The Penmar (Venice)
Picnickers lay out on blankets while listening to live music.
Nestled between Venice and Santa Monica, The Penmar is a 9-hole executive golf course by day, and a popular hangout spot for young locals by sundown. In fact, The Penmar doesn’t necessarily like to consider themselves a golf course at all. They like to say that golf is “optional” and that having a good time with good friends at their restaurant and bar is their main focus.
I came to visit a good friend of mine in Venice for his birthday, and he decided to start the night at The Penmar, and rightfully so. We were about to head into their Summer Sessions event, where live musicians would come to play every Friday night, starting around 6 PM. Heading in around 7 PM, lines were already beginning to form outside and crowds of visitors started to flock in from all over LA. Our group had tickets reserved ahead of time, and it is highly recommended that you do this before going, whether for yourself, or for your group. I was not expecting to see what I did once inside.
It was like five different events put together: a restaurant and bar to the left, food trucks towards the back, a full 9-hole golf course, and hundreds of spectators chatting on picnic blankets while a band played onstage. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it. Squads of golfers would line up to tee off right next to where picnickers were seated, contributing for an atmosphere akin to a much more casual version of hole 16 at TPC Scottsdale (a famous PGA Tour course for those who may not know). It was relaxing, entertaining, and energizing all at the same time.
The sun beginning to set.
And I get what some of you may be thinking. Okay, this is a small, public golf course, and those can sometimes get pretty seedy. What’s so special about this place? Surprisingly, The Penmar was well-kept and the entire venue was designed so that the diners and picnickers would be isolated into one side, while golfers can play their own game on the other side, only to meet up at the edge where we were sitting on the grass. This is not only an ingenious use of space, but a trait that gives the venue its own unique vibe and quirk.
Band made up of firefighters from a nearby town.
Another interesting thing to note is that the venue allows customers to purchase food or alcohol once inside and provides free seating on the grass, which frees up the need to wait and find an open table if there are large crowds. And while I personally did not get to try any of the food that night, the staff was handing out tickets for free churros which smelled delicious.
While children are allowed inside, it should be noted that alcohol is present and they are required to be kept under watch from parents or guardians to avoid running into the band on stage, or into other customers. While I wouldn’t personally venture to call this place entirely “kid-friendly”, a family outing here certainly would not have any negative outcomes, provided that the children are old enough to not run around without control.
My personal favorite part was the band. While I had no idea what was going on for the first act, the two artists during the night were incredibly passionate and gave the audience a great show. Listening to live music during a Southern California sunset, laughing with friends, and drinking a cold beer (or wine, not here to judge), what could be better? As I came to find, The Penmar is a true hidden gem of Los Angeles locals, and I highly recommend that you give it a visit during the Summer Sessions if you can. And if you decide to come play golf, it certainly won’t break the bank either.
The Penmar is located on 1233 Rose Ave. in Venice, California.
