
Woodley Lakes Course
Woodley Lakes Municipal Golf Course


About this course
Woodley Lakes Municipal Golf Course occupies a flat parcel in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Designed by Ray Goates and opened in the early 1970s, the course was built on reclaimed land within the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, a flood control zone managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The site's origins as a gravel quarry left behind several man-made lakes that became central features of the routing, giving the course its name and defining much of its strategic character. The layout plays across relatively level terrain with minimal elevation change, typical of valley-floor municipal courses in Southern California. Water hazards—both lakes and connecting channels—come into play on multiple holes, requiring accurate approach shots and thoughtful club selection. Mature trees line many fairways, framing holes and adding a parkland feel despite the urban setting. The course serves as a busy public facility, drawing a diverse mix of local golfers and visitors seeking accessible play in the densely populated Valley. Woodley Lakes functions as a straightforward test of golf without severe length or dramatic contours. Its location within the broader Sepulveda Basin complex, which includes other recreational amenities and open space, makes it a practical option for golfers in the northwest Los Angeles area. The course remains a working example of mid-century municipal golf design adapted to constrained urban land and engineered landscapes.
Rankings
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
Best in USA
Best in CA
Quick facts
- Location
- Van Nuys, CA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1975
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Ray Goates
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,816 yards
- Difficulty
- 71.8/120
- Course Vaults score
- 5.7
Getting there
Woodley Lakes Municipal Golf Course sits in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, less than twenty miles northwest of Los Angeles International Airport via the 405 Freeway. The drive north traces the spine of the Sepulveda Pass before descending into the broad, grid-patterned expanse of Van Nuys, where the course occupies a surprisingly verdant pocket amid the Valley's urban sprawl. Tucked within the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, Woodley Lakes reveals itself as an oasis of fairways and water features framed by distant mountain ridges - a municipal refuge accessible to all, yet quietly removed from the hum of Ventura Boulevard just blocks away.

FAQ
Common questions about Woodley Lakes
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Woodley Lakes has a Course Vaults score of 5.7 out of 10 based on 28 logged golfers.
Woodley Lakes was designed by Ray Goates.
Yes. Woodley Lakes is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Woodley Lakes is 72.
Woodley Lakes plays 6,816 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Woodley Lakes is 120.





