... under Courses by Country and Architecture Timeline.
Gozzer Ranch, Rock Creek and LACC share little in common except that these are the three most recent courses we have profiled. Ordinarily a parkland venue surrounded by tall buildings would be severely disadvantaged if juxtaposed with those first two stunners … but wait ‘til you see the LACC photographs! Geoff Shackelford and I had the quintessentially perfect California morning for grabbing great pix. Plus, Geoff had gobs of back-ups for any shortfall. Suffice to say, for texture, interesting hazards, and terrain, LACC is well-nigh impossible to beat for visual appeal.
What about the golf? I love George Thomas the way Tommy N loves Max Behr. Some days, I think that there has never been anyone better than the dynamic duo of Thomas and Bell. The morning I was at LACC was so good that Geoff actually wanted to stop taking pictures and play golf – a first for him and a supreme compliment on the course’s transformation over the past five years.
Later, at the Hotel Shangri La rooftop bar with its sweeping views of Santa Monica beach and pier, Tommy, Geoff and I gabbed about architecture like old hens – life doesn’t get any more fun. Eventually, our conversation turned to LACC and its position in the California hierarchy. An “off the cuff” match against Pebble ensued and the not unexpected result is detailed below. I say ‘not unexpected’ because LA North has been transformed into a bullet- proof match play venue; every hole is really good - and goes up from there! Gone are the days when it would likely lose holes 1, 2, 6, 12, and/or 18. Meanwhile, Pebble lumbers along with misses, especially on the inward nine at holes 11, 12, 15, and 17.
The following was the general consensus among the three of us (Geoff largely abstained due to overt bias):
Pebble vs. LACC
1. LACC 1 up
2. LACC 1 up
3. LACC 2 up
4. LACC 2 up
5. LACC 1 up
6. All square
7. PB 1 up
8. PB 2 up
9. PB 3 up
10. PB 4 up
11. PB 3 up
12. PB 2 up
13. PB 1 up
14. All square
15. LACC 1up
16. LACC 2 up
17. LACC 3 up
18. LACC 2 up
I bore my friends with this exercise all the time. Joe Andriole obstinately - and continually - mutters that it means nothing. Still, I consider it fun and instructive to use the match play method as a course barometer.
Jimmy Demaret once described Cypress as the best 17 hole course in the world; maybe LACC should now be known as the world’s best 19 hole course now that Fowler’s Little 17 
has been restored!A tidbit that I learned on this trip is that LACC is often 6-9 degrees warmer than Riviera, which is situated closer to the chilly Pacific. That sunnier, warmer clime helps Greenkeeper Russ Myers perfect ‘bouncy -bouncy’ conditions at LACC that fully reveal the brilliance of the Thomas design. IMO, if you bookend LA and Riviera, none of the Old Guard cities (London, New York, Melbourne, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland) have two world top 20 courses that compete with the two in ‘the city of angels.’
Dan Wexler’s tandem works
Missing Links and
Lost Links, published during this web site’s infancy, portray a sad tale of the state of golf in California. Ocean courses have gone missing, great holes lost and strategy obliterated. Over the past dozen or so years California has undergone a mini-renaissance with bright spots at new courses like Rustic Canyon and Barona Creek. More importantly, California Golf Club of San Francisco, SFGC, The Olympic Club, The Meadow Club, Wilshire, Pasatiempo, Claremont and the Valley Club of Montecito are all better than they have been in decades, thanks to sympathetic restorations. High-end golf has taken a marked turn for the better and Ronald Reagan, a past LACC member would approve. ‘Top down’ works in architecture: golf flourishes only when its top tier is at its optimum. Prominent clubs, those with history and courses of architectural substance, must lead because they are in an ideal position to demonstrate that golf isn’t just a good sport, it’s a GREAT sport.
Once a year or so, GolfClubAtlas profiles transformational work. Sleepy Hollow was highlighted in 2007, Cal Club two years later, Old Town a few months ago and now LACC. We hope to add Maidstone next year. Readers may recall how I unabashedly gushed on in a similar manner about what I witnessed at The Country Club last summer, a parkland layout that had morphed spectacularly to virtual perfection. The restorer? Gil Hanse. His name is attached to more of these monumental restorations than any other architect. Coincidence? I think not. Hanse Design has the ability and patience to build the requisite ‘quiet consensus‘ at clubs so that the full scope of a project is approved rather than piecemeal work. LACC ‘s phenomenal metamorphosis is an exemplary result.
Have a look at its profile and see if you agree or tell me what I missed. Golf in the City of Los Angeles is back in the biggest way. The Walker Cup match in September 2017 on a yellow, firm running course will manifest the very best of golf, golf architecture, maintenance - and restoration.
Best,