Local Off-Leash Dog Parks

So where can our dogs play off leash locally? There are not many alternatives and I would really like your input if you have visited any of the off leash dog parks. I have only visited the one in Rancho Santa Margarita, behind the ball fields and next to the skateboard park in Canada Vista park off Antonio Parkway. First time I went, I went alone and was nervous because it's behind the ball fields, far away from the street and I was there mid morning, so no one was around, not even a dog. The second time I went with my family and made sure we were there during early evening, there were about 8 regulars who were nice, however, the park was not well maintained (lots of dog feces) and the wood chips they covered the park with were hard to comb out of Diva's fur. Please share your experience on this blog.

In order of Approximate Distance from Dove Canyon:

5.1 Miles: Rancho Santa Margarita Dog Park
9.6 Miles: Ladera Ranch Dog Park (Open to residents only, so you need to go with a friend who lives in Ladera)
15.4 Miles: Laguna Niguel Dog Park
15.5 Miles: Central Bark in Irvine (Picture above)
22.1 Miles: Laguna Beach Dog Park

Only the RSM Dog Park I would consider local and I'm not a fan. After a day of meetings, carpooling, errands, I don't want to drive 5 miles to run my dog. Maybe I would do it a few times a week, but daily exercise is important. Playing off leash burns off the doggie energy I can't achieve with just walks. I want to run Diva in an area close to home, where I can see my neighbors and friends, people from my school & church, members of the Dove Canyon Golf Club... In a nutshell, People I know and recognize and whose dogs I've gotten to know on walks around our beautiful community. How do you all feel???