Lao Tzu once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” But in this case, it was one ferry boat ride. My journey to Catalina Island Golf Course was everything I didn’t know I needed!
A TRIP THAT WAS LONG OVERDUE
Fun fact: I’m a Nashville, TN native who actually lived in Los Angeles for about ten years. I moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to attend film school. Los Angeles will always hold a special place in my heart but in 2015 I decided to move back home to Nashville.
If you’ve ever been to Los Angeles, or the surrounding area, you’ll know how vast it is. There are so many places to see and explore. Catalina Island was always on my list of places to visit in Southern California but I just never made it a priority. So this was a trip roughly nineteen years in the making.
As I researched Catalina Island, I discovered that Catalina Island Golf Course is the oldest operating golf course west of the Mississippi. So I had to check it out!
A HOP, SKIP AND FERRY RIDE AWAY
If you’re in Los Angeles, there are a few ways to get to Catalina Island. I chose the Catalina Express which left out of the port in San Pedro. The ferry took about an hour and 15 minutes to get to Avalon, CA, where Catalina Island Golf Course is located. The ferry ride was such a cool experience. It made me feel like I was truly on a journey and/or quest. This was a great way to start the trip.
As we approached Catalina Island, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. This made me more eager to get off the boat and check it out.
WALKING FROM THE DOCK TO THE GOLF COURSE
Once we docked in Avalon, I began to notice more golf carts than actual cars. Which was cool to see. Golf carts, are the main form of transportation on the island. Although there were several golf cart taxi’s waiting at the dock, we decided to walk to the golf course. The island is very walkable. If you have the ability to do so, I recommend walking around as much as you can.
It took about 10 to 15 minutes to walk from the Avalon ferry dock to the Catalina Island Golf Course golf pro shop. The walk was scenic and quiet. Which was nice.
THE GOLF PRO SHOP WAS A VIBE
The golf pro shop is always my first stop whenever I visit a golf course. I often find that the pro shop sets the tone for how relaxed or uptight the course will be. The attendant at the pro shop was super laid back and very chill. Which gave me the feeling that this was going to be a stress free course to play. The pro shop, like most pro shops, was fully stocked. They had everything from Pull Cart rentals, golf accessories, apparel including golf club rentals.
I have never flown with golf clubs before. When planning my trip to Los Angeles I knew I was going to play golf. I’ve seen and heard to many horror stories when it comes to the airlines treatment of golf clubs. So I opted to just rent clubs every where I played.
PRACTICE PUTTING GREEN
I have never been a person who can go straight from the car to the tee box. I have to practice first. So after checking in at the pro shop and getting my rental clubs, I walked over to the practice putting green which was located across the street from the pro shop.
This practice putting green was a little on the smaller side but it got the job done so no complaints from me!
NOT A TRADITIONAL DRIVING RANGE
One thing to note is that Catalina Island Golf Course does not have a traditional driving range. They do however have two driving nets. Believe it or not, this was my first time hitting into driving nets. After being on the ferry my body was feeling tight. Although this wasn’t the type of driving range I was used to, I was able to warm up and work on my full swing. Which got the job done and was a cool experience.
HITTING A GOLF BALL OVER A BUSY STREET? WHY NOT.
Before I dive into the golf course details, I have to ask one question. Have you ever hit a golf ball across a busy street onto the fairway? Well, neither have I but like they say, there is a first time for everything…LOL! The first hole, which is across from the golf pro shop, really sets the stage because you’re roughly 50 feet or so above the fairway. As I was standing on the tee box, I could literally see the street below. The fairway is located across the street from the pro shop. Needless to say I was nervous. But thankfully, I was able to hit the ball across the street and made it onto the fairway. Crisis averted.
BREAKDOWN: CATALINA ISLAND GOLF COURSE
Catalina Island Country Club and Golf Course, is the oldest operating course west of the Mississippi and the former home of the Bobby Jones Invitational Tournament.
This course was originally built in 1892 as a three-hole course. The 2,100 yard course now offers nine challenging holes, with two sets of tees for 18-hole play.
The course was expanded to 9 holes in the early 1900s, and to an 18-hole tournament-level course in 1929. After World War II in 1945, the course was brought back to its current 9-hole layout, featuring five Par 4s and four Par 3s.
WHAT IT FELT LIKE PLAYING THIS COURSE
Catalina Island Golf Course is a public golf course in Southern California that feels like a private resort. Surrounded by canyons, the course felt so tucked away. I truly felt like I was playing golf in a jungle. It was so exotic. The views were spectacular and got better and better the more I played. The course is a mixture of challenge and easy, almost alternating. This really kept me on toes.
The small greens and deep bunkers are enough to challenge any golfer. Especially a beginner golfer like me. One thing I realized while playing is that you don’t need much of a long game to play this course. Just make sure you bring your short game. The course itself felt fairly narrow but the greens were very soft and in good shape. The fairways were in decent shape as well.
I feel like the “pace of play” depends on skill level, however the average golfer would probably play this course in less than 2 hours. The course wasn’t busy during our tee time so it felt as though we had the place to ourselves, which made my time there even more relaxing.
This was the perfect course to hone in on my short game that’s for sure. It was fun but had a variety of challenges to test my skill set.
CATALINA ISLAND GOLF COURSE = HIDDEN GEM
From the ferry ride to the island itself, the journey to Catalina Island Golf Course was worth the trip. One thing to note is that they take tee time reservations up to one month in advance. So if you’re a planner like me, make sure you reserve your tee time as soon as possible.
I’m so happy I got to play on a course that has so much golf history. This is one golf course I can scratch off of my golf trip bucket list. Catalina Island Golf Course is most definitely a hidden gem. If you're looking for things to do in Los Angeles or Southern California, I recommend taking a trip to visit Catalina Island. If you love to play golf, this is one public golf course you will not want to miss. You won’t regret it!
Catalina Island Golf Course, 1 Country Club Drive, Avalon, CA 90704
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