Source: Irina Lanculescu
Southern California is one of the best places in the country when it comes to golfing. It has perfect golfing temperatures almost year round, with more sunshine than rain, and you can’t forget the ocean, mountains and valleys that make for beautiful scenery around each course. So if business or a family vacation is sending you to Southern California — or you just need new courses to try — Pasadena has some public golf courses calling your name.
Brookside Golf Club
Sitting in the shadows of the San Gabriel Mountains and neighboring the famous Rose Bowl is the Brookside Golf Club. At this club, golfers have their choice of which 18-hole course to play on. You can use every club in your golf bag on the 7,228-yard, par 72 C.W. Koiner Course or swing away without the worry of losing a ball in the water on the 6,046-yard, par 70 E.O. Nay Course. With a 75 year golfing tradition, this club has the oldest course in Los Angeles County.
Eaton Canyon
1150 N. Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
For those who don’t have the time for a full 18 holes of golf, go to Eaton Canyon and tee off on their 9-hole, par 35 course. Located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in northeast Pasadena, this course is complete with narrow fairways, rolling terrain and gorgeous views of the mountains and the valley. It’s open from sunrise to sunset, so you have plenty of daylight to drive and putt your day away.
Arroyo Seco
Since 1955, locals and tourists alike have been heading to the Arroyo Seco course for a round of golf. Fairways on this 18-hole course are lined with stunning palm, sycamore and magnolia trees, and while the creek and pond provide nice scenery, they also create water hazards as you play. Besides playing a full round of golf, you can also practice your swing on the driving range or play a game of miniature golf. Keep an eye out for wild parrots since they’ve decided to make a home for themselves around this course and its surrounding areas.
Scholl Canyon Golf and Tennis Club
3800 E. Glenoaks Boulevard, Glendale
Take a short drive from Pasadena, just a little more than four miles, and test your skills on the course at the Scholl Canyon Golf and Tennis Club. This 18-hole, par 60 Glendale, California public course has some challenging, but fun greens for golfers to try. The panoramic views stretching to the Pacific Ocean and overlooking the San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles basin are absolutely breathtaking. But being a golf and tennis club, there’s more to do than golf. There are also 10 lighted tennis courts open until 10 p.m. daily for those who enjoy both sports.
Being the optimum place to play, there are numerous golf courses spread throughout Southern California. But for those who already have their flight and hotel room booked in Pasadena, these are the courses nearest you worthy of a tee time.
