Updated on November 7, 2026
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What is the best golf course in California? Cypress Point, on the Monterey Peninsula, ranks No. 1 in the state's three major rankings. Pebble Beach, its neighbor, ranks second and is the best course in California open to the public. Next come the major clubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Here are our top 15 golf courses in California.
Top photo: schnaars, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The 15 Best Golf Courses in California, Ranked
15 courses shown.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Golf Digest | GOLF | Top100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cypress Point Club | Pebble Beach | Private | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Pebble Beach Golf Links | Pebble Beach | Resort (public) | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Country Club (North) | Los Angeles | Private | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | Riviera Country Club | Pacific Palisades (Los Angeles) | Private | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | San Francisco Golf Club | San Francisco | Private | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | California Golf Club of San Francisco | South San Francisco | Private | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| 7 | Olympic Club (Lake) | San Francisco | Private | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 8 | The Valley Club of Montecito | Montecito (Santa Barbara) | Private | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| 9 | Pasatiempo | Santa Cruz | Public (semi-private) | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| 10 | Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Dunes) | Pebble Beach | Private | 11 | 13 | 8 |
| 11 | Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore) | Pebble Beach | Private | 7 | 11 | 14 |
| 12 | Ladera Golf Club | Thermal (Coachella Valley) | Private | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| 13 | Bel-Air Country Club | Los Angeles | Private | 18 | 10 | 11 |
| 14 | Spyglass Hill | Pebble Beach | Resort (public) | 10 | 14 | 17 |
| 15 | Stone Eagle | Palm Desert | Private | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Rank: Our consensus rank, calculated as the average of the three California rankings. Golf Digest, GOLF, and Top100: The course’s ranking in each of these lists; “—” if it does not appear in a list.
How We Ranked the California Golf Courses
We compared the three benchmark rankings for California: Golf Digest (Best in State: California 2025–2026), GOLF Magazine (Best Golf Courses in California 2024–2025) and Top100GolfCourses (California ranking). For each course, we calculate the average of its rankings; a course not included in a ranking is assigned the rank immediately following the end of that list (ten places after the last-ranked course). We do not reproduce the magazines’ lists, which you can view on their websites. This ranking is updated annually.
The Top 15 in Detail
Designers, year founded, par and length (back tees): the clubs' Wikipedia pages, checked on November 8, 2026; nothing is shown when the page does not say. Photos under free licenses via Wikimedia Commons.
1. Cypress Point Club 🇺🇸
- Designed by Alister MacKenzie, Robert Hunter
- Founded 1928
- Par and length Par 72 · 6,554 yards (5,993 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 1 · GOLF 1 · Top100 1
Designed by Alister MacKenzie in 1928, Cypress Point winds through the dunes and into the cypress forest before running along the Pacific Ocean. Its 16th hole, a par 3 played over an ocean inlet, is one of the most photographed in the world. Ranked No. 1 in all three California rankings, and No. 2 on our World's Top 100. A private club with very strict membership criteria.
2. Pebble Beach Golf Links 🇺🇸
- Designed by Jack Neville, Douglas Grant
- Founded 1919
- Par and length Par 72 · 7,075 yards (6,469 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 2 · GOLF 2 · Top100 3
Six U.S. Opens since 1972 and holes along the cliffs of Carmel Bay: the most famous public golf course in California—and arguably in the world.
3. Los Angeles Country Club (North) 🇺🇸
- Founded 1897
- Par and length Par 70 · 7,200 yards (6,584 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 3 · GOLF 3 · Top100 2
Restored by Gil Hanse in 2010, the George Thomas course in the heart of Los Angeles hosted the 2017 Walker Cup and the 2023 U.S. Open, which was won by Wyndham Clark. Private club.
4. Riviera Country Club 🇺🇸
- Designed by George C. Thomas Jr., William P. Bell
- Founded 1926
- Par and length Par 71 · 7,400 yards (6,767 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 4 · GOLF 4 · Top100 4
The course for the Genesis Invitational, an annual PGA Tour event, is located in a canyon in Pacific Palisades. It hosted the 1948 U.S. Open and will host the golf competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Private club.
5. San Francisco Golf Club 🇺🇸
- Designed by A. W. Tillinghast
- Founded 1895
Rankings: Golf Digest 5 · GOLF 5 · Top100 6
One of A. W. Tillinghast’s most understated courses in America. Its par-3 7th hole, the “Duel Hole,” marks the site of a famous duel in 1859. Private club.
6. California Golf Club of San Francisco 🇺🇸
Rankings: Golf Digest 8 · GOLF 6 · Top100 5
Ken Venturi's club, transformed by Kyle Phillips' 2007 renovation into a firm, sandy course covered in fescue, set in the hills south of San Francisco. Private club.
7. Olympic Club (Lake) 🇺🇸
- Designed by Sam Whiting, Willie Watson
- Founded 1860 (club)
- Par and length Par 71 · 7,170 yards (6,556 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 6 · GOLF 8 · Top100 10
Overlooking Lake Merced, among the cypress trees, the Olympic Club has hosted five U.S. Opens (from 1955 to 2012) and the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open. Private club.
8. The Valley Club of Montecito 🇺🇸
Rankings: Golf Digest 9 · GOLF 7 · Top100 9
A low-key course designed by Alister MacKenzie and Robert Hunter, opened in 1929 at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, near Santa Barbara. Private club.
9. Pasatiempo 🇺🇸
- Designed by Alister MacKenzie
- Founded 1929
- Par and length Par 70 · 6,500 yards (5,944 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 14 · GOLF 9 · Top100 7
Alister MacKenzie lived next to the fairway of the 6th hole on this course, which overlooks Monterey Bay. As a semi-private course, it is one of the few great MacKenzie courses that can be played without a membership.
10. Monterey Peninsula CC (Dunes) 🇺🇸
- Designed by Seth Raynor, Rees Jones
- Founded 1925
- Par and length Par 72 · 7,090 yards (6,483 m)
Rankings: Golf Digest 11 · GOLF 13 · Top100 8
Begun by Seth Raynor, who died in 1926 before construction was completed, and finished by Robert Hunter, this course at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club blends dunes and cypress trees. Private club.
11. Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore) 🇺🇸
Redesigned in 2004 by Mike Strantz—his final course—the Shore runs along the rocky Pacific coast, just a stone's throw from Cypress Point. Private club.
12. Ladera Golf Club 🇺🇸
A desert course designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, which opened in 2023 in the Coachella Valley and is already ranked nationally. Private club.
13. Bel-Air Country Club 🇺🇸
George Thomas and Billy Bell designed this course through the canyons of Bel Air, featuring a famous suspension bridge over a ravine. Private club.
14. Spyglass Hill 🇺🇸
The course next to Pebble Beach, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1966: the first five holes are set among the dunes, followed by an ascent through the pine trees. Open to the public.
15. Stone Eagle 🇺🇸
Tom Doak designed this course on the rocky foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, above Palm Desert. Private club.
Where can you play in California without being a member?
Of these top 15 courses, three are open to the public: Pebble Beach (2nd), Pasatiempo (9th), and Spyglass Hill (14th), all located around Monterey Bay. They also appear in our ranking of the Best Public Golf Courses in the United States. The rest of the list consists of private clubs, which are accessible only by invitation from a member.
Fred's Take on California Golf Courses
For me, the Monterey Peninsula is the most beautiful place in the world to play golf: Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, and Spyglass Hill are just a few minutes apart, right on the Pacific Coast. For travelers, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, and Pasatiempo are enough to make for an unforgettable trip.
Frequently Asked Questions About California Golf Courses
What is the best golf course in California?
Cypress Point Club, in Pebble Beach, ranks No. 1 on the lists compiled by Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine, and Top100GolfCourses. It is a private club.
What is the best public golf course in California?
Pebble Beach Golf Links, ranked second on our list, is open to the public by reservation.
Can you play Cypress Point?
No, unless you're invited by a member: it's one of the most exclusive clubs in the world.
Where can you play golf near Los Angeles?
The best golf courses in Los Angeles (LACC, Riviera, Bel-Air) are private. To play without being a member, you'll need to head to the public courses in the city or the Palm Springs area, a two-hour drive away.