SOUTHLAND FOCUS

A weekly look at golf courses open to the public in Southern California.

BALBOA GOLF COURSE

Address: 16821 Burbank Blvd. Encino.

Phone: (818) 995-1170

Green fees: $17.50-$23.

Tee times: Seven days in advance (City Department of Recreation and Parks card required).

The facility: Balboa and its sister course, Encino, are Los Angeles city-operated courses. Balboa is the easier of the two layouts, about 550 yards shorter than Encino, a par 72. There is also a driving range.

The good: The location is good for Valley residents, but probably the best thing you can say about Balboa is that these days it is rarely crowded. That’s because it isn’t in very good shape, although the Encino course is even worse. Balboa and Encino have more trees than nearby Woodley Lakes, but there are no water hazards, a plus or minus, depending on how you’re playing. One definite plus is the friendly service in the coffee shop.

The bad: If you have an early tee time, prepare to hit directly into the sun on No. 1, which faces East. From there, things improve only slightly. The fairways are spotty and the greens bumpy. If temporary greens bother you, you might want to call ahead to find out if there are any. These days, it seems Encino is more likely to have a couple of temporaries than Balboa.

The score: If you just want to get together with friends without having to drive too far or spend too much on green fees, Balboa gets the job done. But if you’re a serious golfer looking for lush fairways and smooth greens, this is not the course for you.

*

Overall rating: 1 ball.

* One ball: No-frills golf.

** Two balls: Worth an occasional round.

*** Three balls: Like shooting four strokes under your handicap.

**** Four balls: Where the golf gods play.

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Hole Back Tees Middle Tees Men’s/Women’s Par Front Tees 1 400 381 4/4 371 2 338 326 4/4 315 3 336 325 4/4 313 4 200 190 3/3 172 5 501 490 5/5 482 6 429 419 4/4 412 7 390 374 4/4 365 8 393 380 4/4 372 9 383 374 4/4 361 Out 3,370 3,259 36/37 3,163 10 379 371 4/4 362 11 319 298 4/4 276 12 451 435 4/5 418 13 148 134 3/3 122 14 388 377 4/4 366 15 352 334 4/4 319 16 373 361 4/4 351 17 218 207 3/3 198 18 361 350 4/4 337 In 2,989 2,867 34/35 2,749 Total 6,359 6,125 70/72 5,912

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Rating/Slope: Back--69.3/113; Middle--68.1/111; Front--71.8/118