Mountain Meadows Golf Course is named Los Angeles County Course of the Year

By: SoCal Golf Insider

Credited with excellent course conditions, playability and player experience, Mountain Meadows Golf Course was just named the 2016 Golf Course of the Year by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks & Recreation. The LA County Parks Department evaluated 18 different courses over the course of a year, with five facilities scoring high enough to warrant being named a finalist for this prestigious award.

“We complete an evaluation of each course each month,” said Joyce Shelton, Assistant Golf Director for the County of Los Angeles. “The courses are scored based on the overall quality of their product and the safety of the course. We’re looking at disease on the greens, weed overgrowth, the condition of the cart paths and the like.”

Courses are awarded a percentage score each month, and they have the opportunity to improve their scores throughout the year. At the end of the year, the top four cumulative scores are the finalists, although 2016 produced five because of a tie. Los Verdes Golf Course, Los Amigos Golf Course, Santa Anita Golf Course and Chester Washington Golf Course were the finalists in addition to Mountain Meadows. Once the finalists are determined, a panel of external experts plays each course for a hands-on evaluation.

“When the panel visits each finalist course, they’re looking at the overall experience,” said Shelton. “Their score sheets look at course conditions as well, but they’re mainly looking at things like the amenities the facility offers, food and beverage and customer service, for example.”

The top score from the panel’s evaluation determines the winner. Mountain Meadows Golf Course, which previously won the award in 1991, 1994, 1998 and 2003, took it away this year.

“This is great recognition for a high-quality, tremendous facility,” said Shelton. “They consistently had high scores on their monthly course quality evaluations and were regularly improving, and then it came down to the service and environment that the evaluators experienced. Mountain Meadows recently completed a renovation, including the bunkers, which played into those experience scores. They have an updated pro shop, a great modern sports bar, and several other really positive changes, plus a tremendous staff and a great operator there in American Golf and our General Manager Josh McDonald and Superintendent Tim Haines.”

Built in 1950, the 6,440-yard Ted Robinson Sr.-designed track provides stunning vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers elevation changes, sidehill lies, and undulating greens that enhance its character and style.

With a multitude of different shot values presented throughout the round, the layout allows golfers of all levels the opportunity to utilize every club in their bag.
But that’s not all it’s known for.

“Mountain Meadows has some of the best greens and pristine fairways in Southern California. The greens are very true and fast,” said American Golf Regional Director Brian Bode. “And remember, putts break away from the San Gabriel Mountains.”

Republished with permission by SoCal Golf Insider.