Best Resort Golf Courses in California

Pebble Beach, California · Jack Neville & Douglas Grant (1919) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,828 yards

Arguably the most famous golf course in America, Pebble Beach has hosted six U.S. Opens along the cliffs of the Monterey Peninsula. The iconic oceanfront holes from 4 through 10 and the dramatic finishing stretch at 17 and 18 deliver golf at its most spectacular and storied.

Palm Springs, California · Pete Dye (1986) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,300 yards

One of Pete Dye's most famous and fearsome designs, PGA West Stadium was built as the ultimate spectator-friendly desert course. The infamous island-green 17th, deep pot bunkers, and relentless challenge made it a PGA Tour venue and one of the toughest resort courses in the world.

Pebble Beach, California · Robert Trent Jones Sr. (1966) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,960 yards

Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s Spyglass Hill begins with five stunning oceanfront holes through the sand dunes before ascending into the Del Monte Forest pines. Often considered the toughest test on the Monterey Peninsula, it combines coastal and forest golf in a single round.

San Martin, California · Robert Trent Jones Jr. (2000) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,360 yards

Host of the 2016 U.S. Women's Open at the Rosewood CordeValle resort, this RTJ Jr. design occupies a stunning valley floor in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Jose. The championship layout features dramatic elevation changes, native oak corridors, and impeccable conditioning that earned it top resort accolades.

Los Angeles, California · Tom Fazio (1991) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,580 yards

Overlooking the Pacific from Newport Coast, Pelican Hill's Ocean South Course delivers one of the most spectacular resort golf experiences in California. Tom Fazio sculpted 18 holes with sweeping ocean panoramas and immaculate conditioning.

Palm Springs, California · Pete Dye (1980) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,758 yards

Set against the dramatic Santa Rosa Mountains at the historic La Quinta Resort, the Mountain Course is a Pete Dye desert classic and part of the American Express PGA Tour rotation. The intimate desert canyon setting and mountain backdrop create one of the most photogenic rounds in the Coachella Valley.

San Diego, California · Arnold Palmer (1991) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,007 yards

Part of the Park Hyatt Aviara resort in Carlsbad, this Arnold Palmer design hosts the LPGA's Kia Classic and features stunning Pacific Ocean views, lush tropical landscaping, and some of the best-conditioned playing surfaces in Southern California.

San Francisco, California · Arthur Hills (1997) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,732 yards

Perched on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, this Arthur Hills design offers some of the most dramatic ocean views in California golf. The closing holes along the cliff edge rival Pebble Beach for sheer visual drama.

Pebble Beach, California · Robert Trent Jones Jr. / Tom Watson / Sandy Tatum (1987) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,821 yards

A collaboration between Robert Trent Jones Jr., Tom Watson, and Sandy Tatum, Spanish Bay was designed to evoke the links courses of Scotland. The seaside layout on restored sand dunes features fescue fairways, pot bunkers, and a Scottish bagpiper at sunset — a Monterey Peninsula tradition.

Truckee, California · Jack Nicklaus (2004) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,518 yards

A Jack Nicklaus Signature design near Truckee at 5,800 feet elevation, Old Greenwood winds through towering Jeffrey pines with panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada and Martis Valley. The mountain layout at Tahoe Mountain Club offers one of the premier mountain golf experiences near Lake Tahoe.

San Diego, California · Arnold Palmer (1991) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,007 yards

An Arnold Palmer design at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, this beautifully conditioned course offers ocean views, native landscaping, and a resort golf experience among the finest in Southern California.

Los Angeles, California · Robert Trent Jones Jr. (1983) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,601 yards

Perched on the bluffs above Dana Point with sweeping Pacific Ocean views, Monarch Beach is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. links-style design at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach resort. The coastal layout features ocean-view holes, sea breezes, and Catalina Island on the horizon.

Palm Springs, California · Clive Clark (2006) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,050 yards

A Clive Clark design in Indian Wells, the Celebrity Course replaced the old Ted Robinson layout with a more modern, strategically engaging desert design. The course offers panoramic mountain views and one of the best resort-value experiences in the Coachella Valley.

Carmel Valley, California · Robert Muir Graves (1963) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 6,516 yards

Nestled in sunny Carmel Valley away from the coastal fog, Quail Lodge is a resort course at the boutique Quail Lodge & Golf Club. The Robert Muir Graves design winds through oak-studded valley terrain with Carmel River frontage and mountain views in a serene, uncrowded setting.