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2.6
31 Reviews (31)
5 Stars
4
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
2
Conditions
3.8
Value
3.4
Layout
4.1
Friendliness
1.8
Pace
2.9
Amenities
3.0
39.5%
Recommend this course
26 out of 31 reviews
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Value
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2.0
1 Reviews (1)
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0
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0
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1
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Conditions
4.0
Value
3.0
Layout
4.0
Pace
2.0
Amenities
3.0
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1 reviews
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About

Holes 9
Type Public/Municipal
Style Executive
Par 32
Length 2175 yards
Slope N/A
Rating N/A

Course Details

Year Built 1921
Fairways Kikuyu Grass
Greens Kikuyu Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $8
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Halfway House

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Reviews

2.6
31 Reviews (31)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Enjoyable Round of Golf at a Great Muni

Balboa is one of the best old Municipal Courses in the country. Heavy previous rains made the fairways tough, but the greens were perfect and the views of the city are great. Played with a couple from Atlanta and it went really well. I like the course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 32
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

The Devil's Liar

Balboa Park is centrally located in the heart of San Diego. The Balboa Park Golf Course is located within the 1400 acres of Balboa Park, as are the San Diego Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Spanish Village Art Center, San Diego Old Globe Theatre Complex, and the Morley Sport Complex, which includes the golf course.
The Balboa Park GC is a traditional links style golf course, with tall and rolling grass. The primary vegetation is chaparral, and coastal sage. There are also several clusters of trees to add to the course beauty and wickedness as well as a wide assortment of wildlife including mule deer, bobcats, and Red Diamond Rattlesnakes. The bird species are too many to mention, however I did see a very impressive large hawk. This is where things start to get interesting.
The Devil's Liar : the course is quite hilly, with visually intimidating tight fairways and postage stamp greens which are undulating and fast. I checked the course slope rating and yardage, which showed the Blue tees (the tips) at 72.1/127 and 6347 yards. This devilish little course will deceive you, because the yardage and slope rating does not accurately reflect the difficulty of the course. If ignored, the course demons will take your golf game straight to the Devil. Trust me, there will be a few times when you will shout "Jesus", and look for some form of devine intervention. Standing on the first tee box and looking down at a steep sloping fairway, which drops about 75 feet, you wonder should I hit driver. The hole yardage is 344 yards from the Blue tees. The fairway is wide, but if you spray the ball left or right you will find yourself on a side sloping hill in deep rolling grass or foliage. If you play by the rules of golf for a lost ball, then it's back to the tee box and a uphill climb. I used a 2 hybrid off the Blue tee and found the fairway. My next shot was uphill to a quasi peninsula green, with deep rough front and back, and a steep dropoff  on the left side of green. My second shot was short, but I chipped it close and one putted for par. By the time I reached the second tee box I was ready mentally to challenge the course, but my game was not. I had to make some adjustments to stay in the game.
The guilding light through the valley of evil: First, leave the driver in the bag, if you can't hit it staight. This course was designed for not so long hitters, who are virtuous iron players, with the putting touch of an angel. Second, good course management is a must. Aggressive play is a medieval curse that will lead your game down a path of disastrous consequences. Play smart and be prepared to lay up short of the green. Finally, swallow your pride, move up to the White tees, and by all means "Do Not Walk This Course".
You will have a better understanding of what I am talking about when you reach some of the signature holes. My favorite hole is hole #6, a 210 yard (Blue tees), par 3 with a peninsula green. The day I played this hole the pin was in the back and the hole measured 225 yards. I purposely layed up, chipped it close and one putted for par. The course is really challenging from the Blue tees and more relaxing from the White tees. If you are a low handicap player, then this course is devine. Higher handicap golfers playing the White tees will find enjoyment and heaven right here on earth. Which path will you take? Good or Evil?
The course layout is impressive as is the difficulty of play. Pace of play was good most of the time, with only a couple of spots where it slowed down.

I like this course and recommend it to all golfers except beginners.

Course Review
H.Bell (Golf Enthusiast/ Writer)

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 153
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 100 Contributor
Boston Advisor
First Time Playing

18 holes before a flight

I chose Balboa due to quick ride to airport for return home. Course is short with some really quirky holes especially on the front 9. Front nine plays in low area with climb gradually to back nine. Really nice sight lines to downtown. I walked but I'd suggest a cart , it's a climb. Practice range is not good, driving into a clay canyon? Staff was friendly I had ubered over and was carrying my luggage so man in pro shop held my stuff in back office during play. Highlight of course is 16. A par 5 over a canyon to a thin fairway with a big drop to right. Really neat to stand on that tee and plan strategy. Restaurant in clubhouse had super friendly people and cold beer!! That's a 5 star!! Back patio overlooking #1 and #18. Was a good day. If my plans permit it I'd play again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Very nice old muni

Played in February, 18 holes with cart on a Friday for under $60 in San Diego - what a surprise. I play frequently and am somewhat critical in my review of courses. Balboa was a wonderful shortish course with beautiful vistas of San Diego. Front nine was very tight, while back nine a bit more open. While only 6300 yards, it is no pushover, due to tiny, very quick greens. Greens were similar to private clubs I have played. Rest of course was in adequate shape - great greens make up for most all other defects. I would highly recommend course to all who like the price point and quick ride to airport. Practice range is not good, and operational set up to pay confirms the county is involved. In summary, neat course at great price.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Old School Experience

This course was a lot of fun. Great views of the downtown and surrounding areas. Variety of holes were outstanding. Only a couple of similar holes Some excellent par 3. Number 16 par 5 is as challenging and exciting hole is you will play anywhere. The course was recently aerified so the greens were very slow but it was still a lot of fun. I walked the course and it was an incredible workout for a 6200 yard course. Will definitely play again my next trip to San Diego.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Walked

Best Muni in San Diego Not Named Torrey Pines

Not a particularly long course, but the design is quite enticing and fun to play. Only a few holes seem to mirror each other; most keep the challenges and elevations varied.

Course in good shape - fairways are generally good to hit off of, rough is playable, greens are at a moderate to slower speed. Each time I've played here the pace of play has been pretty good, waits are infrequent. Good range and practice green.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Walked

Great Value and Place to Work your Game

I've played here a few times - at its best, this is a very quick course where I've had opportunity to practice and work my game (and most clubs in the bag) for a very reasonable price (especially compared to Mission Bay GC not far away). At its worst, this fairly sizeable 9 hole course can move very slow with every foursome that hasn't played golf in years.

Pretty straight ahead design that maximizes on available space. Recommended during off-peak times.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

WOW is all i can say

My time is running up on my SD resident card and I wanted to play Balboa and Torry in the same weekend. Tee time at 315 and got off a little early, which is always nice.

I was absolutely amazed on how good the course looked. I play 3 times a week, and this course is in better shape than most courses in SD. Both myself and my playing partners were amazed on how good the course looked, especially in the past this course is a little less then desirable.

The only draw back is the prehistoric way they make you pay and then go to get carts in another area. This is so ridiculous, but hey the course totally made up for it.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 24
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great Muni course

For a muni course, the greens and fairways were in great shape. Twilight rates start at 2pm and are a bargain. Weekends are always busy and it's expected to have some wait times. It would be great if they require carts on "weekends" only to keep the pace manageable. Our cart died several times and mgt was quick to replace on the course.

When weather is perfect, you get a great view of the city and ocean. Definitely recommend that you play here at least once.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 128
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Texas Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Not bad for a muni!

Played this as a final round of a golf trip since it was near the airport.

For being a muni it was in pretty decent shape (especially compared to most munis i've played in Texas).

It's a pretty straightforward course, but is interesting enough to be enjoyable. There is a par 5 on the back (i think #16) that was the toughest par 5 of our trip (Steele, Madera, and Torrey were the other courses we played).

If you are looking for a good, inexpensive round this is the spot.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
5.0

Best fairways in San Diego!

According to the people who know, the course is in the best shape it has ever been for the last 50 years.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
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