Rancho Park Course
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Rancho Park, a Los Angeles municipal mainstay, carries the echoes of Sam Snead's 1949 and 1950 Los Angeles Open victories, a testament to its bygone stature. The parkland-style layout, sprawling across the flats near Century City, presents a deceptively gentle challenge. Wide fairways invite the errant drive, but mature trees lining each hole punish waywardness, especially with the subtle doglegs. Originally designed by William P. Bell in 1948, Rancho Park has seen its share of tweaks over the years, but the essential character of a player-friendly, yet subtly demanding, public course remains. It hosted the Los Angeles Open multiple times between 1949 and 1956, cementing its place in Southern California golf lore. While no longer hosting professional events, Rancho Park remains a hub for Los Angeles golfers of all skill levels. It’s a bustling testament to affordable, accessible golf, where the game's social fabric is as vital as the putting surfaces. The clubhouse is known for a good burger and a cold drink.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Unranked
Best in USA
Unranked
Best in CA
Public: #127
Golfers say Rancho Park stands out as Los Angeles's best municipal course, praising its William Bell design and routing over exceptional land that some consider second only to LACC North in Southern California. Most reviewers highlight standout holes like the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, and 17th, noting the layout's quality despite constraints from the adjacent driving range that affect the 9th and 18th. However, nearly all warn that its popularity makes it the busiest course in the U.S., with tee times extremely difficult to secure and rounds often running very long. While some find it merely adequate, the consensus is that the course offers stellar municipal golf for those who can navigate the booking challenges and accept slower pace of play.
Probably LA’s best muni. But with that makes it a lottery to get a tee times (even as a single) and rounds can be very long. But as far as muni golf goes it’s stellar
Awful conditioning.
Best muni in Los Angeles proper. William Bell design and great layout. Busiest course in the U.S., so times are hard to come by, but worth a walk!
It's on a better piece of land than any golf course in SoCal not named LACC North. It gets more play than any course in town. If the range didn't need to be there (and it's a huge moneymaker) the 9th and 18th holes would be significantly better - 18 a lot better. Some truly outstanding holes (2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 17). If the city ever committed to it, I'd kill the range and move it to replace the Par 3 course next door. You could also stretch it 300 more yards and make it play tough for SCGA events.
There's not much else to compare Rancho to....It's fine? I like it good enough, I guess.
Public courses closest to Rancho Park.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Rancho Park has a Course Vaults score of 6.7 out of 10 based on 24 explicit golfer ratings.
Rancho Park was designed by William Francis Bell and William H. Johnson.
Yes. Rancho Park is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Rancho Park is 71.
Rancho Park plays 6,839 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Rancho Park is 129.
