LOS ANGELES, CA — The Maggie Hathaway Golf Course is open. After years of planning and 16 months of construction, South Los Angeles has its golf course back and it has never looked better. On March 27 and 28, American Golf Corporation was proud to stand alongside elected officials, junior golfers, community leaders, members of the public, and coalition partners to celebrate a reopening that felt as much like a homecoming as a ribbon-cutting. The energy on the grounds that weekend was a testament to what this community has long deserved, and what it will now have for generations to come.
The course bears the name of Maggie Hathaway – a pioneering Los Angeles civil rights advocate whose work helped desegregate golf in Southern California. That legacy set the tone for everything this project stands for: that the game of golf belongs to everyone, and that every community deserves a place to play. Redesigned by internationally acclaimed architect Gil Hanse and featuring sustainability-minded irrigation systems and purpose-built practice areas, the revitalized facility is a genuine reflection of that belief.
The reopening ceremony brought the community together in a way that was both joyful and deeply meaningful. Local elected officials spoke to the significance of this investment in South Los Angeles. Junior golfers took to the newly constructed practice areas, their enthusiasm a living reminder of exactly why this project matters. Ceremonial first tee shots marked the official return of play, and guided tours of the redesigned course gave attendees a full appreciation of what has been built.
Members of the American Golf team were on the grounds throughout the weekend, proud to be part of a day that represented the very best of what public golf can be. The facility that greeted the community on opening day, well-maintained, welcoming, and ready for play, reflects the commitment American Golf brings to its role as long-term course operator. That commitment does not end with an opening weekend. It is the foundation of everything that follows.
The Maggie Hathaway Golf Course Restoration Project – originally established as the FORE Youth 2023 U.S. Open Community Legacy Project – stands as one of the most comprehensive public-private partnerships in Southern California golf history. Through years of private and public fundraising and collaboration, the coalition brought together the SCGA, SCGA Junior Golf Foundation, USGA, The Los Angeles Country Club, the Western States Golf Association, The Maggie Junior Golf and Community Foundation, and American Golf Corporation, alongside L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s office and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Each partner played an essential role in making this moment possible. Public agencies provided the civic infrastructure, land stewardship, and public investment that anchored the project. Golf organizations contributed funding, design expertise, and programming resources. American Golf Corporation is proud to serve as the long-term course operator, responsible for maintaining the grounds and facility to the standard this community deserves – ensuring Maggie Hathaway GC remains a place of pride for South Los Angeles long into the future.
“What has been built here goes far beyond a golf course. This is a community asset, a place where young people in South Los Angeles can step onto a beautifully maintained, accessible facility and see the game of golf as something that belongs to them. American Golf is honored to help maintain the conditions that make that possible, and to be part of a coalition that made this vision a reality.”
— Jorge Badel, Community Engagement Director, American Golf Corporation
At the heart of this project is a commitment to the next generation. The SCGA Junior Golf Foundation, Southern Area Youth Program Inc., and The Maggie Junior Golf and Community Foundation are leading youth programming at the facility, building on the course’s long history as a home to the Southern Area Youth Program Inc. and SCGA Junior golf programming. The sight of young golfers on the newly constructed practice areas during opening weekend was among the most powerful moments of the celebration, a clear and immediate sign that the project’s deepest purpose is already being fulfilled.
A beautifully maintained, publicly accessible course in the middle of Los Angeles is more than a recreational amenity. It is an invitation – to a sport, to a community, and to a future defined by greater access and opportunity than the one that came before.
Additional information about the Maggie Hathaway Golf Course Restoration Project is available at www.foreyouth.org and www.maggierenewal.com.
American Golf Corporation is one of the nation’s leading operators and course managers of public and municipal golf facilities, with decades of experience maintaining and operating courses across the country in partnership with local governments and public agencies. American Golf’s mission is to ensure that public golf facilities are well-maintained, welcoming, and accessible to all. For more information, visit www.americangolf.com.