The greens are bent grass, and the fairways are kikuyu grass. For the dress code, denim is not allowed; a collared shirt and either Bermuda shorts or slacks are required.

The course

The course is a par 71, at a length of 7,013 yards (6,413 m) from the back tees (which has been lengthened to 7,279 yards (6,656 m) for Tour play), 6,531 yards (5,972 m) from the middle tees, and 5,907 yards (5,401 m) from the forward tees. The men's slope ratings are 74.6/135 and 72.2/130 for the back and middle tees, respectively. The ladies' slope rating is 74.3/142 for the forward tees. The course record for competitive play is 61, which is 10 under par, shot by Ted Tryba in 1999. The course record for the lowest nine holes was 28 (seven under par on the front nine), shot by Andrew Magee in the 1991 L.A. Open.

Front nine

9th hole

The first hole, a short par 5, is an easy beginning hole. The tee is elevated 75 feet (23 m) above the fairway, tempting players to hit driver, but out of bounds on the left side and a barranca crossing the fairway make players think twice. Scores range from eagle to double bogey. The second hole is a long par four that plays uphill and into the wind. It is the number one handicap hole. The third hole is a medium-length par four that plays into the wind.

The fourth hole is a long par three, which Hogan called the "Best par three in America". The par four fifth hole plays into the wind and is almost on the side of the hill. The par three sixth hole is world-famous for having a bunker in the middle of the green. If a player is on the wrong side of the green, he or she will have to make a tough decision to either putt around or chip over the bunker.

The fairway at the seventh hole, a par four, is difficult to hit. The eighth hole, a long par four, has two fairways separated by a dry ditch. The ninth, a long par four, is known for its well-placed fairway bunkers.

Back nine

The tenth hole is a really short par four known as a risk-reward hole. Longer hitters can try to drive the green, but an accurate drive will be needed as several bunkers surround the green. The eleventh hole is a long par five where eucalyptus trees and barranca come into play. The twelfth is a long par four, often into the wind, that plays to a narrow green surrounded by the barranca, bunkers and trees. One tree, Bogey's Tree, is named after Humphrey Bogart.

The thirteenth hole is a tough driving hole, with the barranca on the left side and eucalyptus on the right side. The fourteenth is an easy par three with the largest green on the golf course, but the green is multi-tiered, making putting difficult. The fifteenth hole is a dogleg par four to the right that features the largest green on the golf course, but the green is two-tiered, so one must make sure that his or her ball is on the proper tier. This hole plays into the breeze of the Pacific Ocean and it is a pivotal hole in the tournament.

The sixteenth hole is the last par three on the course and can yield birdies, however players will need to hit the small green that it surrounded by bunkers. The seventeenth hole is a long, uphill par five that is the longest hole on the golf course. The eighteenth hole is a world-famous par four. The tee shot is blind, and the ball must find the fairway to have any chance of reaching the green, which is surrounded by a natural amphitheater with a beautiful view of the clubhouse.