Had the opportunity to return here the other day.....dragging a fellow GCA'er Dave Stamm with me, kicking and screaming
. I had not been out in a couple of years and was reminded of what a special place this is; would personally place it with Victoria Club as a must-see in Southern CA, once one has done the the "big names" thing. If it is quirk you seek, then head straight to either one and you'll be glad you did.
The course was designed by Norman MacBeth in 1919 (one of the founding members of LACC). Alterations were later made by Jack Croke (Pasadena GC, NLE) when Beverly Blvd was put thru the property. Dave and I both felt that other work had been done based on the current appearance, which is being researched. I found the bunkering to be inconsistent in appearance, scale, and placement, with distinct similarities to a some other SCA designs. The bermuda turf is kept at above-average firmness which is encouraging.
Most exciting, in my mind, is the use of the creek in a variety of different manners, along with a recurring proximity of greenside bunkering/hazards...to the putting surface. Ample width is provided in most of the fairways for a fun day on the course. Why can't more courses in our area embrace these radical, free-wheeling concepts!
As with most anywhere, a few concerns about the state of affairs (trees), but I prefer to focus on positives of course (the way it is today). Got a kick out of "Ardmore Avenue" being one of the cross streets leading up to the course
. Rather than do a 1-18 ramble, I'll start with the holes that could be considered interesting.
#10 - par 3 playing 150 yards. one of the best, if not the best, short 3's in Southern CA. We saw this with a rear pin, but there a many solid hole locations on this green, which is very shallow throughout. The scale of the hazards relative to the size of the green creates tension. I know of few holes in the area where one could face recovery shots that you have never seen, or might never see again unless you played this hole!
tee shot
greensite looking from front left
grass depression @ rear left of green
green from rear
green from back right
#18 - par 4, well documented as a quality golf hole. Plays 440 yards, requiring a l-r tee shot and a r-l approach to a green that at one time extended out to the hazard on three sides. I would assume that the concrete wall was added as an erosion measure; the shrinking of the green is a human one that needs to be corrected! If the tee shot challenges the creek on the right side of the hole, the player has an open look, as well as the ability to run the ball into into a green that's a bit more sloped than it appears. Conceptually, the hole is very similar to #8 @ LA North (old version).....just a bit harder to make par on.
looking back at the hole
Tee Shot
2nd shot from right side of the fairway
challenge the hazard.....better look
#14 - par 5 playing 520 yards (DS confirm this) - short on the card, plays into the prevailing wind and somewhat uphill....no simple par here. A creek guards the left side of the hole the entire length, and the bold player who goes for the green in two and fails is penalized with a narrow green which is crowned and falls off steeply on all sides into some form of hazard.
tee shot
2nd shot - sling a hook or go home
preferred 3rd shot - note hole location rear left
#15 - par 4 playing 315 yards - hit it long over the bunkers, or skirt them here. Making a 4 from the open left side is not going to happen very often.
2nd shot
other view of 2nd shot
weird roughed in hump guarding run-up
heavily sloping green with bunkers cut into it on either side.
#17 - short par 4 with impressive bunkering guarding an elevated greensite. The bunkering reeks of what one would find on a Max Behr course....who was a member here
#2 - short par 5 with some Alps-inspiration.....
#4 - 180 yard par 3 with green that used to be connected......
#7 - 135 yard par 3 - excellent hole, save the cart path
#8 - 360 yard par 4 with something for all you Cubs fans
......and something for you fans of Howard Hughes
#9 - 420 yard par 4 with great tee shot (connected to the neighborhood concept)
a look at the LZ with the Hollywood sign as a backdrop
well protected pin location with strong r-l green movement for the run-in shot
#12 - 440 yard par 4 with creek guarding the LH side, bunkering and appearance very similar to something to the west off Wilshire Blvd....
approach shot
#13 - another great short hole