Explore the top-rated public and resort courses in California. Each course is ranked by user ratings and includes pricing, course details, and direct booking links.
The most iconic public course in America. Clifftop holes along the Monterey Peninsula offer views that justify the bucket-list price tag.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. design at Pebble Beach. Opens with five stunning seaside holes through the dunes before heading into Del Monte Forest's towering pines.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. design in the foothills south of San Jose. Santa Cruz mountain views with oak-studded terrain and championship conditioning.
Alister MacKenzie's home course, designed the same year as Augusta National. Dramatic canyon holes and tilted greens in the Santa Cruz hills.
Best municipal value in Southern California. Gil Hanse design with firm, fast conditions that reward creative shotmaking. Outstanding architecture at a budget price.
Tom Fazio/Sandy Tatum design in the Santa Lucia mountains near Carmel. Incredible topography with canyon crossings and mountain views.
Perched on cliffs above the Pacific, this municipal course has hosted multiple US Opens. Residents get discounted rates at one of the best public courses in the country.
Brad Bell design carved through giant granite boulders and towering pines near Lake Tahoe. Mountain golf at its finest with dramatic rock outcroppings.
Ocean course with the iconic finishing hole — a par 4 along the Pacific bluffs. Arthur Hills design with sweeping coastal views south of San Francisco.
Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves design in North San Diego County. Rugged canyon terrain with excellent conditions and challenging green complexes.
Tom Fazio design perched on coastal bluffs above Crystal Cove. Pristine conditioning and panoramic Pacific Ocean views from every hole.
Pete Dye desert design famous for the island green 17th. Host of the PGA Tour's American Express tournament in the Coachella Valley.
Tom Fazio companion course to Ocean South with Pacific views from every hole. Pristine conditioning and luxury resort experience in Orange County.
Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry desert design with dramatic bunker complexes. Native desert habitat and mountain backdrop.
Robert Muir Graves design through Santa Ynez Valley oak woodlands. One of the toughest and most scenic public courses on the Central Coast.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. links course at the Waldorf Astoria resort in Dana Point. Ocean-view holes, canyon crossings, and impeccable service.
George C. Thomas Jr. design in the beautiful Ojai Valley. Classic 1923 routing with mountain views and a luxury resort setting.
NCGA's home course in the Del Monte Forest, redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 2014. A more affordable way to play among Pebble Beach's iconic pines.
Oceanfront course near Santa Barbara with several holes running right along the beach. Often called the "poor man's Pebble Beach" for its coastal setting.
The more playable of the two Torrey Pines courses, recently redesigned by Tom Weiskopf. Same stunning clifftop location as the South at a lower price.
Clive Clark redesign in the Coachella Valley with mountain views. Host of the ANA Inspiration for years with a classic desert resort experience.
Arthur Hills design at the Pechanga casino resort. Boulder-studded terrain with mountain and wine country views.
Budget links golf on the Monterey Peninsula. Back nine plays along the ocean and Point Pinos lighthouse — stunning views at municipal prices.
John Harbottle III links design in the Central Valley. Australian sandbelt-inspired with wide fairways, deep bunkers, and firm conditions.
Municipal gem in North San Diego County with ocean views and flower fields. Built on a former flower farm with excellent conditioning for the price.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. links course on the Sonoma Coast with swirling Pacific winds and ocean views. Foggy morning rounds give way to spectacular afternoons.
Links at Spanish Bay rounds out the famed Pebble Beach golf experience. Robert Trent Jones Jr., Tom Watson, and Sandy Tatum links design with ocean and dune views.
Greg Norman design winding through vineyards and rolling Livermore Valley terrain. Wine country golf with stunning East Bay views.
John Harbottle III design through the south San Jose foothills. Three distinct nines carved through rolling oak woodlands.
Rees Jones redesign of a Bay Area muni with links-inspired features. Modern renovation brought new life to this waterfront gem.
Mike Poellot and Hunter Grills design in the heart of Paso Robles wine country. Rolling oak-studded hills with vineyard views throughout.
Alister MacKenzie design in Marin County with classic golden-age features. MacKenzie greens and creative bunkering in a peaceful valley setting.
Rees Jones design in the Tri-Valley area east of San Francisco. Rolling hills and native grasses with East Bay mountain views.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. design in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Santa Barbara. Oak-studded canyons and mountain views.
Doug DeCinces design on a former strawberry farm in Orange County. Mature trees, creeks, and rolling terrain in an unexpected setting.
Johnny Miller design in the East Bay hills with scenic bridges and creek crossings throughout. Rolling terrain with Mt. Diablo views.
John Fought desert design in the heart of the Coachella Valley. Mountain backdrop with boulder outcroppings and desert terrain.
Arthur Hills design in the Temecula wine country. Rolling hills, creek crossings, and vineyard views at affordable prices.
Alister MacKenzie-designed municipal course in the state capital. One of the busiest courses in the country with classic 1932 routing.
Compact Ventura County course with mature trees and well-maintained conditions. Popular with locals seeking affordable quality golf near the 118 freeway.
Bob Cupp design in the San Joaquin Valley with rolling foothill terrain. Outstanding value for Central Valley golf.
Ted Robinson design in downtown Palm Springs with mountain views on every hole. Great value for Palm Springs golf.
Ted Robinson design through the canyons of south Orange County. Creek crossings, canyon views, and excellent conditioning at reasonable prices.
Compact 9-hole course in the Temescal Valley. Perfect for a quick round with hills and views of the Cleveland National Forest.
Damian Pascuzzo design in the Paso Robles wine region. Oak-studded hillsides with affordable wine country golf.
Arthur Hills desert design in the eastern Coachella Valley. Mountain views and affordable resort-area golf.
Ted Robinson Jr. design in the Santa Clarita Valley. Mountain views and canyon terrain north of Los Angeles at reasonable prices.
Affordable Sacramento-area course with mature oaks and pleasant rolling terrain. Solid value for daily-fee golf.
Affordable East Bay course on the San Francisco Bay shore. Quick, fun round with bay views and friendly atmosphere.