Southern California Golf Guide: Rancho Park

Background to the course

Architect:
William Johnson, manager of LA City Golf Courses, was responsible for the construction and development of the course which opened in 1946. He was advised by the golf architect William Bell, whose courses include the Bel-Air, Riviera, and Los Angeles Country Clubs.

Type: Parkland

Landscape:
The course is far wider than you'd expect of this resolutely urban course with definite undulations, but the many tall trees don't obscure the towering Century City buildings next door or the surrounding million-dollar-plus houses.

Course facts:
- The teenage Jack Nicklaus played here during his early career, finishing his game 21 shots shy of the winner.
- The course has experienced its fair share of disasters in its history with an oil spill and also a plane crash.
- It's the only American course to have hosted all three major tournaments.
- During his election campaign in 2000, former president Bill Clinton dropped in for a quick round - he's the only person to have been afforded special treatment and not made to wait his turn. There's a plaque commemorating the event outside the clubhouse.
- OJ Simpson was famously booed off this course while he was on trial for murder.
- The annual Police Celebrity Golf Tournament is held here every May, when Hollywood stars and the LAPD join forces to raise money for charity. Past participants include Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Joe Pesci, Jackie Chan, and Dennis Hopper.
- The killer hole is the 18th - when the LA Open was held here the legendary Arnold Palmer made 12; he hit two balls into the driving range on the right and two into the street on the left trying to reach the green in two. There's even a plaque commemorating it!

Course view (click for enlargement)

Playing the course

Rancho Park is an absolute phenomenon, facilitating up to 140,000 rounds a year. With so much traffic, this course is in surprisingly good condition. On certain holes there are alternative greens to give the grass some respite, but generally the course copes remarkably well. Given its location, right in the middle of Los Angeles, it is very attractive, with generous well-tended fairways and undulating but true running greens.

Score card

Address:
10460 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2342, USA

Phone number:
(+1) 310 838-7373

Course and length:
18 holes, 6,688 yards

Dress code:
Usual golf apparel

Tee times:
Course opens one hour before sunrise, with tee times at sunrise, and closes at sunset. A reduced "twilight" rates applies approximately three and a half hours before sunset and reduced again at "super twilight", two hours before sunset. Tee times are set at six minute intervals for foursomes only. Golfers are allowed to tee off on the back nine during the first hour each day. Holders of an L.A. city golf card are allowed to call seven days in advance to make reservations.

Handicap:
No certificate required

Green fees:
$22 on weekdays

Other costs:
Electric Golf Carts are $24.00, club rentals $20.00, and Callaway Clubs $40.00 with driving range balls $5.00.

Facilities:
Putting green, driving range, and clubhouse with restaurant with original '50s fittings.

Location:
Sandwiched in between two of Los Angeles' most exclusive golf clubs, the Riviera and the Hillcrest Club, in the heart of Hollywood.

More information

Adventure Golf: Southern California