Southern California has many of the best golf courses designed by modern course architects. The renowned Tom Fazio styled Oak Creek, The Grand, Pelican Hill, and Rams Hill.
On the other hand, Pete Dye managed to sculpt Trump National Los Angeles and the Stadium Course at PGA West.
Playing golf in Southern California is quite remarkable and unique. As a premier golfing destination, it’s blessed with a consistently sunny climate, with temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees.
Overall, the climate, which includes minimal rainfall, makes it the ideal place to enjoy the fairways all year round.
Furthermore, Southern California is renowned for its high-caliber golf instruction. Top instructors and professionals provide exceptional coaching opportunities, elevating the Southern California golfing experience.
Check out the 10 best golf courses in Southern California below.
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (South)
- PGA West (Pete Dye Stadium)
- Pelican Hill Resort (Ocean North)
- Pelican Hill Resort (Ocean South)
- Rustic Canyon Golf Course
- Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles
- Rams Hill Golf Club
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North)
- La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain)
- Sensei Porcupine Creek
1. Torrey Pines Golf Course (South)
- Location: La Jolla, CA
- Length: 7,800 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): William F. Bell, Rees Jones (renovations)
- Year Built: 1957 (renovated 2001)
- Championships it has hosted: U.S. Open (2008, 2021), Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines South is one of the most popular and recognizable municipal golf courses in the United States.
It’s famous for its scenic view of the Pacific Ocean. However, the U.S. Open championship has benefited from its fame, further established by Tiger Woods’s dramatic win in 2008.
Though Torrey Pines South golf course offers many levels of challenge, the greens are usually firm and fast.
The course’s specifics include tight fairways, deep sand traps, and thick rough, which require good shots from the tee.
2. PGA West (Pete Dye Stadium)
- Location: La Quinta, CA
- Length: 7,300 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Pete Dye
- Year Built: 1986
- Championships it has hosted: CareerBuilder Challenge (PGA Tour)
The Stadium Course, designed by Pete Dye, opened in 1986. It quickly gained a reputation for its difficulty, drawing comparisons to Dye’s famous TPC Sawgrass. In the 1980s, it was part of the PGA Tour’s rota and returned to prominence in 2016 as a host of the CareerBuilder Challenge.
As a masterpiece of design and difficulty, PGA West’s Stadium Course is still known for its dramatic and visually stunning layout. You will experience an actual test of skill with its deep bunkers.
Golfers at PGA West (Pete Dye Stadium) usually face a series of daunting obstacles, including the island-green par-three 17th. Angina, the formidable par-four 18th, wraps around a massive lake to make the gaming fascinating.
The course’s deep bunkers, mainly the 19-foot-deep bunker guarding the 16th green, require navigation precision.
3. Pelican Hill Resort (Ocean North)
- Location: Newport Coast, CA
- Length: 6,945 yards
- Par: 71
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Tom Fazio
- Year Built: 1993
The Ocean North course is one of the courses at the magnificent Pelican Hill Resort.
It has small playing terrain, small putting surfaces, and slopes that vary with the altitude of the land.
The final hole, the par-five 558-yard 17th, is a stunning climb up a bluff to the sea and a real test.
4. Pelican Hill Resort (Ocean South)
- Location: Newport Coast, CA
- Length: 6,580 yards
- Par: 70
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Tom Fazio
- Year Built: 1991
Ocean South has received high appreciation because it is one of the easiest courses to play in California.
Furthermore, it has beautiful coastal views. The Pelican Hill Resort (Ocean South) has large playing surfaces and fewer water hazards.
That makes it playable for all categories of golf players but also provides enough challenge. Notably, the 12th and 13th are two consecutive par-threes near the seashore.
The last four holes are challenging, and the 13th has two greens, making it interesting.
5. Rustic Canyon Golf Course
- Location: Moorpark, CA
- Length: 7,044 yard
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner, Geoff Shackelford
- Year Built: 2002
Rustic Canyon is considered to have outstanding value and positioning. It has large playing areas on the fairways.
As you step into the Rustic Canyon golf course, this first hole is challenging to many, especially beginners.
Either way, it’s a good indicator of the round as it has a wide fairway of 70 yards and a narrow barranca.
6. Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles
- Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
- Length: 7,242 yards
- Par: 71
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Gil Hanse
- Year Built: 1999
- Championships it has hosted: 33rd Annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf
The Trump National Los Angeles has some of the most spectacular vistas of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California.
Without a doubt, this golf course is as beautiful as the best golf courses that can be found in the Southern California region. Regrettably, it is rather difficult but still should be performed.
Several bunkers and water hazards are present in Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles. However, the wind conditions could affect the selection of clubs, making it a very delicate matter.
7. Rams Hill Golf Club
- Location: Borrego Springs, CA
- Length: 7,232 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Ted Robinson, Tom Fazio (redesign)
- Year Built: 1983 (redesigned 2007, reopened 2014)
Rams Hill is a desert course with ideal weather and stunning views. This course has water features and steep slopes, making it challenging.
The best and most challenging hole is the last one, the par-five 18th. It has a generous bunker and a fallaway to a green protected by a pond.
Ted Robinson first constructed the Rams Hill golf course in 1983. However, Tom Fazio renovated it in 2007.
It has undergone several changes and recently reopened in 2014 as one of the best golf courses in the desert.
8.Torrey Pines Golf Course (North)
- Location: La Jolla, CA
- Length: 7,259 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): William F. Bell, Tom Weiskopf (renovation)
- Year Built: 1957 (renovated 2016)
- Championships it has hosted: Farmers Insurance Open (co-host)
Torrey Pines North is somehow less difficult than the southern part, and it’s located in a more picturesque area. Golfers enjoy it because of the course and the scenery of the ocean and islands.
Tom Weiskopf redesigned most of Torrey Pines North in 2016 with new greens, bunkers, and nines in reverse order.
All these help in the general golfing experience, but you need accuracy with its contoured greens and strategic bunkers. The third shot on the par-three 15th is very striking, with the ocean facing directly.
9. La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain)
- Location: La Quinta, CA
- Length: 6,666 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Pete Dye
- Year Built: 1980
The Mountain Course of La Quinta is one of its most appreciated ones, especially because of the difficult back nine and the beautiful views of the mountains.
It began in 1980 and is considered one of the most significant works of Pete Dye during his formative years.
One of the highlights of this course is the par three 16th and the par five 15th which are both challenging. The par-three 16th is a downhill shot, while the par-five 15th hugs the side of the mountain.
10. Sensei Porcupine Creek
- Location: Rancho Mirage, CA
- Length: 6,665 yards
- Par: 72
- Total Holes: 18
- Designer(s): Tom Weiskopf (consulting)
- Year Built: Early 2000s, resort conversion 2022
Sensei Porcupine Creek, formerly a private course, is now part of an exclusive wellness resort in California.
The 245-yard par-three 15th is a highlight that requires precise club selection. It plunges 200 feet downhill.
Among the best golf courses in Southern California, Sensei Porcupine Creek offers superior mountain panoramas. Moreover, it’s for golfers hunting for ultimate wellness and top-notch golf.
To that end, you now know about the best golf courses in Southern California that are worth your time, energy, and money.
However, before we wrap it up, let’s check on the commonly asked questions about Southern California’s golf courses.
FAQs
California has over 900 golf courses.
That means every golfer class has an opportunity to try out their skills and experiences.
You can play golf in mountainous, coastal, forest, or desert regions.
There are eight golf courses In Pebble Beach, California.
Pebble Beach Company owns public courses such as Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill, and Peter Hay Golf Course.
Another example of a public course is Poppy Hills.
It’s open to anyone interested in playing golf, not only the members of the golf club.
Pebble Beach is famous for its extraordinary experiences.
Since 1919, it has hosted legendary figures and some of the most remarkable moments in golf history.
Final Thoughts
In general, it can be stated that Southern California is a beautiful region for golf lovers.
It guarantees a warm climate, stunning coastline, and active, open-air life. Also, there are many golf courses that you can take if you are interested in sports.
It’s important to note that all the above-mentioned courses, such as Torrey Pines Golf Course and PGA West, are some of the best golf courses in Southern California that provide excellent golfing experience.
They are mentally and physically demanding but, at the same time, very fulfilling.
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