Discover the breathtaking beauty of barrancas at Los Angeles golf course: A paradise for golf enthusiasts
Barrancas are one of the most difficult natural obstacles on a golf course. But they also add a lot of beauty to any venue. They are particularly common on the West Coast of the United States, so many golf courses in that region are populated by barrancas.
The North Course at Los Angeles Country Club is no exception. Both those present there and those watching on television across the world will enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
Although the players' perspective may be somewhat different: with every barranca they will be facing the most demanding challenges in order to lift the champion's trophy.
A barranca is a natural ravine that is occasionally accompanied by a small watercourse. The soil descends in the form of narrow and uneven steps that, together with the rocks and vegetation, make it difficult to enter and even more difficult to get out.
Their natural existence suits golf courses which, by the very demands of the course, need obstacles along the course. That is why when golf came to the west coast, the barrancas were maintained by practically all designers and architects.
Barrancas: Influence on Golf
Barrancas will have a huge influence on the U.S. Open, the third major of the 2023 PGA Tour season. Not because many balls will end up at the bottom of some, but because they will have a permanent presence in the thoughts of all players.
And the fact is that the barrancas on the North Course not only border the fairways but also cut through some of them. When a ball lands at the bottom of one of these obstacles, it is not always possible to get out with a single stroke, which can affect any round.
That is why any player (from Scottie Scheffler to Rory McIlroy and from Brooks Koepka to Dustin Johnson) will have included every barranca present on the course in all their calculations.
Now, if the difficulty of the challenge makes the triumph more memorable, the beauty of the landscape makes any trip more bearable, and there is no doubt that a barranca here and there helps with that.
Golf is an attractive sport for many reasons, and one of them is the beauty of its venues. Each country, region, and even course has its own particularities that make it unique. It could be said that barrancas are a part of the hallmark of golf in Los Angeles.