Public Golf Courses in California

With the Golden State’s temperate, sunny climate, public golf courses in California are the perfect place to enjoy a round of golf almost any time of year. Public golf courses in California are also home to some of the most spectacular greens in North America. There are beautiful courses all along the scenic coasts, as well as in the dry deserts further inland.

Top Ten Destinations

In total, there are over 1,100 public golf courses in California, primarily located in the sunnier regions of the state. The top ten golfing hot spots are:

- Palm Desert
- San Diego
- La Quinta
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento
- Fresno
- Indio
- Rancho Mirage
- San Jose
- Palm Springs

Public Golf Courses in the California Desert

Thanks to the miracle of irrigation and the Colorado River, which separates California from Arizona, Californians are able to enjoy a game originating in the snowy mountains of Scandinavia and nurtured in the cool, rainy highlands of Scotland.

Only a few hours from a number of Los Angeles County Golf Courses rests Palm Desert and its neighboring communities. This area stretches along Interstate 10 and make up perhaps the number one golfing destination in the state. Two of the many fine golf courses you will find there include Monterey Country Club and Palm Valley Country Club. The Monterey Country Club features over 375 acres of stunning greens with spectacular views of the Santa Rosa Mountains and encourages non-residents to join them and enjoy a private country club lifestyle.

Palm Valley Country Club offers a 36-hole, private championship golf course with fairways that are lined with majestic palm trees and beautiful lakes. The terrain requires you to test your skills with every club in your bag, so you must come prepared to play your best long and short game.

Public Golf Courses in the California Central Valley

Together, the great San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys create an expansive, oval-shaped depression some 500 miles long and 100 miles wide between the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Ranges north of the Los Angeles Basin. Once a shallow inland sea, the Central Valley not only contains some of America’s prime agricultural lands, but also many of America’s best golf courses.

San Jose is located inside the Central Valley very close to the geographic center of the state. A few of the breathtaking public golf courses in California near San Jose include the Summitpointe Golf Club in Milipitas and the Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Club. Summitpointe is touted for offering a private golf club experience to all of its guests because it is nestled in the beautiful foothills of Milipitas and has a picturesque view of the South Bay.

Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Club is another one of the beautiful public golf courses in California that offers lush, rolling fairways and a fun and challenging golf experience for all skill levels. The par 72 course boasts 58 bunkers and many water hazards, so depending on your skill level, you may need to practice using your sand wedge and bring along few extra balls.