Encino Golf Course

Course History

Encino Golf Course opened in 1957 as the second half of the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area's original 36-hole municipal complex, joining the Balboa course that had debuted in 1954. Originally known as the Sepulveda North Course, it was laid out by William P. Bell & Son, the family firm whose work shaped dozens of Southern California courses. The ground itself has an unusual backstory: the courses sit inside the flood-control basin behind Sepulveda Dam, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 after the deadly Los Angeles flood of 1938, and the basin's recreation facilities were deliberately designed to tolerate occasional inundation when the dam holds back winter storm water.

In the decades since, Encino has become a staple of Los Angeles's city golf system and one of the San Fernando Valley's busiest public tracks. Its location within easy reach of the studios earned it a following among entertainment-industry players — the city itself notes the course has long been frequented by Hollywood celebrities — and the Southern California Golf Association brings one-day tournament events to the complex. Encino and Balboa continue to operate side by side, sharing a lighted driving range, practice greens, and a full-service restaurant and banquet facility.

The Design & Architecture

Encino is the bigger, brawnier of the two Sepulveda courses: long and wide, with an open parkland design, generously sized greens, and mature trees framing the fairways. The scale favors drivers of the ball — the city describes it as "a nice test for the long hitter" — while the openness keeps it approachable for mid- and high-handicap golfers looking to hone their games. Turf is bermudagrass through the fairways and on the greens, well suited to the hot Valley floor, and the flat basin terrain makes for a comfortable walk.

Signature Holes

Regulars consistently point to the 9th — a par 4 of roughly 425 yards from the back tees — as Encino's best hole, and the scorecard backs up the challenge elsewhere. The par-4 7th stretches past 460 yards from the tips, and the course's par 3s are unusually long for a municipal layout, with the 6th and 15th both playing over 220 yards from the back markers. The round closes with a strong finishing run capped by the 18th, a par 5 of more than 550 yards.

Playing the Course

From the Black tees Encino measures 7,023 yards against a par of 72, with a course rating of 71.8 and a slope of 118 — numbers that describe a course that is long but fair, where the main defense is distance rather than trouble. Three additional tee sets (6,593, 6,118, and 5,307 yards) let golfers pick their fight, and the large greens offer plenty of room to land approach shots. Municipal green fees, plus twilight and senior discounts, make it one of the better values in the Valley.

Know Before You Go

• Public course at 16821 Burbank Blvd., Encino, CA 91436; call (818) 995-1170 for tee times and details.

• More info and booking at https://golf.lacity.gov/course_encino/.

• Amenities: lighted driving range, practice putting and chipping greens, lessons, cart and club rentals, plus a full-service restaurant, lounge, and banquet facility shared with Balboa.

• Tip: back-nine play is allowed during the first hour of daylight, and twilight and super-twilight rates offer some of the best golf value in the San Fernando Valley.