4 Day San Diego Golf Itinerary
Four days, four of the best courses in southern California, and one base on the coast. This San Diego trip opens on the famous clifftop links of Torrey Pines, takes in its quieter sister course, then climbs to the resort quality of Park Hyatt Aviara and the lone Tom Fazio design at the Grand Del Mar. From a US Open venue to immaculate canyon golf, here is the long break, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Torrey Pines South Course, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is San Diego golf at its best across a long break, built for the golfer who wants the marquee public round of southern California alongside the polish of its great resorts. The whole trip works from a coastal base around La Jolla, Del Mar or Carlsbad, with San Diego airport close at hand and the famously reliable climate meaning you can play it almost any month of the year. It suits a buddies group on a bucket list week, or a couple pairing four smart rounds with the beaches, the brewery scene and the dining.
The trip balances the thrill of playing where the pros play with the comfort of the resort courses, and the short coastal drives mean you never lose a morning to the freeway. Torrey Pines is the round everyone wants, a genuine US Open venue open to the public, and the three that follow give the variety, the conditioning and the service that make San Diego one of the best golf cities in the country.
The 4 day plan
Torrey Pines, South Course
Open on the headliner, the public clifftop course that hosted the US Open in 2008 and 2021 and stages the Farmers Insurance Open every year. The South stretches to a brawny 7,800 yards from the tips above the Pacific in La Jolla, a stern, scenic test that any traveling golfer wants on the card. Non resident green fees run from an indicative 150 to over 300 dollars depending on day and time, so book ahead or secure a guaranteed time through a package.
Torrey Pines, North Course
Stay on the bluffs for the South's quieter sister, the North Course, originally a Bell design and reworked by Tom Weiskopf in 2016. It is a little shorter and more forgiving than the South but shares the same ocean views and clifftop drama, and it now co hosts the Farmers Insurance Open. A more relaxed round at a lower fee, and the smart way to play two days at Torrey Pines without back to back grinds on the championship course.
Aviara Golf Club, Park Hyatt
Drive thirty minutes north to Carlsbad for the Arnold Palmer course at Park Hyatt Aviara, opened in 1991 and routed at 7,000 yards over rolling terrain above the Batiquitos Lagoon nature reserve. A long time LPGA Tour host, it is immaculately conditioned, lushly planted and full of flowers, the picture of polished American resort golf. Open to the public, with the best access and rates for resort guests, an indicative 250 dollars plus in season.
The Grand Golf Club, Grand Del Mar
Finish at San Diego's only Tom Fazio course, the centerpiece of the opulent Fairmont Grand Del Mar resort about twenty minutes north of La Jolla. Fazio carved an enjoyable, beautifully manicured layout through the Los Penasquitos Canyon preserve, framed by chaparral hillsides and feeling a world away from the city. Access is geared to resort guests, an indicative 250 dollars plus, and it is a fitting, luxurious close to the trip.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Torrey Pines, South | 150 to 300 dollars non resident | In La Jolla; book through the city system or a package |
| Torrey Pines, North | 125 to 250 dollars non resident | Same clifftop site as the South |
| Aviara, Park Hyatt | Around 250 dollars plus | About 30 minutes north in Carlsbad |
| The Grand Golf Club | Around 250 dollars plus | About 20 minutes north at Grand Del Mar |
Designers, hosting history and indicative fees verified June 2026 from course and resort listings. Torrey Pines fees vary by day, time and residency, and resort fees move with season, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
When to go and where to stay
San Diego plays year round thanks to its mild, dry climate, so there is no bad time for this trip. Spring and autumn give the most reliable warm settled days, winter is pleasant and busier with visitors from colder states, and summer mornings are cool and comfortable on the coast. Base yourself around La Jolla, Del Mar or Carlsbad to stay close to every course, choosing from the Lodge at Torrey Pines beside the first tee to the Park Hyatt Aviara and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar if you want to stay and play. A hire car makes the short coastal hops simple, and leaves the evenings for the beaches, the restaurants and the famous craft beer.
Plan your San Diego golf trip
We secure the Torrey Pines tee times, match your coastal base to the resort courses at Aviara and the Grand Del Mar, and handle the lodging and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
San Diego itinerary questions
What is the best 4 day golf itinerary in San Diego?
A four day San Diego trip can play the best of the area from a base around La Jolla or Carlsbad. Open with the famous Torrey Pines South, a US Open venue on the cliffs above the Pacific, then its sister North Course, the Arnold Palmer course at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, and finish at the Tom Fazio Grand Golf Club at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. Every round is within about forty minutes of a coastal base. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a 4 day San Diego golf trip cost in green fees?
Four rounds on this route run to roughly 900 to 1,100 dollars per golfer in 2026 green fees, with Torrey Pines South the cheapest of the marquee rounds for non residents at an indicative 150 to 300 dollars depending on day and time, and the resort courses at Aviara and the Grand Del Mar the most expensive. Fees fall with twilight times and through resort and stay and play packages. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
How do you get a tee time at Torrey Pines?
Torrey Pines is a public municipal course, so visitors book non resident tee times through the city booking system, typically opening a set number of days ahead, or secure a guaranteed time through the resort hotel package or a golf tour operator. Non resident green fees on the South Course run from an indicative 150 to over 300 dollars depending on day and time. Book as far ahead as you can, especially for weekend mornings, and always confirm current rates before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in San Diego?
San Diego plays year round thanks to its famously mild, dry climate, so there is no bad season for golf. Spring and autumn are the most reliable, with warm settled days, while winter is pleasant and busier with visitors escaping colder states, and summer mornings are cool on the coast. Book early tee times in peak periods. Always confirm conditions and tee times before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.