Rancho Park Golf Course

Opened in 1949 and designed by William P. Bell with William Johnson, the par-71 layout plays 6,839 yards through gently rolling, tree-lined terrain to small, well-defended greens — an accessible but genuinely testing city course with a rich tournament past.

Course History

Rancho Park opened in 1949 and immediately hosted the U.S.G.A. Amateur Public Links Championship. Through the mid-20th century it became one of the PGA Tour's Los Angeles homes, hosting the Los Angeles Open many times, and it remains famous for Arnold Palmer's card-wrecking 12 on the par-5 18th during the 1961 L.A. Open — an episode later marked by a commemorative plaque at the tee.

Signature Holes

No hole at Rancho Park is more storied than the closing par-5 18th, a 508-yard finisher along the course's western boundary. The fairway narrows sharply near the green, squeezing between the driving range on the right and Patricia Avenue on the left, with out of bounds lurking on both sides. Playing as the ninth hole during the 1961 Los Angeles Open, it humbled reigning Masters and U.S. Open champion Arnold Palmer, who followed a fine tee shot with four straight balls out of bounds — two right, then two left — and carded a 12; the bronze plaque on the hole commemorates the collapse. Palmer got his revenge, winning three L.A. Opens here, including a 1966 title set up by a course-record-tying 62.

The rest of the routing is classic William P. Bell parkland: tree-lined doglegs bending through the undulating Cheviot Hills terrain, fairways that serve up a steady variety of lies, and small, well-guarded greens that put the entire emphasis on precise approach play — the qualities that kept the L.A. Open coming back for nearly two decades.

Playing the Course

Playing to a par of 71 over 6,839 yards (72.8 rating, 130 slope), Rancho Park is a mature, tree-lined parkland test with rolling fairways and small greens that put a premium on accuracy over length. It is one of the most heavily played courses in the country, so pace and patience are part of the experience.

Know Before You Go

• City-owned course at 10460 W. Pico Blvd.; book through the L.A. City tee-time system or call (310) 838-7373.

• A lighted driving range and a separate 9-hole, par-3 course share the site — handy for warm-ups and short-game practice.

• Central Westside location near Century City makes it one of the most convenient rounds in the city; expect busy tee sheets.