Bel-Air Country Club

Courses nearby to Wilshire, Los Angeles Los Angeles is not just a bustling metropolis famous for Hollywood, diverse culture, and sunny beaches; it also offers some of the most scenic and challenging golf courses in the United States. Nestled within this vibrant city are various prestigious golf clubs, each with unique features that cater to golf enthusiasts of all levels. The city's favourable climate allows for year-round play, attracting both local and visiting golfers who seek to test their skills against the backdrop of Southern California's stunning landscapes. Los Angeles (North) Riviera Country Club: Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades, Riviera Country Club is one of the most prestigious and exclusive golf clubs in Los Angeles. Known simply as "The Riv," it boasts a history rich with professional golf tournaments, including the Genesis Invitational. The course is celebrated for its challenging layout and iconic holes, such as the par-4 10th, which is famously difficult despite its short distance. Bel-Air Country Club: This exclusive private club, situated in the luxurious enclave of Bel-Air, is known for its tight fairways and undulating greens, providing a challenge to even the most skilled golfers. The course's unique features include several tunnels and an elevator, which add to its distinctive character. Surrounded by lush vegetation and panoramic views of Los Angeles, Bel-Air offers a serene yet challenging golfing experience. Los Angeles (South) Golf Club: Often overshadowed by its more famous northern counterparts, the Los Angeles (South) region is home to several noteworthy golf courses that offer a variety of play styles. These courses generally feature more accessible options for the public and are known for their laid-back atmosphere and well-maintained greens. These golf courses in Los Angeles not only provide exceptional golfing experiences but also serve as vital green spaces that enhance the urban landscape, offering an oasis of tranquillity and recreation amid the city's hustle and bustle. Whether you're seeking the exclusivity of private clubs or the more democratic atmosphere of public courses, Los Angeles's golf offerings are as diverse and inviting as the city itself. Find out more about travel toWilshire Country Club in Los Angeles Why not register today to be the 1st to Receive US Rankings releases for 2024. Lockhart Travel Club Concierge Services FAQ What is the Lockhart Travel Club? Lockhart Travel Club is dedicated to offering its members unique opportunities for world-class golf exploration and adventure. It connects members with like-minded individuals worldwide, aiming to fulfil their desire to play at the best golf courses globally. The club originated from Robert Lockhart's passion, a Scotsman who introduced golf to America in the late 19th century, and it continues to embody his spirit of golf travel​ (Lockhart Travel Club)​. Who are the members of the Lockhart Travel Club? Members are individuals from some of the world's greatest clubs, sharing a common passion for golf and adventure. The club welcomes golfers eager to travel, play, and check off their bucket list of courses. They are driven by the opportunity to see and play the best courses worldwide, taking advantage of the club's network​. What kind of experiences does Lockhart Travel Club offer? In 2023, the club provided opportunities to play in various top-ranked courses and locations, including the Sand Hills of Nebraska and Colorado, the best of Japan and Korea, the English Heathlands, the classic courses of France, and the best of New Zealand’s North Island. The 2024 schedule promises unique experiences in 19 different countries, including Thailand & China, Brazil, South Africa, the Northeast USA, and Australia​. How do I join Lockhart Travel Club? Interested individuals can inquire about membership by contacting the club directly via their official email. The club values connections among golf enthusiasts and strives to plan unique, unforgettable opportunities for its members throughout the year​. For more detailed inquiries or to apply for membership, please refer directly to the Lockhart Travel Club's official website or contact their membership services. Lockhart Travel Club About Us: Learn more about the club Top 100 Golf Courses - Lockhart Travel Club: Explore member experiences and trips

How to play the world’s most exclusive golf clubs We review John Sabino’s new book There’s no shortage of correspondents with extensive golfing experience in the Top 100 Team, with several of them setting formidable personal targets in their quest to play as many of the top tracks as possible. For instance, our US consultant Fergal O’Leary completed an 8-year pursuit to play the Top 100 in the World last year when he travelled to the Durban Country Club, South Africa. At 32, he became the youngest member of an elite group of thirty people who have so far managed to accomplish this global golfing feat. Our Netherlands-based International Correspondent David Davis recently undertook an extensive trip to Japan, China and several other Far Eastern countries as he also strives to play the World Top 100 (and quite a number of other courses that just fail to make the top rankings) – and with fewer than a dozen to go, it won’t be long until he also become a member of the exclusive World Top 100 Club. Another self-confessed golf nut named John Sabino set off “in pursuit of golf’s Holy Grail” a few years ago and his task was to play all of Golf Magazine’s World Top 100 as defined in their 2003 rankings. He wrote a blog as he progressed along his golfing journey before being approached by a book publisher to write about his experiences and give insights into how he gained access to some of the most restricted golf courses in the world. The highly entertaining book How to play the world’s most exclusive golf clubs is the result of his literary efforts. Strangely enough, more than half the Top 100 courses were played by following the standard booking procedure for guest play – no great mystique in that process then when all it takes is a letter or an email! Direct invitations from members, architects, greenkeepers or professionals accounted for another eighteen rounds and a further nine tee times were secured through hotel/tour operators or by a corporate invite or charity outing. Unsolicited invitations via the author’s blog gained him access to another few courses and one club in the United States rather surprisingly allowed him to play after he cold called to ask for a game! There’s extensive coverage in the book of a number of “special experience” venues like the Californian trio of Bel Air Country Club, Los Angeles Country Club and Cypress Point Club. Overseas clubs warranting particular attention include Morfontaine, Loch Lomond and Durban Country Club whilst there’s sizeable multi-page spreads devoted to both Augusta National and a handful of Japanese clubs, where the author thinks at least seven hours has to be devoted to playing golf, including pre-match coffee and post-round hot bath then drinks. A number of other private facilities are examined, most of them located in the United States. Sanctuary in Colorado, Porcupine Creek in California and Pocantico Hills in New York are just some of the ultra-exclusive tracks discussed. Elsewhere in the world, Ellerston in Australia, Goodwood in Canada and Prince de Provence in France – all three of which are nationally ranked by Top 100 Golf Courses – are also considered, though the author diplomatically offers no hints on how to gain access to any of these very privileged golfing playgrounds. Some of the most interesting parts of the book are those that have nothing to do with the author or his stated aim of getting golfers onto tracks that are tough to gain entry to. For example, chapter 6 (“Playing the World’s Elite Courses in an earlier era”) details the exploits of Ralph Kennedy, a traveling salesman for a pencil company who played Augusta National just after it opened in 1933 when the nines were played in reverse order. Known as “The Peripatetic Golfer,” it’s reckoned he walked the equivalent of twice the circumference of the earth, playing more than 3,000 courses in fourteen countries, over a forty-two-year period starting in 1921. Similarly, chapter 12 (“The Kiwi Miracle”) tells the story of two young New Zealand golfers who set out on a golfing adventure in 2010 to raise money for charity and play a round of golf every day around the world, starting at Kauri Cliffs on 1st January and ending at Cape Kidnappers on 31st December, passing through Australasia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. Plenty of top courses were played in a semi-impromptu fashion along the way, from Cypress Point to Pine Valley in the United States, Loch Lomond to Ballybunion in Great Britain & Ireland, and from Morfontaine in France to the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. John Sabino certainly calls it as he sees it, without fear or favour – early in the book, he states that he’s no great lover of the Old Course at St Andrews, going on to mention a caddy at Crail Golfing Society that was also not a big fan and who told him about a dozen times, “The Old Course is s****, and a lot of locals are afraid to tell you for fear of getting in trouble.” The author also cites eight courses (including the Vineuil at Chantilly, Old Head and Prestwick) that merit a place in the World Top 100 in his view but he doesn’t name the courses that should be excluded to make way for the newcomers – now that’s an opinion which might have ruffled a few feathers! How to play the world’s most exclusive golf clubs doesn’t really reveal anything the reader shouldn’t already know – that “the best way to access private courses is to find a member.” By networking with the right people, the author was able to play at many hard-to-access clubs through making the right connections. Other means of getting onto the best courses (such as playing in a pro-am, through membership of a golf society or becoming a course reviewer) pale into insignificance in comparison. John Sabino writes with unbridled enthusiasm, delivering lots of little snippets about life in and around the locker rooms at many of the best clubs in the world, and these anecdotes go a long way to make this book the enthralling read that it undoubtedly is. John's book is available at Amazon.com. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

There are few tee times in golf more desirable than one at Pebble Beach Golf Links. The setting is extraordinary, the history is unparalleled and the opportunity to play a course that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and countless other significant events is firmly on many golfers' bucket lists. Eighteen-time Major champion Jack Nicklaus once said if he only had one more round to play, he’d choose to play it at Pebble Beach, calling it “possibly the best [course] in the world”. Pebble Beach has retained its status as one of the world’s great public-access courses, meaning there are ways for ordinary golfers to play it, unlike many of the world's most exclusive layouts. The catch? Getting a tee time requires a little more planning than simply clicking through an online booking system. The good news is that there are a couple of different routes to the first tee at Pebble Beach. Here's everything you need to know. Where is Pebble Beach Golf Links? Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of golf’s great amphitheaters, where the Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop and almost every hole carries a piece of history. The course sits on the spectacular Monterey Peninsula on California's central coast, roughly 120 miles south of San Francisco. It forms part of Pebble Beach Resorts and is reached via the famous 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road that winds around the coastline between Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Pebble Beach occupies a dramatic stretch of Pacific coastline, with several holes running directly alongside Carmel Bay. It is also surrounded by some of the most recognisable scenery on the Monterey Peninsula, including the Lone Cypress and the rocky coastline for which the area is famous. For golfers arriving by air, Monterey Regional Airport is by far the closest airport. From the airport, the route to Pebble Beach Golf Links follows Highway 68 and then 17-Mile Drive, with the resort estimating a journey of about 15 minutes. The Easiest Way To Play: Stay at Pebble Beach Resorts The most dependable strategy to secure a tee time is to make your trip a resort stay. Guests staying at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay or Casa Palmero have access to Pebble Beach's courses, and resort guests are the only golfers who can reserve a Pebble Beach tee time more than 24 hours in advance. The booking window is particularly useful for golfers planning a bucket-list trip well ahead of time. Guests at The Lodge and The Inn at Spanish Bay can book accommodation up to 18 months in advance, while Casa Palmero reservations can be made up to 12 months ahead, subject to availability. To avoid disappointment, Pebble Beach explicitly recommends that resort guests request their tee times at the time of booking their room. A minimum two-night stay is required to secure a round at Pebble Beach Golf Links, although the resort can require three nights on certain dates. The resort's availability calendar identifies dates where different requirements apply, so it’s worth checking before finalising your itinerary. How Far Ahead Should You Book? As soon as possible is the short answer. Because resort guests can plan their accommodation up to 18 months in advance, Pebble Beach is best approached as a destination trip rather than an isolated round of golf. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we'd recommend starting with dates rather than a particular tee time. If you are travelling a long way to play Pebble Beach, it’s better to have several possible dates than to become fixated on one particular morning. Another important consideration for larger groups is that up to two players may be booked per room, based on room occupancy. A group of four should therefore plan around two rooms if everyone wants to play Pebble Beach. What if You Don't Want to Stay at the Resort? There is another considerably cheaper option to walk in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, although it is much less certain. Non-resort guests are able to book Pebble Beach Golf Links one day in advance, meaning you don’t necessarily need to fork out for several nights of accommodation to play the course. Being one of the premier public courses in the world, tee times are in high demand, making the one-day window a genuine gamble. If you're already in the Monterey or Carmel area and have some flexibility, it's worth trying. If you're flying across the Atlantic specifically to play Pebble Beach, however, the resort route is significantly safer. How Much Does it Cost? Playing at such a prestigious course does not come without a hefty price tag, particularly if you’re planning on staying at Pebble Beach Resorts. For the current rate period of April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, the published green fee for Pebble Beach Golf Links is $695. The green fee applies to both resort and non-resort golfers, although non-resort golfers also pay the applicable cart fee. Additional published charges include: Cart: $60 per person Pull cart: $20 Single-bag caddie: $175 Double-bag caddie: $250 Forecaddie: $62.50 per person, with a three-player minimum Club rental: $120 per bag, plus tax Those figures make Pebble Beach one of the most expensive public-access rounds in the United States, particularly once accommodation, travel and caddie gratuity are added - but for many golfers this isn't an everyday round, it is the centrepiece of a trip.