Here is a concept for you to ponder... You build two golf courses that are exactly the same. You put one of them in the middle of a field and then you set the other one directly along the Pacific Ocean. I think we all know which golf course would be widely considered to be the better of the two.
Simply put, golf along the ocean is the shit. It tickles just about every one of our golf senses and taps into the ancient history of our game. As golfers, we seek out these destinations and we golf them with passion. To assist in this search for ocean front golf locations, I have decided to list every golf hole on the Pacific Ocean in California from South to North.
While there are lots of holes in California with a view of the Pacific, we are only focusing on the ones that get intimate with the charms of the sea. To make this list a golf hole must meet 3 criteria.
Distance benchmark: “Can you hit a wedge into the Pacific?”
Nothing of significance can be in between the golf hole and the coastline. (houses, another golf hole, an Arby’s)
Water must be visible from the golf hole.
Behold the 73 golf holes directly on the Pacific Ocean in California.
Torrey Pines South - #3, #4
We start off in the south with the South Course at Torrey Pines. The 2 coastal holes here are some of the finest and most recognizable in Southern California. The picturesque par 3 3rd hole is a fan favorite and the par 4 4th is a real ball buster.
Torrey Pines North - #15, #16
The North Course at Torrey Pines comes in with 2 more golf holes on the Pacific. A very similar use of the ocean front property is applied here with the par 3 15th hole playing downhill to the coastline. The 16th is a bold uphill par 4 playing directly along the cliff’s edge.
Sea ‘N Air Golf Club - #14, #14, #15
Sea ‘N Air Golf Club is one of the two courses on this list that I have not visited. Please enjoy this Google maps scouting report.
Monarch Beach Golf Links - #3
It doesn’t have much, but Monarch Beach makes great use of the small piece of land that it does have on the California coast. The short and fun par 4 3rd hole is reachable for the bold golfer, but the smart player takes an iron and a wedge into a green tucked neatly along the coastline.
Pelican Hill South - #11, #12, #13
Somehow Tom Fazio managed to pack 3 golf holes at Pelican Hill down along the Pacific Ocean. The action starts with the short par 4 11th followed by 2 consecutive par 3’s. The 13th offers up two different greens to play and depending on the day, you may get a little closer to the salty Pacific goodness.
Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles - #10, #13, #17, #18
Trump Los Angeles offers up some of the finest coastal eye candy in the Los Angeles area. The short and beautiful par 4 10th will tempt the golfer to go for the green. The good looking 13th and the finishing stretch of 17 and 18 will leave the golfer with a strong connection to the big blue ocean.
The finishing 18th hole
The par 3 17th
The reachable 10th can yield a 2 but delivers plenty of 6’s.
Terranea Golf Links - #9
Just up the street from Trump LA is a little par 3 golf resort called Terranea. This little collection of par 3’s finishes gloriously with the beautiful 9th set against the Pacific Ocean.
Sandpiper Golf Club - #5, #6, #11, #13, #14
Sandpiper has a good chunk of California coastline and the setting is one of the best in the state. However, the end result isn’t quite as glorious as one might expect. Sensing this opportunity, Tom Doak submitted a redesign plan back in 2009 and the rumor is that something might come of it in the near future.
Pebble Beach - #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #17, #18
Pebble Beach kicks off America’s golfing mecca on the Monterey Peninsula. The next 7 golf courses give us 36 of California’s 73 coastal golf holes. That is 49.31% of all the coastal golf in California. Brace yourself for Pacific Ocean impact.
With half of the golf holes at Pebble Beach qualifying for this list, Pebble Beach takes the crown with the most golf holes directly on the Pacific Ocean in California. These holes do more than just exist next to the ocean, they define the golf experience on the Monterey Peninsula. Pebble Beach is perhaps the greatest meeting of golf and sea in America.
Jack Nicklaus has called the approach on #8 the best second shot in all of golf.
The 9th hole hugs the Pebble Beach at Pebble Beach.
The short 4th green requires a precise approach.
The 7th hole at Pebble Beach takes the award for the most iconic coastal golf hole in California. If this short little shot doesn’t get your pulse racing then you are most likely deceased.
Cypress Point Club - #13, #14, #15, #16, #17
Cypress Point Club might have something to say about Pebble Beach and that hole “greatest meeting of golf and sea” comment. However, the golf community has settled on the moniker “The Sistine Chapel of Golf” for Cypress Point.
I can confidently say that the 3 hole stretch from 15-17 is by far the most striking golf experience not only in California, but the entire nation. The sensation of crossing over 17 mile drive and seeing the 15th hole for the first time will make you cry tears of golf joy.
The 13th and 14th are a spectacular lead in to the stretch of 15-17 at Cypress Point.
Behind the green at 15.
After you’ve wiped your golf tears away on 15, the 16th hole ramps up the excitement level with a 219 yard par 3 playing almost entirely over the Pacific Ocean. Since there are few words that can accurately describe the excitement of playing this golf hole, I won’t try.
Spyglass Hill - #3, #4
Spyglass Hill starts of with a bang and boasts a splendid early trip to the Pacific Ocean. With vistas opening up on the 1st and 2nd holes, the short par 3 3rd hole meets the coastline and treats the golfer to a scenic downhill short iron with a sweeping view of the Pacific.
Requiring 2 well placed golf shots, the 4th hole is one of America’s greatest short par 4’s with a splendidly skinny green that rewards a precise iron shot and presents the wayward golfer with all sorts of deliciously fun opportunities to save a memorable par.
Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course - #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #15
The aptly named Shore course at Monterey Peninsula provides a heavy dose of coastal golf and delivers 7 beauties that meet our criteria. The action kicks off as we enter the back nine and stays strong until the golfer begrudgingly heads back towards the inland clubhouse.
The scrumptious 9th hole at MPCC is a tough par 3 playing directly along 17 mile drive.
The 8th hole in early morning light.
The 13th hole tickles the Pacific on the far end of the property.
The green on the 11th hole is one of MPCC’s finest.
Holes 12 and 15 are good pals and they butt right up next to each other as they hug the Pacific.
Monterey Peninsula Country Club Dunes Course - #10, #12, #13, #14
The Dunes course might not have as many coastal holes as it’s counterpart but it is every bit as good. The Pacific action starts on the striking par 3 10th hole and escalates up into the 14th.
Kelly Slater saves par on the 14th
The Sandy 13th
The par 4 12th hole sneaks it’s way onto our list.
The tee box on 14.
The only hole that plays on the ocean side of 17 mile drive at MPCC is the 14th hole. With a tee box that is perched amidst rocky outcroppings barely above the Pacific Ocean, you are guaranteed to get a face full of that unmistakeable ocean air.
The 14th on MPCC’s Dunes course gets as close to the Pacific as any other hole in California.
Spanish Bay Golf Links - #1, #3, #5, #7, #8, #14, #16, #17
“Oh hey, I just may, go down to Spanish Bay, and play, play that golf all day, what do you say?”
If you said yes, you’d be signing up for 8 holes that play directly on the Pacific Ocean. The seaside action starts off immediatley on the par 5 1st hole.
The opening hole at Spanish Bay.
The 14th hole was right on the edge of the coastal cutoff line but the splendid green site pushed it into the action.
The sandy 16th
Even though there are only 3 holes that earn coastal credit on the back nine, the finishing 5 holes all play across a splendid piece of seaside terrain.
Pacific Grove Golf Links - #12, #16, #17
The “Poor Man’s Pebble Beach” only delivers a handful of golf holes for our list but the entire back nine offers up a solid linksy seaside vibe. Featuring a light house and ocean views at every turn, this back nine will deliver an ocean experience that you will brag to your friends about. The front nine is funky, but Pacific Grove remains one of the best deals in golf.
Sharp Park Golf Course - #12, #16
One of America’s greatest architectural tragedies belongs to Sharp Park Golf Course. The golf course was originally designed by architecture legends Alister Mackenzie, Robert Hunter, and Chandler Egan. One can only imagine the quality that this course must have exhibited. The original routing has been destroyed and only a fraction of the original goodness remains.
Two holes at Sharp Park qualify for our ocean side list, the stout par 3 12th hole and the straightaway 16th.
The 12th hole at Sharp Park delivers the first taste of ocean vibes.
With Mackenzie’s original routing, two par 4’s played directly along the ocean.
Half Moon Bay Ocean Course - #16, #17, #18
The Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay offers up a strong ocean vibe throughout the round, but the qualifiers come on the finishing stretch. The 16th is a strong par 4, followed by the 184 yard 17th, and finishing with a par 5 playing directly along the cliff’s edge.
Half Moon Bay Old Course - #17, #18
One of my favorite golf holes in California is the 18th on the Old Course at Half Moon Bay. Not only is it fun to look at, but it also provides some top notch golf. The oceanside tee shot offers several options that can greatly reduce the difficulty of your approach shot. Test the hazard and you will be rewarded, bail out left and you’ve got some work left.
With a green nestled between the Ritz Carlton and the Pacific, golfers are usually treated to a gallery of interested hotel guests. A birdie here will likely earn you some applause from the gallery.
It was a close call but the 17th made our coastal cut line.
Olympic Club Cliffs Course - #1, #2, #3, #4
The oceanfront property at the Olympic Club isn’t touched by the Ocean course or it’s US Open Lake course. That honor and the little slice of golf goodness on the other side of Skyline Blvd is reserved for the par 3 Cliffs course. These holes are short, fun, and a nice little compliment to a round of golf on either the Lake or Ocean courses. Pro Tip: Eat a Burger Dog. Actually, eat 2 burger dogs.
Not on the list: #17 at Lincoln Park. I wanted to put this one on the list badly, but the body of water it overlooks is technically the Golden Gate Strait which is part of the San Francisco Bay. The 17th hole is a wildly fun par 3 which offers the only unrestricted view of the Golden Gate Bridge from a golf course in San Francisco.
Pro Tip: You will be tempted to drive a golf ball towards the Golden Gate Bridge from the tee box for shits and giggles. However, police officers have been know to stake out the site in order to cite offenders for dumping litter in the sea.
The Links at Bodega Harbour - #16, #18
The penultimate opportunity for golf on the coast of California is on The Links at Bodega Harbour. This little number ranks high on my personal fun meter. While some holes are funky, they are short enough to be manageable and good scores await those who play decent golf. The fun stuff comes on the finishing three holes with the 16th and the 18th greens residing directly alongside the ocean.
The finishing trio on The Links at Bodega Harbour.
The finishing 18th at Bodega Bay.
Sea Ranch Golf Links - #8
The only other course on the coast that I have not personally visited is Sea Ranch Golf Links. I drove by once, but my ex-wife wouldn’t let me play it. After some google research, I have identified a valid contender to round out our list and bring the official coastal count to 73 golf holes.
UPDATE: After the conclusion of The RGV Tour 2.0, I drove back down to Southern California and in my first round after setting the world record, I checked this beauty off of the list.
There are 21 courses on this list and I am happy to report that I have golfed and photographed 69 of these 73 Pacific Ocean beauties. Feel free to leave your own personal total in the comments. Bonus points await those that can find a coastal California golf hole not listed here that meets the official criteria.