Now, there is a downside to this insanely low rate, that everyone in SoCal knows about it and the course is often jammed resulting in horror stories of guys giving up finishing 18 holes after 6 (6!) hours on the course. I vowed that I would only play Los Verdes if I went there out at the crack of dawn and thus:
Glowballs! Glowballs for the first 2 holes to be precise as my 6:07am tee time slightly preceded daylight. It also rained on my head for about 4 holes so I don't really have any memories to offer for the first few holes other than the holes being short-ish and you were never out of it even with glowballs.
Eventually, the rain let up the sun poked through and I staggered my way around the front side in a daze. The front side is in good shape with the course being well designed to whisk away rain and views here and there of the Pacific.
As with Sandpiper, this course really turns it on during the backside and is WELL worth your $29.
Downhill driveable (even for the average Joe) par 4 with views of the Pacific? Check.
Crazy long and crazy fun dogleg left that ends in the Pacific? Check.
Cliffside par 5 (don't go left!)? Triple check!
Coupled with some pretty fun par 3's, the backside packs a punch is well worth the early ups and the kinda surly regulars playing behind you. Pace of play was sub 4 hours on our part BTW.
Downsides for the course? The backside, while fun and pretty, was a bit waterlogged but also threadbare in parts of the fairway and I saw the greens bounce a few putts (in fairness, the course is SO heavily played the fact that the greens did not resemble the craters of the moon was a minor miracle). The staff was great, the course was in surprisingly good shape overall and the pace of play didn't have me slam my head against the wall.
Overall I was so glad I played this course, although now I need a nap.
For more information about Los Verdes, check out the link here: http://www.losverdesgc.com/