Top 10 California Golf Courses

Looking for a relaxing California golf vacation? Here is the list of top 10 California golf courses.

From magnificent coastal links at Pebble Beach to beautiful woodlands fairways to the impressive desert layouts of Angeles National Golf Club, California boasts the top golf courses in the country. Tee off onto tree-lined fairways as you enjoy breathtaking views and ocean breezes.

Pebble Beach Resorts
Pebble Beach Resorts is hailed for its unparalleled golf facilities and breathtaking scenery. Ranked the No. 1 golf resort in the nation by Golf Digest Magazine in 2002, Pebble Beach Resorts features four courses - Pebble Beach Golf Links, ranked the No. 1 Public Course in America by Golf Digest in 2004 and the site of golf's most prestigious tournaments; Links at Spanish Bay, an authentic 18-hole Scottish links course on the beautiful, rugged Monterey coastline; Spyglass Hill Golf Course, set along Del Monte Forest's shoreline and ranked #5 on "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" list by Golf Digest for 2003 - 2004; Del Monte Golf Course, the oldest course in California and original home of the California State Amateur; and the famed Pebble Beach Golf Academy.

Pelican Hill Golf Course
Overlooking the Newport Coast, Pelican Hill is one of California's preeminent golf destinations with 36 challenging holes, coastal views, and a golf academy. Design and nature combine perfectly in the Tom Fazio-designed Ocean North Course and Ocean South Course. The Ocean North Course reflects a classic Scottish links style, meandering along an elevated plateau.

Dramatic elevation changes create spectacular vistas of the Ocean and Newport Harbor, and the indigenous landscape plays a role in the beauty and challenge of the course. The Ocean South Course offers rolling terrain ocean views, soaring eucalyptus and pine trees, Bermuda fairways, challenging greens framed by white sand bunkers, dramatic canyon-crossing tee shots, and holes that border the coast's rocky cliffs.

Torrey Pines Golf Course
Tee off at the world-renowned Torrey Pines State Golf Course, home of the Buick Invitational PGA TOUR and the 2008 U.S. Open. The PGA golf course features two municipal 18-hole championship courses on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and breathtaking views. Torrey Pines is one of the top ten golf courses in San Diego County.

Angeles National Golf Club
Nestled at the base of Angeles National Forest and in Los Angeles County, the Nicklaus designed Angeles National Golf Club sets the standard of excellence and beauty for golf courses in Southern California. This 18-hole, par-72 championship course has magnificent views, generous fairways, emerald greens and four sets of tees. Ranked by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine as one of the Top 30 Best New Courses Worldwide and one of the Top Ten Best New Public/Resort courses in the US, ANGC presents an impressive desert layout with beautiful landscape, natural surroundings, breathtaking scenery and a challenging design. This hidden gem offers an escape from the city.

El Prado Golf Course - Chino Creek Golf Course
The 18-hole Chino Creek course at El Prado Golf Course in Chino, California, features 6,671 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The heavily wooded course features a creek that meanders throughout the back nine and comes into play on a few holes, narrow and wide fairways, and medium greens that hold well because of the soft textured surfaces.

Scholl Canyon Golf Course
Considered one of the top mid-length golf courses in the country, Scholl Canyon is a must-play public course in Glendale with its great views, treacherous canyons and large bent grass greens. This narrow executive par-60 course has undulating fairways that will cause many uneven lies, and the back nine is hillier than the front nine. Golfers have the option of only playing nine holes in the mornings from 7 AM until 8:30 AM. A 34 station driving range is available for practice.

PGA of Southern California Golf Club at Oak Valley
Located in Beaumont, this magnificent club features 36 holes of extraordinary golf with remarkable natural beauty and world-class architecture. The Champions and Legends courses - which honor the golf greats - feature oak woodlands, riparian streams, majestic mountains and dramatic elevations. A Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, the club has played host to the Western Regional Club Professional Championship and PGA Tour Qualifying School. The "Learners Loop" - a virtual course within a course - lets beginners enjoy a round with more proficient players. The PGA of Southern California Golf Club offers a state-of-the-art practice center and instruction program.

Rancho Park Golf Club
Located in Los Angeles, Rancho Park's fairways are lined with mature trees and a standard cut of rough. The average-sized greens are in fairly good condition considering all the play this public facility receives, and there are alternate greens for each tee. Numerous sand bunkers have been incorporated into the course design, mainly around the greens, so accurate approach shots are critical. The hilly terrain makes some of the holes play longer than the yardage indicates. The club has hosted the Senior PGA Tour's Ralph's Senior Classic. Golfers are required to have a Los Angeles City card to reserve tee times in advance.

Los Verdes Golf Course
One of the top golf values in California, the beautifully designed 18-hole Los Verdes Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes offers the most scenic ocean views in California. Situated on the bluffs above the ocean, this picturesque, par-71, 6,651 yard course offers spectacular golf on its hilly terrain, so expect some uneven lies. The nearby ocean and large greens makes putting a real challenge on almost every hole.

Lincoln Park Golf Course
One of the most scenic golf courses in San Francisco, Lincoln Park is an 18-hole, Par 68 course that has hosted the top golfers in the world since 1928. Lincoln Park offers 5,149 yards of hilly native terrain, forested with cypress and pine trees, and offers magnificent views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Lincoln Park is one of the host courses for the San Francisco City Golf Championship. For tee times, call (415) 750-GOLF.

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