‘Left It Over in the Trees for Us to Find’ Days Ahead of the 2023 US Open, Los Angeles Country Club Has a Secret to Share

In the midst of all the crazy rides, the golf world is gearing up for its third major championship: the US Open 2023. The prestigious event will take place at the Los Angeles Country Club in California. Many top-class players are preparing to give their best for the event.

L.A.C.C. is considered one of the most brilliantly designed 18-hole layouts in the world. It has hosted the Los Angeles Open five times, but not since 1940. On the golf course, though, there is a secret treasure that is generating a lot of attention.

Is there any secret hole at the L.A.C.C?

The outstanding golf course has a 19-hole configuration rather than an 18-hole one. The 19 holes, indeed. “Little 17” is the nickname for the 19th hole. At the par-4 17th hole, on the right side of the green, there is a second green that is obscured by trees; the hole in this green is known as “Little 17.” 

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Golf Central shared the news about it on its official Instagram account. The post was captioned with: “Los Angeles Country Club’s secret hole? He clearly loved this hole … and he left it over in the trees for us to find.”

W. Herbert Fowler built this hole as part of his design in 1921. But when George C. Thomas Jr. and William P. Bell rebuilt the course in 1928, it was eliminated because of its extreme conditions. It was hidden the entire time until 2010, when Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner, and Geoff Shackelford restored it.

The reason behind why ‘Little 17’ got replaced

The “Little 17” was replaced when Thomas and Bell redesigned the course in 1928. This was due to the extremeness of the situation. To master the shot at this hole, you need a lot of talent. In his 1927 book “Golf Architecture in America: Its Strategy and Construction,”  Thomas defined the necessary stroke. Because of this, both designers decided to replace this hole.

Hans, who restored ‘Little 17’ back in 2010, said that this hole’s location is very extreme and it is prone to penalties. But those who conquer this hole may find a total sense of joy. However, Thomas is the one who replaced this hole, loved the ‘Little 17,” and left it for players to find.

“He clearly loved this hole … and he left it over in the trees for us to find,” said Geoff Shackelford in a 2017 video.

Well, there are only 18 holes that are currently used at the course, but we would love to see players giving their best shot at the ‘Little 17’. 

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What do you think about this secret hole? Let us know in the comments.