course plays very long and very flat on the front 9, kinda long and flat on the middle 9, and pretty long and flat on the last 9. 27 hole course with "back back 9."

Very well maintained course with mowed grass, great tee boxes, bathrooms, drinking fountains, well laid out tee signs and good flow to the holes.

Multiple pin placements allow for medium, long, and really long shots. Has a mix of hyzer, anhyzer, rollers, and thumber shots with just enough trees to make you think about your tee shots and placement at the basket.

Some signature long holes for the big arms as well as several ace runs in the middle 9 and back 9. The addition of the extra 9 oles really makes this course, using existing tee pads and old course layouts the "back back" 9 are very creative holes weaving through the back of the park. The only elevation comes into play here; a good 10ft at hole 25-26.

Cons:

Plays long for the sake of being long on several holes on the front. The 600 footers are not easy 3's but easy 4's, it is fun to air it out, but only for those that can and can frustrate players without the arm.

Very flat. Hard to call this a con when it's just the land they have to use, but only 3-4 holes actually use the small hills that are there.

$6 to park, many old baskets that want to spit everything out, $6 to park, some scrunched fairways on the front that are close to crossing, $6 to park.

Other Thoughts:

Not many debilitating cons to lower the rating and the designers did well with the land they had to use, but there is only so much that can be done with a lot of flat. They have made up for some of the monotony with long holes, most over 325' and well placed tee boxes and creative pin placements to force a golfer to think about each shot. The holes are open but not wide open. There is just enough trouble on the course to make you think.

A signature hole is 14 which plays between 2 power pylons and has an 8 ft. gap to hit at a 90 degree angle from the tee. Awesome pin placement.

The second great hole is a 250' shot with trees off the tee onto an island green. Fantastic use of the parking lot for a great hole.

I really like this course and will play anytime someone brings it up, if you've got the arm there are many birds to be had, and the back back 9 really make this course shine.
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12 0
DaKineSurfer32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.9 years 577 played 57 reviews
3.50 star(s)

SO FLAT 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 24, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- cement tees
- multiple pin locations
- a few extremely fun/unique pin locations (11 in the long, 13 on the island, 14 in C-position behind the 3 power line boxes)
- signs showing multiple positions, all OBs and semi-accurate distances
- good course for opening up your big arm, or learning to throw long distances rollers
- lines for both forehand/backhand routes on almost every hole
- usually pretty empty, so you'll have most of the course to yourself
- many trash cans speckled throughout the course
- two bathrooms (on the walk between 7 & 8, and near 15)
- can play 18, or 27. Not many people know how to follow the Alt 9 (19-27). See my 'Other Thoughts' below for directions

Cons:

- zero elevation change for the entire 27 holes can get quite boring
- signs are outdated
- the basket positions are not moved very often, if at all
- many baskets are very old
- many 'dead' tees from prior incarnations of the course
- pay to park on weekends, to avoid this, turn left on the road right before the course entrance and park down at the end of the fence, and jump on at hole 6
- many police cars patrol the area because South El Monte isn't a shining gem in LA, but just be conscious of where you 420 or drink and you shouldn't have a problem
- other park goers are clueless, so make sure you let them know if you're about to hit them

Other Thoughts:

Directions for the Alt 9:
Hole 19: After 18, go back to tee 17, and throw to the basket way off in the field that you see if you look on the other side of the powerline directly off the tee.
Hole 20: from basket 19, walk to the fence on your left (West), turn right (North) and walk along the fence line. You'll see a worn patch of grass between 2 trees about 75 feet up. Throw across the field to the basket by the pavilion.
Hole 21: from basket 20, walk to the path (NE), and around the corner to the top of the small hill. Tee 21 is painted on the cement path in bright white and throws to basket 6.
Hole 22: from basket 21(6), walk 50' back toward tee 6 and you'll see an old cement tee in the ground, throw from this tee to the basket directly East, past the picnic tables in the pines.
Hole 23: from basket 22, walk another 50ish feet East to another old cement tee. Do not throw down the channel (the direction the tee faces) at the old mach basket up on the small hill. You are actually throwing at the DISCatcher on the same hill, but 100' to the right of the basket that looks obvious. The tee does not point at the correct basket. Again, make sure you're throwing at the DISCcatcher, not the mach.
Hole 24: from basket 23, turn around and walk back to the cement path, tee 24 is painted (faintly) on the path in orange paint. Throw away from the basket you just played to the basket in in the far corner of the park (North)
Hole 25: from basket 24, walk SE toward the baseball field fence. the tee is an old cement tee along the baseball field fence, and throws to the older mach basket on the small hill, by the DISCatcher (23)
Hole 26: from basket 25, turn around again and walk NE back toward the baseball field fence. The tee is on the cement pathway about 50'-75' East along the path from the corner of the baseball field fence. It is painted with faint orange paint. It throws over the small hill about 350' to a basket by the bathrooms.
Hole 27: from basket 26, walk off to the left and you actually have to make up your own tee on this one. We usually tee off from about 25'-50' directly E of basket 26 (toward the pavilion), and you play to the basket near the beach volleyball courts, back toward the parking lot.

League nights are on Thursday, so if you want to play a casual round, don't come on Thursday night.

Whittier can be a fun course, but it can also be very unforgiving. It may be flat, and pretty wide open, but it still provides even the most seasoned player with a challenge. One of the original LA area courses, and a staple of the Worlds held in LA in the 1980s, it's definitely worth checking out.
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12 0
Danger
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 105 played 68 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Flat park course in SG Valley 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 25, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Easy to follow the course
-Concrete tee pads, and they are flat
-Long, long baskets, and some short ones too.
-27 holes, if you can figure out how to play the 'hidden 9.'
-Friendly locals, but the park has been pretty dead every time I go.
-Beautiful green grass, although the consistency varies, making the disc landing a surprise every time.

Cons:

-Police presence has been pretty high lately. A substation is across the street.
-Some holes on the back 9 play close to a busy road, and is not fenced in.
-No real terrain features, mostly flat and hills that are no more than 5' tall.
-Have sometimes dealt with some pretty oblivious picnic patrons.
-Some pins play close to the parking lot. I would recommend parking in the middle section of the lot to prevent dentage.
-Some old mach & dga baskets are starting to look like they need some TLC. There are some beautiful Discatchers on the unused 'old 9,' why not move them onto the real course?

Other Thoughts:

Course is in a very large generally unused park. There are some playground areas, and some picnic areas that do get used, but for the most part, they are easy to avoid while playing.

Sometimes, the sprinklers are on while were trying to play, which has made the game kind of interesting to say the least.
On weekends, they wanted $8 to park the car in the lot. There is a street right along the park that you can park for free on. I don't have a problem paying but when its that easy to avoid, Ill avoid it.

Hole 10 starts on the other side of the parking lot, just so you know.
Finally played 19-27 and they are a good little bonus 9 to end the day well. The course is visible from basket 16, and actually starts on the tee pad for 17. Read one of the more recent reviews for a detailed description of the course, which shouldn't be missed.

This park is probably one of the better opportunities in Los Angeles to really practice your big arm throws. The least busy of the major park courses from what I have seen, I have never been stuck in that irritating rotation where you are trying to keep up with the guys in front of you, but not lag too long for the guys behind you.
I like to play here to have a relatively quiet day of wide open drives.
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14 6
Apothecary
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.8 years 66 played 36 reviews
3.50 star(s)

pigs galore 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 19, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-lots of technical, weavy shots

-plenty of open space to flex your guns

-not many people playing

-decent baskets

-lots of different lines...good for rightys and leftys

Cons:

-more cops than any airport or sporting event ive ever been to

-less than accurate signage (one sign missing, one basket in an unmarked pin position)

-cops patrolling the park...and just hanging out near the tees, bsing

-a few dangerous tee shots near busy streets and long fences with few holes for disc retrieval.

-flat as a pancake

Other Thoughts:

weirdest vibe ive ever had at a course. probably saw 20 cop cars patrolling the walkways of the park. its across the street from a fueling depot...but come on. we live in more of a police state every day. i asked one of them why so many pigs were out there and he said "dont worry...this park is the safest place in the area".

oppressors.

otherwise, its a good use of its space, if youre not worried about getting cancer from the high-tension lines above and dont mind heavy police presence, i highly recommend it.

***UPDATE***

ive played this course quite a bit lately and the police presence has been slim to none.

also, there are a ton of baskets on the back side of the course to play an additional 9 holes on top of the regular 18.

for instructions to the additional 9 holes, see DaKineSurfer's excellent directions in his review.

loving this course more each time i play it.

+.5 disc
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8 0
ibgollie
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.8 years 62 played 31 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Big D in SoCal 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 16, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Finally, a course in SoCal that you get to open it up a little and watch the disc fly, over and over again. Most the other courses have 1 or 2 holes, but this course makes you throw far... a lot.
-Good tees
-Good signs
-Long holes
-27 holes
-Not many ppl
-Easy navigation (except final 9)

Cons:

-Flat
-Final 9 holes is pretty much impossible to know where to throw from unless you have a guide. Which sucks b/c it was probably my favorite 9.
-Baskets are old, but they work
-No local club
Some holes go through picnic areas or by them, but evidently there aren't many people that us those facilities so it makes the holes more difficult.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed playing this course because it is different from most the other courses in SoCal. It's long, mostly open and great to work on flat out distance and course management. You actually have to play it like ball golf, get your birds on the birdie holes and place you disc in the best position for an up shot on the long holes.

I'm sad that they don't hold a tournament here, it would be a great venue since it's 27 holes and there isn't many other ppl around to get in the way.
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1 3
thrownow
Experience: 49.2 years 9 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Flat, long and grassy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 24, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good length in flat grassy park. Great for rollers and distance drives. Rarely crowded. Only 9 minutes east of downtownLA

Cons:

No elevation. Nice to have the additional holes but they lack tee signs or even marked tee areas.

Other Thoughts:

Best use of local resources would be to get tees and signs on the additional holes here.
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