Bakersfield Golf Trip Planning Guide
Bakersfield is the budget buddy-trip play in Southern California — a dozen affordable, walkable courses that stay open all year, anchored by a genuine country-music nightlife scene. Fly into a small airport, golf cheap, and end the night at the Crystal Palace. Two hours from LA with a fraction of the price tag.
Quick Facts
Spring, Fall
BFL (15 min drive)
$20–$70
$120/night
4 of 4
~$205/person
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Here's a realistic 3-day itinerary for a group golf trip to Bakersfield. Every venue below is real and pulled from our curated database — no filler.
Day 1
The Links at RiverLakes Ranch — parkland, $40–$70 · 4.3★
Bakersfield's best public daily-fee — well-kept links-style layout with water in play
Wool Growers Restaurant — upscale, $$ · 4.6★
Iconic family-style Basque feast — endless courses served at long tables, a Bakersfield rite of passage
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace — honky tonk · Open late
Bakersfield's legendary country music hall — live bands, a dance floor, and Buck's guitars on the wall
Day 2
Kern River Golf Course — parkland, $25–$45 · 4.3★
Scenic muni along the Kern River with Sierra Nevada views — cheap and walkable
Kern River Whitewater Rafting — half day, $70–$150/pp
Class III-IV whitewater on the Kern (45 min east) in spring/summer — the big adrenaline day
Benji's French Basque Restaurant — upscale, $$ · 4.5★
The other great Basque table in town — pickled tongue, oxtail stew, and a crew-sized spread
Trout's Nightclub (Oildale) — honky tonk · Open late
Gritty, historic Bakersfield Sound honky-tonk with live country and two-stepping till late
Day 3
Buena Vista Golf Course — parkland, $25–$45 · 4.2★
Wide-open lakeside muni just outside town — forgiving fairways for the high-handicap crowd
Five Dogs Range / Shooting — 1-2 hours, $40–$120/pp
Local ranges for pistol and rifle — an easy competitive arrival-day activity
Salty's BBQ & Catering — bbq, $$ · 4.5★
Tri-tip and brisket done right — central-valley BBQ that feeds a hungry golf crew
Temblor Brewing Company — brewpub
Big taproom with house beer, food, and room for a 16-man group to spread out
Course-by-Course Guide
Bakersfield has 4 courses worth playing. 4 are walkable if you want to save on cart fees.
Where to Stay
Bakersfield has 2 group-friendly lodging options in our database, starting at $120/night for the whole house. Several options include hot tubs — a non-negotiable for most groups.
$250–$550 /night
Northwest Bakersfield and Seven Oaks — newer homes with pools near RiverLakes
$120–$250 /night
Hotel block off Hwy 99 / Rosedale near the airport and courses
Group Dining Guide
4 restaurants vetted for group golf trips. Several can handle large parties without a reservation headache.
Wool Growers Restaurant
$$Iconic family-style Basque feast — endless courses served at long tables, a Bakersfield rite of passage
Benji's French Basque Restaurant
$$The other great Basque table in town — pickled tongue, oxtail stew, and a crew-sized spread
Salty's BBQ & Catering
$$Tri-tip and brisket done right — central-valley BBQ that feeds a hungry golf crew
Mexicali
$$Longtime Bakersfield Mexican spot with big margaritas and bigger combo plates
Nightlife
3 bars curated for groups. 2 stay open past midnight.
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace
Late nightBakersfield's legendary country music hall — live bands, a dance floor, and Buck's guitars on the wall
Trout's Nightclub (Oildale)
Late nightGritty, historic Bakersfield Sound honky-tonk with live country and two-stepping till late
Temblor Brewing Company
Big taproom with house beer, food, and room for a 16-man group to spread out
Activities Beyond Golf
3 off-course activities for rest days or afternoons.
Kern River Whitewater Rafting
Class III-IV whitewater on the Kern (45 min east) in spring/summer — the big adrenaline day
Five Dogs Range / Shooting
Local ranges for pistol and rifle — an easy competitive arrival-day activity
Bakersfield Brewery Crawl
Temblor, Lengthwise, and Great Change make a tidy central-valley beer crawl
Getting There
Fly into Meadows Field Airport (BFL) — it's a 15-minute drive to Bakersfield. For groups of 8+, consider booking a shuttle or party bus from the airport (local providers include Bakersfield Party Bus and Kern County Limousine). Renting two SUVs usually works for groups of 4-8.