NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COURSES
San Francisco’s Presidio Golf Course
Located within a national park, San Francisco’s Presidio Golf Course is renowned for its spectacular forest setting, as well as its challenging play. Once restricted to military officers and private club members, today the 18-hole course is open to the public. Presidio Golf offers a full-service restaurant, a driving range and practice facility, and an award-winning golf shop that offers the latest in golf equipment and apparel. The course is a contributing feature of the Presidio’s National Historic Landmark status and has a storied history, dating back to 1895.
Fairways and Greens in Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill is in close proximity to some of the most premier Silicon Valley golf courses. Coyote Creek Golf Club features two Jack Nicklaus-designed courses and a bar and grill, fun live music and outdoor marketplaces. The esteemed CordeValle Golf Course is a stunning 18-hole, par 72 championship course offering PGA-level excitement amidst the oak-studded valley. The City of Morgan Hill has also created a Pop-Up Miniature Golf Course at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center, offering entertainment for the entire family. Lastly, Morgan Hill is home to the legendary and uber-private course, The Institute, with exclusive invitation by membership.
San Jose’s Cinnabar Hills Golf Club
Located in the hills overlooking the Coyote Valley in San Jose, Cinnabar Hills Golf Club offers 27 holes, with six different 18-hole combinations. Routinely ranked among the top ten golf courses in Northern California, Cinnabar Hills boasts a comfortable club house and acclaimed restaurant as well as a full-service bar with weekly happy hours. The practice facility, with a natural grass driving range, is ideal for golf lessons, instruction, clinics and camps. The Brandenburg Historical Golf Museum, the only one of its kind in the western United States, is one of the club's most unique and impressive amenities.
Napa Valley Golf: Play a Round in Wine Country
Napa Valley boasts exceptional golf courses, each with its unique charm and challenge. From the challenging fairways of Silverado Resort, home to the PGA Tour's Fortinet Championship, to the breathtaking views at Chardonnay Golf Club, where water features complement the lush surroundings, courses are a golfer's paradise. From lush resort courses with all the amenities to challenging 18-hole municipal tracks, and intriguing nine-hole layouts for a quick round, Napa Valley offers a course for golfers of every experience level and dedication.
Experience the Luxury of Golfing in Lake Tahoe
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe is a contemporary mountain retreat featuring mountain concierge services for golfing. Located six miles from both downtown Truckee and the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, the resort provides its guests with golfing privileges at some of the most famed Northern California golf resorts. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe features preferred access to Old Green Golf Course and The Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing, certified as only the second Audubon International Gold Signature Sanctuary in California. For even more play options, try the hotel’s Topgolf Swing Suites.
Tuolumne County Golf Courses
Pine Mountain Lake Golf Course is a challenging 18-hole golf course with breathtaking views of the majestic mountain peaks of Yosemite along with plenty of picturesque oaks and pines. Teleli Golf Club, the former Mt. Springs golf course, in Sonora was acquired and reopened in May 2019 by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. Their inspiration has transformed this Robert Muir Graves design into a "must play" experience. Twain Harte Golf Course is a friendly nine-hole course that also offers disc golf. Twain Harte Miniature Golf is California's oldest mini golf course. The 18-hole course is nestled beneath the pines, open spring toall. At only $5 a person it makes for a great family outing.
Wente Vineyards: Award-Winning Golf Course & Longest Continuously Family-Owned Winery
Designed by Australian golfing great Greg Norman in 1988 and located in the midst of certified sustainable vineyards, The Course at Wente Vineyards 18-hole championship course is a picturesque 7,181-yard, par-72, upscale, daily-fee golf course in Livermore Valley. With three distinct topographies – native woodlands, mature vineyards and rolling hills of natural grasslands – the course offers extraordinary visual panoramas. After a round of golf, guests can head to the Tasting Lounge and enjoy delicious wines from this 140-year-old, country's longest continuously family-owned and operated winery.
Fore! in Placer County
Placer County is a golfer’s paradise with a wealth of course offerings from Roseville to North Lake Tahoe. Winchester Country Club in Meadow Vista is one of only seven courses in the world co-designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Jr. The Ridge in Auburn, also designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. features oak-studded knolls with foothill views and a 100-foot elevation change on course. Surrounded by six majestic Sierra peaks, the Links at Everline sits at the base of Palisades Tahoe, while Old Brockway offers spectacular views on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Down in Rocklin, Whitney Oaks is owned and operated by the United Auburn Indian Community with enormous granite outcroppings and wetlands.
Golf with Ocean Views in Pacifica
Sharp Park Golf Course is a public par-72, 18-hole golf course designed by Alister MacKenzie, designer of Augusta National and home of the Masters Tournament. While golfing, take in the views of the Pacific Ocean, mountains and headlands. The original Spanish style hacienda club house is still standing, since being built in 1932, and houses the starting golf area, lounge and dining room.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COURSES
Two Spots to Tee Off in Santa Cruz County
Pasatiempo Golf Course was designed by world-renowned golf architect Alister MacKenzie. Pasatiempo was his favorite layout and where he made his American home, which still borders the sixth fairway. Today, this historic top 100 course is a semi-private golf club that sets aside tee times each day for public play. Seascape Golf Course’s 6,034-yard, par-71, exceedingly-playable course features immaculately manicured fairways, rolling hills and challenging greens. Designed by Garret and David Gill in 1926 as the exclusive Rio Del Mar Country Club and repurposed during World War II to serve as a “victory garden” for the war effort, Seascape Golf Club was reopened in 1945.
Alisal Ranch Golf Course
Named in 2023 as one of the “Top 25 Most Historic Golf Courses” by Historic Hotels of America, Alisal Ranch Golf Course boasts two 18-hole, historic championship golf courses - one of which was the setting for the Oscar-winning movie Sideways. The River Course opened in 1992 and is Alisal’s public course, which offers a more casual experience without membership fees. Designed by the legendary Billy Bell, Jr., the 6,550-yard, par-72 Ranch Course opened in 1956, and is exclusive for Alisal guests and course members, who can enjoy a course designed around an imposing barranca that winds through it, creating a setting amongst venerable oaks, pines, sycamores and eucalyptus.
Hunter Ranch Golf Course
Hunter Ranch Golf Course offers a golfer's paradise with its stunning 18-hole championship course, featuring optimal conditions on California's Central Coast. The greens provide a fast and smooth putting experience, while the immaculate fairways, bordered by century-old oak trees, natural lakes, and native grasses, eagerly await tee shots. Positioned atop Paso Robles' highest point, the panoramic view encompasses some of San Luis Obispo County's premier vineyards, rolling wooded hills and an absence of residential structures.
Santa Maria Valley’s Rancho Maria Golf Club
Rancho Maria Golf Club is the perfect landing for golfers of all skill levels to enjoy challenging play on well-groomed fairways amongst the foothills of scenic Santa Maria Valley. This full-service golf club was started nearly 60 years ago by two brothers passionate about the sport and has been run by different PGA members of the O’Keefe clan since.
Dairy Creek Golf Course
Just a quick stone’s throw from the City of San Luis Obispo is the Central Coast’s premier nine-hole, par-36 Dairy Creek Golf Course. Enjoy the lush, natural surroundings of this traditional course, along with their Toptracer Range, then come back to soak in the quaint SLO city lifestyle and cityscape just 10 minutes away.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COURSES
Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine
Shady Canyon Golf Club, established in 2002, was created by master course designer Tom Fazo in Irvine. With a passion for incorporating the natural beauty of an area into his designs, Fazo utilized the canyon and native vegetation to craft a one-of-a-kind golfing experience. Ranked highly among experts for its beauty and function, the course has been ranked a Golf Digest top course consistently for over two decades.
Carlsbad: A Golfer's Paradise
Carlsbad is home to top golf destinations Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa (with its own Topgolf Swing Suite), The Crossings at Carlsbad, and Rancho Carlsbad Golf Course. Aside from its numerous golf courses, Carlsbad boasts academies and clubs where players of all ages can receive comprehensive lessons and better yet, Carlsbad is home to top golf brands TaylorMade, Callaway Golf and Titleist.
The Ranch at Laguna Beach Golf Course
The Ranch at Laguna Beach’s 9-hole course is carved into the naturally dramatic and lush walls of Aliso and Wood Canyons, creating an ultra-private playing experience with stunning views and elevation changes on every fairway. To help maintain these beautiful grounds, the bunkers are made of sand created from crushed glass bottles offered to guests during their stay and the 87 acres of land are irrigated with 100% reclaimed water through partnership with the local water district. Speedy greens and a commitment to proper tee box and hole placement keep the game fast, fun and inviting.
Sand Canyon County Cub in Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita courses offer wide fairways, rolling hills, long driving ranges and challenging play that awaits golfers of all skill levels. Surrounded by the spectacular Angeles National Forest, lies Sand Canyon Country Club, a 27-hole public course. Over 400 acres of unpretentious beauty, these courses can be challenging and offer breathtaking views of the Santa Clarita Valley. Built from the vision of acclaimed golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Valencia Country Club offers members and guests an 18-hole championship golf course, ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 golf courses in the state of California. It has also played host to countless PGA Tour Champions Classics.
Monarch Beach Golf Links Along the California Riviera
The natural beauty of the oceanfront Monarch Beach Golf Links rests along the bluffs of the California Riviera in Orange County, with two consecutive holes running right along the Pacific. Playing between a welcoming 5,000 yards and a championship-caliber 6,645 yards, this par-70 has the classic Robert Trent Jones Jr. design theme of providing golfers of all skill levels an enjoyable and engaging challenge. The first nine finishes with four holes bordered by a devilish arroyo with a creek running through it and the back nine ambles into a sunny valley as it leads to the invigorating No. 18, which is distinctly influenced by water.
Furnace Creek Golf Course: The World’s Lowest Golf Course
Furnace Creek Golf Course at Death Valley is a USGA sanctioned 18-hole course located in an American oasis within the three million acres that is Death Valley National Park. The legendary course and appetizing 19th hole recently underwent a renovation primarily focused on water conservation and the transition of 15 acres of maintained turf to desert with low-water-use native plantings. The wide-open fairways and the length of the course plays to a par of 70 and is only 6,215 yards from the back tees. From there, the course has a USGA rating of 74.7 with a slope of 128. The famous course is open to the public. And retains the name Furnace Creek out of respect to local history and lore.
Big Bear Mountain Golf Course Takes You to New Heights
Bear Mountain Golf Course is a 9-hole course that treats golfers to a scenic game through the pines, against the backdrop of Bear Mountain Ski Resort. Green fairways wind through hilly terrain, over creeks and ponds, and around beautiful homes. A driving range offers driving pads and a free practice range for chipping and putting. Golfers may get a boost of confidence in their drive game as Big Bear’s high altitude and thinner air help carry balls a little further. Seasonal Glow Golf events invite players to enjoy a round under the stars with neon glowing fairways, golf balls and carts.
Topgolf Swing Suite Coming to Westin LAX This February
Sitting just a few miles from SoFi Stadium, The Westin Los Angeles Airport (Westin LAX) offers guests a haven of modern wellness — and is putting the final touches on an extensive $45 million dollar renovation this month. For travelers with no time to waste in the LA traffic for a round of golf, look no further than the Topgolf Swing Suite, debuting at the Westin LAX in February. The popular golf simulator located on property provides versatility and accessibility for globetrotting golf aficionados, ensuring they stay on top of their game no matter where their journeys take them.
Island Golf Center in Anaheim
Anaheim, renowned for its theme parks, has a hidden gem within its borders – the Islands Golf Center. Situated on a 15-acre water basin in the heart of Orange County, this unique golfing haven offers 13 floating targets, ranging from 50 to 250 yards, providing a challenging and fun practice experience. With 82 hitting stalls equipped with premium balls and mats, golfers of all levels can enhance their skills. Additionally, the center offers budget-friendly rental clubs at $3.00 each, with options available for kids, ensuring accessibility for all ages.
Golfer's Paradise in Palm Springs
Greater Palm Springs is a golf haven boasting over 100 courses. From world-class resorts like PGA WEST to classic gems like Indian Canyons Golf Resort, players of all skill levels can enjoy year-round play on challenging fairways and impeccable greens. New also is the opportunity to combine golf with wellness at Sensei Porcupine Creek. The best-in-class nearly 75-acre golf course was formerly invite-only and used by top golf professionals. The private course features manicured surroundings boasting classic sight lines, pristine conditions, turf and sand bunkers, rich water features and grand Santa Rosa Mountain views.
Goat Hill Park & Arrowood Golf in Oceanside
Named one of the top five short courses in the country by Golf Channel, Oceanside’s Goat Hill Park is a one-of-a-kind golf experience. Set among the hills with ocean views, the Goat Hill game is laid-back and fun— there’s no dress code (yes, flip flops are allowed), music is often playing around the clubhouse and it's dog friendly. With rates starting at $35 ($20 for twilight), the course is accessible to all golfers whether young, old, novice or experienced. Oceanside is also home to Arrowood Golf, a spectacular par-71 course with sets of tees for every skill level, panoramic views and a digital driving range called the Flight Deck.
The Links at Lakehouse
The Links at Lakehouse, recently rebranded from St. Mark Golf Club, is nestled in the coastal foothills of San Diego’s north county at Lakehouse Resort, a laid-back-luxury boutique resort. Located steps from Lake San Marcos, the championship course is a 6,400-yard mature golf course open to the public. The course also features a putting green and driving range which are located adjacent to The Grill which offers elevated pub-style bites and drinks with a cozy outdoor ambiance with firepits, heaters and TVs.
Convenient Golf Courses in Long Beach
With temperate sunny days year-round, it’s always a good time to get out on the links in Long Beach. The city’s five municipal courses include Skylinks at Long Beach, located directly across from the Long Beach Airport. This 18-hole course features rolling fairways and over 70 sand bunkers. Heartwell Golf Course (Tiger Woods played here in his childhood) is an 18-hole, par-3 course with a full-service restaurant. El Dorado Park Golf Course is an 18-hole course with extensive practice facilities and a full-service restaurant and is the site of the Long Beach Open. The two courses nearest to downtown include an 18-hole and a 9-hole course on either side of Recreation Park. Recreation Park 18 is one of the oldest and most popular courses in Southern California, and its clubhouse is a historical landmark.