Best golf courses near Torrance, CA

A compact and shrewd design by George C. Thomas Jr. and associate William P. Bell, Riviera features everything from a long Redan par 3 to a bunker in the middle of a green to an alternate-fairway par 4. With its 18th green at the base of a natural amphitheater, and its primary rough consisting of club-grabbing Kikuyu, Riviera seems tailor-made as a tournament venue. It hosted a PGA Championship in 1995, a U.S. Senior Open in 1998 and a U.S. Amateur in 2017, but no U.S. Open since 1948. With the U.S. Open awarded to nearby LA Country Club for 2023, it doesn’t appear Riviera will get another Open (though it will host the 2028 Olympics). But it’s the site of an annual PGA Tour event, which is even better exposure to the golf world.

Just 30 minutes south of LAX, the Pete Dye design features Pacific Ocean views on every single hole. Built among the jagged cliffs of Palos Verdes Peninsula, Trump National Los Angeles is reportedly one of the most expensive courses constructed in the United States, as the Trump Golf folks claim it took $250 million to develop this scenic public golf experience.

Less than a mile from Long Beach Airport, Lakewood is a tree-lined Billy Bell design that opened in the 1930s. With very little elevation change, the course is an easy walk. Water comes into play on seven holes at Lakewood, which tips out over 7,000 yards. Still, with five sets of tees available, it’s a playable track that offers weekday rates under $50.

Situated between Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, Rancho Park hosted the Los Angeles Open in the late 1950s and 1960s with Arnold Palmer, Charlie Sifford and Billy Casper all winning here. This Los Angeles muny also hosted the 1949 U.S. Amateur Public Links. With weekday rates under $40 and junior rates under $10, Rancho Park offers an accessible way to play a historic championship course.

Perched on bluffs overlooking the Pacific less than 20 miles south of LAX, Los Verdes is a William F. Bell design offering terrific value, with rates under $50. Though the conditioning might not meet the standard of a private club, Los Verdes is an old-school design worth playing for its stunning views of the Pacific and of Catalina Island.