Harding at Griffith Park is a 102-year-old, par-72 municipal course in central Los Angeles that plays to 6,714 yards, costs as little as $38 on a weekday, and delivers a genuine shotmaker's test with tree-lined fairways, classic George C. Thomas-era design, and a history that stretches back to the 1938 L.A. Open.
Keep reading for everything you need to know — from fees and tee times to course conditions and tips for scoring well.
What Is Harding Golf Course?
Harding opened on August 11, 1923 as Municipal #2 — one of the first public golf courses built inside Los Angeles city limits. The original routing came from Willie Watson and William H. Johnson, with George C. Thomas Jr. and William P. Bell later reshaping the layout into the strategic, tree-lined parkland it is today.
A year after opening, the course was renamed the Warren G. Harding Memorial in honor of the late president, who died in August 1923 while on a national tour that included a planned stop in Los Angeles.
The course carries real competitive history. Along with its sister course Wilson, Harding co-hosted the L.A. Open in 1936, 1937, and 1938 — the same event where Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first woman to compete in a men's professional golf tournament, shooting rounds of 84 and 81 before missing the cut.
Golf Digest has recognized it as a “Best Places to Play” course, and for good reason: at $38 on a weekday, it's the most affordable championship-length round you'll find anywhere in central LA.
Course Layout — What to Expect on the Course
Harding plays to 6,714 yards from the Black tees with a course rating of 71.4 and a slope of 121 — numbers that suggest a manageable test on paper, but the layout has a quirk that catches first-timers off guard. The front nine stretches to 3,575 yards (par 37), while the back nine comes in at just 3,139 yards (par 35). That's an unusual 436-yard gap between nines, which means the bulk of the difficulty lands early.
The style is classic tree-lined parkland — narrow, strategic, and unforgiving off the tee. Distance is less of an advantage here than ball placement, and the mature trees lining most fairways make that point quickly.
Tee options at a glance:
- Black: 6,714 yds (71.4 / 121)
- Blue: 6,423 yds (70.0 / 118)
- White: 6,168 yds (68.7 / 115)
- White/Yellow combo: 5,811 yds (67.0 / 111)
- Yellow: 4,946 yds (63.0 / 101)
Holes worth knowing before you play:
The 430-yard 1st sets the tone immediately — no warm-up par 4 here. Hole 3 is the course's toughest, a tight dogleg right at 405 yards, and hole 9 (427 yards) closes the front with a similar demand. The long par-3 13th at 201 yards is one of the more demanding one-shotters on the back.
For scoring opportunities, target the three par 5s — the 555-yard 6th, the 498-yard 7th, and the 496-yard 18th are all reachable or near-reachable in two. Hole 14, a 374-yard par 4 with a sloped fairway, is the easiest hole on the course and a reliable birdie chance.
One course change worth noting: hole 16 used to play tighter thanks to a large ficus guarding the right side of the fairway. That tree was lost in the January 2025 windstorms, and the hole now plays considerably more open than it did before.
On the greens, Harding uses kikuyu turf throughout — fairways and putting surfaces alike. Kikuyu greens tend to be grainy and a touch slower than the bent-grass greens you'd find at a private club. Lag putting is your friend here; the ball won't take as much break as you might expect.
Green Fees and Booking — What It Costs and How to Secure a Tee Time
Harding's pricing is one of its strongest selling points. A full 18-hole round runs $38 on a weekday and $49 on weekends — or $54 if you're teeing off before 9:00 a.m. on a weekend morning. Twilight and super-twilight rates drop the cost significantly, and the junior and senior discounts make it one of the more accessible municipal courses in any major U.S. city.
Full rate breakdown (2026):
| Round Type | Weekday | Weekend/Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Holes | $38 | $49 ($54 before 9 a.m.) |
| Twilight | $25 | $33 |
| Super Twilight | $17 | $22 |
| Junior 18 Holes | $5 | $15 |
| Senior 18 Holes | $25 | N/A |
| Senior Lifeline (after noon) | $19 | N/A |
Additional costs to factor in: electric cart rental is $18 per seat, a push cart runs $8, and range balls go from $8 for a small bucket up to $20 for a jumbo. Credit card surcharges apply across all L.A. City Golf courses, so bring cash if you plan to use the snack bar.
The Player Card is worth it from day one.
The L.A. City Golf Player Card costs $25 per year and does two important things: it bumps your booking window from 7 days out to 9 days out, and it's required to access senior rates if you're 60 or older. At $38 per round, the card pays for itself in less than one weekday round. You can only buy, renew, or replace it in person at any L.A. City Golf course starter window.
How to actually get a tee time:
Demand at Harding consistently outpaces availability, particularly on weekend mornings. In March 2024, a group of local golfers filed a class-action suit alleging that third-party brokers had been scooping up prime tee times to resell at a markup.
The city responded with a $10 per-player deposit collected at booking and an explicit ban on bots and third-party booking tools. Availability has improved since, but weekend mornings still go fast.
Your best approach:
- Get a Player Card so you're booking 9 days out instead of 7
- Log on to golf.lacity.gov or the L.A. City Golf app at exactly 6:00 a.m. on your booking day
- If weekend slots are gone, check back regularly — cancellations happen often
- Midweek walk-ins and standby spots are genuinely available; show up early and ask the starter
You can also book by phone at (818) 291-9980, though the app and website are faster.
Green Fees and Booking — What It Costs and How to Secure a Tee Time
Harding's pricing is one of its strongest selling points. A full 18-hole round runs $38 on a weekday and $49 on weekends — or $54 if you're teeing off before 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday or Sunday morning.
Twilight and super-twilight rates bring the cost down considerably, and the junior and senior discounts make it one of the more accessible municipal courses in any major U.S. city.
Full rate breakdown (2026):
| Round Type | Weekday | Weekend/Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Holes | $38 | $49 ($54 before 9 a.m.) |
| Twilight | $25 | $33 |
| Super Twilight | $17 | $22 |
| Junior 18 Holes | $5 | $15 |
| Senior 18 Holes | $25 | N/A |
| Senior Lifeline (after noon) | $19 | N/A |
Electric cart rental adds $18 per seat, a push cart runs $8, and range balls range from $8 for a small bucket to $20 for a jumbo. Credit card surcharges apply across all L.A. City Golf courses, so bring cash if you plan to use the snack bar.
The Player Card is worth buying immediately.
The L.A. City Golf Player Card costs $25 per year and does two things: it moves your booking window from 7 days out to 9 days out, and it's required to access senior rates if you're 60 or older. At $38 per round, it pays for itself in a single weekday visit. You can only purchase, renew, or replace it in person at any L.A. City Golf course starter window — it's not available online.
How to actually get a tee time:
Demand at Harding consistently outpaces supply, especially on weekend mornings. In March 2024, a group of local golfers filed a class-action suit alleging that third-party brokers had been grabbing prime tee times to resell at a markup. The city responded with a $10 per-player deposit at booking and an explicit ban on bots and third-party tools. Availability has improved since, but weekend mornings still disappear quickly.
Your best approach:
- Get a Player Card so you're in the 9-day booking window instead of 7
- Log on to golf.lacity.gov or the L.A. City Golf app at exactly 6:00 a.m. on your booking day
- If weekend slots are gone, check back regularly — cancellations are frequent
- Midweek walk-ins and standby spots are a real option; arrive early and ask the starter
Phone booking is available at (818) 291-9980, though the app and website are considerably faster.
Facilities, Amenities, and Getting There
Harding and Wilson share a clubhouse — a 1937 Spanish Colonial Revival building that was fully restored in 2022. The restoration preserved the original wood-beamed vaulted ceilings, fireplace, and brass-hardware doors while modernizing the surrounding infrastructure. It's genuinely one of the nicer municipal clubhouse settings in Southern California.
On-site amenities:
- The Clubhouse restaurant (operated by AM Best Food): full breakfast and lunch menu, bar, patio seating, and banquet space for up to 350 guests — a popular spot for post-round meals and private events
- Pro shop, fully remodeled in 2017 and well-stocked with apparel and equipment
- Lighted two-level driving range (note: upper deck is irons-only during midday)
- Practice putting greens, chipping area, and cocktail/snack bar
- Free parking and ADA-compliant entrance, restrooms, and cart options throughout
Instruction is available on-site. Three PGA instructors work out of Harding, each with a distinct background: Ike Chun is a former golf columnist and Director of Instruction at Sand Canyon; Jason Semthiti is a former NCAA Division I and professional player focused on fundamentals and swing mechanics; Luis Kim is a PGA Certified Professional who has coached PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players since 2013 and speaks English, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese. Rates are set individually — contact them directly to book.
For junior golfers, the Marty Tregnan Golf Academy sits about a quarter-mile away at 4341 Griffith Park Drive. It offers structured programs for ages 5 and up, including 8-week group classes starting at $180, family golf sessions on Sundays, and a summer camp running roughly June through August at $275 per week. Register through WebTrac at reg.laparks.org.
Getting there:
The address is 5500 Griffith Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027. From the I-5, exit at Los Feliz Boulevard or the Griffith Park exit and follow signs through the park. From SR-134, use the Forest Lawn Drive or Zoo Drive exit. Rideshare works well — there's no transit stop at the clubhouse, making public transportation impractical for most golfers. Parking is free.
One practical note: bring cash. The on-course snack bar may not accept credit cards, and surcharges apply at the register throughout the L.A. City Golf system.
Course Conditions and What Reviewers Are Saying
Harding plays like what it is: a heavily used municipal course in a major city. Conditions are good enough for a serious round but won't remind you of a private club.
Fairways run inconsistent — generally playable, with thin or bare patches in high-traffic areas. Bunkers are light on sand, tee boxes can get shaggy, and the rough collects tree debris after windy stretches.
Greens are the most variable element. They roll well once they've recovered from aerification — the course punched greens in both April and August 2025 — but the window right after aeration is worth avoiding.
One persistent weak spot: the 15th green has been in noticeably poor condition since summer 2024 and hasn't fully recovered as of recent reports. Check Greenskeeper.org and the official L.A. City Golf aeration schedule before you commit to a booking date.
What reviewers consistently say:
- Positives: Classic design, mature tree cover, scenic forested setting, and strong value for the price — these come up in nearly every review across Golf Digest, GolfPass, Tripadvisor, and Yelp
- Negatives: Pace of play on weekends, maintenance inconsistencies, and tee-time access frustrations are the three most repeated complaints
Pace of play deserves its own mention. A 4.5-hour round on a weekday is reasonable; on weekends, 5 to 5.5 hours is closer to the norm. If that's a dealbreaker, a weekday morning or twilight round is a noticeably different experience.
One unexpected perk: the wildlife. Deer, coyotes, and peacocks are regularly spotted on the course, which adds a genuinely unique character to a round at Harding. Just don't leave food unattended in your cart.
Practical Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Round
Before you even show up:
Get the L.A. City Golf Player Card. At $25 per year, it pays for itself in a single weekday round and gives you the 9-day booking window that makes weekend tee times actually attainable. Once you have it, set a reminder and log on at exactly 6:00 a.m. nine days before your target date — not 6:01.
To dodge the $54 premium rate on weekends, book a 9:30 a.m. or later tee time and you'll pay $49 instead. If weekends are consistently sold out, a weekday twilight round at $25 gets you a full 18 holes through the summer months without the crowds or the pace-of-play headache.
Picking the right tees:
The Black tees (6,714 yards) play longer than the 121 slope suggests because the front nine is unusually stretched at 3,575 yards. Mid-handicappers will have a more enjoyable round from the White tees (6,168 yards) or the White/Yellow combo at 5,811 yards. Save the tips for when you know the course.
On-course strategy:
The front nine is where scores get away from you. Holes 1, 3, and 9 are among the five toughest on the card — play them conservatively and protect your score rather than chasing birdies. The back nine is shorter and more scoreable, so that's where you push.
A few specific adjustments worth making:
- Club down to a 3-wood or hybrid on the shorter par 4s — holes 2, 4, and 14 reward placement over distance
- Target the three par 5s (holes 6, 7, and 18) and the 374-yard 14th as your birdie holes
- Hole 3 (no. 1 handicap, tight dogleg right) and hole 9 (427-yard par 4) will punish aggressive play — take your medicine and move on
Walk if the terrain works for you — Harding is relatively flat, and skipping the cart saves $18 per round.
One last thing worth mentioning: if your search results are pulling up TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, close the tab. That's a completely separate PGA Tour venue with green fees north of $250. Same presidential namesake, entirely different golf course.
Conclusion
Harding at Griffith Park delivers a legitimate championship-length test with genuine architectural history for a price that's hard to argue with anywhere in Los Angeles.
The booking process takes a little planning — get the Player Card, show up online at 6:00 a.m. nine days out, and check conditions before you go. Do that, pick the right tees, and you'll have a round worth repeating.
