California with its 921 golf courses offers a whole different experience than Florida or New York where the courses are most revered and tropical. Most of the golf courses around California are a treat to the eyes and are designed to keep the serenity alive throughout your stay.
The Californian greens breaching the desert, only to escape to the beaches, present a particular challenge for golf enthusiasts. From the wide range of options to choose from, deciding on the one that suits your needs can be difficult.
However, we have chosen the best ones among the courses that you must visit throughout your vacation.
1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
Situated near Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach Golf link is one of the most exquisite golf courses not only in California but also in the USA. Apart from the pro experience that the replica of hole 7 offers, you should also enjoy the Hay Par 3 course, revamped by the great Tiger Woods himself, where hitting the golf ball may be easier, but the hole is a long stretch.
When visiting Pebble Beach Golf Links, don’t forget to relish your taste buds with the outstanding food the Bench offers. The food, service, and atmosphere are absolutely perfect as a vacation destination. The club offers a training session that teaches the best golf info.
When talking about Pebble Beach Golf Links, it’s criminal to not talk about the view of the Pacific ocean. Being established just beside Pebble Beach, the bird’s eye view of Monterey Bay is sure to take your breath away.
2. Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines has two golf courses. Torrey Pines North and Torrey Pines South Golf Courses. Situated on the Torrey Pines road, the golf course offers not one but two 18-holes courses on the cliffs, a golf gadgets & gifts shop, a restaurant, and a bar.
Although the best time to visit Torrey Pines Golf courses is in mid-march due to the absence of rain and frost, the scenery of the ocean and the view of the gliders launched from Torrey Pines Gliderport are enjoyed any time in the year.
It’s evident from the well-maintained courses that golf pros are frequent here. But, the staff members are trained quite well to handle any kinds of guests visiting the place throughout their vacation. With or without a family.
3. Monterey Peninsula Country Club
This privately owned country club has only the best to offer to golf lovers. In addition to the best golf accessories available at the shops, the 18-holes professional setup, members-only lounge, and exceptional food and drinks are the highlights of Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
The two neatly kept golf courses of Monterey Country Club escape to the pacific ocean and prove to be one of the best golf courses on US soil. Arguably, this golf course is similar to or in some cases better than the Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Both sands and the dunes golf courses of this club are unbelievably picturesque and are incredibly well-maintained. For the non-golfers and someone with a family, the 17-mile drive surrounded by the golf courses on one side and the ocean on the other is a long blissful journey waiting to unfold.
4. PGA West
PGA West is a family-friendly golf course that poses a minimal challenge to a pro golfer but sits perfectly in tune for family vacations where even the amateurs would be able to hit some greens with their trusty golf sticks. The non-existence of rough patches fails to provide significant challenges to a pro golfer, but for you on a month-long vacation, it surely would be able to pump some dopamine and prove its place among the best golf clubs.
The natural escape of PGA West is something that many families look forward to. Wild Big Horn Sheep are one of the main attractions of this outstanding golf course. If you are in possession of some apples, carry them with you to feed the animals. But be careful not to poke them in any way.
PGA West also offers tennis and pickleball courts for families that don’t want to devote their time to golf.
5. Monarch Beach Golf Links
Monarch Beach Golf Links offers an ocean-side golf course that is quite challenging for even veteran golfers. The RTJ design with raised greens, undulations, and bunkers provides a very satisfactory experience for the pros golfers. Monarch Beach Golf Course isn’t particularly a long course by any means, but the hardship that the golfers face to complete it is often enough to get through the day easily.
This course is costlier than most golf courses. But the amenities like pure roll greens, good food, and beautiful scenery somehow justify the cost. This golf course has secured its own place in the hearts of vacation and golf lovers with discounts and helpful service offerings.
The absence of a driving range, a long-range, or adequate restaurants may hinder your experience a bit, but the course overall can be a good vacation home for golf hobbyists.
6. Maderas Golf Club
Maderas Golf Club is full of extreme uphills and downhills from top to bottom. The golf course is not for the average golfers who seek to punch through the holes recklessly. The course is all about careful scoring and great vistas.
Although the pricing is on the higher side, the challenges Maderas Golf course presents are well worth it. However, if you aren’t a golfer and just want to keep your vacation lowkey, the impeccable service and food offered at Maderas are unparallel to any other courses in this area.
Although the course is distant from the ocean, the vista, hills, and greens are almost breathtaking. Maderas also presents a lot of photography opportunities. The greens merging into the horizon in the golden hours introduce a lot of possibilities for portrait and landscape photography.
7. Yocha Dehe Golf Club
The level of service provided here is exceptional. The luggage is dropped off at the clubhouse and then put into the trolley below. A refrigerator with ice and water, a GPS device, and plush comfortable chairs are all included with the cart.
The course itself is kept in excellent condition. The front nine features several elevated shots, while the back features numerous noteworthy holes.
The Troon course is stunning. As with other facilities, it is well kept. Greens in this course are quick and accurate. You, when visiting the course, literally don’t want to damage the fairways since they are so beautiful. The carts are fantastic, but the GPS seems a little buggy.
8. The Olympic Club
The Olympic Club was founded in 1860. It is one of California’s best golf courses and best golf clubs. If there’s one place between the Pacific that has actually endured the test of time, it’s this treasure. The club, situated between Lake Merced and the Pacific ocean, offers 45 holes of memorable golf, such as the Lake Course, the Ocean Course, and the Cliffs Course. The par-3 track with noteworthy vistas of the Pacific is a fan favorite.
The Bottom Line
Golf courses can be great vacation homes if you have the passion to drive the balls to the holes. However, not every golf course is made the same. Some offer great food, stay, and drive, but fail to challenge the seasoned golfers. While they differ in difficulty, some golf courses are designed specifically for pro golfers in mind. As an amateur golfer, these ranges aren’t as dopamine-inducing as you may like. Pricing also plays a long game in golf courses.