[Pete Lavallee]

I had no trouble viewing these photo's Evan; and all I can say is WOW! That was great photography of a great course. I also liked the suscinct narratives. Job well done David.

[Michael Christensen]

great pics..I love the place too

great narratives and past pics.......I have the 75 year history the pics of a barren beverly hills are unreal!

[David Stamm]

Pete and Michael, thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

[Adam Clayman]

The membership would be in err if they don't give this place the face lift, Gil and Geoff would lovingly perform.

[Jon Spaulding]

Good work senor; much appreciated. Now all we need to do is get you a camera made this decade . When we combine Geoff's work, the course & some discussion.....I don't know of many things I'd rather do; other than the same thing again!

I disagree with the "over-rated" comments. This is a fantastic place to enjoy a game of golf while at the same time being one of the tougher examinations available. What more can one ask?

Not mentioned, but the DG can take comfort in the fact that the restoration prospectus states that Gil Hanse is "their" architect . Our host was optimistic about the prospects of doing both courses . Gil was going to be there on the 13th for a presentation to the club, which hopefully went well.

A few more photos for the peanut gallery.....

Front of #9 green


#8 approach


#8 tee shot from odd angle


#7 green from " "


#3 fronting bunker


#3 tee ball

[David Stamm]

Good work senor; much appreciated. Now all we need to do is get you a camera made this decade .  

Thanks. I know, the camera is in need of upgrading.

[Mike_Cirba]

Jon,

You've saved the best for last.   The most recent bunch of pics are just stellar and really provide a great sense of the tasteful charm and architectural diversity to be found at LACC.

[mike_beene]

Thanks for taking the time.No matter the reason,it makes me sick to think of what might have been re next years open.

[David Stamm]

Thanks for taking the time.No matter the reason,it makes me sick to think of what might have been re next years open.

Mike, in what way? Sick because it's at TP? Or sick because of LACC being a better venue and what could've been? The USGA has been courting them for years and the members don't want it. That, in my book, is a blessing. Otherwise Gil and Geoff wouldn't stand a chance, which would be the worst thing that could happen.

[mike_beene]

TP is not interesting,and LA would be.It is not going to happen ,which is ok.

[David Stamm]

Agreed on all counts.

[Patrick Kiser]

Wow!  Any chance we can make this an additional write up to the one already posted in the Courses By Country section?

Be a shame to not keep all this more front and center.

Until Ran gets a better search engine on here, this one could end up getting lost in the shuffle.

[MHiserman]

Thank you for the photos.  

Having grown up in Los Angeles and my father being a professional at Riviera, I have had the great fortune of playing LACC numeours times.  Let's just say it took a long time to get through the photos, excellent.

[Scott Weersing]

Can you add a photo of No. 18?

I am not a big fan of palm trees behind greens but it is very common for courses in Southern California.

[David Stamm]

Can you add a photo of No. 18?

I am not a big fan of palm trees behind greens but it is very common for courses in Southern California.

They did not turn out the way I wanted, but here they are.


It's not as inspiring as the 18th at Riviera, but Thomas had built another tee, I believe to the right and back of the tee that is shown in the first photo. This would've allowed the hole to played as a 491 yd par 5, changing the course from a par 71 to par 72. I believe this is what he would've wanted the hole to play as today, and this is pure speculation on my part, due to the way the hole looks from the angle I'm describing.




The approach




A closer view of the green. To my eye, this green would've been something more suitable to a short par 5. But I also believe it's lost alot of green surface as well. I base this on the bunkers on the left, that don't really come into play the way the green sits now.

[Gib_Papazian]

Forgive me if I am hallucinating again - and I admit I was so dazzled by the photos I did not read all the posts - but didn't John Harbottle do quite a bit of work there at one point?

I could have guessed Bob Graves was there because he made a few modifications at Lakeside, but didn't Harbottle do some work there fairly recently - like within the last ten years?

I've been imprisoned in Nutville for so long I cannot remember what I don't know . . . . .  

[Michael Robin]

Merrill -

Your Dad was a wonderful spirit at Riviera, a fine teacher and what a kind man. I believe you and I met again at Olympic when you were so very hospitable to my group there. Welcome.

Gib -

I do think you're right that Harbottle was brought in in the mid '90s and re-did the greens and some bunker shaping.

[David Stamm]

Gib and Michael, you are correct about Harbottle. He came in 1996. Graves came in 1982. It was my understanding that Graves had made the changes I referred to. If this is not the case, I apologize for the mis-info.

[Bob_Huntley]

David,

Although a member at Riviera,  I played LACC for years as my in-laws were members there. I thought the 18th hole was quite the weirdest hole in Southern California. Quite the flattest and least interesting finishing holes of any in the LA Basin.


Bob

[David Stamm]

Bob, Jon and I both felt the hole to be out of character, or at least not what we would've expected from Thomas for a finisher. I do believe the hole's present tee contributes to this. When we walked off the 17th green, we saw what looked to be the old 17th green, the original par 3 hole. The photo you see of the 18 tee shows some shrubs/foliage to the right. Back and below that line is where green, or what we thought was the old green, appears. I would assume the walk from there to the old 18 tee would've been close by. That angle from there would've made the hole more interesting I think.

[Michael Robin]

David -

Do you have any detail re the original 2nd hole? I believe it was played to the current 8th green, with substantial risk/reward characteristics. The late/great Ron Rhoads(former Riviera Head Pro & longtime LACC member) told me that this was a wonderful hole. G.Shack, any help here?

[Mike_Cirba]

The current 18th hole says to me;

Ok...you were lucky to get to see so much of George Thomas's genius in one place, as tempered and modified by time as it might be.

So...scurry along...show's over folks.  

Don't let the lockerroom door hit you on your way out.

[Steve Lapper]

David,

Although a member at Riviera,  I played LACC for years as my in-laws were members there. I thought the 18th hole was quite the weirdest hole in Southern California. Quite the flattest and least interesting finishing holes of any in the LA Basin.


Bob

Bob:

  Your general assessment, along with Mike C's is, as usual, spot on, however wouldn't you agree that the green complex (and particularly its internal contours) is decent and defensible. If I recall, the green was re-modeled a bit nearly a decade ago resulting in a much better fit for the otherwise bland fairway surrounds.

[Steve Burrows]

Just a couple more pictures taken a few years ago, with some comments:

This is the view from the second tee.  Note how out of play is the bunker to the right, on account of the years of tree growth.



The 12th green is facinating to me.  It is reasonably deep, but is quite wide, with a gull-wing feature to it, though not on the scale of the 15th at Riviera.  Please pardon the fact that I only have a picture of the middle of the green, and not the sides.



The artistry of Bell and Thomas's bunkers is no more apparent than at the 17th, when you get near the green.  They're poetic, like waves in the ocean.  The 4th at Riviera gives a similar feel.

[David Stamm]

David -

Do you have any detail re the original 2nd hole? I believe it was played to the current 8th green, with substantial risk/reward characteristics. The late/great Ron Rhoads(former Riviera Head Pro & longtime LACC member) told me that this was a wonderful hole. G.Shack, any help here?

Michael, here are some photo's I took of the hole.

The tee shot





The approach







This is a photo I took of the 17th green from the 2nd fw

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