challenging. The short downhill par-4 sixth is easily reachable at 330 yards followed by the longish par-3 seventh at 284 yards. Both are wonderfully designed gems that can make or break a round. Gil Hanse had this to say about the sixth hole. “Someone could play ‘bombs away’ and just deal with wherever they end up, while others will play to the fairway and try to give themselves a better angle with a short club in their hands.” The par-3 9th hole measures 171-yards and is generally regarded as the signature hole. The 11th is another par-3 at 290-yards and features the downtown Los Angeles skyline as a backdrop. The three closing par-4’s are long and difficult. No. 16 maxes out at 542 yards, The 17th is 520 yards and the 18th is 492 yards. All three closing holes require pinpoint accuracy off the tee and have defensive bunkering fronting the greens. They will provide a stern test for any player trying to hold on to a one-shot lead at the end of the tournament. 3. Tournament History The Los Angeles Country Club North Course has previously hosted three USGA championships, the 1930 U.S. Women’s Amateur, 1954 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2017 Walker Cup. 4. Location Los Angeles Country Club is located between downtown L.A. and the Pacific Ocean. Situated near Beverly Hills on Wilshire Boulevard it is in close proximity to Century City, UCLA and Rodeo Drive. 5. Club History In 1897, Joseph Sartori and Edward Tufts organized an association to address the increasing popularity of golf in California. After outgrowing three locations and years of planning, the club adjacent to posh Beverly Hills officially opened on May 30, 1911. With Its beautiful clubhouse, tennis courts and challenging golf courses, it has served as the club’s home ever since. The original 18-hole golf course was laid out by Sartori, Tufts, Norman Macbeth and Charles Orr. In 1921. British golf architect W. Herbert Fowler created two new 18-hole courses at the existing location. In the late 1920s, legendary golf course architect and club member George C. Thomas Jr. redesigned the North Course. The clubhouse was restored to its original grandeur with a 16-month renovation in 2015. The grand reopening in 2016 included the rededication of the Reagan Terrace in honor of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States and member of The Los Angeles Country Club. The USGA likes to host the U.S. Open on courses rich with history, plus provide a severe challenge for the golfers. L.A. Country Club will fill the bill on both accounts.
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