Santa Monica, CA Recommendations

[Pete Lavallee]

Rustic Canyon does allow advance bookings, better than trying to get a time on the internet a week in advance.

[Tal Oz]

I believe Rustic is now on a rolling 4 week booking cycle online. You can also call them and save the GolfNow booking fees.
Pat if you want to play a game at rustic aside from your clients, there's a handful of GCAers who play there regularly!

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

While not our group's cup-a-tea, how about the courses at Industry Hills? If your guests are just looking to play golf, as opposed to experiencing the architectural nuances of Rustic Canyon (which I wholeheartedly endorse!), Industry Hills might be closer (if only slightly) than Simi Valley.


And, someone else also nominated Angeles National, which I would second as a reasonable alternative.

[Bill Seitz]

While not our group's cup-a-tea, how about the courses at Industry Hills? If your guests are just looking to play golf, as opposed to experiencing the architectural nuances of Rustic Canyon (which I wholeheartedly endorse!), Industry Hills might be closer (if only slightly) than Simi Valley.


And, someone else also nominated Angeles National, which I would second as a reasonable alternative.

Crazy, I just looked this up thinking that no way was Pacific Palms (nee Industry Hills) as close as you though, but sure enough, it's not much further than Brookside and about the same as Santa Anita.  I would have thought both were closer, but I guess I didn't take the north/south thing into account.  That said, yeesh, not sure Pat would enjoy himself there having some sense of his tastes.  The Ike probably isn't terrible and seemed a little more fair from the right tees than the Babe, which I recall being ridiculously tight, though I'm not sure I've played the Babe since high school.  Needed a lot of ammo back in those days.

[Gib_Papazian]

These are all excellent suggestions - LA is my 2nd home - so I'll throw in a couple ideas within striking distance:


#1. Virginia CC, right up the way from Long Beach Airport. Private yes, but the shop is generally very accommodating to travelers with an introduction. We REALLY liked the feature work and variety of terrain; Todd Eck did his usual terrific job moving things around and if your clients have taste, they will enjoy it.


#2. Trump National in Palos Verdes is a perfect place for client golf. It has a few drawbacks, given the property was rescued from bankruptcy after a hideous landslide, but it checks all the boxes for "wow factor" - even if the eye candy is architecturally benign.

My impression after a couple go-rounds is the facility is as much a conversation piece as golf course . . . . . a must see, if only to get a chuckle from the self-aggrandizing plaques, reminding the plebeians at full volume they are playing "the greatest golf course in California."

But the backdrops are stunningly beautiful, even if some of the fairways (by necessity) ended up being carved into the hillside as a series of terraces. That said, it is a legitimately good and interesting golf experience; with respect to apres golf options with clients, the food and service are - like every other Blaring Trumpet facility - top notch with all the trimmings.


Reading back over this, my suggestion is specifically *not* intended to elicit a venomous spew from that retarded kangaroo.   


P.S. I loved Los Verdes . . . . parts of it struck me as Bandonesque, except with terrific weather.       

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

While not our group's cup-a-tea, how about the courses at Industry Hills? If your guests are just looking to play golf, as opposed to experiencing the architectural nuances of Rustic Canyon (which I wholeheartedly endorse!), Industry Hills might be closer (if only slightly) than Simi Valley.


And, someone else also nominated Angeles National, which I would second as a reasonable alternative.

Crazy, I just looked this up thinking that no way was Pacific Palms (nee Industry Hills) as close as you though, but sure enough, it's not much further than Brookside and about the same as Santa Anita.  I would have thought both were closer, but I guess I didn't take the north/south thing into account.  That said, yeesh, not sure Pat would enjoy himself there having some sense of his tastes.  The Ike probably isn't terrible and seemed a little more fair from the right tees than the Babe, which I recall being ridiculously tight, though I'm not sure I've played the Babe since high school.  Needed a lot of ammo back in those days.

Yeah, IH is further than I thought from Santa Monica. Go to Rustic Canyon.

[Mike_Trenham]

I fully get the commuting challenges in SoCal but if Pat is traveling with a couple of clients would HOV lanes not be of help to them?

[David Ober]

I fully get the commuting challenges in SoCal but if Pat is traveling with a couple of clients would HOV lanes not be of help to them?

Are you from here?


Cuz ... No.

[Bill Seitz]

I fully get the commuting challenges in SoCal but if Pat is traveling with a couple of clients would HOV lanes not be of help to them?

Are you from here?


Cuz ... No.

I'm from there, and I even I don't understand how the diamond lanes work anymore.  I just stay out of them whenever I go from my childhood home to and from the airport.

[David Ober]

I fully get the commuting challenges in SoCal but if Pat is traveling with a couple of clients would HOV lanes not be of help to them?

To be fair, Mike, the toll roads do actually help a considerable amount when they're on one's route.