Los Amigos Golf Course

Bell–designed championship muni (1966) about 13 minutes from downtown LA, pairing a walkable par-71 layout with a night-lit range and a classic on-site diner and lounge.

Course History

Los Amigos opened for public play in 1966, designed by William Francis "Billy" Bell — son of famed Golden Age architect William P. Bell and the man behind a large share of Southern California's postwar municipal courses. Laid out on flat parkland in Downey as part of the Los Angeles County golf system, it has run continuously as a county course for nearly six decades, and older golf directories still list it under the name "Los Amigos Country Club."

Today the course is owned by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and remains one of the busiest value-priced tee sheets in the county system. It carries some local lore, too: GolfPass reviewers highlight the footbridges donated by Dodgers legend Don Newcombe, and the night-lighted driving range and The Hazard Bar & Grill have long made the property as much a neighborhood gathering spot as a golf course.

The Design & Architecture

Bell's layout is classic mid-1960s SoCal parkland: a flat, easily walkable routing framed by mature trees, with two picturesque lakes and strategically placed bunkers supplying most of the defense. The front nine plays fairly wide open before the course tightens noticeably on the back, and the routing mixes creative doglegs with a short, tempting drivable par 4. Turf is Bermuda from tee to green.

Playing the Course

At 6,212 yards against par 71, with a 68.7 rating and 118 slope from the back tees, Los Amigos sits on the approachable end of the county rota — six sets of tees run all the way down to about 4,050 yards, so beginners and juniors have room to grow. The test comes on and around the putting surfaces: regulars describe medium-speed greens that roll smoothly and reward a good putting week, while the tighter, tree-lined back nine asks for more care off the tee. It is a popular, affordable tee sheet, so book ahead and expect company on weekends.

Know Before You Go

• Public course at 7295 Quill Drive, Downey, CA 90242; call (562) 923-9696 for tee times and details.

• More info and booking at https://www.losamigosgc.com/.