By LA Luxuries
Beverly Hills has always attracted the most recognizable names in the world, and where those names choose to spend a Saturday says something about the area. The country clubs near Beverly Hills CA range from century-old institutions where Golden Age legends held court to canyon-set courses so architecturally inventive the routing itself is the attraction.
What they share is exclusivity, history, and a membership roster that reads like film credits.
Key Takeaways
- Hillcrest Country Club: The storied south-side-of-Beverly-Hills club where the comedy elite held legendary lunches alongside moguls Jack Warner and Louis B. Mayer
- Bel-Air Country Club: A 120-acre private club carved through four canyons, with current members including Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Clint Eastwood and a suspension bridge that is one of the most photographed holes in California
- Riviera Country Club: Pacific Palisades' legendary "Riv," home to a sycamore tree named for Humphrey Bogart, with past members Walt Disney and Dean Martin and current members Adam Sandler and Larry David
- Lakeside Golf Club: The Burbank institution since the 1920s, with Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Gene Autry in its past and Jack Nicholson, Ray Romano, and Justin Timberlake among current members
Hillcrest Country Club
Founded in 1920 in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood on the south side of Beverly Hills as the first country club for Los Angeles's Jewish community when other elite clubs excluded Jewish members, what followed was one of the most consequential gatherings in American entertainment history.
What Hillcrest Is Known For
- The Round Table: The men's grill hosted the greatest American comedians of the century. Jack Benny, George Burns, Groucho Marx, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Don Rickles, and Al Jolson all held court here. Burns continued his bridge game until days before his death
- The mogul roster: Samuel Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, Jack Warner, and Adolph Zukor were among the founding-era members. One biographer called Hillcrest "the preserve of Hollywood's elite" since the Depression era
- The course: Originally designed by Willie Watson and completely redesigned by Kyle Phillips in 2019. Tree-lined fairways and a strict no-cell-phone policy maintain the serene atmosphere
- The amenities: Tennis courts, Olympic-size swimming pool, clubhouse, and dining. Membership is by invitation only
Hillcrest is the most historically significant of all the country clubs near Beverly Hills CA, and its quiet gate policy has never dimmed its reputation.
Bel-Air Country Club
Bel-Air Country Club opened in 1926 on 120 acres of canyon land, built around a George C. Thomas Jr. course unlike anything else in American golf: four canyons, four tunnels, two elevators, and a swinging suspension bridge on the par-3 10th hole.
What Bel-Air Country Club Is Known For
- The celebrity membership: Current members include Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, Joe Pesci, Jason Bateman, and Wayne Gretzky. Historical members include Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Fred Astaire, Spencer Tracy, Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon
- The lore: Howard Hughes landed his plane on the 14th fairway to impress Katharine Hepburn. Johnny Weissmuller filmed Tarzan scenes in a cave above the fourth hole
- The course: The suspension bridge is among the most photographed holes in California. The course is the home layout for the UCLA Bruins golf teams
- The championship calendar: Bel-Air hosted the 2023 U.S. Women's Amateur, hosts the 2026 Curtis Cup, and holds the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2030
Bel-Air is widely regarded as the most socially tight-knit of the clubs near Beverly Hills.
Riviera Country Club
Riviera opened in 1927 in Pacific Palisades, a few miles from Beverly Hills. The George C. Thomas Jr. course earned the nickname "Hogan's Alley" after Ben Hogan won the 1948 U.S. Open here.
What Riviera Country Club Is Known For
- Bogey's Tree: A sycamore on the 13th hole is named for Humphrey Bogart, who watched tournaments from that spot (bourbon flask in hand) often enough that the club formalized the tribute
- The member history: Walt Disney, Dean Martin, Gregory Peck, Douglas Fairbanks, and Clark Gable all held memberships. Dean Martin shot even-par on the back nine here. Current members include Adam Sandler, Larry David, and Tom Brady
- The Tarzan Hole: The 12th carries the nickname after Jack Nicholson grabbed a vine after a poor approach shot and "flew around for a few seconds before I came down," in his words
- The scope: Riviera runs one of the largest tennis teaching programs of any club in the region, with 30 teaching professionals on staff
No club has a more authentic connection between Hollywood celebrity and competitive golf.
Lakeside Golf Club
Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank opened in the 1920s next to Warner Brothers Studios, and the entertainment industry found it almost immediately.
What Lakeside Golf Club Is Known For
- The Golden Age roster: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Gene Autry, and Ronald Reagan all held memberships. Along with Bel-Air, Lakeside was one of the two clubs most favored by the Hollywood elite through the mid-20th century
- The current membership: Jack Nicholson, Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, George Lopez, and Justin Timberlake are among current members. Andy Garcia has called the par-4 8th hole one of the toughest in the city
- The course character: Traditional layout and notoriously fast greens that reward precision over power
Its position adjacent to Warner Brothers gives Lakeside a studio-lot adjacency no other club can replicate.
FAQs
How exclusive are these clubs, and what does membership typically require?
All four are private and by invitation only. Membership requires sponsorship by existing members, letters of recommendation, a review process, and an initiation fee that varies significantly by club.
Which club is most associated with the current entertainment industry?
Bel-Air is most entertainment-connected, with a membership that reads like a working Hollywood call sheet. Riviera maintains the strongest prestige in competitive golf. Hillcrest carries the deepest historical weight.
How does proximity to these clubs affect Beverly Hills real estate?
Meaningfully. Club membership is a lifestyle anchor that factors into where entertainment-industry buyers choose to live. Properties near the country clubs carry real premiums for buyers to whom club access matters. We help clients understand how proximity translates to value throughout the area.
Contact LA Luxuries Today
We specialize in branded marketing and luxury property sales and leases for vetted, high-profile clients across Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Trousdale Estates, Hollywood Hills, Pacific Palisades, and the broader Los Angeles luxury corridor.
Reach out to us at LA Luxuries to begin the conversation.
Reach out to us at LA Luxuries to begin the conversation.
