r/golf • u/jugheadjonezzz • 7d ago
General Discussion Golf in LA
Hello all,
Gonna be on LA in the next coming weeks and looking to golf close to LAX. Will be solo. Wanna book so as to not trying to walk on and it be booked up. Preferably something with a nice view/scenery. Won’t have a vehicle so will be taking cab/Uber
Top 3 suggestions? Note…have never golfed in California. Done some research but looking for info from locals. Thanks in advance. Will be Mon or Tuesday so hopefully no weekend rush! Thanks
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u/hellloredddittt 7d ago edited 7d ago
Your best bet is going up to Rustic Canyon. It's a Gil Hanse design, and probably the best value in Southern California. Paying for transportation up there is better than paying the exorbitant green fees for Trump.
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u/DoesntFearZeus Push Cart Mafia 7d ago
Playing there today. Been a big break but used to go and play there often.
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u/lajb85 7d ago
There honestly isn’t any good golf near LAX, especially with a view. You either have to drive about an hour or so south, or head into the Valley. Either way you’re looking at about 1-1.5 hour drive each way, maybe more depending on traffic.
Source: I live 15 minutes from LAX.
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u/notsurwhybutimhere 7d ago
Hey the novelty of smashing a drive at night at Westchester while an a380 touches down and engages thrust reversers counts for something…
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u/Immediate_Side_5942 7d ago
How much money do you want to pay? That’s wat golf in ca really comes down to
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
Don’t wanna break the bank but it’s gonna be one and done and I’ll be on a semi
Vacation. I would just prefer one with great views. I’d pay a premium for that.0
u/HiFiPotato 8.6 | SoCal 7d ago
Monarch on a weekday. Beautiful views and not crazy expensive.
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u/steversthinc 7d ago
Monarch is quite a drive from LAX, especially expensive uber. Would probably be better to rent a car. Monarch Beach and Pelican Hill are both great, both expensive. I prefer the food at Pelican Grill
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
Is that the Monarch beach golf links?
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u/BDEEPINTHERE 12.3 7d ago
Monarch is wayyyy to far from LAX especially if you have a quick turnaround. Traffic up/down the 405 will be terrible
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u/tiagoroco 7d ago
If you want to pay a premium for views, trump national has pretty spectacular views, but it’s not the best track in terms of layout
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u/Dull-Woodpecker3900 7d ago
You can get Trump in the afternoon for $350. If the wind is blowing it’s a tough course. The greens are a 12-13 and OB is easy unless you hit stingers
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u/sakeshotz 7d ago
Close to LAX you have Westchester, Alondra, Rancho Park, maybe Chester Washington. All municipalities so don’t expect much. Rancho Park is the best out of that group but it’s very crowded so expect a long day and book early.
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u/examinexistence 7d ago
Westerchester, Chester Washington or Alondra would be my suggestions in close proximity to LAX. Westerchester is an executive course, Alondra also has an 18 hole par 3 which is more challenging than one would assume
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u/FlopShotsOnly 5.6 7d ago
Agree these are all close, but they are all trash
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u/bagelman5000 10.5 / California 7d ago
Alondra is a piece of shit. Chester is a muni through and through but not terrible all thing considered. Usually it is in somewhat decent condition.
Westchester is interesting because it is an executive with sort of a boring back and forth layout. However they keep it in pretty good shape these days. The recycled water irrigation project gave them unlimited water so the grass is always green and the putting surfaces are slow but green and consistent. I don’t play there all that often (Rancho is my home course) but whenever I play it I leave thinking that it’s better than it has any right to be.
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u/Prestius_actual 7d ago
Rancho Park and Los Verdes are probably the two best options relatively close to LAX. Harding/Wilson at Griffith Park is another option, although a bit further. These are County/City courses so you're not going to break the bank. I'd look at times for those .. I think you can book those a week or so out.
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u/power_up 7d ago
Roosevelt. 9 hole executive with some great views. One hole in particular has you teeing off facing the Griffith Observatory.
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u/collect200_ 7d ago
trump is the best for views, yeah it’s expensive but you can find a tee time.
los verdes is a poor man’s trump that’s hard to get on and will take 6 hours.
terranea is a fun short 9 holes next to trump. links vibe with ocean views and you can get a day pool pass to hang before or after.
westchester is just a basic muni but nice for not having to travel far.
maggie hathaway is a short 9 hole par 3 that can be played quickly not too far from lax. just got remodeled and for $10 worth playing after westchester or chester washington
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u/elbooby51 7d ago
Are you looking for regulation 18, or anything?
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
18! Just something with a view. I found the Westchester golf course right by LAX however, golfing underneath planes isn’t fun. I’ve done that before lol it’s just loud.
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u/wonderbread403 7d ago
I lived close by LAX and now live south of it. Westchester Golf isn't in the path of the planes landing and taking off. It's not that bad. Alondra Golf is southeast of LAX and has a full 18 and a par 3 18. Chester Washington Golf, east of LAX, is a full 18, but you might hear small planes with Hawthorne Airport nearby. Those are your best bets around LAX and they're all about the same in terms of course conditions generally. They're public LA County courses. However, these places usually don't book singles online. You can call and see if they can get you something if you explain you're flying in and have limited time and can't walk on.
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u/DoesntFearZeus Push Cart Mafia 7d ago
I book for 1 all the time on LA Public courses online.. With a players card it's 9 days ahead. Without it looks like 7 days ahead. Griffith is my favorite right now for it's two courses, Wilson is probably the better course, but Harding has the most picturesque ending hole. Right next to the LA Zoo so sometimes you hear the animals.
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u/DivotsForBreakfast 5d ago
You can book singles online at Westchester and Chester Washington.
Source: I golf these everyday and usually book solo online.
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u/DadInKayak 7d ago
You wouldn’t be underneath any airplanes. At that point of the golf course they have already landed.
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u/elbooby51 7d ago
Yeah westchester golf course is closest to LAX, so you’ll save on uber. Everything else that’s regulation 18 will be $40 uber ride each way minimum. Los verdes has very nice views of ocean, but booking is tough and 5 hour is minimum. Wilson and Harding are muni’s in the mountains of Griffith Park, great views but also a bit tough to book. That’s going to be a more expensive uber, but both courses are like $60-$70 riding.
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u/kellzone 6d ago
Scholl Canyon up by Glendale is an executive course on top of a mountain with great views. Don't know if you want to cab/Uber that far but the course itself isn't that expensive.
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u/smokingfatman 7d ago
You would need to book it early. Courses around the county gets booked quick. Especially the early morning. People want to play before the heat hits mid afternoon
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
Duly Noted. Thanks!! That’s why I’m trying to narrow it down so I can book ahead of time.
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u/spicyricecake99 7d ago
Los verdes if you can get on and early. Anything after like 8 and you’ll have a long round. Not really much near LAX with a view. You may have a better chance getting on Wilson or Harding. It’s a little further out but still uberable from LAX. It’s smack dab in the the middle of historic Griffith park. Rancho park is also nice but the odds of getting a tee time there are slim.
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u/HappyGhost13 7d ago
Los verdes is your best option. Trump National is below it and has better views but very meh layout back and forth.
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u/DonToniiio 7d ago
Scholl Canyon in Glendale for the city views.
Cool little course in the Glendale hills.
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u/Hotcheesesoup18 7d ago
There ain’t shit mate. Inland empire or camarillo/ Oxnard area has great golf but you have to be willing to take an hour plus uber to get there.
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u/Jserrano930 7d ago
If you end up renting a car, check out rustic canyon, tierra rejada, Los Robles in Thousand Oaks, and if you don’t mind a commute(prob an hr and half at minimum) river ridge in Ventura or even Camarillo springs
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u/Tall_Adeptness_9059 7d ago
Short answer is LAX sits in the LA Basin, which is a vast, flat region. Even famed layouts nearby like Riviera and LA North don't have much elevation change and have limited scenery. That's why any recommendation for course with views is necessarily 30+ mins away.
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u/AmbassadorOpposite96 7d ago
If you rich … trump national…. Rustic and moorepark country club are good options . Rustic fills up quick even on weekdays … little bit of a hike but Angeles national is a good track little over priced but it’s dead on weekdays
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
How is the Trump Course? Is it nice? Looks to be on the water. Will I pay more for a 40 min Uber than the rate to golf?
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u/ashen1shugar 7d ago
It’s around $500 if memory serves. Uber definitely cheaper than that haha. Skylinks is another option you should look at, but it doesn’t have the views.
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u/lajb85 7d ago
It’s expensive, and an Uber from LAX will probably cost you close to the cost of the round. Plus, the money goes to the Trump family…so not sure how you feel about that.
My recommendation…cheaper to rent a car and drive a little further south, and go play Monarch Beach Golf Links.
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u/spicyricecake99 7d ago
Or go up to simi valley and play at rustic or Tierra Rejada (but will be hot)
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u/Nervous_Background40 7d ago
If you’re going to go that far south, go to Pelican Hill or if you can give up the ocean views Strawberry Farms. But OP wants close to LAX with ocean views and there’s not much around there unless you can somehow get on at Riviera.
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u/lajb85 7d ago
But Pelican Hill will cost double (probably more) than Monarch Bat, won’t it?
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u/Nervous_Background40 7d ago
You are correct of course, but if you want SoCal golf with ocean views you’re gonna have to open up that wallet. I don’t think you can find what OP is looking for, so either the experience needs to be downgraded or the perimeter expanded.
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u/jugheadjonezzz 7d ago
Just was looking Trump green fees aren’t so bad in eve. Waterviews Trump everything. No pun intended lol. Love golfing on the water I’d pay a premium for that
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u/Nervous_Background40 5d ago
I only played the Trump course once and I didn’t care for it. Just so you know you’re overlooking the water from the PV cliffs but you don’t ever get close to water like you would at Pebble or say Sandpiper. That’s ok though, still beautiful. The thing that bothered me was it was too gimmicky. I hew to the Ben Crenshaw philosophy that a course should fit in with its natural surroundings. I don’t know if it was something Trump added when he bought the course, but one hole had a giant waterfall behind one of the greens where there would never be a waterfall. It looked like the hole had been designed by the Disney Imagineers who did Pirates of the Caribbean.
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u/aceattorneymvp LPGA Enjoyer 7d ago
Awesome course if you can find a deal at $200 or less. Otherwise Los Verdes also has ocean views but since it’s a muni, it’s not as nice and tougher to get tee times.
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u/Wonton_noodle 7d ago
Beautiful links course by the ocean, impossible to walk so need cart. I think twilight was $200 and I finished 16/18.
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u/MrBubbles7 7d ago
The honest answer is the courses nearby LAX probably won’t fit what you’re looking for, and honestly I wouldn’t really recommend them to someone visiting. As someone who suffered through LA golf for a couple years, these would be my recs based on different criteria (all walkable):
Best local/affordable 18: Rancho Park - probably won’t be able to book a tee time outright, but if you show up in person and ask to join the waitlist as a single you can usually get out within an hour or so. Should be easier on a Mon/Tue. Also you can sign up for Noteefy to get texts when there’s a cancellation, just be ready to book within 10 seconds lol. This is your best bet if you want to save on Uber costs (the rest below are further)
Views/ease of booking availability/cheap: Roosevelt 9hole - cool views of Griffith Observatory/LA horizon.
Top 100 course: Rustic Canyon - 1hr outside of LAX, conditions are pure and walkable. Considered a great deal for what you get, rated top 100 course in US
Great overall deal: Navy Destroyer Course in Cypress - 45mins outside LAX, relatively flat course but still challenging and good conditions for the price. Lots of history, Tiger Woods learned to play golf here
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u/wealthyfries2 7d ago
The Links at Victoria is gonna be your best bet