Often, golf course designers are just as good as the canvas they are given, and the US west coast offers a spectacular canvass. From arid deserts to vast mountain ranges, lush valleys, and scenic coastline, the topography of the west coast provides a stunning backdrop for some of the best golf courses on the west coast.
These golf courses offer great scenery, challenging terrain, and lavish amenities. And while the courses on this list span the entire western seaboard, from California to Washington, they all offer golfers something unique and memorable.
Top 10 Best Golf Courses on West Coast
Here are 10 of the best west coast golf courses:
- Year Built: 1957
- Holes: 18
- Type: Public/Municipal
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,258 yards
- Slope: 131
While everyone flocks to the South, we recommend the North at Torrey Pines Golf Course. It’s a slightly less popular golf course than the South but offers just as much excitement. It is located in San Diego, CA, and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The course was designed by William P. Bell is a municipal course that is open to the public. It’s famously known for hosting the 2008 US Open, which was won by Tiger Woods. It offers a diverse terrain with various elevation changes and is a true test of golf. All 18 holes are unique and scenic – even those not facing the Pacific. Although the track seems wide open, the freeways are pretty narrow in case you don’t want to land in the rough.
- Year Built: 1987
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Style: Links
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,754 yards
- Slope: 142
The Links golf course at Spanish Bay is one of five golf courses at the famed Pebble Beach Resort in Pebble Beach, CA. Its layout was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Tom Fazio and opened to the public in 1987. The course is private but can be played by resort guests and those who stay at one of the nearby inns. It’s a very playable course, though there are some challenging carries. Its 90 degrees cart rule is also good for a decent pace of the play and round duration. The course offers sweeping ocean views of the Monterey Peninsula, stunning shots, and a sand-splashed coastline as a backdrop.
- Year Built: 1966
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,960 yards
- Slope: 145
Yup, the hype you hear about Spyglass is all true. The Spyglass Hill Golf Course is the second of five golf courses at Pebble Beach Resort in Pebble Beach, CA. Its layout was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1966. The course is private but available for golfing by resort guests. Its 18-hole, par-72 course is one of the most difficult in the world and has been ranked as one of America’s Top 100 courses by Golf Digest. However, the Spyglass Hill Golf course is more than just a challenging test of golf; it’s also one of the most gorgeous courses in the world. With ocean views on nearly every hole, it’s easy to see why!
South Course
- Year Built: 1967
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort/Private
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,612 yards
- Slope: 133
North Course
- Year Built: 1955
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort/Private
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,793 yards
- Slope: 135
Silverado Resort is home to two of the best golf courses in California’s wine country – the North and South Courses. The resort is located in Napa, CA, and both courses were designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The North Course opened in 1955, and the South Course opened in 1967. The courses are private but available for play by resort guests and those staying at the nearby Silverado Resort Villas. While the layout of the two courses is a very typical resort layout, the North Course at the Silverado Resort is the more difficult of the two. Even then both offer enough challenge from any tee for golfers of all skill levels.
- Year Built: 1919
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Style: Links
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,075 yards
- Slope: 148
Pebble Beach Golf Links is on the bucket list of every up-and-coming golfer. And there’s a good reason why. It’s one of the world’s most iconic and scenic golf courses. It is located in Pebble Beach, CA, on the Monterey Peninsula, and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant and opened in 1919. It offers wide vistas, sloping greens, and cliffy fairways. Pebble Beach Golf Links is a public course, but tee times can be difficult to come by as it is one of the most popular courses in the world. It has hosted seven men’s major championships, including one PGA championship and six US opens.
- Year Built: 2000
- Holes: 18
- Type: Public/Resort
- Par: 71
- Length: 7,006 yards
- Slope: 135
Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club is set against the stunning backdrop of the snowclad Santa Rosa Mountains in Palm Desert. It was designed by Nick Faldo, Lee E. Schmidt, and Brian Curley, and opened to the public in 2000. The course is private but can be played by guests of the nearby Marriott Vacation Club. The 18-hole, par-72 course features beautiful desert landscapes, rolling fairways, and stunning mountain views. The layout makes it a very interesting course, with lots of variety in holes and some seriously swoopy greens. Playing here can be a challenge for even the expert golfers but also offers a fun and enjoyable round for those who are just beginning.
South Course
- Year Built: 2004
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,582 yards
- Slope: 118
North Course
- Year Built: 1961
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Style: Traditional
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,943 yards
- Slope: 128
Indian Canyons Golf Resort is home to two of the best golf courses in Palm Springs, CA – the South Course and the North Course. The South Course has a Casey O’Callaghan designed and opened in 2004. The South Course is the more challenging of the two, with small greens, narrow fairways, and water hazards coming into play on many holes. Moreover, you are also more likely to miss off the tee as fairways on this course tend to parallel each other. On the other hand, the North Course was designed by William P. Bell and opened in 1962. It is a bit more forgiving than the South Course, with wider fairways and larger greens.
- Year Built: 2005
- Holes: 18
- Type: Public
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,173 yards
- Slope: 131
Escena Golf Club is the largest golf club on our list. It was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 2004. The 18-hole Escena course features 7211 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. This course has a slope rating of 136 on Bermuda grass. Most people consider this course challenging, with some long par 3’s and interesting par 5’s. However, the fairways are pretty generous. The course is private but can be played by guests of the nearby Escena Golf Clubhouse. But, it can get really windy in Escena Golf Club. So, if you don’t like wind, don’t think about playing here.
- Year Built: 1997
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,056 yards
- Slope: 141
Built on an area of 7056 yards, Desert Willow Golf Resort is a par 72 golf course that includes 4 sets of tees for different levels. The course was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry and has been included in the Top 50 Public Courses in America list by Golfweek magazine. It is located in Palm Desert, CA, and offers beautiful desert landscapes and stunning mountain views. This golf course is open to the general public, and tee times can be made in advance.
- Year Built: 1999
- Holes: 18
- Type: Resort
- Style: Links
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,732 yards
- Slope: 143
This resort has earned a place among the Top 10 West Coast Golf Courses with its collection of four award-winning golf courses. Bandon Dunes was built on an old sand dune and offers stunning ocean views. The resort is located in Bandon, OR, and the courses were designed by David McLay Kidd, Ben Crenshaw, and Bill Coore. The resort is private, but tee times can be made by guests of the nearby Inn at Spanish Head.
Final Thoughts
These are just a few of the best golf courses on the west coast. Choosing a favorite is always a subjective decision, but these good golf courses are sure to provide a great round of golf for any level of play. So, whether you’re looking for a challenging round or a scenic backdrop, you’re sure to find a suitable golf course among the options here. Go out and enjoy the amazing golf that the West Coast has to offer!