Palos Verdes Golf Club

Detailed description of Palos Verdes Golf Club

Palos Verdes Golf Club is a Semi-Private 18 hole golf course located in Palos Verdes Estates, California, in the middle of an 800-acre parkland preserve overlooking Santa Monica Bay with ocean views visible from several holes.

The Palos Verdes Golf Club Golf Course opened for play in 1924. The course was designed by George C. Thomas, Jr. The course underwent a complete renovation in 2013 to restore it to its original design under the supervision of golf course Architect Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design. All bunkers were rebuilt, three greens were rebuilt while adding chipping areas around all greens, three new fairway bunkers, new back tees were added to holes where appropriate, and several trees were removed to restore ocean views that had been lost over the years. 

The Palos Verdes Golf Club is semi-private and many of the starting times are reserved for members. The waiting list is long and the waiting period is several years. Only property owners in Palos Verdes Estates can apply for club membership. The clubhouse is open to the public for dining and special events.

With its rolling terrain and ocean views, the Palos Verdes golf course enjoys a world-class setting. The course is fairly open until you get to the back nine. The back nine always is affected by the winds from the pacific ocean which is about 1 1/2 miles away and can make the holes into the wind play consistently 30-40 yards longer off the tee the actual distance. If the grass seems different, it is because it is Kikuyu grass.

Par for the course is 71. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,116 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 4,882 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 7, a par-5 that plays to 510 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 8, a par-3 that plays to 151 yards from the back tees.

Watch out for # 5, a 484-yard par-5 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole is # 16, a 450 yard par-5.

While not long in length by modern standard, the combination of barrancas, creeks, and 74 bunkers requires strategically placed tee shots and accurate approach shots to small well-manicured greens.

The front nine is one of the few courses with what is called a “perfect nine” in that there are no two consecutive holes with the same par.