Rancho Carlsbad Golf Course. Insights: Hawaii has the most difficult courses, followed by Nevada and Florida. Over the last 30 years, Carlsbad, this sleepy little beach town and agricultural community located 35 miles north of San Diego, has exploded into the golf . It has long been regarded as one of the state's best courses, and the back nine, rising into the fragrant floral hills above the quaint village of the same name, is particularly engaging. 21. Steele Canyon Golf Course, located in San Diego, is only one of three San Diego County golf courses to have been awarded a prestigious Four . Are you game? Our course guide has 109 golf courses within 30 miles of Carlsbad. Pete Dye's Ocean Course tops our eclectic new ranking of America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses. Goat Hill Park (Oceanside), Crossings (Carlsbad), LaCosta Champions (Carlsbad) Parrish 1 year ago. The 10 Toughest Golf Courses In America. Weiskopf, known for his short par 4s, built some of the world's best public and resort courses. With Aviara's beautifully manicured grounds, expertly landscaped with native wildflowers and attractive water features, you may feel like you're playing in the middle of a botanical garden. Signature Hole: 18th hole which is 421 yards. A temperate climate, beautiful mountain and coastal scenery and a deep roster of courses of all styles and prices make it paradise for local golfers and tourists alike. By Anngmesa. 1300 Sylvan Road, Monterey; 831-373-2700; www.pebblebeach.com. The emphasis is clearly on your short-game skills, with approaches over water and handsome bunkering that force you to think hard before you pull the trigger, and menacingly sloped putting surfaces that can make you three-putt in the blink of an eye. The slightly tamer, 6,800-yard par-71 Ocean North Course roams, links-style, over ridges and dry headland terrain, treating the eyes to Fazio's finest environmentally sensitive handiwork. More recently, renovation commenced on the course in November of 2022. The pros have moved on but it nevertheless has a bright future. A handful of elevated tees prod golfers to swing for the mountainsides. The Grove is an absolute joy to play. Believed to be more . 19. Aviara Golf Club. (Image credit: Enagic Golf Club at EastLake ) Location: Chula Vista. The Champions, dating to 1965, is an historic tournament venue that has hosted 37 PGA Tour events. Departures is a lifestyle resource for U.S. issued American Express Platinum Card and Centurion Members. Our course is a pleasure for golfers of any skill level to play. Get exclusive tee times deals in San Diego! With excellent views, amazing staff, and a forecaddie for each group, the Grand Golf Club has one of the best golf courses in San Diego, no doubt. Red Mountain Ranch Country Club, Mesa, 1986 (with Perry Dye) Karsten Golf Course at ASU, Tempe, 1989 (with Perry Dye) California. This article couldve literally been written without setting foot on a golf course in San Diego. Long ranked as one of the premier courses in the United States, The Glass, as locals sometimes call it, can smoothly slit your throat within the first five holes, the loveliest opening stretch in American golf, I sometimes think. It begins narrow but really widens at the fairway. But aside from a similar bluffside setting and its championship tee yardage, the North is very dissimilar from its notorious next door neighbor. The course was built in 1921 by William Bell of Torrey Pines fame, and Sam Snead still holds the course record. 16. America's 20 Toughest Golf Courses. The landscape is very hilly making shots a lot more difficult than they look at face value. A plethora of semi-private clubs from San Diego up through Oceanside await those willing to put on a few miles. Aug. 12, 2014 8 AM PT. Golf Digest course panelists comment on America's 20 toughest golf courses. Admiral Baker features 36 holes and is open to civilians. An unfiltered account of my weekend at the Miraval Berkshires retreat. Aviara Golf Club, home of the LPGA's . 20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz; 831-459-9155; www.pasatiempo.com. With 72 golf courses in every conceivable setting from mountains to desert to ocean, it's no wonder Golf Digest named San Diego one of the Top 50 golf destinations in the world.. San Diego's temperate weather keeping local links in playing condition year-round, so duffers and scratch golfers alike can get their fill of the wide fairways, rolling hills, stunning landscapes and challenging . Cypress Point Golf Club in Pebble Beach, Calif., and the Los Angeles Country Club were selected by Billionaire.com as two of the 10 most exclusive golf courses in the world . The course was designed by William Bell, the architect of Torrey Pines, and features wide, forgiving, tree-lined fairways. But the views are priceless, if you can get a tee time. It features large undulating greens and wonderful views of the adjoining lake, enough open spaces to be forgiving to the resort player, and a handful of holes where trees and difficult doglegs require long and accurate tee shots and approaches. You will walk in the footsteps of many a famous golfer at this municipal track, named after the rare native pine that grows wild along this stretch of coastline. The longest golf course in the world at 8,548 yards, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain includes a 711-yard par-five (and two more that measure over 680 yards), a 525-yard par-four and a 270-yard par-three. You might not have heard of these brands, but they're leaving their mark. Course conditioning has improved dramatically in recent years, and greens fees are a bargain: $27-$37. The two courses the Champions and the Legends Course have undergone renovations in recent years as part of a $50 million dollar overall improvement program at this storied resort. Aviara Golf ClubWith its lavish clubhouse and exquisite grooming, Aviara rivals the finest California private clubs. My only regret was that I had to see it in a hurry and was forced to play much faster than I would have preferred. SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa and 2 rounds of golf at Aviara Golf Club. So much of this, fair . - Lined with 100-year-old evergreens, and topping out at nearly 8,400 yards, The Pines is the longest golf course in North America. Just 25 minutes north of downtown, RBI, as its known to locals, is a gracious, Spanish-style resort. 7447 Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad; 760-603-6900; www.golfsd.com/aviara.html. Pebble Beach Golf LinksAs greens fees escalate toward the $400 mark, you'd think golfers would ask themselves if a visit to the shrine of American golf, site of the 100th U.S. Open last summer, is really worth it. Greens fees: $85-$125. The course is also relatively flat, so its not at all challenging to traverse, but what really seals the deal is the price. Considering what you pay in the area to play courses half as challenging, you may blink in astonishment at the $60 weekday rate ($85 on weekends). That being said, the whole experience makes for a luxurious golfing trip that is well investing in. Oct. 30, 2019 6:35 AM PT. Marine Memorial features a regulation 18 holes and a 9-hole par-3 course. Spyglass Hill Golf CourseRobert Trent Jones' West Coast tribute to Augusta National and Pine Valley has never been betteror more difficult. The Links At Spanish BayIn the past decade this sprawling golf hotel and its photogenic "true" links course have matured into a complete gourmet golf experience from first drive to last putt. You can also visit the Official Torrey Pines Golf Course website. Coronado Golf course was rated on of the best courses in the nation by Golf Digest, so make time to . Boulders and rock outcroppings along with impressive bunkering and a surprisingly low green fee for this premium market make it worth the drive. Google Maps . They also have a performance center with a 12 hole . And finally, there are some municipal courses with coastal views that fly under the radar a bit. San Diego is also home to 11 leagues and 3 stores that sell disc golf gear. From U.S. Open venues to ocean-view resorts and courses with spectacular elevated tees, the best golf courses in San Diego area hasyou covered. So that summarizes the 9 best golf courses in San Diego according to fellow golfers. However, the back 9 are much better. Operated by Troon, Maderas is one of the great member-for-a-day experiences in the west. To many, this will be advantageous over some of the more isolated courses. 17700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma; 707-996-0300; www.sonomamissioninn.com. A sail through one of the worlds wildest places to see blue-footed boobies, penguins, and sea lions wrestle starfish. The little negative feedback received stems from course construction, where temporary holes were created to make up the numbers. If you're looking for a good, inexpensive round, this is the spot. Just grip and rip, and enjoy the lovely view and the deer that come out to watch at dusk. Marked by staggered and stacked bunkering and tight fairways lined with mature trees, it plays more than 7,000 yards from the tips. Opened in 1991 before the Ryder Cupand dubbed Looney Dunes for the mishaps therethe Ocean Course has the highest combination of Slope Rating (155) and Course Rating (79.6) in America. Carmel Valley Ranch Golf ClubAfter years of tinkering with this controversial, once uncompromising Pete Dye course, first opened in 1981, the current owners have almost got it right. It's never been easier to design custom hats, golf balls, clubs, headcovers and more. Located in Poway . Alternatively, if the best San Diego golf courses dont quite cut it, consider enlarging your search and check out our guide for the top golf courses in Californiaas well. The back nine, meandering through the stately Monterey pines, can soothe and haunt you, especially when the fog rolls in and the deer come out to feed at dusk. If you can follow. Plus, it's in good shape for the number of rounds played annually. The course is open for both La Costa club members and guests. Dr. Alister Mackenzie, a military expert in the art of camouflage and the famed architect of Augusta National and Cypress Point Club, wrought something truly wonderful at Pasatiempo: a smallish (just 6,400 yards) golf course that plays like anything but, meandering up and down gentle hills, with fairways cinched by huge trees and nearly perfect greens. Narrowing down ten of the best San Diego golf courses, not to mention sorting them into any order, isn't easy. 300 Finley Road, San Francisco; 415-561-4653; www.presidiogolf.com. Among these are 3 courses which have 18 or more holes. It can play as long as almost 250 yards over water. When you think about golf in San Diego, chances are Torrey Pinesarguably the most renowned municipal golf course in the countrycomes to mind. When I brought my buddies trip with wide-ranging handicaps to San Diego, we played here and not the South. The only negative: During the busy summer season it can be difficult to get on. Torrey Pines (South Course) Southern California has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best golf destinations in the country. Just down the road from La Costa is Aviara Golf Club at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. This will be welcome news for many, as some reviews noted that the upkeep of the course had slipped a little. If you're not awestruck by major championship courses, or aren't in the mood for a supreme ball-striking examination, you may not feel compelled to pay the non-resident, advanced tee time premium for a round, but enough golfers are, and wage battle with the South gladly. Although, under PGA tournament conditions, all c. The TPC Stadium Course has several memorable holes, with the famous 17th island green, arguably outdone by the largely unrecognized 16th . San Diego is a sublime year-round golf season, but course conditions and overall ratings vary greatly month to month. The Grand also features an enormous clubhouse with top amenities and a plush practice area with bunkers, chipping green and a double-ended range. 11480 North Torrey Pines Road. The course has undergone two major renovations, one in 2001 and another in 2019, the latter costing $14 million. The South Course At Torrey Pines Golf Course San Diego. The North and South are both host sites of the annual PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open (only the South course is used for Saturday and Sunday play); the North also offers players a genuine taste of a tournament course, with its narrow fairways and often challenging weather conditions, but at a friendlier price. Address: 2000 Visalia Row, Coronado, CA 92118. Are golf tees too common an item to be worth adding to your golf collection? Edgewood Tahoe Golf CourseAnother California beauty although technically just yards over the Nevada line, the redoubtable Edgewood has been quite nicely spruced up by Tom Fazio, the nephew of George Fazio, the course's original designer. Designed by Gary Player, its plain to see from the above photo that the Steel Canyon golf course is highly photogenic. The next time youre around the area, consider swinging by one and checking it out for yourself. 5827 Via de la Cumbre, Rancho Santa Fe; 858-756-3094. Golf was meant to be an Everyman game, and at Torrey Pines that's the name of the game. Not only did it receive the highest player rating on TheGrint with 97 out of 100, but it also has numerous accolades from golf companies. Coming it as the best golf course in San Diego is the Maderas golf course. The greens are fairly fast, the staff are friendly, and if it were not for the slower pace of games, Steel Canyon may have ranked higher. Located in Poway, this Johnny Miller-Robert Muir Graves design has five waterfalls, three lakes and more than 40 acres of wildflowers and one elevated tee after another. 17. Northwood Golf ClubWhile you are loitering on the Sonoma coast you have to check this outa true artifact of golf history. Pete Dye's TPC Stadium Golf Course at PGA West is the (in)famous headlinera sadomasochistic "must-play" tour de force packed with pot bunkers, sand hills, and ruthlessly uneven lies. Signature Hole: 16th hole which is a par 3. Big names such as Golf Digest, Golf Advisor, and Golf Week all consider it to be one of the top courses in the country. If the course is booked, consider jaunting over to nearby Sea Ranch Golf Links, another seaside sweetheart that had a devoted cult following as a nine-hole track (it was listed as one of the best in America) until original designer Robert Muir Graves came back and built an equally companionable second nine. For many years, there were only a few well-recognized courses in the area. La Costa Resort And SpaKnown for its many PGA Tour tournaments, golfing dons, and an enduring rumor that Jimmy Hoffa is buried beneath the 18th green, La Costa is often overlooked in modern guides promoting the best and brightest golf in the state. Its highly affordable, and for what you are getting, its a must-try if you are in San Diego. There is sharp disparity in green fees from the resident muni rates to high-end resort golf. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 22. Not to mention a killer ice plant, magnificent sand dunes, and the photogenic lighthouse. To date, his golf travels have taken him to over two dozen countries and nearly 600 golf courses worldwide. It is one of the hardest golf courses in the world to get a tee time. Torrey Pines South, home of the 2008 and 2021 US Open, is on everyone's list. 20. Operated by the military since the 1950s, the Presidio Club is now a public facility ably managed by the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company, with particular attention paid to customer service and course maintenance. But that's what makes it fun. Rounds also include a forecaddie. Originally, the construction team mistakenly doubled the size of the front nine greens. A tour of Phil Mickelson's San Diego, where just about everybody has a Phil tale. Look for the available Hot Deals and save up to 80% off on tee times and receive 100% weather protection guarantee. Greens fees: $130-$145. The course is a true target-style design offering shot-making challenges you will never forget. - stanholden, 2020 review of Coronado Golf Course. There's a decidedly relaxed air throughout the world-class Sonoma resort that spills over to the course, designed by Sam Whiting and Willie Watson in the 1920s and updated handsomely by Robert Muir Graves in 1991, creating a pace of play that never feels too crowded or rushed. 2023 American Express. 1 77 Asilomar Boulevard, Pacific Grove; 831-648-3175. Ranked as the 5th best disc golf destination in California, San Diego has 6 courses. Golf Course City Access Holes Par Yards Rating Price Today; This will be even more pronounced in tomorrow's slate, with winds looking to be brutal as the day progresses. But the real improvement has been on the course itself, with the recent restoration of two of Thomas' "lost" holes, a magnificent long par-three seventh and a devilishly handsome eighth, a bending par-four where anything but a straight, well-struck approach shot can balloon your score.