Best Golf Courses Near LA

The County of Los Angeles owns the largest and busiest public golf course system in the nation with 20 courses across 18 locations. Not only does LA boast some of the best public golf in the U.S., but what would a town built on Hollywood aspirations, champagne wishes and caviar dreams be without its fair share of high-end private courses and clubs?

From bucket-list private clubs that Hollywood’s elite call home to local public favorites, here’s a list of some of the best golf courses near Los Angeles.

Riviera Country Club – Pacific Palisades, CA

Course Architect: George C. Thomas Slope Rating: Blue – 74.6/135, White – 72.2/130, Green – 70.7/126, Gold – 70.0/124 Yardage: Blue – 7,040, White – 6,526, Green – 6,136, Gold – 5,725 Green Fees: Private

A perennial top-25 course in the U.S. and top-50 course in the world, Riviera Country Club has hosted the U.S. Open (1948), PGA Championship (1983, 1995), U.S. Senior Open (1998) and U.S. Amateur (2017). Currently home to The Genesis Invitational, Riv will also welcome golf’s elite during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Greats like Arnold Palmer, Hale Irwin and Johnny Miller have been in awe of the course that opened in 1927 with Palmer considering Riviera “one of the great tests of golf.”

Bel-Air Country Club – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: George C. Thomas Slope Rating: Golf – 74.3/138, Blue – 72.5/134, White – 70.9/130, Green – 68.5/125, Red – 67.6/122 Yardage: Gold – 6,800, Blue – 6,505, White – 6,180, Green – 5,790, Red – 5,650 Green Fees: Private

Winding through the canyons of Los Angeles, simply navigating around Bel-Air Country Club is a feat of its own with golfers needing to rely on tunnels, an elevator and the city’s most famous suspension bridge to get from hole to hole. Originally designed by George C. Thomas along with William Bell, Bel-Air has gotten facelifts from Dick Wilson, George Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Tom Fazio over the years, though it’s remained true to its throwback design and Thomas’ splashy signature bunkering.

Los Angeles Country Club (North Course) – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: George C. Thomas Slope Rating: Long – 75.7/143, Championship – 75.4/143, Black – 74.6/139, Bell – 73.0/136, Blue – 72.4/135 Yardage: Long – 7,272, Championship – 7,211, Black – 7,010, Bell – 6,631, Blue – 6,486 Green Fees: Private

Sprawled across 300 acres of prime real estate in Beverly Hills, the exclusive Los Angeles Country Club opened its doors as host of the 2023 U.S. Open. While there’s no mention of joining fees on its website, some reports estimate the cost between $250,000 to $300,000. The course has also reportedly refused entry to celebrities including Bing Crosby, Groucho Marx and Hugh Hefner. The first nine plays up and down a shallow canyon with holes going back and forth across a dry barranca, while the second nine loops across a more spacious upland section with the par-3 No. 11 playing nearly 300 yards while another, No. 15, at just 90.

Rustic Canyon Golf Course – Moorpark, CA

Course Architect: Gil Hanse Slope Rating: Black – 73.9/135, Blue – 72.0/130, Hanse – 71.1/128, White – 69.3/124, Red – 70.5/120 Yardage: Black – 7,044, Blue – 6,634, Hanse – 6,441, White – 6,049, Red – 5,275 Green Fees: Dynamic pricing. See website or contact for rates

Designed without blueprints or working drawings, Gil Hanse shaped the large contoured, free-form green complexes and sculpted the bunkers from the natural landscape that preserves and incorporates the native barrancas into the design. Sagebrush, cactus, brome and stipa grass dot the canyons along with a few picturesque oaks. An exercise in restraint, Rustic Canyon features wide-open fairways that fade into the native surroundings while bunkers are edged with drooping fescue.

Trump National – Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Course Architect: Pete Dye Slope Rating: Black – 75.0/146, Blue – 72.1/138, White – 69.8/133, Red – 71.6/138, Gold – 68.6/124 Yardage: Black – 7,242, Blue – 6,291, White – 5,881, Red – 5,270, Gold – 4,538 Green Fees: Dynamic pricing. See website or contact for rates

Situated atop the jagged cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula with views of Catalina Island, this Pete Dye-designed course features white sand bunkers, expansive lakes and sweeping oceanfront vistas that tempts golfers with thought-provoking, risk/reward shotmaking options. Trump National is one of the most expensive golf courses ever designed at $250 million.

Roosevelt Golf Course – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: Tom Bendelow, Billy Bell, John Ward, Forrest Richardson Slope Rating: Black – 63.8/106, Blue – 62.2/102, White – 56.6/89 Yardage: Black – 2,496, Blue – 2,316, White – 1,641 Green Fees: $18 weekday, $23 weekend (after 9 am)

Located across the street from the famous Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, Roosevelt Golf Course is a walking-only, nine-hole executive course. Winding through the hillsides below Griffith Observatory, this course will test novices and expert golfers alike while allowing you to play your entire bag of clubs, especially if you play from the black or blue tees.

Harding Golf Course – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: George C. Thomas Slope Rating: Black – 71.4/121, Blue – 70.0/118, White – 68.7/115, Yellow – 63.0/101 Yardage: Black – 6,714, Blue – 6,423, White – 6,168, Yellow – 4,946 Green Fees: $35 weekday, $46 weekend (after 9 am)

Also located in Griffith Park, Harding Golf Course boasts somewhat narrow fairways with challenging approaches into guarded greens. Opened in 1923, this course rewards accurate shot placement and course strategy. A Golf Digest “Best Places to Play” winner, Harding shares a full-service restaurant, golf shop, lounge, lighted driving range and practice facilities with Wilson Golf Course.

Penmar Golf Club – Venice, CA

Course Architect: David W. Kent Slope Rating: Blue – 32.0/104, White – 31.6/102, Gold – 30.9/99 Yardage: Blue – 2,582, White – 2,474, Gold – 2,308 Green Fees: $18 weekday, $23 weekend (after 9 am)

Steps from Venice Beach, this nine-hole executive course is billed as the perfect track to hone your short game skills. Featuring six par-4s and three par-3s, golfers need accurate approach shots in order to score well. Voted “Best Nine Hole Golf Course” by Los Angeles Magazine, Penmar is a great walking course at an even better price.

Wilson Golf Course – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: George C. Thomas Slope Rating: Black – 73.0/126, Blue – 71.7/122, White – 70.2/118, Yellow – 65.0/105 Yardage: Black – 7,002, Blue – 6,718, White – 6,382, Yellow – 5,276 Green Fees: $38 weekday, $49 weekend (after 9 am)

Opened four years after Harding Golf Course in 1927, Wilson Golf Course is one of the longest city courses in Los Angeles at 7,002 yards from the tips. Mildly sloping fairways and a forested setting in the heart of Griffith Park will test even the most experienced golfers. Wilson’s accessibility and challenge is a reason why it’s not only hosted many of the city’s championship events, including the Los Angeles Open, but is a favorite among locals.

Wilshire Country Club – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: Norman Macbeth Slope Rating: Green – 71.9/133, Macbeth – 71.3/132, Blue – 70.6/130, Bradley – 70.4/129, Blue/White – 70.0/128 Yardage: Green – 6,506, Macbeth – 6,382, Blue – 6,265, Bradley – 6,212, Blue/White – 6,130 Green Fees: Private

Around 1919, a group of Los Angeles businessmen sought to construct a golf course on an open plot of land in Rancho La Brea. A year later, Wilshire Country Club was born. Designed by Norman Macbeth, whose legacy lives on not only through the course but the annual Macbeth Invitational which began in 1950, Wilshire CC is bisected by Beverly Blvd. The links-style course has hosted the events on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA.

Rancho Park Golf Club – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: William Johnson, William P. Bell Slope Rating: Black – 72.8/130, Blue – 70.9/125, White – 69.1/121, Yellow – 67.1/116 Yardage: Black – 6,839, Blue – 6,419, White – 6,036, Yellow – 5,644 Green Fees: $39 weekday, $50 weekend (after 9 am)

Home to the 1949 USGA Public Links Championship, 18 Los Angeles Opens and numerous PGA Tour and LPGA events between 1978-94, Rancho Park Golf Club is a challenging and undulating course. The course features a variety of lies that pose a challenge and require a great deal of skill, especially on approach shots to smallish greens.

MountainGate Country Club – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: Ted Robinson Slope Rating (North): Gold – 72.2/133, Blue – 70.4/136, White – 67.6/124 Yardage (North): Gold – 6,450, Blue – 6,111, White – 5,541 Green Fees: Private

Situated at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, MountainGate Country Club boasts three nine-hole courses (North, South and Lake) that can be played in any combination. These links-style layouts blend with their surroundings to leave the terrain completely natural. Lush stands of trees frame undulating fairways with deep rough and expansive bunkers.

Brentwood Country Club – Los Angeles, CA

Course Architect: Willie Watson, Max Behr (redesign), Todd Eckenrode (redesign) Slope Rating: Black – 73.4/135, Blue – 72.8/133, Blue/White – 71.7/130, White – 70.8/127, White/Green – 69.2/123 Yardage: Black – 6,948, Blue – 6,836, Blue/White – 6,606, White – 6,429, White/Green – 6,092 Green Fees: Private

With the first nine holes first opened in 1916 and the second nine opening the following year, the modern-day Brentwood Country Club traces its incarnation to 1948 when it was purchased by developers and made a private club. Touted as a “home away from home,” Brentwood offers a redesigned, award-winning golf course as the centerpiece of its club. Featuring rolling hills, lush fairways and manicured greens in the mountains above Santa Monica, Brentwood CC offers an elegant yet relaxing atmosphere for members and their guests.

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