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Those who drive the famous Highway 101 up the California coast will agree there is no better ocean drive in the United States -- and perhaps the world. The beauty of the coastline is highlighted by 17-mile drive along the Monterey Peninsula, which passes through beach towns as well as one of the world's most coveted golf vacation destinations.
Nestled within the foothills that lie just next to Monterey wine country, Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy enjoys a stunning landscape with incredible views. The course takes advantage of the natural contours of the oak-studded hills, allowing them to dictate the placement of the bunkers for the maximum level of challenge but also utilizing the panoramic views offered by the dramatic elevations.
The 18-hole Boulder Creek Golf & Country Club in Boulder Creek, CA is a resort golf course that opened in 1961. Designed by Jack Fleming, Boulder Creek Golf & Country Club measures 4396 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 103 and a 60.
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Northern California's High Sierra makes for some of the world's most spectacular natural mountain wonders. It's home to Yosemite National Park, home to mighty waterfalls and marvelous glacial rock formations. To the north, sparkling Lake Tahoe sits at an elevation of over 6,000 feet and provides one of the West's great winter and summer escapes, home to skiing in the winter, and boating, mountain climbing and plenty of golf in the warmer months.
The 18-hole Nakoma Golf Resort in Clio, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1998. Designed by Robin Nelson, Nakoma Golf Resort measures 6791 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 139 and a 72 USGA rating. The course features 7 sets of tees for different skill levels.
Plumas Pines Golf Resort is tucked away amid the mature pine trees of the Plumas National Forest at the middle fork of the Feather River. There are more than 60 lakes interspersed throughout beautiful forested landscape and through the treetops you'll catch glimpses of the stunning mountains that surround the resort.
The 18-hole Tahoe Paradise Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1960. Designed by Fred R. Blanchard, Tahoe Paradise Golf Course measures 4034 yards from the longest tees. The course features 2 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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Desert hotbed Palm Springs anchors the Coachella Valley, a region home to a collection of cities with a wealth of golf communities. The valley is a favorite spot for seasonal residents and retirees, especially those after sunny winters on golf courses in prime, lush and green condition. Between January and April, few spots on earth are better for desert golf!
Indian Canyons Golf Resort boasts two championship courses, the North and South. The courses are surrounded by the San Jacinto Mountains, providing scenic views while also sheltering them from the wind. The North Course is the longer of the two. It has a classic layout that was designed by William Bell. Thousands of trees blanket the course, including palms and olive trees as well as several varieties of native trees.
Desert Springs Resort boasts two championship courses designed by Ted Robinson, the Palms and the Valley. The golf courses are known for their beautiful setting, offering unrivaled views of the Santa Rosa Mountains and the Coachella Valley. The Valley Course is considered the less challenging of the two, but both offer a stunning landscape covered with swaying palms and blue lagoons.
The 18-hole Cathedral Canyon Country Club in Cathedral City, CA is a resort golf course that opened in 1975. Designed by David Rainville, Cathedral Canyon Country Club measures 6672 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 132 and a 72.
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Although Orange County might be best known as the original home of Mickey Mouse, the area anchored by Disneyland offers plenty of other entertainment options for travelers, including scores of diverse golf courses, both on the coast and inland.
The David L. Baker Golf Course is an affordable public course located in Fountain Valley. It has an approachable layout that is versatile enough to appeal to a range of different skill levels. No two holes are alike but all of the greens and fairways share the same excellent conditions.
Meadowlark Golf Club in Huntington Beach is a player-friendly layout that is a popular choice amongst locals. Like most classically designed layouts, the course is short and tight but that also makes it easily walkable. The pin placements on the greens can be tricky and there are also some challenging water hazards that come into play on several holes.
Talega Golf Club is one of southern California's treasures, offering a challenging Fred Couples layout that sits above the "Spanish Village by the Sea." The course winds through canyons and valleys offering scenic views of the surrounding countryside throughout.
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Nobody does weather better than San Diego, which makes the area a perfect location for many great outdoor activities such as shopping, hiking, surfing, sailing sunbathing and playing golf.
Situated just outside of Temecula, the Golf Club of California enjoys a scenic landscape provided by the rolling hills north of San Diego. Although there is an abundance of trees, the course still has many wide-open areas. The layout is not particularly long, but golfers should be prepared for a challenging round of target golf.
Eagle Crest Golf Club is routed through the scenic San Pasqual Valley. Its secluded location and challenging layout have made Eagle Crest one of San Diego's best-kept secrets. The beautiful layout incorporates cascading waterfalls and eight lakes along with colorful wildflowers and rolling green hills.
Pala Mesa Golf Resort is situated between Temecula wine country and the beautiful countryside of San Diego's North County. The course was carefully carved from the surrounding hillsides, providing rolling fairways and undulating greens throughout the layout.
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From wine tasting to redwoods to quaint small towns bursting with arts, shopping and history, the North Coast of California may be the most relaxing region in the state. Here, you can explore the famous Sonoma vineyards, drive a car through a giant Redwood or experience the best of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, river rafting, mountain biking and, of course, golf.
Nestled in the foothills of Napa Valley, Eagle Vines Vineyards & Golf Club is bordered by endless rows of grapes. Unlike many other vineyard courses that sell their grapes, Eagle Vines produces their own wines. Surrounding the vineyards is a landscape of 200-year-old oak trees and lush, grassy meadows, an ideal setting for golf.
Sitting at the gateway to Napa Valley, Chardonnay Golf Club wanders through 150 acres of Chardonnay and Merlot vineyards. Native trees, vast lakes, and meandering creeks make up the beautiful landscape, which is naturally home to an abundance of wildlife.
Peacock Gap Golf Club extends along the shores of San Pablo Bay, but it sits inland enough to avoid the fogginess of the coast and enjoy consistently sunny weather throughout the year. The course's layout has undergone many renovations over the years that have brought it to its current playability
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California's Central Valley stretches over 450 miles through the center of the state and parallels the Pacific Ocean. Also called the "Sacramento Valley," it encompasses such towns as Bakersfield to the south, past Sacramento and Fresno to Stockton at the northern end.
Whitney Oaks Golf Club in Rocklin sits just half an hour from Sacramento but the stunning landscape blanketed with thousands of live oaks feels much more secluded. In addition to the trees, massive granite outcroppings accent the course. It is both a visually stunning and formidable championship layout.
The 18-hole Diamond Oaks Municipal Golf Course in Roseville, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1963. Designed by Ted Robinson, Sr. , Diamond Oaks Municipal Golf Course measures 6190 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 119 and a 69 USGA rating.
The 18-hole Woodcreek Golf Club in Roseville, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1995. Designed by Robert Muir Graves, Woodcreek Golf Club measures 6518 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 133 and a 72.2 USGA rating. The course features 5 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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The Los Angeles area, which includes Hollywood and Beverly Hills, has often been called the land of make-believe and dreams, but one thing is certain: There's plenty to do and plenty of ways to do it. From the movie studios, to the beaches, to the Dodgers and Lakers, to enjoying the sunny weather on the golf courses, it does indeed seem to never rain in Southern California.
Opened in 1923, Ojai Valley Inn Golf Course is one of California's first great courses. Over the decades that the course has been open, it has hosted a number of professional players and celebrities ranging from Arnold Palmer to Will Smith.
The Navy Golf Course Seal Beach is a 27-hole facility that includes the championship Destroyer Course and the nine-hole executive Cruiser Course. The 6,780-yard Destroyer Course presents a challenge even for low handicappers with a slew of hazards coming into play throughout. The small greens have challenging slopes ranging from subtle breaks to dramatic drop-offs.
DeBell Golf Club in Burbank offers an 18-hole Regulation Course and a nine-hole disc golf course. The Regulation Course has a tight layout with narrow fairways and a variety of elevation changes that range from subtle to dramatic. Accuracy is the key to doing well on this golf course but it's not overly punishing.
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Between the bustling metropolises of Los Angeles and San Francisco runs an unparalleled stretch of American beauty that is the Central Coast of California. State Route 1 along the Pacific has long been aptly numbered in inspirational value for painters, writers, vacationers, and, of course, golfers.
Avila Beach Golf Resort is located right along the bay, giving it a scenic setting that has made it the most well known of the Central Coast golf courses. The layout offers plenty of variety with a hilly front nine that features small, often elevated, greens that are surrounded by oak-lined valleys and a back nine that that is routed across a tidal estuary.
Blacklake Golf Resort boasts 27 holes of championship golf that are divided into three nines called the Oaks, Canyons, and Lakes. The nines can be played in three different 18-hole combinations. The Oaks/Canyons Course is the toughest of the three.
The 18-hole Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1994. Designed by Kenneth Hunter and Mike McGinnis, Hunter Ranch Golf Course measures 6741 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 138 and a 72.
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San Francisco is a favorite destination for travelers all over the world, thanks to a strong mix of cultures, unique attractions and mild weather year round. It's easy to stay busy on a San Francisco vacation, from riding cable cars throughout the city to exploring one of the many unique neighborhoods, each with its own appeal.
Rancho Solano Golf Course sits midway between San Francisco and Sacramento, a location that makes it easily accessible from all the cities in the Bay Area. The course sprawls across hilly terrain, providing the layout with elevated tees and dramatically undulating greens.
The 18-hole Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, CA is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1999. Designed by Damian Pascuzzo and Robert Muir Graves, Bridges Golf Club measures 6861 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 144 and a 74 USGA rating.
Nestled in the foothills of Napa Valley, Eagle Vines Vineyards & Golf Club is bordered by endless rows of grapes. Unlike many other vineyard courses that sell their grapes, Eagle Vines produces their own wines. Surrounding the vineyards is a landscape of 200-year-old oak trees and lush, grassy meadows, an ideal setting for golf.
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The year 1849 and the California Golf Rush are long gone, but "Gold Country" is still an attractive region of the state. Also nicknamed the "Mother Lode" region, it includes the capital city of Sacramento to the west and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which head into Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park to the east in Mariposa County, the state's largest.
The 18-hole Bay View Golf Club (formerly known as Summitpointe Golf Club) in Milpitas, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1968. Bay View Golf Club measures 6331 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 133 and a 71.
The 18-hole Alta Sierra Country Club in Grass Valley, CA is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1964. Designed by Bob E. Baldock, Alta Sierra Country Club measures 6535 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 128 and a 71.
The 18-hole River Oaks Golf Club in Nicolaus, CA is a private golf course that opened in 2000. River Oaks Golf Club measures 6467 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 128 and a 71.
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For travelers and outdoor enthusiasts looking to escape the crowds, there's no better area than the Shasta Cascade region of northern California. Located in the shadows of Mount Shasta and the Cascade Mountains, this eight-county area, which makes up one-fifth of the state of California, is much the way it was centuries ago, albeit with a few more towns and a few peaceful golf courses sprinkled into the mix.
The 18-hole Mount Shasta Resort in Mount Shasta, CA is a resort golf course that opened in 1993. Designed by Jim Sommers and Sandy Tatum, Mount Shasta Resort measures 6065 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 121 and a 68.
The 9-hole Lake Redding Golf Course in Redding, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1959. Lake Redding Golf Course measures 3685 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 87 and a 58.9 USGA rating.
The 9-hole Churn Creek Golf Course in Redding, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1977. Churn Creek Golf Course measures 6299 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 123 and a 70.3 USGA rating. The course features 3 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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Composed of the Ontario, Riverside and San Bernardino areas, the Inland Empire is the fifth largest urban area in the state of California and quickly becoming one of the most diverse. Although it holds onto to its agricultural roots, which includes the Temecula Wine Region, the area is growing in terms of cultural arts, sports and recreation, including golf.
El Prado Golf Course in Chino offers two 18-hole courses, Chino creek and Butterfield Stage. Chino Creek is the longer of the two at 6,858 yards from the back tees. It is also considered more challenging but both are player friendly enough to appeal to all skill levels.
The Golf Club at Rancho California has had a tumultuous history since opening in 1970 including two different names and owners, but it has endured to become one of southern California's finest competitive venues today. The course sprawls across hilly terrain that provides elevated tees, rolling fairways, interesting elevation changes, and not to mention scenic views.
The 18-hole Oak Quarry Golf Club in Riverside, CA is a semi private golf course that opened in 2000. Designed by Dr. Gil Morgan and Schmidt / Curley, Oak Quarry Golf Club measures 7002 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 137 and a 73.
Los Angeles' municipal courses offer good golf value within easy driving range
Swing into history: Catalina Island Golf Course is the oldest play in all of California
