Mark Gozonsky

Mar Vista Rec Center

11430 Woodbine Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90066 (the courts are at the corner of Palms and Sawtelle)

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I just played for the first time in a long while at these courts, newly resurfaced as of Summer ’24. It’s lookin’ good. Surfaces smooth; nets sturdy.

The trending-towards-seniors-but-all-are-welcome morning pick-up game is still going strong. This is one of the most warm-hearted walk-on tennis scenes I’ve encountered in all of LA County.

I also like the towering ficus and Monterrey pines surrounding these courts and the up-and-coming cypress. And the big new trash cans with fresh liners show commitment to keeping things tidy.

There were plenty of open courts on a Wednesday mid-morning, but things get backed up here at night and on the weekend. When there’s a long wait, I typically detour over to Rancho, a/k/a the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex (as opposed to the courts at Rancho Park in Cheviot Hills, which are good but do have an hourly fee and generally require making a reservation in advance).

Another option would be to go on an adventure to a hidden gem or hub in a different neighborhood altogether. The travel time versus wait time at Palms might cancel each other out, and think of the stories you’ll be able to tell!

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From my journal:

October 14, 2022

One thing that makes me happy about my daughter’s tennis game is her carefree backhand. 

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2 comments

  1. waited over an hour for courts because there was no weekend monitor today and multiple groups were playing well over an hour. When it finally was our turn, we checked the printed posted scheduled which only had one of the city courts listed as taken. We took the other court and within 15 minutes of playing were kicked off by a group saying that had it reserved.

    there needs to be a better system in place. This was a waste of my Saturday morning.

  2. I’m sorry not to have noticed this comment until right now.
    Mar Vista — like all unreserved Westside courts — can be aggravating. What usually but not always works for me is showing up as early as possible in the morning.

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