Number 5: Los Angeles Country Club

Ceiling: 97.5

Rating: 95

Trend over Time: 7.5

Many of the exclusive clubs that I have written about in this series have the reputation of being unwelcoming to play, yet I have not found that myself. Well, LACC withstands that notion. You don’t get the member for a day vibe. Sorry, that’s just the truth. That said, what is also true is the fact that people allowed that feeling at the US Open this past summer to be confused with the quality of the golf course, which is extremely unfortunate. Is it an easy course to spectate? Not really. Did the LACC membership perhaps shoot for a “private US Open” feel? Absolutely. Is the golf course “overrated” as many people took away from the week? Total. BS. To create a top-tier golf course you must have truly great land. Not only is LACC on a piece of land that is just that, it also happens to be smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles which makes the setting for golf truly one of coolest and most unique I have ever experienced.

Culture:

LACC is old school LA. No entertainment folk, athletes are generally a no, politicians, and anyone who is an outsider also probably doesn’t have a chance of joining. Like anything, there are exceptions to the rule, but not many. As previously stated, I have felt welcomed to virtually every course I’ve had the chance to play, but LACC was probably the least that way. With return trips I have felt a bit more comfortable with the place, but the intent is not to make guests feel like they run the joint. Pivoting to the golf. I’m in love. The property is big, dramatic, shockingly varied in terrain and natural features, and as Malcolm Gladwell knows, the second most valuable parcel of land in the country. Hard to beat out central park. The property features many rolling hills, barrancas, washes, and ravines that give the course the natural texture of something you would expect far outside city limits of any major metro, yet its situated in the country’s second largest. The word I associate with LACC is scale. While it isn’t inconceivable to have a property like it in the heart of LA, its size and drama blow me away. Everything feels like it is multiplied by 2 or 3. The quality of golf being the direct product.

*Harry How/R&A | Credit: R&A via Getty Images*

Competition:

A true bright spot in LACC’s history and future is the fact that it has decided to open up (sorta, sorry had to) to the public for major events. Prior to the 2017 Walker Cup, it had hosted the 1930 US Women’s Am, 1954 US Junior Am, and beyond that it had been pretty closed off. A change in direction in the outside competition category has led the club to now host this past year’s US Open as well as the 2032 US Women’s Open, and the men will return again in 2039 for round 2. LACC has an amazing blend of big brash golf holes and short devilish ones. One hole is a 4 iron to a large green, the next is a 75-yard wedge to a tiny one and may present a harder overall golf shot. The variability in how it challenges you is what makes it such a special course for competition. In a casual setting, this is what makes it fun, but in competition, when the greens and pins are spicy, the word fun exits stage left.

Architecture:

The age old LA debate of LACC vs Riv for me is a fairly easy one. While Riv is wonderful, what George Thomas was able to do with the piece of land LACC sits on is at another level. The variance in shot and holes types is the first thing that sticks. You see every type of shot asked of you at LACC. From a distance, slope, lie, and shape standpoint. The course has enough inherent difficulty tee to green that while the greens are interesting, they are not “crazy” like you see at many top courses. While the Winged Foot’s of the world are fun to see every so often, a more comprehensive test that doesn’t rely quite so much on the putting is one of the things I love about LACC. The place just nails balance. Long hole, large green. Short hole, small, punishing green. Dangerous features, bailouts too. More open hole, more undulation and fewer flat lies. Simple stuff, but not easy stuff to get right. Fortunately, LACC does.