Angeles National in L.A. Good place to practice

[Ben]

... and play for that matter.

But, the practice facilities are pretty great for a public course. I just spent 2 hours there this afternoon on their rather large chipping/putting green. There are a ton of AJGA kids there during the weekend, its fun to watch the young kids play around.

This green that I speak of, again is rather large, with nice and quick bent grass, and just the right amount of undulation. The only problem I've found is that there aren't many tight lie areas to chip from. But if you need to practice in some seriously deep and hairy rough, this is the place. No bunker either. But the range does have a bunker to hit from...

http://www.angelesnational.com/

[Harry Longshanks]

its fun to watch the young kids play around.

I thought I was the only one who did that. Always makes me smile.

[Ben]

Yeah, reminds me of... me, as a kid.

[Harry Longshanks]

Yeah, reminds me of... me, as a kid.

If I knew you better Ben, I would have made a crack like:

"So the kids were eating paste and peeing their pants?" But I don't know you well enough to know if you would appreciate it and recognize it as an invitation to throw one right back at me - all in good fun of course. So I'll just say that I wish I'd taken up the game as a kid. (But I've got a lot of woulda-coulda-shouldas.)

[Shindig]

Wow, that place looks nice. And it isn't much farther from me than Knollwood, which I used to play regularly in the school year (and to which I will likely return in October). And a good chipping green? Man, I could use that.

But the price... whoa, that's out of my range at the moment. I'd be up for paying a bit more than the $35 or so I pay for a city course on weekends, and I am looking for nearby nicer courses, but I was looking for more like half that price.

... I may have to get up there some day anyway. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Harry Longshanks]

Wow, that place looks nice.

Shindig-

Did you find photos of the facilities? All I saw was the drawing of the "future clubhouse." (I'm not in L.A., but I always like to compare and appreciate nice facilities.)

[Ben]

If I knew you better Ben, I would have made a crack like:

Mmmm, I can smell the mintyness and feel the smooth texture of paste now. Memories. Kindergarten was good times! There's a flash picture gallery on the index page .

Wow, that place looks nice. And it isn't much farther from me than Knollwood, which I used to play regularly in the school year (and to which I will likely return in October). And a good chipping green? Man, I could use that.

Yeah, its probably just as far from you as Knollwood, maybe 5 minutes farther. But, most definitely worth it!

The course is also top notch for sure. I've played my LA Open qualifier there the last two years. As well as my US Open qualifier two years ago. Usually I rate hard courses as tough but fair. For the first handful of times I rated this place as tough but TOUGH. You will loose balls and the tee shots will intimidate. Alright, well, so will the ultra-undulated and slick greens. This and La Purisima in Lompoc, CA are the toughest courses I've played. But, I've grown to love them both.

[Harry Longshanks]

There's a flash picture gallery on the

Clearly, I was the one who ate too much paste.

Thanks Ben.

[Shindig]

Shindig-

Sorry man. My "looks nice" wasn't a reference to how it looks... which really means I chose my words poorly. It looks like a nice play to play, from the description... I should have said it "seems nice."

[TD22057]

That's one of my favorite courses in LA. The greens there are always in great condition - they just roll true all the time. It's a very tough course but you can make some putts there you might not normally get to fall.

I heard a rumor that they may go private (mega $$) once the giant new club house they're building is done. I believe all of the current "memberships" end sometime soon and they aren't extending them. No idea if it's true or not but it would be a shame to loose the ability to play such a nice course...

[sabram]

If it goes private you have to play it while you can. It is a great course and it does "look nice". Here is a link to my photos of the course

http://sports.webshots.com/album/558126168OGfGhq

[Ben]

If it goes private you have to play it while you can. It is a great course and it does "look nice". Here is a link to my photos of the course

Cool photos. Looks like you took the North LA County courses tour.

[immts007]

But the price... whoa, that's out of my range at the moment. I'd be up for paying a bit more than the $35 or so I pay for a city course on weekends, and I am looking for nearby nicer courses, but I was looking for more like half that price.

Yeah, but did you see that yearly memberships start at $1650 with no monthly and no initiation, include unlimited golf and range balls.

Wow, looks like a pretty sweet deal for such a nice course.

[Ben]

I looked into a PGA Membership, which they don't have. That $1650 is actually for 6 months... But, I still think it's worth it for the joint. If you get out there at least 2 times a week.

[Shindig]

Yeah, but did you see that yearly memberships start at $1650 with no monthly and no initiation, include unlimited golf and range balls.

Nope, I wasn't paying attention. D-oh! Oh man that seems a sweet deal.

I looked into a PGA Membership, which they don't have. That $1650 is actually for 6 months... But, I still think it's worth it for the joint. If you get out there at least 2 times a week.

Hmmm... hold on, now I'm interested. Where did you find it's for 6 months for that price? Because that comes to less than $70 per week... unlimited golf and range balls. I'm starting to think... I probably go through $70/week on those things. And it isn't much farther from me (90024) than Knollwood, which last quarter I went and played twice a week (OK, one drive, played 36 holes many Mondays)... and I have Mondays off in fall.

And it's just a straight-up $1650 for that? And the CR/SR/Yardage are exactly in the range I want to play, too. Obviously, I'd have to play it a few times before joining. But... WHOA! I had a vague idea of what country clubs cost to join, and this isn't it. And it doesn't have the country club extras that I notably don't want! So, does joining a club like this exclude me from playing the Publinx? I realize my handicap keeps me out of that at the moment, but I have dreamed since I first broke 100 (and maybe before?) of playing in that. Or is it only country clubs where the general public can't join that keep me out? Eh, even if it does, there's always the mid-am.

[TD22057]

You might want to give the lovely Sharil a call:

http://www.angelesnational.com/membership.html

We played there a couple of weeks or so ago and some guys were saying that they are no longer accepting new memberships or renewals. I didn't hear it from anyone official so it could be completely wrong...

[Ben]

Ah yes, the lovely Sharil. One of my buddies dated her for a while. On top of that she helps out one of the mini-tours I play on. I asked her out the last time I saw her, but she shot me the old "I'm dating someone" balogna.

I caddied for a buddy when I noticed that $1650 deal, and that was a few months ago, and I believe that may have been a special offer. But I'm not 100%.