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Golf Trips / California

Best Golf Trips in California

20 golf trip destinations in California — courses, lodging, nightlife, and activities for your group getaway.

20
destinations
93
courses
California
state
The list

California Destinations

green grass near body of water during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

Monterey, CA

The bucket-list capital of American golf

6 courses3 bucket-listMRY · 10min
Beautiful beach scene at sunset.
Spring, Summer, Fall

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Storybook village, world-class golf, and Carmel Valley wine

5 courses3 bucket-listMRY · 15min
structure beside palm trees
Spring, Fall

Palm Springs, CA

Sunshine, mid-century cool, and wall-to-wall desert golf

5 coursesPSP · 10min
a couple of lawn chairs sitting next to a swimming pool
Spring, Fall

Palm Desert, CA

PGA West, Stadium glory, and the valley's best public courses

5 courses1 bucket-listPSP · 20min
a large field of orange flowers with mountains in the background
Spring, Summer, Fall

Napa, CA

Wine country golf, big-cabernet nights, and Silverado

5 coursesOAK · 60min
purple and yellow flower field during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

Sonoma, CA

Laid-back wine country with public golf and a real plaza scene

5 coursesSTS · 35min
people walking on sidewalk near body of water during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

San Diego, CA

Torrey Pines, perfect weather, and Gaslamp nightlife

5 courses1 bucket-listSAN · 15min
green palm tree and city view
Spring, Summer, Fall

Los Angeles, CA

Cliffside Trump National, sneaky-good munis, and big-city nights

5 coursesLAX · 25min
green trees and mountains under blue sky during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

Ojai, CA

A storied valley resort, mountain light, and a quiet luxury escape

5 coursesBUR · 75min
sea waves crashing on shore during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

Santa Barbara, CA

Oceanfront Sandpiper, Spanish-style nights, and beach-town golf

5 coursesSBA · 15min
a red sky with a few clouds in the distance
Spring, Fall

Temecula, CA

Wine country, casino nights, and value golf between LA and San Diego

5 coursesSAN · 65min
a view of a mountain range with a lake in the foreground
Summer, Fall

Truckee, CA

High-Sierra mountain golf above Lake Tahoe

5 coursesRNO · 40min
aerial photography of green field near body of water at daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

Half Moon Bay, CA

Two oceanfront 18s at the Ritz, 30 minutes from SFO

5 coursesSFO · 30min
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Spring, Fall

Sacramento, CA

Value golf, a real downtown, and wine country at the edges

5 coursesSMF · 15min
a close up of a flower on a tree
Spring, Summer, Fall

Carlsbad, CA

North County beaches, resort golf, and the Omni La Costa

5 coursesSAN · 40min
brown wooden fence on green grass field during daytime
Spring, Fall

Bakersfield, CA

Cheap, year-round golf and honky-tonk nights in Buck Owens country

4 coursesBFL · 15min
silhouette of trees and mountain near body of water
Summer, Fall

South Lake Tahoe, CA

Lakeside championship golf with casinos a short walk away

3 courses1 bucket-listRNO · 70min
city buildings under blue sky during daytime
Spring, Summer, Fall

San Francisco, CA

Major-championship muni golf with a world-class city behind it

4 courses1 bucket-listSFO · 25min
a view of a mountain range with a lake in the foreground
Spring, Summer, Fall

Aptos, CA

MacKenzie's finest work and beach-town golf above Monterey Bay

3 courses1 bucket-listSJC · 45min
brown rocky mountain beside body of water during daytime
Spring, Fall

Lompoc, CA

One of California's toughest public tests in quiet wine country

3 coursesSBA · 55min
The math

Cheaper California Alternatives to Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea averages $364 per round across 5 tracked courses. Same state, smaller bill — here's how the other California golf-trip cities stack up.

Monterey, CA
The bucket-list capital of American golf
$33 cheaper
avg green fee
$331/round
6 courses
$550/night
lodging from
San Diego, CA
Torrey Pines, perfect weather, and Gaslamp nightlife
$177 cheaper
avg green fee
$187/round
5 courses
$300/night
lodging from
Carlsbad, CA
North County beaches, resort golf, and the Omni La Costa
$197 cheaper
avg green fee
$167/round
5 courses
$300/night
lodging from
Palm Desert, CA
PGA West, Stadium glory, and the valley's best public courses
$207 cheaper
avg green fee
$157/round
5 courses
$250/night
lodging from
Truckee, CA
High-Sierra mountain golf above Lake Tahoe
$208 cheaper
avg green fee
$156/round
5 courses
$350/night
lodging from
Aptos, CA
MacKenzie's finest work and beach-town golf above Monterey Bay
$222 cheaper
avg green fee
$142/round
3 courses
$200/night
lodging from
Half Moon Bay, CA
Two oceanfront 18s at the Ritz, 30 minutes from SFO
$227 cheaper
avg green fee
$137/round
5 courses
$500/night
lodging from
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Lakeside championship golf with casinos a short walk away
$231 cheaper
avg green fee
$133/round
3 courses
$200/night
lodging from
Los Angeles, CA
Cliffside Trump National, sneaky-good munis, and big-city nights
$239 cheaper
avg green fee
$125/round
5 courses
$300/night
lodging from
Santa Barbara, CA
Oceanfront Sandpiper, Spanish-style nights, and beach-town golf
$251 cheaper
avg green fee
$113/round
5 courses
$350/night
lodging from
Napa, CA
Wine country golf, big-cabernet nights, and Silverado
$257 cheaper
avg green fee
$107/round
5 courses
$350/night
lodging from
San Francisco, CA
Major-championship muni golf with a world-class city behind it
$258 cheaper
avg green fee
$106/round
4 courses
$250/night
lodging from
Temecula, CA
Wine country, casino nights, and value golf between LA and San Diego
$268 cheaper
avg green fee
$96/round
5 courses
$200/night
lodging from
Palm Springs, CA
Sunshine, mid-century cool, and wall-to-wall desert golf
$271 cheaper
avg green fee
$93/round
5 courses
$250/night
lodging from
Sonoma, CA
Laid-back wine country with public golf and a real plaza scene
$280 cheaper
avg green fee
$84/round
5 courses
$350/night
lodging from
Ojai, CA
A storied valley resort, mountain light, and a quiet luxury escape
$283 cheaper
avg green fee
$81/round
5 courses
$400/night
lodging from
Sacramento, CA
Value golf, a real downtown, and wine country at the edges
$293 cheaper
avg green fee
$71/round
5 courses
$180/night
lodging from
Lompoc, CA
One of California's toughest public tests in quiet wine country
$307 cheaper
avg green fee
$57/round
3 courses
$120/night
lodging from
Bakersfield, CA
Cheap, year-round golf and honky-tonk nights in Buck Owens country
$325 cheaper
avg green fee
$39/round
4 courses
$120/night
lodging from
California tripsAll destinations