Best Golf Courses in California
The best golf courses the Golf Course Gurus have played in the Golden State
Top 10 Courses
- Cypress Point Golf Club (Dr. Alister MacKenzie 1928; Pebble Beach, California)
- Pebble Beach Golf Links (Jack Neville and Douglas Grant 1919; Pebble Beach, California)*
- Los Angeles Country Club (North) (George Thomas 1921; Los Angeles, California)
- Riviera Country Club (George Thomas 1927; Pacific Palisades, California)
- Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore) (Bob Baldock 1961/Mike Strantz 2004; Pebble Beach, California)
- California Golf Club of San Francisco, The (Vernon Macan 1926; Alister Mackenzie 1927 bunkers, Kyle Phillips renovation 2007; South San Francisco, California)
- Monterey Peninsula CC (Dunes) (Seth Raynor 1926; Alister Mackenzie and Robert Hunter 1927, Rees Jones 1999, Tom Fazio 2016; Pebble Beach, California)
- Valley Club of Montecito (Alister MacKenzie, 1929; Montecito, California)
- San Francisco Golf Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1915; San Francisco, California)
- Pasatiempo Golf Club (Alister MacKenzie 1929; Santa Cruz, California)*
Courses 11–20
- Quarry at La Quinta, The (Tom Fazio 1994; La Quinta, California)
- Ladera Golf Club (Gill Hanse 2023; Thermal, California)
- Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1966; Pebble Beach, California)*
- Lahontan Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 1998; Truckee, California)
- Mayacama Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 2001; Santa Rosa, California)
- Preserve Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2000; Carmel, California)
- Sherwood Country Club (Jack Nicklaus 1989; Thousand Oaks, California)
- Olympic Club (Lake) (Sam Whiting 1927 (Willie Watson 1924/Robert Trent Jones 1953); San Francisco, California)
- Rolling Hills Country Club (David McLay Kidd 2018; Rolling Hills Estates, California)
- Links at Spanish Bay, The (Robert Trent Jones Jr., Tom Watson, and Sandy Tatum 1987; Pebble Beach, California)*
Courses 21–30
- Tradition Golf Club (Arnold Palmer 1997; La Quinta, California)
- Pelican Hill Golf Club (North) (Tom Fazio, 1993; Newport Coast, California)*
- Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1999; Rancho Santa Fe, California)
- La Cumbre Country Club (George Thomas, 1920; Santa Barbara, California)
- Rams Hill Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2007; Borrego Springs, California)*
- Pelican Hill Golf Club (South) (Tom Fazio, 1991; Newport Coast, California)*
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North) (William F. Bell 1957; La Jolla, California)*
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (South) (William F. Bell 1957; La Jolla, California)*
- CordeValle Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1999; San Martin, California)*
- Aviara at Four Seasons Resort (Arnold Palmer 1991; Carlsbad, California)*
Courses 31–40
- Saticoy Club, The (William F. Bell 1964; Somis, California)
- La Costa Resort (North) (Dick Wilson 1965, Gil Hanse 2024 renovation; Carlsbad, California)*
- Crosby Club, The (Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley 2001; San Diego, California)
- Schaffer's Mill Golf Club (Johnny Miller and John Harbottle 2008; Truckee, California)
- PGA West (Stadium) (Pete Dye 1986; La Quinta, California)*
- Half Moon Bay (Ocean) (Arthur Hills 1997; Half Moon Bay, California)*
- Black Horse Golf Club (EdwCarnes 1964; Gene Bates renovation 2008; Seaside, California)*
- Grand Del Mar, The (Tom Fazio 1999; San Diego, California)*
- Soule Park Golf Course (William F Bell 1962; Ojai, California)*
- Indian Wells Resort (Players) (John Fought 2007; Indian Wells, California)*
Courses 41–50
- Wente Vineyards, The Course at (Greg Norman 2000; Livermore, California)*
- Poppy Hills Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1986; Pebble Beach, California)*
- PGA West (Mountain) (Pete Dye 1980; La Quinta, California)*
- Maderas Golf Club (Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves 1999; Poway, California)*
- Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles (Originally designed by Pete Dye 1999 as Ocean Trails then remodeled by Donald Trump and Jim Fazio and reopened 2006; Rancho Palos Verdes, California)*
- Pasadera Country Club (Jack Nicklaus 2000; Monterey, California)
- Stonebrae Country Club (David McLay Kidd 2007; Hayward, California)
- Classic Club (Arnold Palmer 2006; Palm Desert, California)*
- SilverRock Resort (Arnold Palmer 2005; La Quinta, California)*
- TPC Harding Park (Willie Watson 1925; San Francisco, California)*
Courses 51–60
- Rustic Canyon Golf Course (Gil Hanse 2002; Moorpark, California)*
- Bayonet Golf Club (Robert McClure 1954; Gene Bates renovation 2008; Seaside, California)*
- Farms Golf Club, The (Pete Dye and Perry Dye 1988; softening by John Fought and Tom Lehman 2000; Rancho Santa Fe, California)
- Pacific Grove Golf Links (H. Chandler Egan 1932 (Jack Neville back nine); Pacific Grove, California)*
- Valencia Country Club (Valencia, California)
- Shadow Ridge Golf Club (Nick Faldo 2000; Palm Desert, California)*
- Industry Hills (Eisenhower) at Pacific Palms Resort (William F. Bell 1979; City of Industry, California)*
- Carmel Valley Ranch (Pete Dye 1981; Carmel, California)*
- Indian Wells Country Club (Classic) (Eddie Susalla & Ted Robinson 1956; Indian Wells, California)
- La Costa Resort (South) (Dick Wilson 1965; Damian Pascuzzo and Steve Pate 2013 renovation; Carlsbad, California)*
Courses 61–66
- Olivas Links (Forrest Richardson 2006; Ventura, California)*
- Half Moon Bay (Old) (Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane 1973; Half Moon Bay, California)*
- Lights at Indio, The (Lawrence Hughe, 1965; Indio, California)*
- Primm Valley Golf Club (Desert) (Nipton, California)
- Lost Canyons (Sky) (Simi Valley, California)
- Lost Canyons (Shadow) (Simi Valley, California)