Hillcrest Country Club

Pleasant area for family gatherings or walks with your dog. And enjoy yourself; great experience!

Hillcrest Country Club is a stunning golf course with an expansive layout that offers exceptional views of the surrounding areas, including downtown, following a recent remodel. During the COVID period, they served delicious tacos and other great food options at the halfway house, which you pass multiple times during your round. The caddies are knowledgeable and excellent in navigating the course's slopes. Additionally, the club boasts impressive practice facilities, including a spacious driving range, a short par-3 course, and a fantastic chipping area, along with numerous practice greens. A golfer's paradise!

Private. Exclusive. Very traditional.

One of my clients is a member so we like to have meetings in the lounge - very private and feels like something out of a movie with its over-stuffed chairs, solicitous staff (I only saw men??) and pretty glassware.

Valet only for guests. No tipping of the valet.

Kudos to the board and members for the renovation of the golf course and locker rooms. It's a fantastic experience and facility.

Hillcrest Country Club is a private, membership only club which includes a club house, golf course, and tennis courts.

Historically, this club's inception is fascinating and worth a read, visit their website. The founding members experienced social exclusion due to religious discrimination and so they founded and formed this club. They learned of the social injustice of being excluded from other country clubs, when they were not allowed membership.

Have been here more frequently for golf and tennis, because I appreciate the private and secure aspect this facility offers. There are public tennis courts very near this country club, which I initially played on. But over a year ago, while on my way to the Rancho Park public tennis courts to meet a friend, a vehicle with two guys, who appeared to be cruising the area, slowed down, and tried to catch my attention. When I ignored them, they stopped the car, and one of the guys ran towards me and wanted me to 'get in the car.'
For fear of being abducted, I yelled 'leave me alone,' and sprinted towards the busy Motor Drive street. What was disturbing was the two guys appeared to be dressed conservatively, with their yamaka, an orthodox head wear cover. I did not know them and I did nothing to insight their bad intentions. All I know was, I didn't want to end up in the 11 o'clock news as another victim of abduction or DOA.

This area is generally safe, but after that horrible experience, my sense of safety is on high alert.
I am more guarded and will take additional precautions by going to guarded private places that's not visual by the public.

The entire facility including the tennis courts are not visible from the streets, not surrounded by towering buildings and offer privacy, no peeping public eyes and no drive by creepy abductors.

The club staff are helpful and friendly. The social interactions I made here is priceless, so I will continue to be a hugh fan of HCC.

Strictly a GOLF review based on one round in January of 2022.

So, I've played about a dozen of private clubs in the LA area, including LACC, Annendale, Bel Air, Hacienda, Oakmont, Hacienda, etc. so I have a fair basis to say this: WOW and WOW. It's hard to believe that a course can be maintained like this in the middle of LA. It's quite simply, perfect. The fairways are rolling green carpets and the rough are rolling shag carpets. The greens are perfect, and unlike so many private courses whose members seem to be masochists, the greens do not stimp 15. They are reasonable. 10-11? It's a golf paradise in the middle of bustling West LA.

The layout is straight-forward, but very hilly. Not a lot of trees and they are mostly smallish. OB's not really at play unless you are wildly off-line on a few of the exterior holes. The rough is not a big issue. We played from the "blues" (second furthest back--about 6600 yards). We played early and it was really cold (50s) so it felt like 7000.

I'm a 4.8 handicap, and I shot an 88. Ouch. Here's why: (and maybe this will help some of those who read this to have more fun, because playing better is more fun, right?)

CHIPPING and PITCHING
The greens are TIGHT. If you chip properly (pro form), using the bounce, you better get this squared away before you show up. Either get a wedge with 4-6 degrees of bounce or use a different technique (maybe open a wedge, bump and run, whatever). Chipping and pitching is the best part of my game and I skulled 2 chips, and I went to the chipping area after my round to work on it (to see if it was nerves or technique) and I realized I couldn't use my technique. It is simply too tight and firm, esp. if any grain into me. I'd have to be perfect using a 60 degree with 12 degrees of bounce. Pro tip: go to Rustic Canyon. Very similar.

CADDIES: If you are a serious player and aren't used to playing with a caddie, get prepared. It affects your routine. For me, after several mishaps, I just told him I didn't need distances or reads unless I asked. That's when I got back into a groove and starting making some pars. Make sure you lighten your bag to only the essentials, and bring your carry-bag, not a pro bag. (and be prepared to tip cash, see below)

BUNKERS: the sand is good, but if you are hitting your distances, you will be in a lot of bunkers because they are a main protector of par on this course. I was in 6! 3 of them on par 3s where I hit the green! They are pretty deep, too.

PUTTING: I three-putted a bunch. If you are used to playing flattish LA muni greens, you need to get your distance control for up and down hill putts dialed in. They are not hard to read. I actually stopped using my caddie for reads all together and was fine for the read. It was just really hard to get the speed right. Not tricky, but not easy. Again, go to Rustic. Very similar.

ROUGH: about 3 inches. The ball sits up, so the real issue is not going under the ball. You can't bottom-out your club. Once you figure that out, it's really easy. I didn't have any issue.

PAR 3s. There is only one short par 3. The rest are 180+, one was 240! from middle tees! (270 from back) You really need to think about good misses. It's very hard to get up and down from the bunkers. Short is usually a good miss.

It is an amazing place. Get there early. It's probably the nicest range I've ever been on--probably just beats out Journeys at Pechanga. There is a Trackman for all members that hooks up to their phones! Imagine that! Titleist ProV1 practice balls, of course. Mats? Nowhere in sight. Get some practice in on the practice chipping and bunkers.

VIBE: I have to say that I was far more comfortable here than any other private course I've ever been to. The golf staff was incredibly nice and genuine, too. The vibe (and again, I didn't step foot in the club house) was more "open" and "modern" than LACC (which was very Overlook Hotel) or Annendale or even Oakmont. Perhaps this has to do with the difference in history. (Look it up)

One last pro tip: They require valet for your car, so make sure you prepare for that. I usually play with a push cart, and I left my towel with my push cart, and, as you know, it's the little things in golf. And, if you want to avoid the whole locker room time-suck, put your golf shoes on before you drive over. Otherwise you have to store your shoes because you can't have your caddie lug your shoes around 18 holes and a mile of elevation changes.

One more tip: 1 caddie for 2 players. We both tipped $100, which I think is a little on the high side, but you know, it was a free round, and carrying two bags is kinds crazy.

So enjoy this incredible golf course with its incredible views. It's really something.

ENJOY. FORE!

p.s. I didn't take any pics of the course, because they just didn't do it justice. Seriously, it's stunning.

Looks good
It is a very nice golf club with shops tennis courts and more you can have a lot of golf here.

I attended a graduation dinner held at the country club and it was truly exquisite. The food was really good and well prepped. The service was incredible and orchestrated to be perfect. The club itself is very upscale and tasteful. I highly recommend the salmon carbonara; truly one of my favorite pasta dishes. The membership is well worth your money!

Matt B. got a new job this year, and for the first time in my life, I got to go to a swanky company holiday party. We spent a lovely Saturday evening at Hillcrest, drinking wine and hitting the buffet every half hour.

Hillcrest is a country club in Century City. It's historically Jewish, from what I understand, erected in a time when Jews were barred from other elite social spaces. We only saw a small part of the club, but that part was pretty lovely. The venue was nice, a wide reception space I'd imagine gets used for weddings on a regular basis.

The spread was spectacular. There was a seafood station with a wall of crab claws, cocktail shrimp, and lobster meat. A man shucked oysters on one side, looking very industrious. I was tempted to stuff myself on crab and shrimp, but managed to make the full rounds. I filled plates with sushi, both nigiri and tiny cut rolls with eel and roe. I sampled the dim sum - shrimp dumplings and lettuce cups, meaty little shumai. There was steak and a mashed potato station, and for dessert, an ice cream sundae bar with liquid nitrogen ice cream. Good show, and everything was much tastier than it had to be. Service was also fantastic - every employee was friendly, and empty plates and glasses were cleared with admirable efficiency.

I already liked my husband's new job, but I like it even better now that I've been so directly spoiled. We had an excellent time at Hillcrest, and I hope to confront that buffet again.

Such a classy place. Pulling into Hillcrest Country Club today for first time today shows just why it's an amazing place.
A valet for every guest is a heck of a way to start your day.
Located in the middle of Cheviot Hills and Century City on Pico Blvd. this place is all class all the way around.
I came in Sunday mid day for a quick 9-holes with a friend. They greeted me with a smile and grabbing my golf bag out of my car. They pointed me in the direction of the men's locker room where my friend was waiting for me.
We proceeded to sunscreen up and head out to the golf range. We hit some balls on their smallish practice range, and met our caddy their as well.
We only played the back nine as my friend had plans later that evening. I loved the course with its hilly and tight fairways. Perfect greens and excellent sand traps(yes I was in them).
If you get the chance, go play this wonderful golf course.