The first nine features tight fairways, lots of mounding, and greens that can fool you every time, while the prettier and even tougher back nine, rising more than 350 feet from the valley floor, features some of the most dramatic elevated tee shots in all of California. By golfdigest.com. The Champions, dating to 1965, is an historic tournament venue that has hosted 37 PGA Tour events. 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. California is home to nearly 1,000 golf courses, if you care to try and countand that includes an astonishing array of experiences: ocean courses, mountain layouts, desert tracks, famous munis, and private clubs where only God or a member can get you on. It's possible this little ditty finds you scooping up the last bit of cranberry pie crumbs out of the tray. A lot depends on conditions. Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 149 yards. Admiral Baker features 36 holes and is open to civilians. Torrey Pines North, host of the Farmers Insurance Open, is also a must play with arguably better ocean views than the South course. 3. 20. Pebble, like St. Andrews, is for true peers of the game. An unfiltered account of my weekend at the Miraval Berkshires retreat. Departures is a lifestyle resource for U.S. issued American Express Platinum Card and Centurion Members. This will be welcome news for many, as some reviews noted that the upkeep of the course had slipped a little. At 6,590 yards, the course is long enough for big hitters, and fairly open. 13. Learn more about Coronado Golf Course. Mike and I started this journey in January of 2017. You may have heard of the likes of the Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo Inn golf courses, but beyond these bigger names, there is an abundance of golf venues to choose from. The experience is certainly grand at this exclusive Tom Fazio design that's open only to resort guests and members. Architect: Mike Strantz. 25002 Golf Drive, Aliso Viejo; 949-598-9200; www.alisogolf.com. 3. The course is an easy walk, and it is also an excellent place to rub elbows with local residents and members. Whats more, this golf course is near downtown San Diego. 1 955 Fairway Boulevard, Incline Village, Nevada; 888-236-8725;www.golfincline.com. - Lined with 100-year-old evergreens, and topping out at nearly 8,400 yards, The Pines is the longest golf course in North America. Which of course means that, at its best, Illinois wasn't at its best, and in trying to find what its best should be, it's had to experience its worst. Pine Glen Golf Course. I've ranked these courses by considering not just architecture but the total package: the design, conditions, green fee, facilities, and convenience of location. Our list of the world's toughest golf courses are a mix of difficulty, atmosphere and tradition. Operated by Troon, Maderas is one of the great member-for-a-day experiences in the west. 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. 300 Finley Road, San Francisco; 415-561-4653; www.presidiogolf.com. 17 c) 4. . It may be the private club capital of Florida, but golfers endorse these public-access courses. You could spend a lifetime collecting perfect golf experiences here. 55-955 PGA Boulevard, La Quinta; 800-742-9378. Plenty of width with a small pool just short of the green. Spread out on 380 acres in the hills north of San Diego, a little over 5 miles from Torrey Pines, the layout dips and climbs through Los Penasquitos Canyon, where Fazio let nature take its course. Do not expect to be dazzled by either the amenities or the staff at this longtime site of the Buick Invitational and favorite of local son Phil Mickelson. The North is just as scenic as its neighbor but wider, shorter and its greens are more receptive to all playing abilities. Combine that with a par of 73, and a ridiculous Course Rating of 80, and you've got one of the most consistently challenging courses in the . Call for details 858-289-8208 or book online [email protected]. The course spans more than 8,000 yards, making it the longest golf course in San Diego. How to book a Torrey Pines tee time, Honorable mentions: San Diego's short course scene. With its private club feel, excellent conditions and exceptional customer service, it's no wonder Maderas is on. 1 to 25 . The Olympic Club (Lake), San Francisco . But the course almost straddles the state line, and from the Golden State golf junkie's point of view it deserves to be mentioned with the best of its neighbor to the west. Let's take a look at the best public and private golf courses San Diego has to offer. At 6347 yards it is one of the shorter courses on offer, but that does help to ensure that a round doesnt drag on too long. 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. Pine Glen, located in the Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan in San Diego's East County, is an 18-hole par-three golf course that will help you fine tune your game. 18 is tough also. This is probably the hardest course in San Diego with amazing vistas. From the 1st hole, it offers up beautiful views of the city. The Coronado Golf Course overlooks the San Diego Bay and features over 6,000 yards of space. Pasatiempo Golf ClubIf you sense an unapologetic predisposition toward "classic" courses, you're quite correct and need look no further than this sweet masterwork of subtle design, which is right on your way from the San Francisco Airport to the courses of Monterey. Written By: SoCalPulse Contributor. To experience this Arnold Palmer design at its best, when the rough is high and the greens are fast, time your visit just before or after the LPGA Tour's Kia Classic, in March. Amateur qualifying rounds have been held here. 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. This previously private, member-built classic that dates back to 1895 is a must-play for any golf enthusiast or student of classic design and club architecture. Architect John Harbottle III has deftly blended rolling terrain with handsome directional bunkering and ultrafast greens to produce a truly memorable outing. The next door North Course, recently renovated by Tom Weiskopf, is more playable than the demanding South, but nevertheless splits duty each year as a host the towns yearly PGA Tour event, the Farmers Insurance Open. Or cruise north and visit stops like the great vibe at Goat Hill Park in Oceanside or 27-hole Oaks North (near Maderas). It hosted the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Open Championships. The technical challenge comes from large, intrusive pine and oak trees that pinch fairways tightlyand make straight driving a must. Signature Hole: 12th hole (3rd hole of the Ranch course). The turf is always hard and seemingly unwatered, but that's half the charm of the place. Rates at both the contemporary Bodega Bay Lodge and the rustic Sea Ranch Lodge are more than reasonable, and the greens fees at both golf courses are as well. Greens fees: $175-$195 (includes cart). Ignore the help and play this gem with your bag on your shoulder. Coronado Golf Course. 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. Ever found yourself wanting to play golf in San Diego? Ojai Valley Inn & SpaThere's something about this venerable retreat I simply adoreit's so "old" California, with a marvelously subtle George C. Thomas course built in the 1920s and thoughtfully retouched by Jay Morrish in '88. The Grand also features an enormous clubhouse with top amenities and a plush practice area with bunkers, chipping green and a double-ended range. 5. Signature Hole: 16th hole which is a par 3. The two hardest holes are the 4th (with an uphill shot to a narrow green) and the 16th (with a huge canyon on the left flank). words by Sophie Mancini, illustration by ahonen & lamberg. We are pretty sure it wont disappoint! The field is +201 on the South . Narrowing down ten of the best San Diego golf courses, not to mention sorting them into any order, isn't easy. 8. This story was published before Summer 2021, when we launched our new digital experience. The Greg Nash-designed Crossings at Carlsbad, for example, is an upscale municipal, that features views of both the mountains and Pacific. 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 just minutes from downtown San Diego, Coronado Golf Course is a great pick if you are looking for a public golf course. 3200 Lopez Road, Pebble Beach; 831-625-2035. Steel Canyon Golf Club. Greens fees: $80-$100. No list of great or difficult golf courses would be complete without historic Shinnecock Hills. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club Southampton, New York Image Credit: Shinnecockhillsgolfclub.org. Golf Courses. Aviara Golf Resort. Greens fees: $85-$125. The length of a golf course is an important factor in scoring. While all the courses on the U.S. Open rotation are challenging, the South Course at Torrey Pines is among the most . Greens fees: $70-$96 (includes cart). It spans 350 acres and has plenty of undulation. Arrowood; Aviara; Coronado; Cross Creek; Enagic Golf Club at Eastlake; Encinitas Ranch; La Costa; Maderas; Mt Woodson; Pala Mesa; Rancho Bernardo Inn; Riverwalk; Steele Canyon; Singing Hills; Temecula Creek Golf Club; The Crossings at Carlsbad; Twin Oaks; Vineyard; San Diego Golf Trail . (The Barona Valley Ranch & Resort casino has 80 gaming tables and is known for blackjack.) The club is complemented by the presence of the nearby Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach. Some say it borders on the unfair, like most stadium courses, which are designed to inflict maximum pain on the pros and entertain mere mortal spectators at golf tournaments. You can also visit the Official Torrey Pines Golf Course website. Youre no longer on our newsletter list, but you can resubscribe anytime. Bayonet Golf CourseThe best-kept secret in "The Kingdom" (in other words, the Monterey area) is a stern course located on the grounds of defunct Fort Ord, off Highway 1, built in 1954 by a southpaw general. But if pure golf adventure is your aim, the long (7,055 yards) and demanding South Course, one of two on the site designed by William Bell Jr., easily fits the bill, sending you through bosky ravines one minute and over sweeping headlands the next. It is also one of the hardest golf courses in the world to get a tee time. I particularly admired the trueness of the greens and the fine conditioning of the turf. 10 Best SoCal Golf Courses. Tee times deals in San Diego starting from as low as $12. 7. The Ocean South Course winds through narrow canyons, imparting a feeling of blissful isolation before flinging you down to the edge of the sea and a splendid view of Santa Catalina Island. As you may recall from our previous study, Ohio has the best golfers, but since its absence from the Top 20 for difficulty suggests its courses could be of below average difficulty. The course was built in 1921 by William Bell of Torrey Pines fame, and Sam Snead still holds the course record. Aviara Golf ClubWith its lavish clubhouse and exquisite grooming, Aviara rivals the finest California private clubs. The total package here, highlighted by Fazio's delightful shaping of rugged terrain and generous playing corridors, along with lots of beautification on the perimeter, sets the standard for San Diego resort golf. Originally, the construction team mistakenly doubled the size of the front nine greens.