Rancho Park Golf Club

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Rancho Park Golf Club

Rancho Park Golf Course is a municipal course with quite a history. Far from your average city-owned public course, this is a track which has hosted some impressive events over the years – such as the Los Angeles Open, the USGA Public Links, the Senior Tour, and more. Located between Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, this course is accessible from a number of spots around Los Angeles, although heading for the course during rush hour would obviously be a major challenge.

Room to Play

Many of the golf courses that you find within big cities – whether in L.A. or other metropolitan areas, tend to be short on yardage because land is so expensive. That is not the case at Rancho Park. When you tee it up here, you will find more than 6,800 yards to challenge your game from the black tees. However, if you aren’t quite up to that kind of a test, you can move forward to the blue tees at just over 6,400, or the white tees at just over 6,000. The variety of tee boxes here means that you should be able to pick out a set that suits your skill level nicely.

Reasonably Priced

Considering some of the other courses in the area include the exclusive Los Angeles Country Club and Bel-Air Country Club, it is a downright steal to play golf at Rancho Park for just $43 as a resident on the weekend. The weekday rates go down from there, and even non-residents can play for less than $50.

Practice Facility

No time to play a full round but would still like to get in some swings? Rancho Park offers a driving range where you can fine tune your swing for the next time you do get to tee it up. Also, there is an instruction program if you choose to seek the help of a teaching professional.

If you play any golf in and around the L.A. area, you have to play Rancho Park at least a few times. This is a classic municipal course in one of the biggest cities in the world, and it has a history that any golfer should appreciate. Whether you are an accomplished and experienced player, or you are just getting started, there is something for everyone at Rancho.

Click here for our list of the best golf courses in San Fernando Valley.

Wilson and Harding Golf Courses

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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.

El Cariso Golf Course

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Located in Sylmar, California, El Cariso Golf Course is a County of Los Angeles facility which offers an executive length 18-hole golf course. If you are in the area and in the mood for a quick round of golf around a short track, El Cariso is a good option. The course is located near Los Angeles Mission College, just a short distance north off of the 210.

Keep It Fun!

Golf is supposed to be fun, and many players have been reminded of that fact when they play El Cariso. Sure, it doesn’t have the 7,000+ yard layout of a championship style course, but so what? As far as spending a day out under the sun goes, you can have a great time on this par 62 design. The social part of the game is another important part of having fun on the golf course, and this is a good place to bring your friends of all skill levels. If you have a group of friends who all golf but don’t necessarily all have the game to play a bigger course, choosing El Cariso could make everybody happy.

Save Some Cash

You aren’t going to have to take out a second mortgage on your house to play at El Cariso, which is part of the reason why it is so much fun to play. Even on the weekend the rate is less than $32, and you can play for just $24 during the week. It is hard to get onto a golf course for that kind of price these days, so this is a welcome opportunity to hit the links for a modest cost.

Get Started

If you are just getting started in golf, this is exactly the kind of course that you should be hoping to find. The short layout will not be as demanding on your developing skills as a long course would be, and there will be many others around you who are just learning the ropes. There will be plenty of time to play longer courses later if you so choose, but getting started by learning the game at El Cariso is a perfect option.

Click here for our list of the best golf courses in San Fernando Valley.