June 15, 2021 9:31 am ET. The total package here, highlighted by Fazio's delightful shaping of rugged terrain and generous playing corridors, along with lots of beautification on the perimeter, sets the standard for San Diego resort golf. 14. 24. 1 McClure Way, Seaside; 831-899-7271; www.bayonetblackhorse.com. Each has its own unique look and feel which helps to provide a nice rounded playing experience. More recently, renovation commenced on the course in November of 2022. Greens fees: $225-$250. Phoenix-Scottsdale Golf Courses Worth The Green Fee, Sanctuary Golf Course: Colorados Most Elusive Round Of Golf. 1 Old Ranch Road, Carmel; 831-626-2510. Signature Hole: 16th hole which is 365 yards. Greens fees: $30-$100. Torrey Pines, South Course - San Diego, CA. In the golf course building boom of the past two decades, monster courses (under the guise of the "PGA championship" moniker) were built faster than $600,000 tract houses in San Diego County. Bayonet Golf CourseThe best-kept secret in "The Kingdom" (in other words, the Monterey area) is a stern course located on the grounds of defunct Fort Ord, off Highway 1, built in 1954 by a southpaw general. Course At Wente VineyardsAnother upscale public newcomer, this Greg Norman signature course started gathering accolades from the day it opened in 1998. With excellent views, amazing staff, and a forecaddie for each group, the Grand Golf Club has one of the best golf courses in San Diego, no doubt. Torrey Pines South Golf Course - Most Famous. Pete Dye Course Courses in the United States Arizona. There are also a handful of highly reputable military golf courses. Nicknamed the Parachute, this is a 450-yard par 4 hole that has a tonne of elevation from the tee. Pete Dye's TPC Stadium Golf Course at PGA West is the (in)famous headlinera sadomasochistic "must-play" tour de force packed with pot bunkers, sand hills, and ruthlessly uneven lies. Not all of the best golf courses in San Diego are within view of the coast, however. Bodega Harbour Golf LinksUp the coast highway in the village of Bodega Bay, where Alfred Hitchcock filmed The Birds, is one of the state's treasures, a marvelously conditioned resort course that, just like a Hitch character, has two distinct personalities. Costa del Mar Road, Carlsbad; 760-438-9111; www.lacosta.com. 2. If you can't hit straight tee shots, however, you'll just have to enjoy the splendid isolation and the handsome redwoods. It's immensely popular and can host over 80,000 rounds annually, so its conditions might be a step below top resort courses, but the setting and enjoyable layout more than make up for it. Big names such as Golf Digest, Golf Advisor, and Golf Week all consider it to be one of the top courses in the country. Food is hit or miss but compared to other private clubs, it is certainly on . Or cruise north and visit stops like the great vibe at Goat Hill Park in Oceanside or 27-hole Oaks North (near Maderas). 11. Its right on the water next to the Coronado Bridge with sailboats and downtown San Diego in the background. Architect John Harbottle III has deftly blended rolling terrain with handsome directional bunkering and ultrafast greens to produce a truly memorable outing. In our GolfPass World Top 100 Destinations, it's no surprise San Diego ranks highly. These unique - and sometimes awkward - golf courses provide an experience unlike any other. Ranked 5th in the U.S. by Golf Digest, theres a lot to like about Coronado. For many golfers, the fact it was the stage for the incredible Tiger-Rocco duel of 2008 is reason enough to make the trip to San Diego (I have a relative who had to book a round on the South while in town despite hardly ever playing golf before. Among the golf course closings in San Diego, this likely will be the quietest. By Chuck Culpepper. Course conditioning has improved dramatically in recent years, and greens fees are a bargain: $27-$37. While he's played some of the most prestigious courses in the world, Tucker's favorite way to play the game is on a great muni in under three hours. Pasatiempo Golf ClubIf you sense an unapologetic predisposition toward "classic" courses, you're quite correct and need look no further than this sweet masterwork of subtle design, which is right on your way from the San Francisco Airport to the courses of Monterey. Top 20 Best San Diego Golf Courses. Carlsbad golf center. 17 c) 4. 11480 North Torrey Pines Road. Aug. 12, 2014 8 AM PT. He's a modern master, and Pelican Hill stands as one of his best. A US Open Golf Course in San Diego. 23600 McKean Road, San Jose; 408-323-5200; www.cinnabarhills.com. Too bad Ralph didn't play golf, because the same can be said of golf in the Golden State: It is plentiful, wonderful, and remarkably varied, ranging from $12 goat farms with world-class views of the Pacific to the most elite public course in the world, Pebble Beach. words by Sophie Mancini, illustration by ahonen & lamberg. La Costa Resort And SpaKnown for its many PGA Tour tournaments, golfing dons, and an enduring rumor that Jimmy Hoffa is buried beneath the 18th green, La Costa is often overlooked in modern guides promoting the best and brightest golf in the state. The front nine unfolds with a true links flavor, offering narrow fairways and few flat lies, while the home march leads you very nearly into the marsh itself. When I brought my buddies trip with wide-ranging handicaps to San Diego, we played here and not the South. This very busy, very picturesque municipal course offers a completely different waterfront golf experience than its coastal cousin, Torrey Pines. It's often played by members of the nearby Bohemian Club and guests who have a sense of history and taste for adventure. 4) Admiral Baker Golf Course (North) - San Diego, CA - 17 minutes from city center - Part of the Metro SD golf courses, Admiral Baker offers two 18 hole courses that are a perfect place to refine your game or even get introduced to the fundamentals. You're not on the ocean here, but there's no shortage of water, with five waterfalls and three lakes. Steel Canyon Golf Club. Torrey Pines South, home of the 2008 and 2021 US Open, is on everyone's list. SAN DIEGO, CA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa and 2 rounds of golf at Aviara Golf Club. During the round, you'll see boats going by, with navy planes and helicopters buzzing overhead. It's a short hop from downtown, right over the Coronado Bridge. It is also one of the hardest golf courses in the world to get a tee time. It also hosts the yearly Farmers Insurance Open, formerly known as the San Diego Open. Experience The Best Championship Golf California Has To Offer . No list of great or difficult golf courses would be complete without historic Shinnecock Hills. Hurry.our best deals go fast. At sundown Thursday, the Town Park Villas Golf Course will shut down. 55 c) . There is sharp disparity in green fees from the resident muni rates to high-end resort golf. If you're not awestruck by major championship courses, or aren't in the mood for a supreme ball-striking examination, you may not feel compelled to pay the non-resident, advanced tee time premium for a round, but enough golfers are, and wage battle with the South gladly. Located in Poway . The South Course At Torrey Pines Golf Course San Diego. Words by Elissa Polls, Photography and video by Stebs Schinnerer. Hasn't happened yet, but I'll keep trying. Maintenance has improved markedly in recent years, as word of this course has leaked out, and the greens can be lightning fast. If you're looking for a good, inexpensive round, this is the spot. I never play The Glass wellbut I also never miss an opportunity to play it. This is a course full of long par 4s, meaty par 3s and hang-on-for-dear-life par 5s. 12. 1 Family Golf Destination in the Country by Golf Digest. Maybe I will just stay home and have a drink. Pacific Grove Municipal Golf LinksFinally, the true "poor man's Pebble," a thoroughly engaging muni linkslands, set on a priceless hook of rock in view of the more famous (and expensive) courses of the Monterey Peninsula, and designed by Jack Neville, the same man who created Pebble Beach Golf Links. - stanholden, 2020 review of Coronado Golf Course. Copyright 2023 GolfPass. 1 955 Fairway Boulevard, Incline Village, Nevada; 888-236-8725;www.golfincline.com. The Bayonet is long and difficult, and a must-play course while you're waiting for your tee time at Pebble. It seems the quality of the course has unfortunately declined a little in recent years. You may have heard of the likes of the Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo Inn golf courses, but beyond these bigger names, there is an abundance of golf venues to choose from. 4h Jeff Passan. Greens fees: $85-$103. It's relatively off-the-beaten-path location also keeps its green fees a little lower compared to the top resorts and Torrey Pines in the market. Today the best of the desert are still La Quinta and PGA West, 13 miles southeast of Palm Springs, featuring a bevy of designer courses by Dye, Palmer, Nicklaus, Weiskopf, and Norman that will knock your socks off. Aviara Golf Club, home of the LPGA's . This is scenic resort golf at its best, and an undeniably luxury experience from start to finish. Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 149 yards. Its one of the most beautiful on the course and versatile in its club selection. Carmel Valley Ranch Golf ClubAfter years of tinkering with this controversial, once uncompromising Pete Dye course, first opened in 1981, the current owners have almost got it right. The layout of the course is very flat, so you should have no trouble walking it irrespective of your age. Phone: 858-581-7171 or. Torrey Pines (South Course) Southern California has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best golf destinations in the country. The Links At Spanish BayIn the past decade this sprawling golf hotel and its photogenic "true" links course have matured into a complete gourmet golf experience from first drive to last putt. Many claim Maderas Golf Club has the best views of any course in the area. https://www.youtube.com/mightygoat/join If you enjoyed this video be sure to hit that THUMBS UP, . California is home to nearly 1,000 golf courses, if you care to try and countand that includes an astonishing array of experiences: ocean courses, mountain layouts, desert tracks, famous munis, and private clubs where only God or a member can get you on. Built on the Barona Indian Reservation in 2001, Barona Creek was designed by Todd Eckenrode, who really did craft the course around all handicap levels. Ojai Valley Inn & SpaThere's something about this venerable retreat I simply adoreit's so "old" California, with a marvelously subtle George C. Thomas course built in the 1920s and thoughtfully retouched by Jay Morrish in '88. Torrey Pines South, home of the 2008 and 2021 US Open, is on everyone's list. The course has undergone two major renovations, one in 2001 and another in 2019, the latter costing $14 million. Pasatiempo's only snags can be slow play, due to the course's growing popularity, and a somewhat indifferent attitude in the pro shop. Farmingdale, Old American Golf Club. 20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz; 831-459-9155; www.pasatiempo.com. Signature Hole: 12th hole (3rd hole of the Ranch course). Sign me up to receive emails from GolfNow and NBC Sports golf brands. Cinnabar Hills Golf ClubA newcomer to the San Jose area, this engaging two-year-old 27-hole public course has quickly become the pride of the Silicon Valley golf scene. Crossings (Carlsbad) LaCosta Champions Course (Carlsbad) DrTee 1 year ago. As great as San Diego's munis are, the neighboring island of Coronado, its own municipality, has a stellar harborfont course loyalists might call better than anything else in the county. 7447 Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad; 760-603-6900; www.golfsd.com/aviara.html. For prestige and beauty, it's hard to beat Torrey Pines, site of the epic 2008 U.S. Open (which Tiger Woods won on a broken leg) and the future site of the championship, in 2021. It is also one of the hardest golf courses in the world to get a tee time. This is an app that lets players check out courses and store golfing stats. The club is complemented by the presence of the nearby Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach. The challenging course demands long and short tee shots, a refined short game, and superb . The recent addition of a Spanish-style full-service clubhouse with a thoughtful staff and an award-winning pro shop makes Pelican the perfect afternoon getaway for golf purists and harried L.A. executives. The course is a true target-style design offering shot-making challenges you will never forget. Region: East County. Torrey Pines is just one of several outstanding golf properties along the Pacific Coast near San Diego. Highest-Owned Golfers. The greens are in great shape, and the course demands a nice variety of shots, including a few blind ones and uphill approaches. 2023 American Express. The other pluses are a super-friendly shop staff and a sweeping panorama of surrounding hills and vineyards. Torrey Pines Golf Course is a 36-hole municipal golf facility on the west coast of the United States, owned by the city of San Diego, California.It sits on the coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the community of La Jolla, just south of Torrey Pines State Reserve.Opened in 1957, it was built on the site of Camp Callan, a U.S. Army installation during World War II. Coronado Golf course was rated on of the best courses in the nation by Golf Digest, so make time to . Presidio Golf Club. The Olympic Club (Lake), San Francisco . A bargain for locals (who pay a fraction of what out-of-towners pay), Torrey Pines, located along the bluffs above the Pacific just north of San Diego, is the host of the PGA Tours Farmers Insurance Open, and was the site (South Course) of Tiger Woods 14th major win, the 2008 U.S. Open, in which he beat Rocco Mediate in a playoff. They also have a performance center with a 12 hole . Coronado Golf Course. The Coronado Golf Course is one of the most popular golf courses in San Diego making its first opening in 1957. 5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore; 925-456-2475;www.wentegolf.com. How to book a Torrey Pines tee time, Honorable mentions: San Diego's short course scene. That being said, the whole experience makes for a luxurious golfing trip that is well investing in. A plethora of semi-private clubs from San Diego up through Oceanside await those willing to put on a few miles. Hole 12, Par 4: Golf Magazine's "Top 500 Holes in the World," 2000. Red Mountain Ranch Country Club, Mesa, 1986 (with Perry Dye) Karsten Golf Course at ASU, Tempe, 1989 (with Perry Dye) California. The coursea walker's paradise roams just 6,500 yards up and down the lovely eucalyptus-covered hills of the Presidio, but dramatic elevation changes, smallish greens, and narrow fairways make it a much sterner challenge than it appears on the card. Get Rates. . Not to mention a killer ice plant, magnificent sand dunes, and the photogenic lighthouse. Also, in several cases, a golf course will be listed as a redesign or remodel by Dye, rather than as an original design. Address: 2000 Visalia Row, Coronado, CA 92118. CNN calls it the second-toughest golf course in the entire world and PGA Tour professionals have called "Carnasty" the . The 10 Toughest Golf Courses In America. The course is also relatively flat, so its not at all challenging to traverse, but what really seals the deal is the price. Boulders and rock outcroppings along with impressive bunkering and a surprisingly low green fee for this premium market make it worth the drive. Much more than golf, La Costa incorporates the wellness philosophy of Dr. Deepak Chopra, has an outstanding teaching fitness programs, and wonderful accommodations and dining. By Anngmesa. A sail through one of the worlds wildest places to see blue-footed boobies, penguins, and sea lions wrestle starfish. The hardest San Diego county golf course is Torrey Pines. The Mountain West provided a taste of madness as No. Aviara Golf Club. 18 is tough also. 2700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach; 800-654-9300; www.pebblebeach.com. The only issue is that the course is reserved for those who are staying at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. In 2020, Golf Pass ranked Old American as the second toughest public golf course in the United States, after a survey of thousands of its users. Admiral Baker features 36 holes and is open to civilians. I particularly admired the trueness of the greens and the fine conditioning of the turf. Located just minutes from downtown San Diego, Coronado Golf Course is a great pick if you are looking for a public golf course. Whats more, this golf course is near downtown San Diego. Carved through the pine-covered Sierras at a top altitude of 6,500 feet, featuring tight tree-bordered fairways, beautiful turf, and glorious occasional glimpses of nearby Lake Tahoe, this "mountain" golf course became one of my favorites the first day I played it. The San Diego Golf Trail. Resort guests at The Inn at Spanish Bay or The Lodge at Pebble Beach get a slight break. 4h Mike Coppinger. Youll have to be very careful approaching the green as there is a pond very close by. Designed by Gary Player, its plain to see from the above photo that the Steel Canyon golf course is highly photogenic. Amaury Bouhours, the 33-year-old chef at the helm of Le Meurice in Paris, combines tradition and innovation. But the views are priceless, if you can get a tee time. If your group is coming to San Diego in the rainier winter months, you may want to tack on an overnight here to ensure warmth & sunshine for a round or two. stands Mission Trails Golf Course, 6,000 yards, par 71 . 6. Look for the available Hot Deals and save up to 80% off on tee times and receive 100% weather protection guarantee. 10 Best SoCal Golf Courses. But you'd better pay attention to your game because this early Jones Jr. course, which reads just 6,200 on the card, can bruise your ego, especially if the ocean breeze is kicking up. However, the back 9 are much better. With its private club feel, excellent conditions and exceptional customer service, it's no wonder Maderas is on. Head Golf Pro: Renny Brown, PGA. 22651 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast; 949-760-0707; www.pelicanhill.com. The par 3s are particularly strong, offering a great variety and one of the toughest holes on the course, the par-3 17th, which can play as long as 242 yards over water. . Torrey Pines Golf CourseSince you're in the neighborhood, you might as well take in the king of southern California municipal golf: a place that, whatever it lacks in terms of refinements, it compensates for with a pair of terrific, well-conditioned golf courses. DrTee 1 year ago. Just 25 minutes north of downtown, RBI, as its known to locals, is a gracious, Spanish-style resort. - Lined with 100-year-old evergreens, and topping out at nearly 8,400 yards, The Pines is the longest golf course in North America. Not all of the best golf courses in San Diego are within view of the coast, however. 17. 22 San Diego State sucked the life out of New . Written By: SoCalPulse Contributor. Architect: Arnold Palmer. Opened in 1991 before the Ryder Cupand dubbed Looney Dunes for the mishaps therethe Ocean Course has the highest combination of Slope Rating (155) and Course Rating (79.6) in America. The practice range is the best in the Del Monte Forest, and the staff at the cozy clubhouse is very friendly. So that summarizes the 9 best golf courses in San Diego according to fellow golfers. It weaves you through a wind-swept forest one minute and flings you out by crashing surf the next. Encinitas Ranch has elevated tees as well as some distant ocean views, plus the course is super playable. You might not have heard of these brands, but they're leaving their mark. . San Diego Padres. Highway 1; 707-785-2468; www.searanchvillage.com. It can play as long as almost 250 yards over water. Many claim Maderas Golf Club has the best views of any course in the area. The difficulty comes in properly reading the bold slopes on those greens; putting from below holes is a must! We can get you one. A friend calls Bodega Bay "Monterey minus the attitude," noting that hotel prices and greens fees are about half of what you pay downstate. Hole 18 in particular, is one of the most enjoyable. The Lobos enter the GCU/ASU Classic 6-9 after most recently recording a 1-4 effort last weekend at the Troy Cox Classic. Narrowing down ten of the best San Diego golf courses, not to mention sorting them into any order, isn't easy. Tops in the San Diego area, this pretty golf course is situated in the heart of golf's Silicon Valley, near the manufacturing complexes of Callaway and Taylor Made, among others. The Aviara course features unusually large greens. Mike and I started this journey in January of 2017. Tee times deals in San Diego starting from as low as $12. They're not far off the mark. 17700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma; 707-996-0300; www.sonomamissioninn.com. You will not be able to play the composite course used for the Anderson Consulting Match Play World Golf Championship; nevertheless, the next best thing is the difficult South Course, copiously tree- and water-lined, where accuracy is a must. The Willow Glen and Oak Glen courses are fairly similar in quality and style, but if you only have time for one round, Willow Glen has a few more standout, picturesque holes. Half the golf world seems to pass through the hotel's wide, handsome lobby, the bagpiper at dusk continues to enthrall guests, and the Watson-Tatum-Jones Jr. collaboration built out back on Sam Morse's former sand quarry is finally earning the marks it deserves as one of America's finest golf courses. Location: 7447 Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad. Round Mountain Golf Course - Round Mountain, NV. With 72 golf courses in every conceivable setting from mountains to desert to ocean, it's no wonder Golf Digest named San Diego one of the Top 50 golf destinations in the world.. San Diego's temperate weather keeping local links in playing condition year-round, so duffers and scratch golfers alike can get their fill of the wide fairways, rolling hills, stunning landscapes and challenging . The course is open for both La Costa club members and guests. Is there a more fascinating hole on earth than the fourththat gorgeous wee par-four, hard by the Pacific, that requires you to bravely fire your shot over an ice plant and then thread an approach into an elongated sliver of a sunken green? The par 3s are particularly strong, offering a great variety and one of the toughest holes on the course, the par-3 17th, which can play as long as 242 yards over water. Spread out on 380 acres in the hills north of San Diego, a little over 5 miles from Torrey Pines, the layout dips and climbs through Los Penasquitos Canyon, where Fazio let nature take its course. Another plus is its affiliation with the adjacent Four Seasons Resort, renowned for its customer service, which perhaps spills over to the pro shopone of the most customer-friendly operations in the state. You won't soon forget it. Marine Memorial features a regulation 18 holes and a 9-hole par-3 course. #1 HARDEST COURSE EVER MADE! The club is a quick ride away from the airport, making it a great opening or closing round to a golf trip. You can select between a hybridand a 9 iron, just make sure you dont overhit! Lane, Hall of Fame boxing referee, dies at 85. By contrast, Dye's La Quinta Mountain Course, in 1992 the site of the California State Open, and the slightly gentler adjacent Dunes Course are frequently rated by pros and superintendents as two of the fairest tests in the state. Riviera Pacific Palisades (No. The only negative: During the busy summer season it can be difficult to get on. Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 383 yards. But aside from a similar bluffside setting and its championship tee yardage, the North is very dissimilar from its notorious next door neighbor. Oct. 30, 2019 6:35 AM PT. Rancho Carlsbad Golf Course. The Pines (The International Golf Club & Resort: Bolton, Mass.) Pine Glen, located in the Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan in San Diego's East County, is an 18-hole par-three golf course that will help you fine tune your game. Always in top condition, and with newly redone greens, RBI is fairly open and short (6,587 yards from the back), which makes it a great option if you're traveling with less experienced players, yet it's challenging enough for mid- to low- handicappers. Some say it borders on the unfair, like most stadium courses, which are designed to inflict maximum pain on the pros and entertain mere mortal spectators at golf tournaments. 5. We are pretty sure it wont disappoint! The destination is headlined, of course, by U.S. Open and PGA Tour host Torrey Pines, while San Diego munis Balboa Park and Mission Bay, lit for nighttime play, also serve locals well. Architect: Mike Strantz. This is most apparent on the front 9 which are not up to the conditions we would expect of such a course. Combine that with a par of 73, and a ridiculous Course Rating of 80, and you've got one of the most consistently challenging courses in the . Vermejo is over 550,000 acres of wild New Mexico land and a natural home for the reinvigorated, majestic North American bison. Admiral Baker features 36 holes and is open to civilians. Green fees: $250-275. And finally, there are some municipal courses with coastal views that fly under the radar a bit. You can also visit the Official Torrey Pines Golf Course website. Its no secret that San Diego has arguably the best weather for golf in the continental United States. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Signature Hole: 16th hole which is a par 3. There is a strong military presence in San Diego of active personnel, retirees and vacationing veterans. The Robert Trent Jones Masterpiece at Treetops The Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort. The technical challenge comes from large, intrusive pine and oak trees that pinch fairways tightlyand make straight driving a must. So before we begin, a big thanks to TheGrint! Operated by the military since the 1950s, the Presidio Club is now a public facility ably managed by the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company, with particular attention paid to customer service and course maintenance. Its adjacent to Glorietta Bay and its certainly one of the most picture-perfect holes on the course. What is the hardest golf course in the United States? Goat Hill Park (Oceanside), Crossings (Carlsbad), LaCosta Champions (Carlsbad) Parrish 1 year ago. And last, but not least, theres the popular Coronado Golf Course, which is just minutes from San Diego International Airport. Olympic? As you may recall from our previous study, Ohio has the best golfers, but since its absence from the Top 20 for difficulty suggests its courses could be of below average difficulty. Ranked as the 5th best disc golf destination in California, San Diego has 6 courses. Torrey Pines Golf Course actually consists of two courses, the North and South (a brute). Fairways are framed magnificently by large eucalyptus trees, and the greens can be extremely fast on a summer day. Print Green Fees. You could spend a lifetime collecting perfect golf experiences here. Set in the Barona Valley about 30 miles northeast of the city, this track is worth the drive, especially if you're looking for a secluded getaway with a casino on the premises. San Diego is a sublime year-round golf season, but course conditions and overall ratings vary greatly month to month. Aviara Golf ClubWith its lavish clubhouse and exquisite grooming, Aviara rivals the finest California private clubs. The Ocean South Course winds through narrow canyons, imparting a feeling of blissful isolation before flinging you down to the edge of the sea and a splendid view of Santa Catalina Island. Overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon just a hundred yards or so from the Pacific Ocean, the course moves up and down hills and around seven lakes, presenting an unforgettable variety of lies and scenery. If not, expect to pay a premium for green fees. The greens are fairly fast, the staff are friendly, and if it were not for the slower pace of games, Steel Canyon may have ranked higher. The San Diego golf directory includes golf courses from San Marcos, Escondido, Carlsbad, and 22 other cities or towns. 131 reviews of Balboa Park Golf Course "Balboa Park Golf Course is a true muni gem. So in just a few minutes, you can get to the hub of the city. You will walk in the footsteps of many a famous golfer at this municipal track, named after the rare native pine that grows wild along this stretch of coastline.