Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Joann Dost
Ben Peters
Poppy Hills Golf Course
Poppy Hills Golf Course
3200 Lopez Rd
Pebble Beach, CA 93953-2900
United States
Telephone
Overview
When originally built, Poppy Hills had unpopular perched greens framed by massive containment mounds. Following a 2013 remodeling by original designer Robert Trent Jones II and partner Bruce Charlton, it's now a graceful, low-profile layout. "We popped the hills at Poppy Hills," says Trent Jr. A new feature is sandy naturalized areas and pine straw off the fairways, instead of manicured rough, part of a concerted effort to significantly reduce water consumption. The renovated course was on display at the 2018 U.S. Girls' Junior, won by current LPGA player Yealimi Noh.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked from 2017-'24.
Highest ranking: 62nd, 2017-'18.
Best in State: Highest ranking was 35th from 2015-'16.
Previous ranking: 44th.
2025-'26 ranking: 45th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Not in the same league as the other Pebble Beach bucket list courses."
Read More2026
Review
“Poppy Hills has come a long way since its renovation. The course now plays firm and fast, with a clean, modern feel that fits well in the forested setting. There are some fun holes that use elevation and angles well, but overall it’s more solid than standout. The experience is always enjoyable, and the course is in great shape, but it lacks the bold personality or design flourishes that would push it into a higher tier. Still, it’s a very good public option and a strong member of the Pebble Beach rotation."
Read More2025
Review
“Poppy is worth a visit for sure, but other courses in the area are more bucket-list. Low shot options off the tee but good options with chipping areas around the greens. Overall fun factor was OK not spectualar in my view. Challenge for scratch golfer is arround the greens as fairway very wide, greens were mostly very large. Layout variety was a good mix of doglegs left, right and straight holes. Aesthetics were good but no real standout features. Conditioning was very good, fairways firm and fast, greens firm although a bit on the slower side. Character was average, it was hard to see anything particularly unique for the era."
Read More2025
Review
“Low shot options off the tee but good options with chipping areas around the greens. Overall fun factor was OK not spectualar in my view. Challenge for scratch golfer is arround the greens as fairway very wide, greens were mostly very large. Layout variety was a good mix of doglegs left, right and straight holes. Aesthetics were good but no real standout features. Conditioning was very good, fairways firm and fast, greens firm although a bit on the slower side. Character was average, it was hard to see anything particularly unique for the era."
Read More2025
Review
“Poppy Hills offers a layout with a lot of variety in its design. There are holes with both left and right doglegs as well as elevation changes. It is a very enjoyable and challenging golfing experience."
Read More2025
Review
“A Robert Trent Jones II design that I first played over 30 years ago. The course has been dedone by RTJ II and Bruce Charlton in the last five years. What a dramatic improvement from the early ninties. Hundreds of trees have been removed. You now have great views of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. By removing the trees the fairways have become much more firm (they were always wet). The green complexes have been softened. While still have a lot of slope they are move playable. The 15th green is brillant Redan design. Some holes are still brutal hard. #3, #16 and # 15 play very hard. Condtioning was very good. Greens were fast but not too fast which can be easy to do with all the movement in the greens. A really good blend of holes. The routing flows well. The only complaint is that there are a lot of waste bunkers right of the tee boxes which makes no sense. They are maintained and are only there for aestics. They should be removed. All in all a good test of golf which has improved dramatically."
Read More2025
Review
“According to the club Pro Jesse Plaza, the redesign in 2013 softened the course to make it more playable for resort guests by reducing the elevated greens making them more accessible and smoothing out the fairways for more even lies. The course was in excellent condition amongst a beautiful setting of Monterey Pines. The course reminded me of the parkland holes at Spyglass. Hole #9 is a short par five that rewards a long tee shot with a speed slot that shoots the ball to a lower landing area making it reachable in two with a mid to short iron. The hole is well designed, even ingenious with a ravine guarding the elongated green to the front and left encouraging misses to the right. To the right of the front part of the green is a bank that propels an errant shot to the back of the green, which can result in a putt over 40 YARDS to a front pin placement. High marks for this hole design."
Read More2025
Review
“According to the club Pro Jesse Plaza, the redesign in 2013 softened the course to make it more playable for resort guests by reducing the elevated greens to make them more accessible and smoothing out the fairways for more even lies. The course was in excellent condition amongst a beautiful setting of Monterey Pines. The course reminded me of the parkland holes at Spyglass. Hole #9 is a short par five that rewards a long tee shot with a speed slot that shoots the ball to a lower landing area making it reachable in two with a mid-iron to short iron. The hole is well designed, even ingenious with a ravine guarding the elongated green in the front and left encouraging misses to the right. To the right of the front part of the green is a bank that propels an errant shot to the back of the green, which can result in a putt over 40 YARDS to a front pin placement. High marks for this hole design."
Read More2025
Review
“Poppy Hills, designed by Robert Trent Jones II, is the home of the Northern California golf Association. It was once part of the AT&T tournament rotation"
Read More2024
Review
“Good value, given its neighborhood. Course is always in good condition."
Read More2024
