South Nine Holes

Glendale sits in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley, where the Verdugo Mountains rise sharply to the north and the sprawl of greater Los Angeles presses in from every direction. Golf in this part of Southern California means playing in a landscape shaped by chaparral and eucalyptus, with mountain ridgelines providing a dramatic backdrop even on the most ordinary rounds.

The name "South Nine Holes" is an unusual one for an 18-hole layout, suggesting a course that may have grown from a shorter original configuration — a 9-hole design that was eventually expanded to its current form. That kind of evolution is common among older municipal and public facilities in dense urban markets, where land came in stages and the golf followed.

For Los Angeles-area players, courses in Glendale occupy a practical and well-loved niche: accessible alternatives to the region's more celebrated venues, offering a chance to play regularly without the cost or commitment of private membership. A round here is honest urban golf, close to everything the city offers.