Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bel-Air Country Club
Los Angeles, California, United States
18 Holes · Par 70 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Bel-Air Country Club
Bel-Air Country Club is a private 18-hole, par 70 course in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. It is a compact, hilly property, routed across steep canyons with severe changes of level. Solving that terrain took engineering rare for a golf course: a swinging suspension bridge, tunnels and an elevator connect separate sections of the property.
- The club has hosted the 1976 U.S. Amateur, the 2004 U.S. Senior Amateur and the 2023 U.S. Women's Amateur, and the USGA selected it to host the 2026 Curtis Cup and the 2030 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
- A rebuilt Mae West mound sits at the 12th.
- The restoration cleared trees to open sightlines and flow, and enlarged several greens.
- Original bunker shapes by Thomas and Bell were brought back during the restoration.
History of Bel-Air Country Club
Oil magnate Alphonzo Bell founded the club in the mid-1920s as part of the Bel Air Estates development and hired George C. Thomas Jr. to lay out the course, with William Bell assisting. Thomas's routing had to deal with canyons rather than level ground, which is why the property needed a bridge, tunnels and an elevator. In 2018 Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design completed a restoration aimed at returning the course to its original character.
Signature holes at Bel-Air Country Club
The par-3 10th is the hole the club is best known for, with its swinging suspension bridge spanning a canyon.
When to play Bel-Air Country Club
Bel-Air is a private club with no public booking, so the timing of a round depends on a member's invitation.
Playing Bel-Air Country Club: tips
There is no public tee sheet at Bel-Air, and the club does not publish a green fee. Play is by member invitation. Because the course climbs and drops through canyons, expect a hilly round.
— Weather at Bel-Air Country Club
Approximate conditions · Observed · Open-Meteo
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Bel-Air Country Club
Can the public play Bel-Air Country Club?
No. Bel-Air is private, and rounds are played by members and their invited guests. There is no public tee-time booking and no published green fee.
Who designed Bel-Air Country Club?
George C. Thomas Jr. designed it with William Bell, and Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design restored the course in 2018.
Why is there a bridge on the course?
The property is split by canyons, and the swinging suspension bridge, tunnels and elevator were the answers to routing a single course through that terrain.