How about a round of golf where history and sport collide? Welcome to Brookside Golf Club. Brookside Golf Club is a municipal golf facility in Pasadena California.
Adjacent to the iconic Rose Bowl stadium, Brookside Golf Club offers two courses. There is the C.W. Koiner Course also known as Course Number One and the shorter E.O. Nay Course known as Course Number Two. These courses are divided by the concrete channeled Arroyo Seco.
Both courses were designed by architect William P. Bell. The Brookside Golf Club complex features a restaurant. It also features banquet facilities, meeting rooms and a pro shop. Golfers can hone their skills on two practice putting greens. A chipping area, a practice bunker and a driving range are also available.
Brookside Golf Club has a rich tournament history. The Los Angeles Open on the PGA Tour was held here in 1968. Billy Casper emerged victorious.
Let’s explore the courses in more detail. The C.W. Koiner Course is a par 72 layout. It stretches over 7200 yards. Accuracy is key on this relatively flat course. Strategically placed bunkers, long rough and tricky greens await golfers. This course appeals to skilled players seeking a challenge at Brookside Golf Club.
The E.O. Nay Course offers a shorter game. This par 70 course measures just over 6000 yards. It is also relatively flat. Smaller hitting areas differentiate it from the Koiner Course. This course generally suits players of lesser ability.
Brookside Golf Club faces unique challenges. During football season and special events, the courses transform. They become a parking lot for fans attending events at the Rose Bowl. This includes UCLA Bruins football games and the annual Rose Bowl Game. Brookside even served as parking for the BCS National Championship Games in 2010 and 2014.
These alternate uses impact course availability. However they have not proven detrimental to the quality of the course.
The Brookside Golf Club clubhouse hosted a special event in 2009. It marked the twentieth anniversary of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Pasadena Quarterbacks Club hosted the event. Keith Jackson served as the master of ceremonies.
Brookside Golf Club is more than just a golf course. It is a versatile venue. It hosts concerts, parking and festival areas. The city even markets the 16th and 17th holes of the Number One Course. They are known as The Greens at the Rose Bowl. They are sold for events.
The New Deal helped improve Brookside. Between 1935 and 1936, the WPA enhanced the grounds. They enlarged and improved the clubhouse. They placed 60000 cubic yards of fill and 20000 cubic yards of topsoil. The WPA relocated three concrete pedestrian bridges after the 1938 flood. They also built three additional steel bridges. These spanned the new channel over the Arroyo Seco.
Brookside Golf Club stands as a testament to Pasadena’s recreational spirit. It provides a quality golf experience amid a dynamic environment.