Palos Verdes Golf Club

Los Angeles has some of the most interesting land for golf anywhere in the country. Canyons, barrancas, and often dramatic elevation changes make for consistently interesting golf — and golf that can vary dramatically over a short distance (just look at the uniquely different properties at George Thomas’ brilliant trifecta of Bel Air, Riviera, and LACC, which all sit within a few miles of each other). Just down the road from these storied venues sits maybe the most dramatic piece of land of any of them – Palos Verdes Golf Club – designed by none other than Thomas’s foreman and right-hand man, William P. (Billy) Bell. 

Set hard against the massive, mountainous landform that makes up the Palos Verdes peninsula, the course navigates what can only be described as an extreme piece of land, about as delicately as one could. The clubhouse sits at the high point of the property, while the lowest point (hole 15) stretches over 250 feet below. Hole 14 alone dives 100 feet from tee to green.

Not only that, a series of deep canyons breaks up the ground, often forcing holes into corridors that create opportunities for dramatic shots across uneven lies. The front nine rides the high ground to start, playing along and around a canyon before dropping over 100 feet into it on the par-3 fourth and then shooting straight back up on the par-5 sixth. Bell’s par 5s at Palos Verdes cleverly utilized the longer yardages to tackle the site’s most extreme ground. (edited) 

The back nine begins by horseshoeing around another canyon, with the wonderful, short par 4 12th playing over the deepest part off the tee. From there, holes 13-17 play either straight down or straight back up (with the exception of the 15th). Holes 13 and 14 play down, with diagonal tee shots that ask players to get as close to the deep canyon as possible, while angled greens on the uphill 15th and 16th holes demand precise approaches from uneven, uphill lies. 

In 2013, architect Todd Eckenrode completed a modest renovation project there, but one that helped restore some of the Southern California charm, expanding short grass, opening up the canyons, and reinvigorating the classic Billy Bell bunkering. Palos Verdes is not flashy the way some of its Hollywood neighbors are, but it’s a charmer, with clever, strategic holes that take full advantage of a tricky piece of ground.

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