Recreation Park Golf Course 18

Course History

Golf at Recreation Park predates the park itself. In 1919, an 18-hole course was built on these grounds by Colonel Charles R. Drake and members of the private Virginia Country Club, which played the site until the club relocated in 1921. The City of Long Beach first leased the grounds, then purchased the park outright through a voter-approved bond issue in 1923, securing the layout as a municipal course. The greens were converted from sand to turf in 1926, and the companion nine-hole course was added in 1928. The parkland design as it stands today is attributed to William P. Bell and his son William F. Bell, the duo behind many of Southern California's classic courses.

Recreation Park has seen plenty of competitive golf, too. When the Long Beach Open was revived in 1989, the tournament rotated between El Dorado and Recreation Park, and Rec 18 stayed in the rotation until 2006 — an era in which future PGA Tour winners such as Paul Goydos, Scott McCarron and Kevin Na captured the event. In 2011 the Press-Telegram named it a Readers' Choice favorite golf course.

The Design & Architecture

The Bell-attributed layout is classic Southern California parkland. There is no water anywhere on the property; instead, the defense comes from constant elevation changes and strategically placed bunkers that reward smart angles and honest club selection over brute force. Fairways are Kikuyu — the grabby, spongy turf that props the ball up but punishes shallow contact — while the greens are a bentgrass/Poa annua blend that regulars describe as quick and well maintained.

Signature Holes

The course points to the 18th as its signature hole — a finishing hole the club bills as a memorable conclusion to the round, climbing back toward the clubhouse. Detailed hole-by-hole write-ups are scarce for Rec 18; its character comes less from a single postcard hole than from the rolling terrain, which serves up uneven lies and changing elevations from the opening tee shot to the final green.

Playing the Course

At 6,405 yards with a 70.2 rating and 119 slope, Rec 18 is a fair test for most handicaps rather than a punishing one. Fairways are generally wide and forgiving and there are no forced carries over water, so big numbers usually come from misjudging the elevation changes or getting greedy out of the sticky Kikuyu rough. It is one of the busiest municipal tee sheets in Long Beach, so book ahead — and the night-lit driving range makes it easy to warm up before an early time or squeeze in practice after work.

Know Before You Go

• Public course at 5001 Deukmejian Drive, Long Beach, CA 90804; call (562) 494-5000 for tee times and details.

• More info and booking at https://www.recpark18.com.

• Amenities: night-lit driving range, putting green, chipping area and practice bunkers, plus a café with indoor/outdoor seating and a full pro shop.

• Tip: take an extra club out of the Kikuyu rough — the sticky turf grabs the clubface and kills your runout.