Best golf courses: Los Angeles

Los Angeles: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in and around this city. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key below for the rating definitions.
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Nicklaus Design

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Nicklaus Design (project led by Steve Nicklaus)

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Lehman, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Tom Lehman and Casey O'Callaghan

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Los Angeles
Thomas, George C.

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Original design by George C. Thomas and William Park "Billy" Bell (1925). Modifications made by various designers over subsequent years, including Dick Wilson, George Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Jr (1976) and Tom Fazio. Major renovation, returning the course to its George Thomas origins, by Tom Doak (2018).

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Hills, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Arthur Hills

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Olson & Stewart

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Cal Olson & Payne Stewart

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Thomas, George C.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

George C. Thomas Jr designed the Harding and Wilson courses, which opened in 1923 and 1927 respectively.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Bell, William F.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

William Francis "Billy" Bell Jr & Casey O'Callaghan.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Bell, William F.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

William Francis "Billy" Bell Jr & Casey O'Callaghan.

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Los Angeles
Fowler & Thomas

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

North course: original course at this location laid out by club founders and members Joe Sartori, Ed Tufts, Norman Macbeth and Charles Orr. Later modifications by Englishman course designer Herbert Fowler (1921), and a subsequent revamp and re-routing designed by George C. Thomas Jr and William Park "Billy" Bell (1927). Further changes made by Gil Hanse, Geoff Shackleford & Jim Wagner (2010).
South course: redesigned by Gil Hanse & Geoff Shackelford (2016).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
(Closed in 2016)
Los Angeles
Dye, Pete

Visitors?

(Closed in 2016)

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Father/son team of Pete Dye & Perry Dye, and Fred Couples

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
(Closed in 2016)
Los Angeles
Dye, Pete

Visitors?

(Closed in 2016)

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Father/son team of Pete Dye & Perry Dye, and Fred Couples

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Jacobsen & Hardy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

A Peter Jacobsen Signature Course

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Tom Fazio

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Not weekends
Los Angeles
Bell & Thomas

Visitors?

Not weekends

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

William Park "Billy" Bell with George C. Thomas Jr.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Tom Fazio

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Tom Fazio

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Bell, William P.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

William Park "Billy" Bell and William H. Johnson.

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Los Angeles
Thomas, George C.

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Original design by George C. Thomas Jr & William Park "Billy" Bell (1926). Later modifications by Ted Robinson (Sr); renovated by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (1993); further modifications by Tom Fazio (2012).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Hanse, Gil

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Gil Hanse (Hanse Golf Course Design)

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Robinson, Ted

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Father/son team of Ted Robinson & Ted Robinson Jr designed the original 36-holes (Valley & Mountain courses); layout now comprises 27 holes.

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Los Angeles
Nicklaus, Jack

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Jack Nicklaus

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Lipe, Jim

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Jim Lipe

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Couples & Schmidt-Curley

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Fred Couples Signature Course, designed with Brian Curley (Schmidt-Curley Design).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Dye, Pete

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Original design by Pete Dye (1999, as Ocean Trails Golf Club); remodelled by Jim Fazio (2006).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Los Angeles
Robinson, Ted

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Los Angeles

Designer

Ted Robinson (Sr).

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Tournaments

Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.

Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.

Recently visited

Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.

The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.

The Dutch GC, The Netherlands

The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.

Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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Bethpage State Park (New York) host of the Ryder Cup 2025

Hamburger GC - Falkenstein

Golf de Chantilly (Picardie, France)