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For travelers and outdoor enthusiasts looking to escape the crowds, there's no better area than the Shasta Cascade region of northern California. Located in the shadows of Mount Shasta and the Cascade Mountains, this eight-county area, which makes up one-fifth of the state of California, is much the way it was centuries ago, albeit with a few more towns and a few peaceful golf courses sprinkled into the mix.
The 18-hole Wilcox Oaks Golf Club in Red Bluff, CA is a private golf course that opened in 1957. Designed by Ben Harmon, Wilcox Oaks Golf Club measures 6099 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 124 and a 70 USGA rating.
The 9-hole River Tasalmi Golf Course in Redding, CA is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1990. Designed by Bill Ralston, River Tasalmi Golf Course measures 4104 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 97 and a 61.
The 9-hole Lake Almanor West Golf Course in Chester, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1974. Designed by Doug Pohlson, Lake Almanor West Golf Course measures 5873 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 130 and a 72.
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California's Central Valley stretches over 450 miles through the center of the state and parallels the Pacific Ocean. Also called the "Sacramento Valley," it encompasses such towns as Bakersfield to the south, past Sacramento and Fresno to Stockton at the northern end.
Teal Bend Golf Club runs alongside the Sacramento River, enjoying a lush landscape covered in natural wetlands. One of the characteristics the course is known for is its stunning scenery, which works against the challenging layout by being almost too distracting.
Castle Oaks Golf Club is situated on the historic Preston Farmlands. The Preston Castle, built in 1894 overlooks the rolling, oak-studded hills of the course. The course opened a century later but it blends in beautifully with the existing terrain, utilizing the Sutter and Mule Creeks and mature trees as natural hazards.
Nestled within the foothills that lie just next to Monterey wine country, Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy enjoys a stunning landscape with incredible views. The course takes advantage of the natural contours of the oak-studded hills, allowing them to dictate the placement of the bunkers for the maximum level of challenge but also utilizing the panoramic views offered by the dramatic elevations.
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From wine tasting to redwoods to quaint small towns bursting with arts, shopping and history, the North Coast of California may be the most relaxing region in the state. Here, you can explore the famous Sonoma vineyards, drive a car through a giant Redwood or experience the best of outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, river rafting, mountain biking and, of course, golf.
Established in 1892, Mare Island Golf Club is the oldest course west of the Mississippi. The course was originally just a nine-hole layout before it was recently expanded to a full 18 holes. Now, the golf course offers two distinct nines. It starts out with a more traditional front nine featuring small greens and tight fairways lined with Eucalyptus trees.
Situated along the beautiful Sonoma County Coast, the Links at Bodega Harbour enjoys stunning views of the Pacific. The golf course is a true links-style layout with rolling fairways and undulating greens. Accents of native coastal rough are reminiscent of its Scottish links heritage. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the back nine in 1978, which was the original course before the front nine was added in 1987.
Nestled in the foothills of Napa Valley, Eagle Vines Vineyards & Golf Club is bordered by endless rows of grapes. Unlike many other vineyard courses that sell their grapes, Eagle Vines produces their own wines. Surrounding the vineyards is a landscape of 200-year-old oak trees and lush, grassy meadows, an ideal setting for golf.
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San Francisco is a favorite destination for travelers all over the world, thanks to a strong mix of cultures, unique attractions and mild weather year round. It's easy to stay busy on a San Francisco vacation, from riding cable cars throughout the city to exploring one of the many unique neighborhoods, each with its own appeal.
Situated within the Oakland Hills, Lake Chabot Golf Course offers stunning views that stretch across Oakland, Bay Bridge, and the Lake Chabot area. The terrain is hilly, which makes flat lies hard to find. Accuracy and precise shot placement will get you far. The stretch of holes from the 15th to the finish has the best scenery on the golf course.
Established in 1892, Mare Island Golf Club is the oldest course west of the Mississippi. The course was originally just a nine-hole layout before it was recently expanded to a full 18 holes. Now, the golf course offers two distinct nines. It starts out with a more traditional front nine featuring small greens and tight fairways lined with Eucalyptus trees.
Tucked away in the Pittsburg foothills, Delta View Golf Club offers exactly what its name implies, beautiful views of the Delta as well as Mount Diablo in the background. The course originally opened as a nine-hole layout in 1947 but it was lengthened to an 18-hole course in 1991. The rolling terrain allows for elevated tees and undulating greens that make it feel longer than the 6,333 yards indicated on the scorecard.
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Nobody does weather better than San Diego, which makes the area a perfect location for many great outdoor activities such as shopping, hiking, surfing, sailing sunbathing and playing golf.
San Vicente Golf Resort sprawls across lush rolling hills in Ramona, though it is conveniently only 20 minutes from San Diego's many attractions. Situated in the Valley of the Sun, the golf course boasts scenic views of the surrounding mountains as well as temperate weather for most of the year.
St. Mark Golf Course is tucked away in the coastal foothills of north San Diego County less than 10 miles from the ocean, boasting a landscape of mature trees and idyllic backdrops. Its proximity to the ocean also provides refreshing coastal breezes.
The 18-hole Fallbrook Golf Club in Fallbrook, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1962. Designed by Harry Rainville, Fallbrook Golf Club measures 6223 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 125 and a 71.3 USGA rating. The course features 2 sets of tees for different skill levels.
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Between the bustling metropolises of Los Angeles and San Francisco runs an unparalleled stretch of American beauty that is the Central Coast of California. State Route 1 along the Pacific has long been aptly numbered in inspirational value for painters, writers, vacationers, and, of course, golfers.
Avila Beach Golf Resort is located right along the bay, giving it a scenic setting that has made it the most well known of the Central Coast golf courses. The layout offers plenty of variety with a hilly front nine that features small, often elevated, greens that are surrounded by oak-lined valleys and a back nine that that is routed across a tidal estuary.
Cypress Ridge Golf Club stretches along the Central Coast, taking its name from the abundant cypress trees that are scattered throughout the course. The scenic and hilly terrain is the star of this layout, it provides challenging ups-and-downs but also stunning views.
The 18-hole Lakes/Canyon at Blacklake Golf Resort in Nipomo, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1965. Designed by Ted Robinson, Sr. , Lakes/Canyon at Blacklake Golf Resort measures 6401 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 123 and a 70.
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The year 1849 and the California Golf Rush are long gone, but "Gold Country" is still an attractive region of the state. Also nicknamed the "Mother Lode" region, it includes the capital city of Sacramento to the west and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which head into Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park to the east in Mariposa County, the state's largest.
Whitney Oaks Golf Club in Rocklin sits just half an hour from Sacramento but the stunning landscape blanketed with thousands of live oaks feels much more secluded. In addition to the trees, massive granite outcroppings accent the course. It is both a visually stunning and formidable championship layout.
Haggin Oaks boasts two championship golf courses, the Alister Mackenzie Course and the Arcade Creek Course. Designed by the legendary architect known most famously for Augusta National, the Alister Mackenzie Course has a classic but formidable design.
Turkey Creek Golf Club in Lincoln sprawls across rolling hills that are covered with mature oak forests. The back nine even closely resembles Germany's Black Forest. The centerpiece of the course is the old granite quarry that was transformed into an expansive lake that comes into play on the third and final holes.
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The Los Angeles area, which includes Hollywood and Beverly Hills, has often been called the land of make-believe and dreams, but one thing is certain: There's plenty to do and plenty of ways to do it. From the movie studios, to the beaches, to the Dodgers and Lakers, to enjoying the sunny weather on the golf courses, it does indeed seem to never rain in Southern California.
DeBell Golf Club in Burbank offers an 18-hole Regulation Course and a nine-hole par-3 course. The Regulation Course has a tight layout with narrow fairways and a variety of elevation changes that range from subtle to dramatic. Accuracy is the key to doing well on this golf course but it's not overly punishing.
Located just minutes from LAX, Rio Hondo Golf Club is conveniently accessible from the South Bay and Orange County. Golf Digest has ranked the course as one of southern California's "Places to Play." The course features tight, tree-lined fairways and subtly contoured greens that are faster than they look. It's not a particularly long layout but the par 3s provide some good length. Golfers will face a variety of challenges throughout, but there is also plenty of scenic respite.
Marshall Canyon Golf Course is nestled within the scenic foothills that overlook La Verne. The course is seemingly short at 6,110 yards from the back tees but it's not to be underestimated. The hilly terrain provides more than enough uneven lies and blind shots.
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Northern California's High Sierra makes for some of the world's most spectacular natural mountain wonders. It's home to Yosemite National Park, home to mighty waterfalls and marvelous glacial rock formations. To the north, sparkling Lake Tahoe sits at an elevation of over 6,000 feet and provides one of the West's great winter and summer escapes, home to skiing in the winter, and boating, mountain climbing and plenty of golf in the warmer months.
Tahoe Donner Golf Course was carefully carved from forests of pine with streams and creeks that meander across the layout. Overlooking the Truckee Valley, the course epitomizes the beauty of the High Sierra and the commitment to preserving the environment was recognized with the course's certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Gold Country, Apple Mountain Resort has a dramatic landscape that provides plenty of elevation changes, making it a nearly impossible course to walk. Some of the drops from tee to green are unbelievable, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding mountains. Nearly every hole enjoys a stunning backdrop.
Located at the base of a ski resort, Northstar at Tahoe Golf Course possesses two completely different nines. Robert Muir Graves, the designer, fully utilized the rugged Tahoe landscape, creating a course that partly plays across grassy meadows before moving on to more mountainous terrain.
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Those who drive the famous Highway 101 up the California coast will agree there is no better ocean drive in the United States -- and perhaps the world. The beauty of the coastline is highlighted by 17-mile drive along the Monterey Peninsula, which passes through beach towns as well as one of the world's most coveted golf vacation destinations.
For a variety of reasons, some of which include the challenging layouts and stunning views over the Monterey Peninsula, the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses have hosted to numerous PGA legends such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as well as several U.S. Presidents and foreign dignitaries.
Nestled within the foothills that lie just next to Monterey wine country, Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy enjoys a stunning landscape with incredible views. The course takes advantage of the natural contours of the oak-studded hills, allowing them to dictate the placement of the bunkers for the maximum level of challenge but also utilizing the panoramic views offered by the dramatic elevations.
Pacific Grove Golf Links is perched at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula looking out over Point Pinos and the sparkling blue Pacific. The championship course has an interesting layout that combines both parkland and links holes. The golf course begins inland through densely forested areas and then makes its way towards the coast.
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Composed of the Ontario, Riverside and San Bernardino areas, the Inland Empire is the fifth largest urban area in the state of California and quickly becoming one of the most diverse. Although it holds onto to its agricultural roots, which includes the Temecula Wine Region, the area is growing in terms of cultural arts, sports and recreation, including golf.
California Oaks Golf Club enjoys a stunning backdrop provided by both the San Jacinto Mountains and Temecula Valley, prime southern California wine country. The course sprawls across gently rolling hills, allowing the natural contours of the land to determine the undulation of the greens and placement of the bunkers. The result is a formidable test that is versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of skill levels.
The 18-hole Shandin Hills Golf Club in San Bernardino, CA is a public golf course that opened in 1985. Designed by Cary Bickler, Shandin Hills Golf Club measures 6556 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 127 and a 70.
Nestled in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, Yucaipa Valley Golf Club enjoys a stunning backdrop on most of its holes. Yucaipa Valley offers the unique combination of being both challenging and affordable, for this reason it's a local favorite. The layout is player friendly enough to appeal to a wide range of skill levels.
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Although Orange County might be best known as the original home of Mickey Mouse, the area anchored by Disneyland offers plenty of other entertainment options for travelers, including scores of diverse golf courses, both on the coast and inland.
Tucked away in the hills of San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Golf Course is situated midway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Its location is conveniently close to Legoland, Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, and miles of sandy beaches. The championship golf course underwent a major renovation of its fairways and greens, making them some of the best in south Orange County.
Meadowlark Golf Club in Huntington Beach is a player-friendly layout that is a popular choice amongst locals. Like most classically designed layouts, the course is short and tight but that also makes it easily walkable. The pin placements on the greens can be tricky and there are also some challenging water hazards that come into play on several holes.
Nestled in the foothills of Yorba Linda, Black Gold Golf Club sits on the site of a former Shell Oil Field. Arthur Hills, the course's designer, thought the location, with its dramatic elevation changes and panoramic views overlooking Orange County and Palm Beach, was the perfect place for a round of golf.
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Desert hotbed Palm Springs anchors the Coachella Valley, a region home to a collection of cities with a wealth of golf communities. The valley is a favorite spot for seasonal residents and retirees, especially those after sunny winters on golf courses in prime, lush and green condition. Between January and April, few spots on earth are better for desert golf!
On the Classic Club's scenic landscape, golfers will find a wide variety of trees including olive trees, towering pines, and California pepper, but unlike the many other golf courses in Palm Springs, there isn't a single palm tree.
The Shark's turned in what's widely regarded as the second-toughest course at PGA West - Greg Norman Course in La Quinta. No small feat considering the developers of the neighboring TPC Stadium ordered Pete Dye to make it, "the hardest damn golf course in the world."
Nestled at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, Indian Canyons Golf Resort offers two championship courses with stunning views. The two golf courses, North and South, have completely different layouts but they are both sheltered from the wind thanks to the surrounding mountains. The South Course is the shorter of the two, making it the more player-friendly course. That is not to say it is not a challenge though.
Golf in the O.C.: Seven things you should know about your trip to Orange County
Bear in your mind on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West in La Quinta
