Griffith Park Golf Courses

Griffith Park is at the southwest corner of the Golden State and Ventura Freeways in between Glendale and Burbank. Two public courses, two nine-holers, four putting greens, two pitching and chipping greens, a practice bunker and a 50-tee, double-deck, lighted driving range, all in all a muni golf factory. Crowded and slow, but the rates are great if you're on a budget. go early in the morning, during the week, but definitely make a tee time in advance. Tee times can be made through City Tee Time Reservation System, which you must pay a fee to get issued a reservation card number. Otherwise, you can show up the day of play and either be on a waiting list of two during the week or 20 on the weekend. The Harding course is the easier of the two 18 hole courses, at 6,523 yards, 123 slope with tree lined fairways on level ground, playing to small greens. The Wilson course is longer at 6,924 yards with wide fairways, but tree lined and somewhat sloping. It opened in 1923 and was designed by George Thomas. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Course is a par 33, 9 holer which opened in 1937. It has the best collection of holes and more character, it's too bad it's only nine holes. It's located across the street from the Greek Theater, and is a hilly and challenging course with great views out over the LA Basin. It's really a "executive" course, and a good place to work on the short game with very narrow fairways, and small greens. There's also a par three course, the Los Feliz Golf Course, the only one not named after a President. Great value here, but expect the crowds.