Golfing In Los Angeles, California

We’ve been mulling over LA as a golf destination for a while. But every time we get looking online to figure out where to play we never get very excited by what’s out there (especially if you’re staying in Santa Monica / Venice / etc).. Luckily, one of our team member was “forced” to go to LA for a wedding which overlapped with a work conference. That meant 7+ days there, but would that mean only average golf outings (he golfs 2-3 times per week in the summer) - surprisingly no. To preface this, you do need a car (or be willing to shell out the Uber cost) as there is no great golfing experience (for us common mortal) that’s easily accessible. However, with ~ one hour commute and you will play some of the coolest golf out there. Here is our Top 5 Los Angeles courses for the golf addict!

1) Pelican Hill (North and South): Pelican Hill Golf Club is considered one of the best places to play golf in Southern California - budget 45 to 60 mins from LAX to get there). Consisting of two courses (North and South) that play along the Pacific Ocean, golfers are treated to stunning views out to Catalina Island. The north course, which sits a bit higher than the south course, plays at just over 6900 yards as a par-71, but Tom Fazio designed both courses. Both courses offer challenges with massive bunkers, deep canyons, and fairways that tend to slope; golfers will be challenged by both the elements and the terrain. Both courses are absolute stunners, and so is the Pelican Hill resort (at a hefty price tag). 

Although not inexpensive, the average price to play Pelican Hill is about $160, so it ranks on the higher side of the public courses that we have played.

2) Los Verdes Golf Course: Los Verdes Golf Course is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is considered one of the best “value-play” of LA area golf course (and the US?). Measuring just over 6600 yards, this par-71 gorgeous Billy Bell designed course has some of the best ocean views of any course in California. Yes, better than Pelican Hill and Trump. Los Verdes boasts meticulous fairways and tight greens, even if putting is challenging due to the strong breezes coming off the pacific. Los Verdes never fails to impress and continues to be one of the top golf courses in Los Angeles County. Tee times are difficult to come by, so make sure you log on to their website right when the desired play dates opens up for booking. Good luck!

Los Verdes is by far the best bang for your buck when it comes to playing a gorgeous course on the pacific ocean, as you can expect to drop only $42 on a weekday and a mere $48.25 on the weekends.

3) Angeles National: Angeles National Golf Club has consistently been ranked by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine as one of the Top 30 Best New Courses Worldwide and one of the Top Ten Best New Public/Resort courses in the United States. High praise for this Jack Nicklaus designed course, which is the only Nicklaus Design golf course in Los Angeles County. This par-71 plays just over 7100 yards and consists of generous fairways, magnificent views, and immaculate emerald greens perfect for any level of golfer. It is a great “desert golf” experience just outside LA. Budget 40-50 minutes to get there from LAX.

Rates for this course vary based on when you play and range from $95 to $180, which is incredibly reasonable given the course.

4) Terranea Links (par 3): Terranea Links is the only par 3 course on our list and deserves a hard look when going for a golf adventure on the west coast. Terranea Links is a throwback seaside links-style design by Todd Eckenrode with views that rival some of the more prominent courses in the area. Yardage on the holes ranges from around 100 yards to 175 yards, so you will be able to work on a range of different approach shots. One nice feature there is the greens (and the views but that comes with most ocean courses), which are big and have some severe undulation. This par 3 is a hidden gem that shouldn't be missed. Pro tip - Terranea, Los Verdes and Trump National are all very close to each other in case you want to stay at one of the resorts there.

Rates to play this little gem are very reasonable, starting at $21 all the way up to $48 on the weekends.

5/ Trump Los Angeles: Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles is par-71, stretching just over 7300 on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Pete Dye initially designed this course in 1999 as Ocean Trails, but after a landslide wiped out the 18th green, the course fell into bankruptcy, and Trump bought it and opened it in 2006 (are you surprised bankrupt and landfills? [a few of the best Trump courses are built on landfills, and we all know he is the king of bankruptcy]. Ocean views are found from every hole on the course. The course's signature hole comes on the 17th, 238 Yard Par-3, which showcases a towering waterfall that cascades into a pond behind the green. The only knock to this course is the holes on the first nine are very “back and forth” and can be seen as repetitive. But wait until you make the turn… wow (especially at sunset).

As expected with a DJT course, it is a bit expensive to play, but deals can be found during the week as rates range from $75 all the way up to $375 on the weekends.

Hit ‘em Straight!

The Fairway Team