Looking for a tee time? Here are 9 pleasant public golf courses in L.A.
Los Angeles is an ideal place to golf. Not only does our perpetually sunny weather and proximity to nature make it pleasant to play outside but — thanks to golf course architects like William P. Bell, George C. Thomas Jr. and, more recently, Gil Hanse — the city is also home to some of the most aesthetically pleasing fairways and greens ever made. Prestigious tournaments and iconic pro players like Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer have graced these fairways for more than a century. The same with Hollywood icons like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.
Unfortunately, many of those storied courses are private and can cost you upward of $250,000 for an initiation fee alone. I’m certainly not in the tax bracket for that, but I am an avid golfer who makes it to a course at least once or twice a week. (Don’t show this to my boss.)
As someone who was swept up in the wave of new golfers that arrived in summer 2020, I’ve spent the last four years playing all over this city and have golfed a round at every public course that Los Angeles has to offer. I’ve also had the privilege to play at a few of the famed country clubs in the city. (Just in case you’d like to peep my bona fides, my handicap is at a 13, and you can find me on the Golf Handicap Information Network.)
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Needless to say, I’m a bit obsessed. I also have strong opinions about where the best spots in the city are to hit the links.
I’ve compiled a guide that looks beyond those elitist and at times discriminatory luxe golf courses and that turns the spotlight on L.A.’s great public courses. Given the recent public uproar over the booming black market of tee times, these spaces are more valuable to our community than ever.
These courses showcase the variety of options L.A. has to offer. In making my choices, I took into account course conditions, location, price, accessibility, staff, services, difficulty and — most important — vibes. However immeasurable, real golf heads can just feel a good spot when they get to the first tee.
There are certainly courses I’ve left off this list, some because they’re simply too far away for the average working Angeleno. But if you do venture outside the city, some of my personal nearby favorites are Rustic Canyon in Moorpark, Soule Park in Ojai and Rams Hill if you’re willing to make the trek to Borrego Springs. And within L.A. County, honorable mention goes to South L.A.’s Maggie Hathaway Golf Course and Chester Washington Golf Course for their efforts to expand the community with their underserved youth programs.
Officials with the city of Los Angeles approved a new measure to crack down on brokers selling reservations at public golf courses: a non-refundable deposit.
One last note: Even the most idyllic golf course can feel like the worst one when you’re hacking away in a bunker or waiting for the green to clear but my hope is that with each of these spots, even your worst-played game will at the very least be a welcome respite from the chaos of city life. And above all else, let’s all bring a level of respect to these courses and the people who play on them. If you’re bad, just play bad fast and be kind to everyone on the course so that we can continue to enjoy the best this city has to offer.
Roosevelt Municipal Golf Course
Nestled across the street from the Greek Theatre, this nine-hole course was first opened in Griffith Park in 1927 but eventually moved to its current location in the 1960s. After a series of small renovations, the course underwent its biggest remodel in 2019, cementing it as one of the most enjoyable 9-hole courses in the city.
Between the affordable price ($18 on weekdays, $23 weekends), tee time availability and outstanding views of downtown and the Griffith Observatory, you couldn’t find a better deal in Los Angeles for a round of golf. The course is walking only, challenging enough for all skill levels, and it forces you to hit a variety of shots. I’ve probably played it more than 100 times and its charm has yet to fade.
The best times to play are weekdays early in the morning, so as to appreciate the serenity of Griffith Park, or late afternoon toward the end of the week, when you might get lucky and hear that night’s headliner at the Greek doing a sound check. Roosevelt — or Rosey, as I like to call it — does have the occasional Par 3 wait or inevitable Hole 6 tee box backup, but the whole round never feels too long. That being said, like many other courses, it’s inevitably slow on weekends. When you visit, tell my pal Charles at the pro shop I said hi.
Wilson/Harding Golf Courses
If you’re a real one (and able), you’ll walk the course with a push cart and experience all the wildlife it has to offer. I have an album on my iPhone solely dedicated to the coyotes I’ve encountered at both Wilson and Harding. The practice facilities are above average with a two-floor driving range that is excellent for spotting local L.A. celebrities. And with a renovated clubhouse bar/restaurant, you’ll be able to enjoy a cold beer and a surprisingly good brunch menu after your round.
But beware: Tee times aren’t the easiest to come by, especially on weekends.
Los Feliz 3-Par Golf Course
At the Los Feliz 3-Par, you need only three clubs: a putter, a wedge and an iron that maybe needs to go 140 yards max. (Most people I’ve seen on this course are usually carrying more tall boys than clubs.) On top of that, it costs a mere $9 to play the nine-hole round. The Los Feliz Par 3 is perfectly suited for beginners who want to build some confidence or players who want to golf a casual round and get away from the world for an hour or two. To quote Rick Paulas’ 2012 piece about the course, “it’s where people in the city whose main export is escapism come to escape.”
If you work up an appetite while doing so, you can grab a bite to eat at EAT, the aptly named cafe next door. Or check out the Morrison for a happy hour beer and burger. At the end of the day, you come to the Los Feliz Par 3 because there’s comfort in a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously — especially in a sport as traditionally snobby as golf.
Encino/Balboa Golf Course
All that said, I played rounds here early on in my golf journey solely because there wasn’t anywhere else to book a tee time. Even though the Valley has many other options, this could be your best bet to get some precious practice hours in — the range and chipping area are especially good for that. At the beginning of one’s golf journey, sometimes there’s nothing better than an open tee time and a place where you can embarrass yourself in peace.
Woodley Lakes Golf Course
But what it lacks in personality, it makes up for in amenities. First, Woodley Lakes has the only public grass driving range in the area. That alone is cause for celebration. Second, its brand new sports bar, Best Ball, is truly one of one. It has a great selection of draft beers and shockingly good food (get the wings). This is one of the rare courses where you may be better off spending one hour practicing and the next three hours drinking and eating.
Rancho Park Golf Course
Its 18th tee box features a giant plaque honoring the legendary Arnold Palmer for one of the most unique, and little-known moments in his career: On this specific Par 5, Palmer shot a 12… Yes, THE Arnold Palmer scored a 12 after a solid tee shot! The 18th hole narrows toward the green and it’s flanked by a street on the left and the driving range on the right, and Palmer famously hit twice into the street and twice into the range. Pros, they’re just like us!
If you’re able to get a tee time here, you’ll be met with a challenging course featuring fast greens with lots of varying slopes, a plethora of odd lies on weird and tough angles and, at times, shots that make you reconsider why you golf. But it’s undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind course infused with rich L.A. history. I should mention that its driving range is especially packed, given that it’s one of the few places where you can practice your swing on the Westside. If you can ever get a tee time and have an extra spot, I’ll never say no to an invite.
Penmar Golf Course
Staying true to Venice’s brand, it is also home to an excellent outdoor pop-up called Sunset Sessions, which often features live rock music on the practice greens themselves.
Scholl Canyon Golf
The first couple holes are relatively normal, but Bell must’ve been feeling a bit diabolical when he designed the back nine. After you climb a steep, almost-90-degree hill to get to the backside of the course, all hell breaks loose. From an odd 80-yard Par 3 that forces you to hit your ball over a barranca to a weird Par 4 that requires a 140-yard tee shot followed by a 100-yard approach shot over another barranca, there’s something about this course that breaks my brain a little.
Even so, the views are great, and it costs anywhere from $25 to $35, depending on the day. Plus, the driving range just installed new trackmans for your practice sessions.
Brookside Golf Course
Both of its courses were designed by famed architect William P. Bell, and they’re challenging enough to have been the backdrop for the Los Angeles Open in the 1960s. Brookside has narrow fairways and small greens and forces you to play smart golf. Though it can occasionally be in poor condition because it sometimes moonlights as a concert venue and parking lot for Rose Bowl events, like festivals and big soccer matches.
For maybe two months out of the year, you will hear someone say, “Brookside is in the best conditions right now.” That’s usually in February and March, before the start of warm weather concerts. Though playing here can occasionally be a crapshoot, it’s undeniably beautiful. It’s got charm, it’s got history and it’s going to keep you on your toes and require all your focus. Apparently, the course will be getting a much needed renovation later this year, so here’s hoping the new features will solve some of its issues.
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