Golf in California
The greatest concentration of bucket list golf in the United States: the Monterey Peninsula, where Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Spyglass Hill sit within a few miles of each other, the championship municipal of Torrey Pines above the Pacific, and a coast of MacKenzie classics. The courses that matter, the regions, the season, costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: Pebble Beach Golf Links, via Google
Why golf in California
No American state packs more great golf into a single trip than California, and the Monterey Peninsula is the reason. Within a few miles of each other sit Pebble Beach, the finest public course in the country and a regular U.S. Open host, Cypress Point, an Alister MacKenzie masterpiece ranked among the best on earth, and Spyglass Hill, a brute of beauty through dune and forest. Add The Links at Spanish Bay and you have the densest cluster of world class golf in the United States, all on one rugged stretch of Pacific coast.
Beyond Monterey, the depth keeps coming. San Diego offers Torrey Pines South, the clifftop municipal that has twice hosted the U.S. Open, proof that a championship course can be genuinely accessible. Above Santa Cruz, MacKenzie's beloved Pasatiempo is the Golden Age design he lived beside. Los Angeles holds George Thomas classics led by Riviera, and the desert around Palm Springs and Coachella turns on through the winter when the coast cools. The result is a destination you can shape into a focused Monterey pilgrimage or a coast to desert grand tour, with the scenery as much a draw as the golf.
The regions
The Monterey Peninsula
The heart of California golf, where Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay sit within a few miles of each other along the Pacific. The single greatest cluster of golf in the country, and the natural anchor of any trip.
San Diego and the South
Clifftop golf above the Pacific in La Jolla, led by the U.S. Open venue Torrey Pines South, with a mild year round climate and a string of resort courses down toward the Mexican border.
The Bay Area and Santa Cruz
San Francisco's classic clubs, the coastal courses at Half Moon Bay, the wine country of Napa and Sonoma, and MacKenzie's Pasatiempo above Santa Cruz, an easy add to a northern California trip.
Los Angeles and the Desert
George Thomas classics led by Riviera in greater LA, and the winter golf of Palm Springs and the Coachella valley, at its best from autumn to spring when the coast cools and the desert courses shine.
The courses that matter
Pebble Beach Golf Links
The most celebrated public course in America, a clifftop links style layout on the Monterey Peninsula and a regular U.S. Open host, where the closing holes along Carmel Bay are among the most famous in golf.
Cypress Point Club
An Alister MacKenzie masterpiece on the Monterey Peninsula, routed through dune, forest and cliff to the storied par 3 sixteenth over the Pacific. Among the top courses in the world, and one of the most exclusive.
Spyglass Hill
A brute of beauty on the Monterey Peninsula, opening through coastal dunes before plunging into the Del Monte Forest. Long, demanding and routinely ranked among the toughest public courses in the country.
The Links at Spanish Bay
A Scottish style links on the Pebble Beach shoreline, designed with Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum, where a piper plays at dusk and the firm, rumpled turf rewards the running shot.
Torrey Pines South
The San Diego municipal clifftop course above the Pacific in La Jolla, host of the Farmers Insurance Open and the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens, and a genuinely accessible championship test.
Pasatiempo
MacKenzie's own favourite, the course beside which he lived above Santa Cruz, a strategic Golden Age design with bold bunkering and one of the great closing stretches in California.
Half Moon Bay, Old Course
A clifftop resort course on the coast south of San Francisco, finishing along the bluffs above the Pacific, an easy and scenic addition to a northern California trip.
Riviera Country Club
Hogan's Alley in Los Angeles, a George Thomas classic that hosts the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational and has staged a U.S. Open and PGA Championship. Private, but the standard bearer for golf in greater LA.
Designers, opening years and access verified June 2026 from the courses and leading databases; several are private members clubs with limited or no visitor access, and access rules change. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| September and October | Clearest skies on the coast, warm and settled, less fog | Prime time for the Monterey Peninsula and the coast; book the marquee rounds far ahead |
| April to June | Mild, green, occasional coastal fog in the mornings | Strong spring window for the coast, with the desert still pleasant early on |
| November to March | Cooler and wetter on the coast; the desert at its best | Switch to Palm Springs and the Coachella valley for reliable winter golf |
| July and August | Peak crowds on the coast, fog common; very hot in the desert | Coastal golf is playable but busy; avoid the desert in the midsummer heat |
Coastal mornings can start grey and burn off by midday, so build flexibility into early tee times. The coast and the desert run opposite seasons, which is what lets California offer great golf in every month of the year.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pebble Beach green fee | Among the highest in the country, in the region of several hundred dollars | Easiest to book as a Pebble Beach resort guest; confirm directly |
| Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay | Premium resort rates, below Pebble Beach | Often bundled into a Pebble Beach resort stay and play package |
| Torrey Pines South | Far lower for the round; higher for non residents | A municipal course, the most accessible championship golf in the state |
| A Monterey week, all in | A significant outlay once the marquee rounds and lodging are counted | Hotels and dining on the Peninsula are expensive; budget accordingly |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Green fees and resort rates move with season and demand. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
For the Monterey Peninsula, the easiest gateways are San Jose and San Francisco, each around two hours north by road, with Monterey's own regional airport closer still. San Diego serves the south and Torrey Pines, while Los Angeles covers the LA classics and connects on to the desert at Palm Springs. Distances between regions are large, so a California golf trip is built around a hire car and a clear plan: most golfers base on the Monterey Peninsula for the headline rounds, then decide whether to add San Diego, the Bay Area or the desert depending on the season and the time they have.
Where to stay
On the Monterey Peninsula, staying within the Pebble Beach resort is the surest route to tee times on the marquee courses and puts you minutes from the first tee, with Carmel and Monterey nearby for more choice. In San Diego, base in La Jolla for Torrey Pines and the coast. For a Bay Area leg, San Francisco or the wine country works well, and for winter golf the resorts of Palm Springs and the Coachella valley keep everything close. Book the Peninsula well ahead, as rooms and tee times move together in the prime autumn season.
Plan your California golf trip
Tell us whether you want a focused Monterey Peninsula pilgrimage or a coast to desert grand tour, and roughly when. One concierge secures the tee times, sorts the resort and the car, and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
California golf questions
What are the best golf courses in California?
Pebble Beach Golf Links is the headline public course and a regular U.S. Open host, alongside Cypress Point, an exclusive Alister MacKenzie masterpiece rated among the best in the world. Spyglass Hill and The Links at Spanish Bay complete the Monterey Peninsula, while Torrey Pines South in San Diego, a U.S. Open venue, and MacKenzie's Pasatiempo near Santa Cruz are among the best you can play without membership.
Can the public play Pebble Beach?
Yes. Pebble Beach Golf Links is a public, resort access course, widely regarded as the finest public course in the United States and a frequent U.S. Open host. Tee times are easiest to secure as a guest of the Pebble Beach resort, and green fees are among the highest in the country. Cypress Point, by contrast, is strictly private. Always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in California?
California plays year round, but the Monterey Peninsula and the coast are at their most reliable from late spring through autumn, with September and October often the clearest. The desert around Palm Springs is the opposite, at its best from October to May and very hot in midsummer. Coastal mornings can be foggy, so build in flexibility. Always check the forecast for your dates.
How much does golf cost in California?
It spans the full range. Pebble Beach is among the most expensive resort rounds in the country, indicatively in the region of several hundred dollars and rising, with Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay also premium. Municipal courses such as Torrey Pines are far cheaper for the round itself, though non resident rates are higher. Figures move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Pebble Beach tee time windows, California course openings and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, access and seasons verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.