Best Golf Courses in San Diego | Golfing in San Diego

Overlooking a pristine, endless coast of the Pacific Ocean, the iconic Torrey Pines Golf Course owned by the city of San Diego sits amidst picturesque cliffs. Standing at an elevation of 380 feet, this municipal public facility is popular among players of all aptitudes because greens are large, slow and rounds are long so that you play with ideal pace. There are 2 idyllic courses at the venue, the North and South ones, having smoothly carpeted grasslands along the ocean offering breathtaking views to those finishing their rounds.

Hours: Monday - Sunday: 6am - 7pm
Rates: $43 (residents), $122 (non-residents), varies slightly between 18-hole and Twilight course
Location: La Jolla, San Diego, California

Priding itself with a prime suburban location along the pristine Pacific coast and smooth plateaus, The Crossings at Carlsbad is a top-notch championship golf venue sprawled over 400 acres. Keeping in mind the requirements to challenge golfers of all aptitudes, the course was designed strategically by Greg Nash with undulating grounds and fast greens. Players are allowed up to 7 rounds over 5 separate tee boxes, while this varies with Twilight and Super Twilight games.

Timings: Wednesday: 6am - 5:30pm, Thursday: 8am - 8pm, Other days: 6am - 8pm
Pricing : $62 (residents), $99 (non-resident)
Location: The Crossings Drive, Carlsbad, California

Overlooking the picturesque Batiquitos lagoon, this golf course in San Diego runs along untouched hillsides of San Diego featuring uniquely placed bunkers and water hazards to test golfers of all aptitudes. This state-of-the-art course is flanked with tree-lined fairways and rural wildflowers of Southern California. Alongside the memorable course is the dual-storied gorgeous clubhouse with a lounge area and bar for you to relax after rounds. Dining options include a stately Italian restaurant, a rooftop Argyle steakhouse, a bistro, a modern poolside bar and a barbecue. You can purchase quality equipment at the upscale pro shop near the 1st hole. Guests can enjoy bayfront views from the property’s floral garden.

Timings : 6:30am – 5pm, Tuesday – Sunday, 8am – 5pm, Monday
Pricing : $245 – $265
Location : Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad, California

Washed with the southern California glow and Pacific breeze, this bayfront golf course is renowned as the only Tom Fazio designed course in San Diego. Featuring diverse bunkering, broad fairways and challenging elevations, Grand Golf Club offers leisurely games in a soothing climate. PGA certified instructors are available at the academy for one-on-one training over 7 acres of practice grounds. Overlooking the last hole with a cascading finish is the regal, 50,000 sq ft banquet hall and clubhouse for enjoying sumptuous meals, snacks and exotic drinks. Their most unique amenities are traditional forecaddies and accommodation facilities at the lavish on-site hotel.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing : $84 – $116
Location : Grand Del Mar Way, San Diego, California

Known as a top-rated club for its outstanding putting greens and chipping areas, this golf course in San Diego is ideal for beginners, while it also caters to advanced golfers who can play challenging rounds at the broad, rocky cliffs and meandering creeks. As soon as you reach the first tee, you are welcomed by graceful waterfalls, three lakes, rich flora and fauna over 40 acres of ravishing inland forests.

Timings : 6am - 6pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $129 - $215
Location : Old Coach Road, Poway, California

Barona Creek Golf Club is a close-knit community club with a well-designed course atop rolling foothills. The course provides terrain for golfers of all skill levels including an academy for beginners. It is ranked as one of San Diego’s best layouts and has gurgling fairways complete with moderately distanced tee boxes for an enjoyable game. Black Tees are strategically manicured for championship and advanced training. Members can avail attractive discounts on snacks at the restaurant and the pro shop’s apparel. Tournament services are also arranged by the staff with personalized carts and play cards for a thrilling round with your friends.

Timings : 6:30am – 5pm, Monday – Sunday
Pricing : $120 (Public Twilight), $160 (Tournaments)
Location : Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside, California

A favorite golf destination among locals and celebrities alike, this bayfront course overlooks the San Diego harbor and Coronado Bay Bridge. In contrast to its contemporaries, the course is sculpted on plains, making the greens easy, fairways wide and walkable. Feast and Fareway is the property’s American restaurant and bar with outdoor joints offering course views. The ornate banquet hall here accommodates up to 200 guests and celebrates weddings, tournaments, fundraisers and parties with pomp and ceremony. There are several upscale hotels in the area, including Hotel Del Coronado, Hilton Bayfront, Gaslamp Hotel and Coronado Island Marriott Resort.

Timings : 5:30am – 8pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $30 – $49
Location : Visalia Row, Coronado, California

Housed within a 4-star Spanish style inn, the Rancho Bernardo Golf Course is perfect for hosting tournaments and leagues for advanced golfers and has signature grass along the oak-lined greens. Practice and instruction are available at the driving range featuring grass or mat tees, distanced accurately for beginners. The resort has a restaurant with a verandah lounge and grill serving fresh American dishes and chilled beers. After your round of golf, stay at the majestic, well-equipped suites and enjoy therapeutic treatments at the spa. The banquet hall and buffet are also a great choice for celebrating romantic weddings, corporate meetings and parties with pomp and ceremony.

Timings : Open daily, 24 hours
Pricing : $125 (adults), $128 (Twilight)
Location : Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego, California

Balboa Park Golf Course holds second place among Southern California’s best and oldest daily-fee golf courses, owing to its panoramic downtown views and mesmerizing ocean vistas. There are abundant undulating greens and deep roughs for challenging yourself to play your best game. You can play over 18 holes as well as the shorter, 9-hole executive course here, featuring smooth Kikuyu grass greens and hilly fairways. Balboa Park is host to esteemed world-famous regulars like Sam Snead, as it is to families looking for a rejuvenating getaway and a short stroll with their pet.

Timings : 6am - 7pm, Monday-Sunday
Pricing : $23 (Adults), $10.50 (Junior Monthly)
Location : Golf Course Dr, San Diego, California

Real Del Mar Golf Resort is housed within a magnificent 5-star resort with luxurious amenities and authentic Mexican architecture. Featuring modern designs and technology to ensure a challenging game of golf, the well-maintained course meanders along tabletop land vistas with its undulating greens and wide fairways. The Havana Café Bar on premises serves delicious dinner and exotic drinks, along with a daily complimentary breakfast. The course has 60 neat bunkers for individual practice with certified professionals besides the scenic driving range. The friendly staff arranges car rentals, exciting water activities like canoeing and wildlife watching for you to explore the bayfront tourist spots.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing : $45
Location : Ensenada, Baja, California

Steele Canyon Golf Club offers challenging elevation changes and subtle nuances at its Vineyard nine, complete seclusion at the Ranch nine, each following the dramatic setting of San Diego’s most spectacular canyons. Tee It Forward is their 9-hole course with modified tees, designed to provide players of all skill levels with an exciting experience. Pure putting greens allow balls to drop into designated holes, which is a major architecture to provide beginners with convenience. You can train under PGA certified professionals at the club’s academy. Take part in monthly leagues, corporate outings and ceremonial events celebrated at the club’s large banquet hall with first-class arrangement from the staff.

Timings : 6am – 9am, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $30
Location : Stonefield Drive, Jamul, California

Castle Creek Country Club is a PGA certified, 5-star championship golf course situated in the ravishing countryside of Southern California. The club challenges players with oak-lined fairways, pristine white sand bunkers and deep greens. They boast of intermittent play over Moosa creek which redefines golf and adds character to every hole. They also offer a banquet hall with a buffet, accommodating up to 250 people. Owing to the serene rural location with captivating hill views, it is a popular space for tournaments, fundraisers, charity events, weddings and executive parties. The clubhouse has a casual restaurant and bar, serving tasty snacks, dinners, desserts and chilled drinks.

Timings: Friday and Saturday: 7 am – 12 pm, Other days: 7 am – 9 pm
Pricing : $38
Location : Circle R Drive, Escondido, California

Basked in the sweetened desert sunshine amidst sparkling waterfalls, lakes and native plants, this golf course in San Diego meanders through Anza Borrego State Park’s hilly terrain. Their hotel, La Casa del Zoro, is a polished property with elegant views, tile flooring, fireplaces and vaulted ceilings. Chef de Cuisine’s Kurt Hauser prepares extraordinary delicacies for you to relish at the private lawn diners. The golf course is sculpted on a plain valley with lush fairways, perfectly distanced tee boxes and greens, offering golfers a relaxed game. Trainees can choose between the 9-hole and 18-hole courses, depending on their range of comfort.

Timings: Monday – Tuesday: 7am – 4pm, Wednesday – Sunday: 7am – 8pm
Pricing : $120 – $150
Location : Rams Hill Road, Borrego Springs, California

Elevate your game of golf at the scenic rural deserts of San Diego’s most lusciously forested golf course, San Vicente, flanked with ponds, aged oaks and waterfalls. The property has a well-merchandised pro shop selling customized apparel and latest equipment. San Vicente also has an esteemed array of hospitality suites hosting tournaments, leagues, weddings and parties for up to 300 people. Their restaurant offers multi-cuisine delights and course-facing outdoor diners. Located along the driving range is the practice area where you can train under professional golfers certified by PGA. The men’s slope rating is between 121 to 132, while it ranges from 134 to 145 for women.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing: 5 rounds – $40 USD, 10 rounds – $35 USD, 20 rounds – $30 USD
Location : San Vicente Road, Ramona, California

Tucked amidst 220 acres of beautiful olive groves, 12 acres of pristine lakes and a community vegetable garden, the Baja Country Club is a charming golf course with rich flora and fauna to admire while finishing your rounds. The course is located a stone’s throw away from Southern Ensenada’s upscale shopping malls, revered universities and white sand beaches. Hosting well-organized events for golf enthusiasts and visitors alike, the club is a famous destination for tournaments, clinics, altruistic events as well as corporate outings. A pros shop stocking customized apparel and a vivacious clubhouse with an American restaurant are some of the course’s highlights.

Timings : 8am – 6pm
Pricing : $47, $30 after 3pm
Location : Francisco El Modero, Ensenada, California

Housed within a sophisticated 3-star, ranch-style resort, this championship golf course in San Diego meanders along the foothills and fragrant vines of Temecula wine country, offering advanced golfers with undulating greens, broad fairways and challenging obstacles to hone their skills. They also have a short 9-hole course for quick rounds with plain tee boxes. Rated as one of California’s 200 best courses by Golf Digest, the club also has an esteemed golf academy of talented PGA certified pros. The Aqua Terra Restaurant on site is best known for its steak and crafted beer. In the evenings, you can enjoy live music and refreshments at the resort’s stylish bar.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing : $40 – $63
Location : Old Highway 395, Fallbrook, California

Situated in the bountiful wilderness of mountains in Salsipuedes around San Miguelito beach, this oceanfront championship course is popular for the array of adventure activities available at the Bajamer Golf Resort like sailing, rafting and mountain biking. The massive 27-hole course calls for your best game, slow rounds at fast, undulating greens. This course has a classic design inspired by golf courses from the British Isles. Five holes perched atop a cliff overlooking the ocean are the most challenging and scenic to play, well-suited for advanced golfers. The Spanish family restaurant on site offers beach, garden and course views and delicious homestyle meals.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing : $70
Location : Tijuana Scenic Toll Road, Ensenada, California

Bonita Golf Club is a serene countryside championship course with challenging greens and broad fairways to suit golfers of all aptitudes. Located in a scenic bayfront valley with a long driving range, this is a perfect spot for players and tourists alike. They host monthly tournaments and fundraisers at the banquet hall with a live music and buffet. This is San Diego’s only course with indoor practice and training facilities with LPGA certified professionals. The course has a pro shop across the last hole selling latest apparel and high-tech equipment. Guests can enjoy grilled delights and chilled beer at their casual restaurant and bar.

Timings: Saturday: 7 am – 7 pm, Other days: 7 am – 6 pm
Pricing : $32 (adults), $28 (Twilight)
Location : Sweetwater Road, Bonita, California

Boasting of 450,000 happy members at the club, Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course in San Diego’s countryside is a pleasure for players of all aptitudes. The course is designed with water hazards and sand traps to test accuracy as well as bunkers for trainees at their academy. Visit the on-site restaurant across the last hole to relish quick snacks, juicy grills and chilled drinks. A team of caterers are available to serve delicious cuisines during celebrations and parties at their gardens with great vistas. The property is also great for families who can explore the driving range along 22 tee boxes.

Timings : 5:30am – 7pm, Monday to Sunday
Pricing : $25 (18 holes), $16 (Twilight)
Location : Bonita Road, California

This legendary western-style golf course in San Diego is sprawled over 2,500 acres at the foothills of Mt. Julian. They have a rustic 27,000 sq ft accommodation, 2 international restaurants, a spa and a pool. Equestrian facilities and the golf course are Warner Springs’ highlights. They serve Riverside County and offer daily-fee rounds. The championship golf course is sculpted on a ranch dating back to the 1800s, features appealing rural beauty and is positioned beside Lake Henshaw. The scenic greens have well-distanced tee boxes offering relaxed rounds, while the course becomes better suited for pros along the front 9 holes with elevation changes and sand traps to test your accuracy.

Timings : 6am – 6pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $35 – $50
Location : California Highway, Warner Springs, California

The Borrego Springs Golf Course is a resort style, custom designed course with dramatic island greens and fairways, water features and sand traps over narrow fairways. With wading geese come to watch your game, this landscaped course is sure to delight players of multiple skill levels. The walkable course has a long driving range which winds along the extensive desert mountains and stunning lakes. Their short, 9-hole executive course is quite thrilling for a quick game. Take an opportunity to learn professional golf with LPGA instructors at the academy, finished with 6 varying targets. A computerized handicap system is also available for fittings at the pro shop.

Timings : Open daily, 7am – 5pm
Pricing : $37 – $52
Location : Tilting T Drive, Borrego Springs, California

Built over 300 acres of sweeping mountains and lofty oak-lined valleys, this golf course in San Diego features spectacular views and dramatic elevation changes for challenging golfers to bring their best game. They boast of unique names for their 3 courses inspired by the terrain. Stonehouse Nine Golf Course is short, with 9 holes carved along rock outcroppings for precision play. Creek Golf Course offers traditional style adjoining fairways for increased length while the Oaks Golf Course better suited for beginners. This championship course is also a favorite hangout spot for tourists and locals owing to its walkable grounds and the stylish, open-air restaurant serving hot snacks.

Timings : Open daily, 5am – 9pm

Pricing : $49 – $130

Founding year : 1990

Architect : Dick Rossen, Ted Robinson Sr.

Holes : 27

Par : 72

Slope : 130

Type : Resort

Tees :

• Creek/Oaks
• Oak/Stonehouse
• Stonehouse/Creek

• Child-friendly
• Pets allowed
• Golf academy
• Restaurant and bar
• Driving Range
• Putting green
• Chipping area
• Swimming, billiards
• Meeting facilities
• Banquet facilities
• Free parking
• Fitness, spa

• Carts
• Clubs

Since its first opening in 1963, the Cottonwood Rancho San Diego golf course has been one of the most acclaimed golf destinations in downtown San Diego among championship players and leisure golfers. True to its name, the course meanders along large groves of verdant cottonwood trees and well-aligned tee boxes to offer breathtaking vistas and challenging games. There are 2 short game practice grounds with bunkers and water hazards for individual training under PGA certified professionals. You can purchase carts and the latest apparel at their pro shop. Junior golf programs, tournaments and American state leagues are some exciting events hosted here.

Timings : Open daily, 6am – 7pm
Pricing : $50
Location : Willow Glen Drive, El Cajon, California

Sitting amidst Dehesa Valley’s 250 acres of elegant desert, this resort has a beautifully designed championship course with a massive 54-hole ground lined with wide fairways and well-manicured, fast greens. Regarded highly as San Diego’s only 3 course golf resort, the property further houses a sumptuous grill and modern bar for players to relax after their rounds. Outdoor dining with breathtaking desert and mountain views is also available. The Primrose Spa is an abode for therapeutic massages while you enjoy your staycation at the polished 4-star casino hotel on-premises. The surrounding valley is famous for picturesque sunsets and wildlife safaris.

Timings : Open 24 hours
Pricing : $84 – $116
Location : Casino Way, El Cajon, California

Basked in the glory of Temecula Valley is Cross Creek Golf Club, a golfer’s abode in the thickly forested hilly areas of Southern California. Known for its close-range tee boxes and slow resplendent greens, the club offers a fair game for pros and beginners seeking recreation alike. If your drive is perfect, the back 9 holes with side-hill second shots is perfect, while the front 9 are designed to fit the terrain over plain tree-lined meadows. A range of tees are offered, among which green and gold also welcome women.

Timings : 6am – 8pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $25
Location : Glen Meadows Road, Temecula, California

Redhawk is California’s most spectacular golf course in terms of space and scenery, boasting a lakeside championship facility with an amazing driving range for tourists and trail walkers. Fast greens, abundant teeing spots and smooth fairways spread over a length of 7056 yards are this golf course in San Diego's specialties, challenging players of all levels. You can play all-year-round at this well-maintained suburban venue.

Hours: 10am - 6pm, Monday - Sunday
Bookings: $22 for 2 adults
Location: Temecula, California, Riverside County

Ranked as the 3rd best golf course in California state, Twin Oaks was designed by Ted Robinson with a layout suitable for the fair championship and next-level training sessions. Host to lots of yearly leagues like SCGA events, junior golf and clinic, tournaments and ranked games providing you a chance to assess your competitive skill levels are also held at this iconic and affordable venue.

Timings: 6am - 8pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing: $99 (2 adults), cart included
Location: San Marcos, California

A true embodiment of all the glorifying vistas San Diego offers, the year-round Eagle Crest Golf Course is located at the manicured San Pasqual Valley in Southern California. The wildflowers, eight lakes and waterfalls here create a naturally relaxing retreat. Challenging even the most professional golfers to hone their skills, this daily fee championship facility provides a series of holes requiring skills to make full-range shots.

Timings: 7am - 7pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing: $26.95 - $36.95
Location: Old Ranch Road, Escondido, California

Oceanside Golf Course is a Parkland style, year-round venue with well-appointed fairways and relaxed greens, where the pace is flexible enough to give golfers to all aptitudes and age groups a sense of accomplishment. Nestled against the riveting backdrop of hilly, tree-lined layouts on a coastal landscape, this course brings you every game level from country club games to PGA championships.

Timings: 6am - 6pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing: $20 (Regular), $17 (Seniors 55+)
Location: Douglas Drive, Oceanside, California

Featuring great diversity of gurgling, sun-soaked valleys along the first 9 holes and the shores of pristine Lake Murray along the next 9, this golf course in San Diego is steeped in tropical modernism of Mount Cowles and offers valuable challenges and highly technological amenities. The strategic changes in elevation across the solid course and large distances between adjacent tee boxes are well-suited for pros. Quite a few state tournaments are held here yearly, which you can participate in with friends or just come to watch the thrilling games.

Timings : 6am - 7:30pm, Monday - Sunday
Pricing : $20
Location : Golfcrest Pl, San Diego, California

The Vineyard Golf Course is North County San Diego’s pride, located on the northern shores of Lake Hodges along Orfila Vineyard in an agricultural preserve of San Pasqual Valley. The course boasts of scenic wetlands, mountains, grapevines, and a large, protected wildlife reserve to explore on foot or admire while finishing your golf rounds. The front and back 9 holes feature 10 - 20 divot marks on each hole to enhance playability and convenience.

Timings: Tuesday: 5:30am – 4pm, Wednesday: 8am – 7pm, Other days: 5:30am – 7pm
Pricing : $57 (Twilight), $40 (Seniors 55+)
Location : San Pasqual Road, Escondido, California

With a notable heritage dating back to 1958, this golf course in San Diego continues to impress golfers with its spectacular championship course and peninsula scenery. The course is flanked with pristine lakes, meandering creeks and mature oaks, making it a uniquely challenging ground. There are six sets of tees with yardage ranging from 5039 yards to a sprawling 7014 yards. Demanding shots are required across the tree-lined lakes at the front nine holes, while the back nine gives you more leisured green and valley-bound fairways.

Timings : 6am - sunset
Pricing : $20
Location : Inwood Dr, Santee, California

Encircled by ravishing green palm, oak and eucalyptus trees on the Mission Valley, Riverwalk Golf Club is a pioneer among its kind in the Hotel Circle area and offers a resort-style, full-length course with a short game area. The property further houses excellent amenities like a clubhouse with country dining joints and a pro shop selling carts and gold merchandise. Accommodating up to 300 people, the event space features a stately hall and a buffet, ideal for personalized weddings, tournament openings, receptions and fundraising.

Timings : 7am – 8pm
Pricing : $25 – $45
Location : Fashion Valley Road, San Diego, California

Sitting onshore the sparkling San Marcos Lake, St. Mark Golf Club at the foothills of North County offers a challenging course with undulating fairways and elevation changes. Alongside the 18-hole course, golfers can play a quick game at the 9-hole executive course against the backdrop of the grass-only driving range. St. Mark Golf School has talented professionals providing lessons at the putting green and practice bunkers. Finish your rounds, then grab a crafted beer and snacks at the restaurant. The property has a luxury resort with airy rooms and garden views, should you choose to stay and explore the coastal wilderness around.

Timings: Sunday: 6am – 7pm, Monday – Saturday: 7am – 6:30pm
Pricing : $29 – $51
Location : San Pablo Drive, Lake San Marcos, California

Rated as Murrieta’s top competitive venue, The Golf Club at Rancho California impresses advanced golfers and beginners alike with its luscious Inland valley scenery and grassy driving range. Open since 1971, this golf course in San Diego features both 18-hole and short 9-hole facilities, complete with chipping areas, practice bunkers and putting greens. Made to build accuracy, there are water hazards and sand traps at the back 9 holes. Offering multi-cuisine breakfasts and lunch, The Grill Room across the last hole is a foodie’s abode and has both indoor and outdoor diners with exquisite Temecula valley views. The club hosts tournaments, corporate meetings and memorable weddings at their well-decorated banquet hall.

Timings : 5am – 9pm
Pricing : $50 – $130
Location : Robert Trent Jones Pkwy, Murrieta, California

Formerly known as the Meadows Lake Golf Club, this course holds 1st place among California’s Most Improved Golf Courses since 2016. Popular for hosting tournaments, romantic weddings and ceremonious occasions, Boulder Oaks has a 900 sq ft fireside room, an 1800 sq ft banquet hall and a 7000 sq ft patio for outdoor dining. Flaunting strategic architecture, the two 9-hole courses run along rolling hills flanked with mature oaks and boulders lining the fairways. After finishing your rounds, you can admire the stunning views of San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains while relishing tasty grills and chilled beer at the clubhouse.

Timings: Monday and weekends: 6am – 8pm, Tuesday – Thursday: 6am – 9pm, Friday: 6am – 10pm
Pricing : $30 – $49
Location : Meadow Glen Way E, Escondido, California

Created for entertainment and rigorous practice along the rugged undulating terrain of San Diego’s North-East County, the Mt. Woodson Golf Course at Ramona features wide fairways and spectacular views of canyons. The holes are strategically placed and named “Ledges”, “The Beach” and “Tree Tops” reflecting the scenery available. Featuring a target-style design for players of all aptitudes, the grounds here feature mature oaks, granite boulders and pristine lakes. The pro shop rents out carts with cooling systems and ample balls for first-timers. Even if you are not a golfer, you can walk the grounds and indulge in wildlife watching.

Hours : 6am – 6pm, Monday - Sunday
Rates : $35 – $50
Location : N Woodson Drive, Ramona