brilliantly wide fairways, that's how I'd describe some of the recent changes to Los Angeles CC (North).
When I first played LACC, about 17 years ago, I found a monotony borne out of narrow, tree lined fairways.
Recently, I was surprised by the extent of the width that the course now possesses.
It's WIDE, really WIDE and that benefits every level of golfer.
I also liked the bunker style and I especially liked the greens shaped like a tooth, with the two roots extending toward the golfer in the fairway.
Those extensions provide plenty of challenge for the better golfer who's in the DZ.
The second hole never appealed to me and I like the change whereby the green has been located, straight ahead, guarded by an arroyo, rather than the reverse camber fairway to a dogleg green to the right.
The width combined with the placement and appearance of the bunkers make LACC fun to play.
Challenging but fun.
I think that aspect, challenging but fun, applies to every level of golfer due to the incredible width available off the tee.
Three of the par 3's are long, with one short par 3 with an interesting elongated green.
On # 7 I hit a driver, on # 9 a 4-iron, on # 11 at 3-wood and a 9-iron on # 15.
The par 5's are very interesting, although, I'd favor removing the two Sycamores on the left side for the second shot on # 8.
The 14th was a terrific par 5 as well.
I like courses that start with a par 5 and LACC's first hole lets you ease into the round.
The new fairway bunkering is deceptive to the eye, which I also like.
For an opening hole, it's terrific.
I still marvel at the newly claimed width.
What's really, really neat about LACC is the terrain and how the course is integrated with that terrain.
# 13 fairway must be 60-80 yards wide, but, if you don't hit the 20 yard left side, your ball will roll down into a deep depression leaving you with a blind shot to a difficult green.
There were a lot of holes where the golfer should be on a prefered side of the fairway and holes where the golfer can use the terrain to his advantage off the tee. In all cases, width abounds, however, that width is deceptive and the golfer needs to evaluate the ideal DZ rather than just stand up and blast away to anywhere on the fairway. # 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16 and 17 would be some.
# 6 has to be one of the most unusual holes you can every play.
A boomerang or hairpin hole where if you drive straight away, you have to play back toward the green.
I chose to drive it over the hill/trees and ended up 10 yards short of the green with a dicey lie, but, was lucky enough to hit an L-wedge to 8 feet, where I made the putt.
# 7 is a most unusual par 3 that is also played as a par 4 from a tee behind the 6th green.
A creek/arroyo slices through the fairway on the diagonal presenting a unique hazard.
Like Wilshire, the use of the creeks/barrancas/arroyos is quite clever.
They're mostly on the front nine as the back nine sits on property elevated well above the front nine.
I had heard alot of praise for the work that Gil Hanse performed at LACC and have to say that I was very impressed by the modifications and improvements. Some of those modifications may have been restorative in nature.
The result is a wonderful course that's fun to play.
I've always thought that width was one of, if not the most important elements for creating a challenge that's enjoyable for every level of member.