Five Top Golf Courses in California
Golfing in California offers an unparalleled experience. The state boasts a range of courses featuring a blend of challenging layouts and stunning landscapes. Whether you’re teeing off amidst towering palm trees or overlooking the Pacific Ocean, golfing in California promises an unforgettable experience that keeps enthusiasts returning year after year. Some of the top courses in the state include Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Olympic Club’s Lake Course, The Shore Course, The Valley Club of Montecito, and The Palms Golf Club.
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, remains America’s top-rated course and features nine holes on top of bluffs directly above the Pacific Ocean. Recent enhancements to the course include redesigning the once-treacherous 14th green and modifications to the par-3 17th green, overseen by Arnold Palmer’s Design Company. Moreover, ongoing changes to the iconic eighth hole further elevate the course’s prestige. Noteworthy events hosted at Pebble Beach include a successful U.S. Amateur in 2018, the sixth U.S. Open in 2019, and the Women’s U.S. Open for the first time in 2023.
The Olympic Club’s Lake Course in San Francisco, California, has consistently provided golfers with a thrilling and challenging experience. Over the years, this course has undergone significant transformations, evolving from a heavily forested landscape with canted fairways to a more open layout with occasional cypress trees. In 2009, notable changes included redesigning the seventh and 18th greens and adding a new par-3 eighth hole. A 2023 renovation started in anticipation of the 2028 PGA Championship. The transformation promises to add a new layer of excitement to this golfing destination.
The Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, California, comprises 18 holes and remains a top course. It underwent a remarkable transformation under the direction of Mike Strantz in 2018. Strantz’s vision turned the once bland and low-budget course into a breathtaking masterpiece that stands shoulder to shoulder with its prestigious neighbor, Cypress Point. He reimagined the layout of the fifth through 15th holes to showcase the stunning Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. Strantz intricately wove fairways amidst towering trees while incorporating native grasses to evoke a coastal prairie ambiance.
Ranked ninth on the list of the 100 Greatest courses in California, The Valley Club of Montecito in Santa Barbara offers a unique and captivating golfing experience. Its layout resembles an hourglass shape and presents various challenges, ranging from the third hole nestled against a barranca to the mountainous tenth hole. The course features picturesque highlights such as the canyon-carry 14th and the expansive, serpentine 15th. While the fairways are generous, the greens’ subtle slopes demand strategic approaches. The restoration of MacKenzie bunkers adds to the course’s allure, with their interlocking design reminiscent of jigsaw pieces.
The Palms Golf Club in La Quinta, California, boasts a unique heritage. It sits on the grounds of an old palm tree farm. The towering palm trees reflect its history and adorn nearly every hole, creating picturesque vistas against the backdrop of distant mountains. The course, designed by Brian Curley and Fred Couples, offers a playable layout from the tee but challenges golfers with smaller, undulating putting surfaces. With a diverse range of holes, including long and short par 3s and a mix of reachable and lengthy par 5s, The Palms Golf Club promises an engaging and varied golfing experience for players of all skill levels.
