The 10 Best Golf Courses Near Los Angeles (2026 Guide)

The best golf courses near Los Angeles that the public can play are Rustic Canyon in Moorpark, Pelican Hill in Newport Coast and Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes. For value, Rancho Park is a city-owned course about 10 miles from downtown with decades of PGA Tour history.

The list at a glance

| # | Course | Location | Access | Distance | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Rustic Canyon | Moorpark | Public | about 45 mi | Ground-game strategy | | 2 | Pelican Hill (Ocean South and Ocean North) | Newport Coast | Resort, public tee times | about 45 mi | A splurge round on the coast | | 3 | Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles | Rancho Palos Verdes | Public | about 30 mi | Ocean views on every hole | | 4 | Oak Quarry | Jurupa Valley | Public | about 50 mi | A setting carved from a quarry | | 5 | Rancho Park | Los Angeles | Municipal | about 10 mi | Tour history close to the city | | 6 | Industry Hills (Eisenhower) | City of Industry | Public | about 20 mi | A long test from the back tees | | 7 | Soule Park | Ojai | Municipal | about 85 mi | A day trip to a Hanse renovation | | 8 | Los Verdes | Rancho Palos Verdes | Municipal (county) | about 30 mi | Coastal golf at county rates | | 9 | Griffith Park (Wilson and Harding) | Los Angeles | Municipal | about 10 mi | Two classic 18s near downtown | | 10 | Angeles National | Sunland | Public | about 20 mi | Nicklaus Design in the foothills |

How we chose

Every course in the top 10 takes public tee times, which we confirmed on each course's own website in October 2026. We weighed rankings from Golf Digest, GOLF and Golfweek, design pedigree and experience, and mixed in municipal courses for value. Private clubs are listed separately at the end.

1. Rustic Canyon Golf Course

Location: Moorpark, CA · Access: Public · Holes: 18 (par 72) · Designer: Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford (2002) · From downtown: about 45 miles

Rustic Canyon ranks No. 45 on GOLF's Top 100 Courses You Can Play for 2024-25. Golf Digest also ranks it No. 55 in California for 2025-26. It sits on county-owned land and is presented firm.

Tee times are booked online only. It suits golfers who like to plot their way around rather than overpower a course.

Around the greens: Firm turf rewards a low bump-and-run. Pick a landing spot short of the putting surface and let the ground do the work.

2. Pelican Hill Golf Club

Location: Newport Coast, CA · Access: Resort (public tee times) · Holes: 36 (Ocean South par 70; Ocean North par 71) · Designer: Tom Fazio · From downtown: about 45 miles

Two Tom Fazio courses run along the Newport Coast, and both make Golf Digest's 2025-26 California ranking (Ocean North No. 54, Ocean South No. 60). The courses run along the coast above the Pacific.

You don't need a room to play: the booking page has a general public section. Ocean North is partly closed for restoration through November 2, 2026, so confirm which course is open.

Around the greens: Some greens are tiered, including Ocean North's opener. Land the ball on the same level as the hole, even if that means a longer chip.

3. Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles

Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA · Access: Public · Holes: 18 (7,242 yards) · Designer: Pete Dye (full 18 opened 2006) · From downtown: about 30 miles

The course sits on bluffs above the Pacific with ocean views on every hole. It ranks No. 58 in Golf Digest's California list for 2025-26.

A 1999 landslide damaged the site before it could open in full. The complete 18 opened in 2006 and suits golfers who want a premium coastal round.

Around the greens: On a bluff-top site, notice how the land falls toward the ocean before you choose where to land a chip. That overall tilt can override what the green alone suggests.

4. Oak Quarry Golf Club

Location: Jurupa Valley, CA · Access: Public · Holes: 18 · Designer: Schmidt-Curley Design with Gil Morgan · From downtown: about 50 miles

Oak Quarry is set in a former quarry, with white granite cliffs framing the holes. Golfweek ranked it No. 25 among California's public-access courses in 2024.

It sits on the way from Los Angeles to the desert, so it pairs well with the best golf courses near Palm Springs.

Around the greens: With quarry walls framing the holes, the safe miss matters. Favor the open side of each green so your chip comes from short grass.

5. Rancho Park Golf Course

Location: Los Angeles, CA · Access: Municipal · Holes: 18 (par 71) · Designer: William Johnson and William P. Bell (1949) · From downtown: about 10 miles

Rancho Park hosted the PGA Tour's Los Angeles Open more than a dozen times between 1956 and 1983. Arnold Palmer famously made a 12 on one hole there in 1961.

It plays 6,839 yards from the back tees in Cheviot Hills, on the Westside. It suits anyone who wants real tournament history at municipal rates.

Around the greens: City greens can run at a different pace from resort greens. Roll a few putts on the practice green, then adjust your landing spot to match.

6. Industry Hills Golf Club: Eisenhower Course

Location: City of Industry, CA · Access: Public · Holes: 18 (par 72) · Designer: William F. Bell, with Casey O'Callaghan (reopened after renovation, 2006) · From downtown: about 20 miles

"The Ike" stretches past 7,200 yards from the back tees, with forward tees near 5,700 yards.

The club sits at Pacific Palms Resort, but tee times are open to everyone. It suits strong players who want a long, demanding round.

Around the greens: The 14th and 18th greens each have three tiers. Landing on the correct tier matters more than landing close to the flag.

7. Soule Park Golf Course

Location: Ojai, CA · Access: Municipal · Designer: William F. Bell (1962); renovated by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner (2005) · From downtown: about 85 miles

Soule Park pairs a Billy Bell original with a Gil Hanse renovation. Golfweek tied it for No. 23 among California's public-access courses in 2024.

Pair it with Rustic Canyon for a Ventura County golf weekend.

Around the greens: A long drive to an unfamiliar course is the right time for a short warm-up. Our 15-minute pre-round routine helps you read green speed before the first tee.

8. Los Verdes Golf Course

Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA · Access: Municipal (Los Angeles County) · Holes: 18 (par 71) · Designer: William F. Bell (1964) · From downtown: about 30 miles

Los Verdes shares the Palos Verdes coastline with Trump National but is run by Los Angeles County. The course has ocean views, with Catalina Island in sight.

At about 6,600 yards from the back tees, it suits golfers who want a coastal round at county-course rates.

Around the greens: Like its neighbor, Los Verdes sits on the bluffs. Factor in the general fall of the land toward the water when you read a chip.

9. Griffith Park: Wilson and Harding

Location: Los Angeles, CA · Access: Municipal · Holes: Two 18s (both par 72) · Opened: Harding 1923, Wilson 1927 · From downtown: about 10 miles

Golf has been played in Griffith Park for more than 100 years. Wilson measures 7,002 yards from the back tees, and it hosted the Los Angeles Open in the late 1930s.

Harding is shorter, at 6,714 yards. The two courses share a newly renovated clubhouse.

Around the greens: With two courses to choose from, match the shot to the lie: a bump-and-run from tight grass, a lofted pitch when you must carry rough. See what club to chip with for when to switch.

10. Angeles National Golf Club

Location: Sunland, CA · Access: Public · Holes: 18 (par 72) · Designer: Nicklaus Design · From downtown: about 20 miles

Angeles National is a Nicklaus Design course in Sunland. Golf Digest describes it as a desert-style layout north of downtown.

Tee times open 10 days in advance. Sand injection runs October 5 to 14, 2026, so check conditions mid-month.

Around the greens: Desert-style golf punishes misses into native areas. When in doubt, play to the wide side of the green and leave yourself a simple chip.

Private clubs worth knowing

• Los Angeles Country Club (Los Angeles): its North course ranks No. 3 in California on Golf Digest's 2025-26 list. Member invitation required.
• Riviera Country Club (Pacific Palisades): No. 4 in California on the same Golf Digest list. Member invitation required.
• Bel-Air Country Club (Los Angeles): No. 18 in California on Golf Digest's 2025-26 list. Member invitation required.
• Hillcrest Country Club (Los Angeles): No. 35 in California on Golf Digest's 2025-26 list. Member invitation required.
• Wilshire Country Club (Los Angeles): No. 38 in California on Golf Digest's 2025-26 list. Member invitation required.

Tips for playing golf near Los Angeles

• Book weekend mornings early. The public can book L.A. City courses seven days ahead, and Angeles National opens tee times 10 days out.
• Check fall maintenance. Courses aerate and topdress in late summer and fall; Rustic Canyon closed for aeration in September 2026. Call ahead.
• Plan around traffic. Moorpark and Newport Coast are each about 45 miles from downtown, so leave extra time.
• Expect coastal and inland courses to differ. Bluff-top courses often play cooler and breezier than inland layouts on the same day.
• Adjust for slope. Hillside and bluff-top courses leave plenty of uphill and downhill chips; see our guide to uphill and downhill chipping.
• Going farther? See the best golf courses in California and the best golf courses near San Diego.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best public golf course near Los Angeles?

Rustic Canyon in Moorpark, about 45 miles from downtown, is the top choice. It ranks No. 45 on GOLF's Top 100 Courses You Can Play (2024-25). Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford designed it in 2002. Pelican Hill and Trump National are the premium coastal alternatives.

What is the best municipal golf course in Los Angeles?

Rancho Park is the strongest city-owned course. It hosted the Los Angeles Open more than a dozen times and plays 6,839 yards. Griffith Park's Wilson and Harding courses are close behind, and Los Verdes, run by Los Angeles County, adds ocean views. The public can book L.A. City courses seven days in advance.

Can you play Pelican Hill if you're not staying at the resort?

Yes. Pelican Hill's booking page includes a general public section, so non-guests can book tee times on its two Tom Fazio courses. Through November 2, 2026, the Ocean North course is partly closed for restoration, with only nine holes open. Check which course is available before you plan your day.

When is golf season in Los Angeles?

Golf is played year-round around Los Angeles thanks to the mild climate. Fall brings comfortable temperatures, but it is also when many courses aerate, so call ahead. Summer can be hot at inland courses such as Oak Quarry and Industry Hills, while coastal courses usually stay cooler.

How do I handle unfamiliar green speeds on a new course?

Ask the pro shop how fast the greens are running, ideally the Stimpmeter reading, and roll a few putts before you tee off. Faster greens need a shorter landing spot; slower greens need the ball to land closer to the hole. Our green speed guide explains how to adjust.

Find your landing zone on every green

From tiered coastal greens at Pelican Hill to the firm, contoured surfaces at Rustic Canyon, no two courses on this list chip the same way. Green speed changes where every chip should land, and it changes from course to course. ELZS (Essential Landing Zone Systems) turns three inputs, your distance to the hole, your club and the green speed, into the number of paces to land the ball so it rolls out to the hole. It was built by former teaching pro Chaz H. Smith and comes as an app for iOS and Android and as a waterproof pocket chartbook. Before your next round, ask the pro shop how fast the greens are running, then look up your landing zone and chip with a plan.

Download ELZS for iPhone · Get ELZS on Android · Learn how landing zones work