Public golf
The best courses you can play in California
When looking at the best courses you can play in California, the top course—Pebble Beach—will hardly surprise, but with such a golf-rich state, all 35 courses in this guide are well getting out to. The depth of great golf, both private and public, makes California one of the best golf states in the country.
When figuring out which courses you should play on your next trip to California, location is an obvious limiting factor, considering the size of The Golden State. Not to worry, though, as there are great options on this list spread across the state. Be sure to use our map feature in this guide to find the best courses near wherever you are headed.
Scroll on for the complete ranking of the best courses you can play in California, and be sure to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography and reviews from our course panelists. We also encourage you to leave your own ratings on the courses you’ve played … so you can make your case for why a course should be higher or lower on our rankings.
The best courses you can play in California
![Pebble Beach Golf Links](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Pebble-Beach-Golf-Links-TaylorMade-20978.png.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1708461684218.png)
![Spyglass Hill Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/5/spyglass%204%20hero.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.431.suffix/1620007742933.jpeg)
![Pasatiempo Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Pasatiempo18_DJI_0643%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.431.suffix/1638934196824.jpeg)
![Torrey Pines Golf Course: South](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2019/01/14/5c3bf24cf193692d16a72559_186%20-%20Torrey%20Pines%20G.%20Cse.%20(South)%20-%20Jon%20Cavalier.jpeg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1573163040843.jpeg)
![CordeValle Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/08/15/55cf8da84759c60c08237218_Cordevalle-Resort-Aerial-Staff.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1573513718252.jpeg)
![The Links At Spanish Bay](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-Links-at-Spanish-Bay-Pebble-Beach-Waves-12494.png.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1708459750122.png)
![PGA West: Stadium Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/PGAWest_StadiumC17.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.615.suffix/1649450725844.jpeg)
![Poppy Hills Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/poppy-hills-golf-course-aerial-985.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.646.suffix/1659643054973.jpeg)
![Rams Hill Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/RamsHill-Hole18-Reverse-Overview-BrianOar-HR%20(1).jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1660142448226.jpeg)
![Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/trump-national-los-angeles-seventeen-18786.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1652099631886.jpeg)
![Pelican Hill Golf Club: Ocean North](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/08/18/55d381f14759c60c08237c7e_Pelican-Hill-Golf-Club-Ocean-North.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1573513831260.jpeg)
![Torrey Pines Golf Course: North](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2020/01/21/5e27200b5e1cc900087c252c_Torrey-Pines-North-10-Aerial-Sunset-72ppi.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.646.suffix/1581449776078.jpeg)
![Rustic Canyon Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/rustic-canyon-california-21589.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1674781616602.jpeg)
![Stanford Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/stanford%2013%20with%20antenna%202.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1660141105129.jpeg)
![Grizzly Ranch Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/9/Grizzly%20Ranch%20aerial.jpeg.rend.hgtvcom.861.344.suffix/1631558084232.jpeg)
![Maderas Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2016/06/06/5755be21dce9249d62b0e84f_Maderas-Golf-Club-hole-no-1-courtesy.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1573401728682.jpeg)
![Pelican Hill Golf Club: Ocean South](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/pelican-hill-south-14089.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1076.suffix/1691160189277.jpeg)
![The Course At Wente Vineyards](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2018/08/06/5b687f64233b640beb23c4e3_The-Course-at-Wente-Vineyards.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1573246860543.jpeg)
![TPC Harding Park](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/TPC%20Harding%20Park%2018.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1637183173324.jpeg)
![Tahoe Mountain Club: Old Greenwood](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Old%20Greenwood.JPG.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1660142025178.jpeg)
![Aviara Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Aviara%20GC%20Hole%203.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1651156657884.jpeg)
![Oak Quarry Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2020/08/oak%20quarry%2014th.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1598024890254.jpeg)
![PGA West: Nicklaus Tournament](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/PGA%20West%20Nicklaus%20course.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1637202138208.jpeg)
![DarkHorse Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Darkhorse%20-%20California%20-%20Courtesy%20of%20the%20club.jpeg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1637202203772.jpeg)
![Sandpiper Golf Club](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Sandpiper-Golf-Club-11.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1637202329726.jpeg)
![Silverado Resort: North](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/silverado%20resort%20north%20(1).jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.287.suffix/1660143722867.jpeg)
![Bayonet & Black Horse: Bayonet](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/placeholder-images/Placeholder_1.png.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1652210514118.png)
![La Purisima Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/La-Purisima-Golf-12491.png.rend.hgtvcom.861.689.suffix/1708459200403.png)
![Corica Park: South](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2019/12/02/5de57340aae635000908dcaf_Corica%20Park%20South%20_6%20copy.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1588620921095.jpeg)
![PGA West: Pete Dye Mountain](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/PGAWESTPeteDyeMountainCourse.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1649450734022.jpeg)
![Desert Willow Golf Resort: Firecliff](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2022/1/Desert%20Willow%20Firecliff%20Credit%20Chris%20Miller%20Imagine%20Imagery.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1641926015926.jpeg)
![Bayonet & Black Horse: Black Horse](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/placeholder-images/Placeholder_1.png.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1652210514118.png)
![Soule Park Golf Course](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/soule-park-aerial.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.574.suffix/1660140130320.jpeg)
![The Golf Club At Copper Valley](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/Golf%20Club%20at%20Copper%20Valley%20(1).jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1660143721005.jpeg)
![Pacific Grove Golf Links](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2019/06/09/5cfd3eec31e50d7c6f008235__12-Pacific-Grove%20-%20use.jpeg.rend.hgtvcom.861.485.suffix/1588620892125.jpeg)
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