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Best Golf Courses in California

from the experts in Golf Holidays

✍️ David Hewitson | ⏰ 7 min read

Best Golf Courses in California

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Golf in California

It's tough to definitively say which part of the USA is the best for golf, but it's certainly fair to include California in that conversation. The Golden State covers a vast area of the USA's west coast and some of the world's best golf courses take pride of place on some truly awe inspiring patches of land.

Immediately the likes of Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Torrey Pines spring to mind, two of which have hosted The US Open and countless other prestigious professional events including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and (at the time of writing ) the Farmers Insurance Open which Tiger Woods has won an incredible 7 times! But even away from these well known heavy hitters, California offers so much more to the visiting golfer.

Palm Springs boasts the amazing La Quinta and Indian Wells Resorts, while down on the Los Angeles Coast you'll find the impossibly luxurious Pelican Hill Resort. Combine all this top class golf with sun, sand and endless iconic attractions, and you have a recipe for a truly unforgettable golf holiday.

Read on to discover the courses our experts have played and consider the best in California or check out some of the best golf holiday deals in California >>.

The Pebble Beach Resorts Experience

Pelican Hill (Ocean North Course)

<p>This challenging Tom Fazio creation is carved into the arroyos and coastal scrub of the stunning hillside landscape.</p> <p>The Ocean North is the championship layout of the two courses at Pelican Hill and offers spectacular views of the ocean from every tee, at nearly 7,000 from the tips it also poses a challenging round of golf.</p> <p><a href="/pelican-hill-resort">More info on Pelican Hill (Ocean North Course) &gt;&gt;</a></p> <table><thead> <tr> <th>Pelican Hill (Ocean Course) facts</th> <th></th> </tr> </thead><tbody> <tr> <td><strong>Location</strong></td> <td>Newport Beach, California</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Length</strong></td> <td>6,945 yards</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Par</strong></td> <td>71</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Designed by</strong></td> <td>Tom Fazio</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Established</strong></td> <td>1993</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Where to stay</strong></td> <td><a href="/pelican-hill-resort">Pelican Hill Resort</a>, <a href="/la-quinta-resort-and-club">La Quinta Resort</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <blockquote> <p><em>"Carved into the arroyos and coastal scrub of the incredible natural landscape, the course is truly as beautiful as it is challenging."</em><br> <strong>Gareth (Long Haul Team: Handicap 8)</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>Call <strong><a href="tel:+448000436644">0800 043 6644</a></strong> to speak to Gareth about playing this course.</p>

La Quinta (Mountain Course)

<p>La Quinta resides at the foot of the spectacular Santa Rosa Mountains offering a truly desert oasis for visiting golfers. This Pete Dye design serves up a serious challenge with pot bunkers, rock formations and large elevation changes all needing to be safely negotiated.</p> <p>The views from the course are outstanding and the icing on the cake comes at the raised 16th tee.</p> <p><a href="/la-quinta-resort-and-club">More info on La Quinta (Mountain Course) &gt;&gt;</a></p> <table><thead> <tr> <th>La Quinta (Mountain Course) facts</th> <th></th> </tr> </thead><tbody> <tr> <td><strong>Location</strong></td> <td>Palm Springs, California</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Length</strong></td> <td>6,666 yards</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Par</strong></td> <td>72</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Designed by</strong></td> <td><a href="/golf-architects/pete-dye-golf-courses">Pete Dye</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Established</strong></td> <td>1981</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Where to stay</strong></td> <td><a href="/lodge-torrey-pines">The Lodge at Torrey Pines</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <blockquote> <p><em>"The stunning views of the surrounding landscape are evident from all over the course but to truly appreciate their magnificence you must wait until you arrive on the raised 16th tee."</em><br> <a href="https://www.yourgolftravel.com/golf-experts/richard-tidman"><strong>Richard (Long Haul Team: Handicap 9)</strong></a></p> </blockquote> <p>Call <strong><a href="tel:+448000436644">0800 043 6644</a></strong> to speak to Richard about playing this course.</p>

More About David

Handicap: Scratch
Favourite Course: Harbour Town Golf Links
My 'Expert' areas: Worldwide & The Masters
Best trip I've done: Northern Ireland
Where my next trip is to: Royal Troon

Give David a call on 0800 043 6644 to arrange your next golf holiday.

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