Situated in Beverly Hills on one of the world’s most valuable parcels of land, Los Angeles Country Club is an exclusive golf club with a history stretching back to 1897.
In 2023, LACC will host the 124th U.S. Open — marking the first time the major PGA tournament will be hosted in Los Angeles in 75 years.
In this article, you’ll learn about the Los Angeles Country Club membership cost in 2023, along with the initiation fees and how to join the prestigious club.
Ready? Let’s get into it!
Los Angeles Country Club Membership Cost
The Los Angeles Country Club membership cost is confidential, and the prestigious venue forbids members from disclosing the amount. That said, you can expect to pay upwards of several hundred thousand dollars per year — if you’re accepted!
While current information on membership pricing isn’t readily available to the public, we can look back on the annual fees from around 50 years ago.
In the January 1973 edition of Golf Digest magazine, editor Nick Seitz revealed that “You can get into L.A. Country Club for about $25,000.”
Also, he revealed that the club had around 800 members at the time of publication, which equated to around $20 million in annual revenue.
Today, we can expect the Los Angeles Country Club membership cost to far exceed the $25k annual figure from 1973. Most likely, it’s an order of magnitude higher.
Los Angeles Country Club Initiation Fee
Being one of the most exclusive venues in the United States, there is very little public information about the Los Angeles Country Club initiation fee. However, you can expect to pay in excess of $200,000 if you’re fortunate enough to be accepted.
While we can’t specify the initiation fees at LACC, we can take a look at venues of similar stature in the Los Angeles area as a reference.
For instance, Riviera Country Club charges a $250,000 initiation fee. Hillcrest Country Club demands a similar amount, requesting $185,000 to join the club.
This sounds extortionate, but it’s a relatively small price to pay for the high-profile members who are lucky enough to play at the prestigious venue.
Los Angeles Country Club History
Originally formed in 1897 as The Los Angeles Golf Club, LACC has plenty of history.
First, the club occupied a leased 16-acre vacant lot situated at the corner of Pico and Alvarado Streets. Initially a 9-hole course, it was titled “The Windmill Links” due to the position of its makeshift clubhouse at the foot of an abandoned windmill.
Once the course became overcrowded, it was relocated to Beverly Hills. Officially opening on May 30, 1911, the new club contained a stately clubhouse, tennis courts, and 36 holes of golf. This site has served as the club’s home ever since.
The 36-hole golf course was designed by Sartori, Tufts, Norman Macbeth, and Charles Orr. Later, it was redesigned by Herbert Fowler and George C. Thomas Jr.
In 1996, both the North and South courses received extensive renovations to help modernize them, with the design following a master plan by John Harbottle.
In its 100+ year history, LACC has played host to the Los Angeles Open Tournament in 1926, 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1940. Also, it hosted the U.S. Open in 2023.
The North Course at LACC
LACC North Course is a quality golf course ranked 16th in the world by Golf Digest.
Measuring approximately 7,200 yards, the design of the par 70 North Course is credited to George C. Thomas Jr. for his extensive work in the early 1900s.
According to Golf Digest, the first nine holes “rustically play up and down a shallow canyon with holes switching back and forth across a dry barranca. The second nine loops across a more spacious upland section.”
Being a par 70 course, LACC North notably features five par 3 holes and just three par 5 holes. The par 3 11th hole plays close to a whopping 300 yards off the back tees, which makes for a challenging tee shot. Players need to generate enough distance and height in order to keep the ball on the putting surface.
“It’s like New York, if Central Park was a golf course.”
Johnny Miller
How to Join Los Angeles Country Club
Los Angeles Country Club is a notoriously difficult place to join. The club has a reputation for turning down even A-list celebrities. Ultimately, to have any chance of joining LACC you must be invited by an existing member. This is followed by an extensive interview process and very high membership fees.
In fact, the club reportedly turned down Hugh Hefner’s application for its strict no “movie star” policy — despite being adjacent to Hefner’s Playboy Mansion.
Bing Crosby had his application turned down, despite living on the 14th fairway!
The unfortunate truth — if you’re looking for advice on joining the club online, then your chances are probably slim unless you happen to be close with a current member.
