The Wilson and Harding Golf Courses are City of Los Angeles layouts which are located within the historic Griffith Park. Each of these courses has a long and impressive history of its own, but both remain very much relevant today. Each provides plenty of length to challenge experienced players, and there are plenty of trees on the property. For a classically L.A. golf experience, you need to head out to Wilson and Harding at least once.
Wilson Golf Course
This course opened back in 1927, and today it provides golfers a test that can be stretched to 6,967 yards from the back tees. To prove that the course isn’t just all length and no substance, it has a course rating of 73 and a slope of 125. Without a doubt, you are going to have to know what you are doing in order to get the ball around Wilson with a solid score.
Harding Golf Course
Believe it or not, Harding Golf Course is actually older than Wilson. It opened in 1923, and it currently stretches out to 6,679 yards from the back tees. A slightly more forgiving test, this course has a rating at 71.3 and a slope of 121. If you are trying to pick between the two courses and you are worried about how your game will hold up, test yourself first on Harding and move to Wilson when you are confident in your skills.
History on a Budget
It isn’t often that you get to play classic golf courses with such a rich history for an affordable price – especially in Southern California. Wilson is slightly more expensive than Harding, but only by a few dollars. Either way, you can spend less than $50 to get out onto either one of these two courses, and you will be in for an experience that lets you know what golf in L.A. is all about. To save even more money, these courses also offer opportunities like twilight rates, nine hole rates, senior rates, and more.
As these are municipal golf courses, the usual expectations apply, such as potentially slow play, spotty course conditions, and a lack of amenities. However, if you are looking for amenities, you shouldn’t be looking at municipal courses. For a fun day of golf and a taste of Southern California history, the Wilson and Harding Courses in Griffith Park are a popular pick.
Click here for our list of the best golf courses in San Fernando Valley.