The Secretive Golf Club Finally Opening Its Doors for the U.S. Open

Before four-time major winner Rory McIlroy arrived at this U.S. Open, he had never played Los Angeles Country Club, and he had to resort to studying the course the same way an everyday golf fan would.

“I’ve watched some videos on YouTube,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy having to surf the internet to prepare for a major championship echoes why fans are buzzing so much about this U.S. Open—and it has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia, LIV and the head-spinning agreement with the PGA Tour. For the general public, which apparently even includes the likes of McIlory, it’s the first peak into one of the most revered yet secret golf clubs in the U.S.

Unlike so many of the most esteemed golf properties, Los Angeles Country Club hasn’t hosted a major before. It last hosted a tournament on what’s now the PGA Tour in 1940. The winner of that tournament, Lawson Little, died 55 years ago. Which means there isn’t exactly much institutional knowledge about the grounds among players.

Now LACC’s north course is opening its doors to a bigger audience than ever, giving pros and fans alike a rare glimpse into a club established in the 19th century but has hardly been seen since the first half of the 20th century.

“In some ways it’s our big unveiling,” says club president Gene Sykes, a top Goldman Sachs executive who is also the chairman of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

To understand why there’s such incredible anticipation it’s useful to study another famously guarded club. A regular person might have a better chance of carding consecutive holes in one than getting a tee time at Augusta National. But everyone in the golf world knows what Amen Corner and the tee box on the 18th hole look like because it’s the home of the Masters. McIlroy figures to have played at Augusta National roughly 100 times before he set foot at LACC.

What makes LACC particularly unusual among first-time major hosts is its age. Erin Hills opened in 2006 and had its first U.S. Open by 2017. The mystique around LACC is so outsized because it was founded in 1897 but has generally been reclusive on the high-end golf scene.

Andy Johnson, founder of the golf website “The Fried Egg” and co-host of its podcast, says it’s usually as simple as opening Instagram to find pictures and videos of a course. But what has built to the intrigue over the years is that until the rollout for this U.S., there wasn’t much to be found on LACC.

“They’re one of the most staunch about no phones, no photos,” Johnson says. “It’s one of the most private clubs in America.”

LACC is typically just reserved for members, which have included the likes of Ronald Reagan, and their guests, who face strict rules about what information they can disseminate. It isn’t just no pictures or videos—even talking about it publicly is a no-go. Any public written references by guests about the club’s “members, activities, and practices” are prohibited, according to its website. Both members and guests aren’t allowed to discuss the club’s “membership, events, policies, rules, bylaws or activities using social or professional media platforms.”

Sykes says that fans who step onto the grounds for the first time should be prepared for a walk that feels more like a hike. The club, which boasts 300-plus acres in an affluent neighborhood, had the North Course restored in 2010 to bring back some of the original designs from famed architect George Thomas—and pave the way for this U.S. Open.

While LACC boasts some similarities to other nearby Thomas designs, including Riviera Country Club which hosts the Genesis Invitational (formerly known as the L.A. Open), it has distinct characteristics unique to this extraordinarily valuable piece of property. The high points on the course present dazzling skyline views and the rugged terrain resembles what the area felt like before its surroundings became a dense urban population.

There are also distinctive holes that will be sure to fascinate golf fans. The par-3 11th hole is listed at 290 yards and can be set up to play longer. The 15th, also a par-3, is set to be 124 yards—and could wind up being shorter than 90 yards on some days.

Some players got an early look during the PGA Tour’s California swing in February, and Sykes says that there have been players from the state who have stopped by over the years.

Sykes is also fully aware of the oddity of the practice rounds taking place Monday through Wednesday: for many of the golfers, it’s their first time hitting a ball at the club.

“By and large, a number of the golfers in the field from other parts of the world or other parts of the country have not had a chance to play the course,” Sykes says.

There’s also a handful of golfers who are lucky enough to have the experience of playing in the few amateur events that LACC has hosted in the relatively recent past.

The Walker Cup, an amateur team competition that pits the U.S. against players from Great Britain and Ireland, stopped by in 2017—the first USGA event at LACC since the Junior Amateur in 1954. And the American team there included two players who are among the favorites at this U.S. Open: major champions Scottie Scheffler and CollinMorikawa.

“I got an advantage there,” Scheffler said earlier this year, “because not many people have played LACC.”

Max Homa, one of the rising stars on Tour this year, had one of the best performances of his life at this venue. When LACC hosted the Pac-12 men’s golf championship in 2013—its first time hosting since 1968—Homa crushed the field and led Cal to a team win. His opening-round 61 was a course record, and he finished five shots clear of second place.

Just as notable as who finished in first place in that event was the player who finished in 10th: A young Spaniard attending Arizona State named Jon Rahm. A decade later, he’s now the No. 2 golfer in the world, the 2021 U.S. Open champion and the winner of a green jacket at this year’s Masters.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who took the title of reigning champion at this event from Rahm last year, was one of the players who made a pit stop at LACC in February. But he also conceded that the course was different than it was four months ago.

“I’m excited to see it,” he said.

It’s the first U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. Everyone is.