The Lakes at El Segundo

1/5 Stars — Save Yourself the Frustration

Where do I even begin. The Lakes Golf Course had one job: provide an enjoyable round of golf in a welcoming environment. It failed on virtually every front.

Let's start with the pace of play — or rather, the complete absence of it. A 2.5-hour round is not a flex. It is a symptom of a poorly managed operation that has no regard for its customers' time. Whether it's inadequate course marshaling, no tee time management, or just a general indifference to the experience of the people paying to be there, something is deeply broken. Golfers plan their days around their rounds. Burning that kind of time for what should be a routine outing is simply unacceptable.

But the pace of play, frustrating as it is, pales in comparison to the experience at the clubhouse.

The attendant working the desk operates as though his personal mission is to make you feel like an inconvenience — an intruder, even. There was nothing welcoming, nothing warm, and nothing remotely resembling basic customer service. The attitude was dismissive at best and outright hostile at worst. It is the kind of energy that communicates one thing loud and clear: you are not wanted here.

We are in 2026. The bar for human decency in a customer-facing role is not high. Acknowledge the person in front of you. Be professional. At the absolute minimum, don't make someone feel worse for having walked through your door. This individual has apparently never received that memo — or simply doesn't care.

Golf is supposed to be an escape. A few hours of peace, fresh air, and good company. The Lakes managed to undermine all of that before the first tee shot. Between an operation that can't manage its own course and a clubhouse gatekeeper who seems personally offended by the presence of customers, this is a place that has no business asking for your money.

Hard pass. There are too many good courses in the area to waste your time and your sanity here.

Love the course. Never played it before, but challenging and rewarding when you have the right club in your hands. New clubs, so I am still working on it.

I will be back!

You can't go wrong with playing at The Lakes. Whether you're practicing your short game or only have an hour or so to get out and play, this is the place for you. A fun and comfortable atmosphere makes this a gem in LA.

A very nice Par 3 course with trouble here and there but easy enough for all skill levels. I really love the atmosphere and the amenities. If your on a long layover at LAX or looking to sharpen up your short game skills The Lakes at El Segundo has it for you.

Did 10 holes in 1hr 10, bet easily could be done in less than an hour. This means every hole is easy, concise, and memorable. Courtesies include free clubs a la Topgolf and push carts. My dad called this course “country club mini-golf” and I think it might be one of the best par-3 courses in SoCal.

I'm new to golf, well to playing the game of golf. I thoroughly enjoyed my first time playing on an actual golf course. It was amazing! Friendly distances, nice light obstacles, and great practice outside of the driving range. I obviously did terrible, 48 for the 10 hole course, but it was fun and I'm learning my clubs. Can't wait to do this another 10 times!!

I had to privilege of playing the Old Lakes and New version of the lakes. Ive always loved the location in El segundo, price nowadays is a little steep considering most of the holes are a lot shorter now, even still place is a gem and a good spot to play always.

We are retired 74 year olds who play golf about once a month. The Ten Hole par 3 course provides a great mix of distance, bunkers and water hazards to make it a walking challenge for us. The tee boxes, fairways and greens are well maintained and the next hole easy to get to. Also, the course provides a discount for seniors and a good selection of food and drinks after completing the 10th hole. High quality, low cost is a great value!

Easy to get on to practice short game. Greens were very slow and showed and multiple divots.