With over 90 golf courses and a variety of breathtaking scenery from the nearby ocean, desert and mountains, San Diego is one of the best golf hotspots in all of America. The warm climate all year round allows golfers to play constantly in San Diego. Locals also have the luxury of getting to play championship courses, such as Torrey Pines. Here are some of the best public courses you should consider visiting when vacationing in San Diego.
Visit These Gorgeous San Diego Golf Courses
1. Maderas Golf Club
One of the best courses in the San Diego area is Maderas Golf Club designed by former golfer Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves in 1999. It was once a private course but is now open to the public. If you’re looking for an escape, a course that will offer you privacy and a beautiful experience, this should be your number one option.
Maderas Golf Club is among the mountains located in North San Diego offering stellar views and a challenge for golfers with tight fairways, scattered bunkers and unique greens. Maderas takes you into the mountains as well as through the beautiful forests of inland San Diego, just don’t be in a huge rush (you shouldn’t be when playing a course this nice) because pace of play is known to be slower here.
The course is a par-72 at 7,167 yards from the back tees and rates to play are pretty high running from $150-$250 depending on season and residency.
2. Coronado Golf Course
If you’re not looking to spend a ton of money but still want an amazing experience, Coronado Municipal Golf Course just outside of downtown San Diego is the way to go. It opened in 1957 and sits next to the San Diego Bay offering beautiful views of both the city and the water.
This is one of the highest-rated public courses in the country and it’s one of the busiest. It offers wide fairways, with excellent course conditions and plenty of opportunity for golfers of all skill levels. It’s a par-72 course at just over 6,500 yards from the deep tees. Tee times run around $30-$60 depending on time and day making Coronado an excellent bargain spot for all visitors.
3 & 4. Torrey Pines South Course / Torrey Pines North Course
If you’re really committed and have some extra change in your wallet, you could go big and play the Torrey Pines, one of the most recognizable golf courses in the country. Torrey Pines has hosted a PGA Tour event annually since 1968.
Torrey Pines offers some of the most spectacular views in golf with wide ocean scenery that will take your breath on numerous holes. It’s also hosted the prestigious U.S. Open golf tournament in 2008 won by Tiger Woods.
The South Course is much more challenging and more expensive that its counterpart. It’s a par-72 at 7,607 yards from the back tees and prices around $183-$229 but getting a tee time is not easy whatsoever. It’s best to call way in advance if you’re planning a golf vacation.
The North Course is a less challenging option that still provides stunning ocean views throughout your round. It runs between $100-$125 per player and is only about 6,600 yards from the back tees.
5. Sycuan Golf Resort
Sycuan Golf Resort in El Cajon, CA, just a short drive from downtown San Diego, is another beautiful option for vacationers. It’s a 54-hole golf resort with three different beautiful courses tucked into the Dehesa Valley.
The Sycuan Golf Resort takes advantage of the natural beauty surrounding the courses with spectacular views of the mountains along with wonderful trees and water along the courses.
Oak Glen Golf Course and Willow Glen golf course are both pretty equal in challenge and each around 6,600 yards. Both have pretty narrow fairways and small, yet very receptive greens that will hold your ball. Don’t expect these courses to take it easy on you, but even if you’re losing some golf balls enjoy the spectacular views and excellent shape of the courses.
The final course is Pine Glen Golf Course, which is an 18-hole par 3 golf course known as Southern California’s most challenging. It has a similar look to the previous two courses, just much shorter obviously. Par three courses are a great addition to golf resorts and if you plan on playing one or two of the par-72 courses at Sycuan, it may be fun to add 18 more holes afterwards on the par 3 courses.
Rates at the resort vary depending on different packages and offers that they have, so check out their website if you’re interested in booking.
6. The Crossings at Carlsbad
Just a short drive up the coast from San Diego in the city of Carlsbad is another great golf course for travellers. The Crossings at Carlsbad is a unique golf course that offers ocean views sitting on over 400 acres of coastal terrain.
The golf course gets its name due to the many bridges on the course the players must cross. It’s filled with kind fairways and large greens and there are plenty of unique shots golfers will be able to hit throughout their round.
The course is 6,835 yards from the back tees and a par-72. Rates run higher going through the course at $95-$110 for visitors with large discounts for residents, however, they have much better twilight rates and cheaper rates can be found going through booking sites like Golf Now. If you are exploring a little more than just San Diego during your vacation, you’d be smart to wander up to Carlsbad and play this course.
This article was written by Cameron Lafontaine.