Just thought I'd share some photo's with everyone here on this magnificent course. I played with my friend and fellow GCAer Jon Spaulding and it was quite a treat. I've also included some scans of old photo's from Shackelford's book on Thomas as well as from Thomas' own book for comparison reasons. I hope they can give those viewing this an idea of what they are looking at then and now. I hope everyone enjoys them. This is my first attempt at combining scanning old photo's and showing them with recent photo's, so if the presentation is a little rudimentary, I apologize ahead of time.
The view of the beautiful clubhouse from the 1st FW
The view from the first tee. Straightaway par 5 of 524 yards.
View of the first green. Perhaps Tommy N can comment on this, but I believe the bell tower in the background is the church that Thomas had donated money to build. I'm not certain.
The wonderful par 4 3rd. Thomas and Bell made great use of the natural landforms here. This is the view from the tee. 385 yds.
A closer view, with the bag (Jon's) showing the ideal landing area
The view from the less than ideal angle, where this feature empties into the wash behind
A look back at the tee. The wash can be seen to the right, where the previous feature shown can be seen flowing into it.
A closer view of the green
The tee shot on the par 4 5th, 474 yds. This was one of the holes that Thomas' had originally designed to be a hole within a hole.
The view from the fairway looking back at the tee. It appears, although I'm not certain, that the old alternate tee can be seen on the left, shortening the hole to 360 yds and utilizing the right portion of the green for that route.
The sketch of Thomas' as it appears in Shackelford's book.
A view of the green. Note the bunker's on the right. This would've been to protect the right pin placment that would've been used in conjunction with the short tee.
The view from the tee on the short par 4 6th, 340 yds. This hole has been changed by Robert Muir Graves and does not play the way Thomas' intended. The trees on the right were not there and gave the stronger player the option of going for the green, which originally played at 300 yds.
A sketch of GS that shows the hole way the hole originally played.
The view of the present green site. It has been shifted up and to the left, away from the slope where the trees on the right sit.
The tee shot on the wonderful par 3 233 yd 7th, another of the holes within a hole. The hole would also have been played as a 360 yd par 4. In the foreground to the right can be seen the fairway that would've been used for that tee.
The sketch of the hole by GS from his book.
Looking back at the tee. The alternate tee would've been to the left and back into where the present trees are.
A view after the tee shot on the fantastic par 5 8th. 561 yds.
A photo of the same view from Thomas' book
After deciding to lay up, the view to the green.
The sketch of the hole from GS's book.
A look back from the green.
Tee shot on the par 3 9th, 177 yds.
And from GS's book.
The tee shot on the 374 yd par 4 10th. Awesome fw movement.
A look back at the tee.
A view of the green from the bunker 30 yds short and to the right.
The amazing reverse Redan 11th, 244 yds. This is the exact opposite of the great par 3 4th at Riviera. Where that one is uphill and plays right to left, this obviously plays totally different. Nevertheless, they are both magnificent.
A closer view.
A original photo from GS's book.
A look back at the tee
The tee shot on the 368 yd par 4 12th. Note the white rock in the hillside showing the player the ideal line.
An interested spectator
The view of the green site from the right side of the fw.
One of the best par 4's on the course. The 453 yd par 4 13th. Again, awesome fw movement.
A closer look at the green with the playboy mansion in the trees in the background.
The tee shot on the 564 par 5 14th, one of the best I've ever played.
An old photo of the green site from GS's book.
And today. The falloff to the right of the green is severe. I challenged the pin and missed just a little to the right and paid a huge price with a pitch back up the hill, 10ft above my head.
The tee shot on the short par 3 15th, 133 yds.
A closer view
A view of the green.
A photo from GS's book.
The tee shot on the 447 yd par 4 16th. Again, wonderful fw movement. The LZ is blind.
A closer view
A view of the green.
The tee shot on the fantastic 432 yd par 4 17th, possibly the best par 4 on the course.
A slightly different angle.
The view from the fw at the green. The pin is on the right and can barely be seen (red).
A closer view
The sketch from GS's book.
A look back at the tee.
A look at the green from the 2nd FW in the morning
While a much different course than it's more illustrious neighbor, Riviera, LACC is an equally fine example of Thomas and Bell's genius. While both occupy vastly different types of terrain, they both show what can be done by a talented pair of architects at the peak of their powers. If the chance presents itself, playing the course should not be missed.