Balboa Park Golf Course

Balboa Park Golf Course is a city owned complex consisting of a 9-​hole executive and a full 18-​hole golf course. A city resident card, which can be purchased at the course, gives you discounts and preferred tee times at Torrey Pines, Balboa, and Mission Bay. The clubhouse at Balboa Park is rather old and shabby, but hanging on the walls are many interesting photos showing its history. The clubhouse and course featured in an independent movie called «5-​hour Friends.» It’s a crap move, but interesting to see scenes of Balboa and Little Italy. There is a master plan approved to renovate and add to the clubhouse. I believe it was originally planned for demolition, but it is now a registered historic building. It’s basically a two story shed, but, hey, history. The plan includes some modifications to the courses and extended parking.
Tobey’s restaurant is basic, but the sandwiches are good and the place is popular with locals for breakfast. The staff are very helpful and friendly. Ask for the homemade hot sauce!
The 9-​hole course is flat with only two true par 4s. There is little rough on it, making it very suitable for beginners. Although there is foot golf on this course, they don’t get in the way. I’ve yet to see anyone on there playing foot golf.
The 18-​hole course is one of my favorites in San Diego. It’s not too long, but there are challenges on every hole, as the course winds in, across, and up the sides of canyons. The elevation changes make it interesting. I’m 60 years old and walk it regularly with a push cart, so don’t be a sissy and get some exercise! My friend’s Fitbit registered 19,000 steps and 50 stories after playing here, but he is a crap golfer who constantly hits it from one side to the other on opposing fairways. My golf involves cracking it gracefully down the middle with a slight draw and I rarely lose a ball at Balboa Park.
Standing on the first tee, you get a lovely view of Downtown and Point Loma. It’s an inviting drive down the hill on this friendly short Par 4. Hole 2 is a par 5 running along the bottom of the Canyon. If there has been rain, you’ll probably be restricted to the cart path on this hole and the third hole.
The 4^th hole is the S.I. 1 hole and is a challenge for all golfers. The fairway bends left up the hill where the elevated green is tucked away in the side of the hill protected by trees. The fairway gathers all balls to the right here. Hit it too straight or hit a slice and your ball will disappear into The Valley of Sin, where you will struggle to get it on the green and make par.
I love the little par 3 13^th. From the white tees it’s a flick with a wedge across the valley. If you’re ball is short, it will probably run all the way back down the cart path. Long is better, but the green slopes steeply from back to front. Just hit it stiff for a tap-​in birdie and you won’t need to worry.
The feature hole is on the back 9. After the very friendly reachable 15, where you probably made par or birdie, you will probably be thinking all is good with the world and you are a natural at golf. Your delusion is about to end. The 16^th is a long par 5 along the ridge of the canyon. Aim your drive for the big tree in the middle. On the left are bunkers and a deep descent into the canyon and on the right is OB (out-​of-​bounds, not Ocean Beach). After your drive, it’s a sphincter tightening smack with a fairway wood. Canyon waits both left and right to gather anything but the straightest shot. Aim for the big bushes to left of the green, because you won’t see that the canyon on the right cuts in almost up to the bunkers. Shots hit right of the green usually don’t have a happy outcome. If you get a bogey, rejoice, it could have been worse!
There’s a sweet downhill par 3 for the 17^th, then you head up «heart attack hill» to finish below the clubhouse. It’s an easy finish if you hit it straight. If you hook your ball it will drop down the bank on to the first fairway. It’s a hassle getting down to your ball and very difficult to recover from down there. If you hit your drive right, it may drop back down off the bank. Or not. Good news, they’ve taken out all the ice plant to the right of the green, so you’ll find your ball if you hit it there, but good luck getting down in two as the green is downhill and fast.
There is a halfway house selling drinks and hot dogs, but no drinks cart on the course. Pace of play varies. I’ve played a foursome there in three and a half hours and one over the holidays that took a miserable five hours plus. I’ve yet to see a martial moving play along, so you’re at the mercy of people in front of you.

I missed seeing any mention of the City of San Diego resorting to Soccer Golf on their courses in a attempt to raise revenues. Apparently this has been going on for five months as I was told the last (and FINAL TIME) playing at Balboa in November.
Shame on the city for even thinking, let alone instituting this! If they want to increase revenue they would do a lot better putting Balboa back in the shape it used to be. There was a full service restaurant, the grounds where beautifully manicured, and numerous events including weddings were held there. That clearly would bring in more revenue than ill mannered boys kicking balls down the fairways!
I have no idea how many other golfers they’ll lose, but they lost this golfer forever!

I have to say that I’m probably biased because I live basically right around the corner so it’s super close for me to get to.
You can purchase a resident card for $ 25 (as long as your driver’s license shows an SD address, you’re good to go– there are other ways– i.e. property tax docs, military docs, etc) and then you’ll get discounts on the green fees. The resident card also goes towards other San Diego public golf courses including the Torrey Pines one where the PGA tour takes place sometimes!
They have an «executive» course– 4 Par 3s, the rest are Par 4s– so a little more challenging than most executive courses but challenging still nonetheless.
They also have a full 18 hole golf course as well with great views of downtown and once in a while you’ll see the airplanes right overhead, pretty neat!
The course is maintained pretty well, service here is nice, people are friendly. Haven’t tried the café but it looks super homey and old school, kinda like that touch to the golf course. :)

Solid golf course in the heart of San Diego with views of downtown. $ 40 with residence card or $ 50 without on weekends. It’s a weird setup where you pay for a cart in one place then have to go around the corner to pay for your round. After playing here I will definitely avoid driving next to the course. There are some dangerous holes where they need some netting next to the roads. Saw about 5 shots head into oncoming traffic. I’m sure cars get hit all the time. But overall, fun, challenging course for a reasonable price.

This review is for the 9-​hole Executive Course. I really like this track. It can easily be finished in 1.5 hours. The greens are always in great condition and you get to pull out the driver more than most 18-​hole executive courses. Well for me at least. For the gents out there that crush the ball there’s only 3 holes to use the driver, but even that is a lot for an executive course.
This is the perfect practice round for after work or in the early morning before a full afternoon twilight round. Be mindful that the Ladies tees have a couple bonus strokes on the more difficult par 3s and 4s that will end up saving a stroke or two. If you need that sort of thing. Haha.
Resident rate is steal. Clubhouse leaves a bit to be desired, but all in all a good experience.

This is a beautiful course.
I have enjoyed playing the back 9 on this course a couple times now.
The club house is a little out dated, but the staff is so friendly, who cares.
Def one of my home courses that I will continue to challenge

This is truly a great course in the middle of San Diego. They accept San Diego resident cards so you receive a small discount which is always nice. The course is well kept and boasts views of the downtown skyline and some views of the Coronado bridge as well.
It is not a long course but has its challenging holes and I definitely recommend getting a cart. I can’t wait to play here again, twilight rates are good as well.

I want to love Balboa, I really do. Heard a lot about it as Balboa overlooked the scenic side of San Diego, Balboa Park, parts of DTSD and the planes landing overhead.
The clubhouse is very old. The bathroom is super old, the parking lot is is narrow and small and situated away from the clubhouse (I saw broken glass on the ground like the other reviewers stated about the safety of vehicles), the course itself was in pretty good condition.
Clubhouse: old, hot, and needs some TLC.
Bathrooms: oh boy, just hope you don’t have the number 2 it cuz the stalls are veryyyyy small (good luck).
The course. Plan to not whip out the driver too often. Bring lots of balls if you can’t control your shots and don’t, I repeat, don’t pull out your driver on that one narrow par 5 in the back 9. I don’t remember the hole (maybe the 15^th?), but you’ll know which hole I’m talking about. That par 5 is a piece of work, most people will hit it into the hazard and will forever lose your ball!
Greens were pretty solid and as they said, rolled towards DTSD for the most part. I didn’t do too bad but not too well either playing my round for the USPFC tournament this year. I wouldn’t come back though… :(