Golfweek’s Best States – Syndication Server

The best public-access and private golf courses in California, ranked

Our hundreds of raters weigh in on the best public-access and private courses in California.

Looking to play the best golf courses in California? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in California

Rustic Canyon Tommy Naccarato IMG_2922 — Rustic Canyon in California (Courtesy of Rustic Canyon/Tommy Naccarato)

1. Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach Golf Links)
Pebble Beach (10c)
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2. Pasatiempo
Santa Cruz (36c)
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3. Pebble Beach Resorts (Spyglass Hill)
Pebble Beach (T24m)
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4. Torrey Pines (South)
San Diego (T116c)
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5. Rustic Canyon
Moorpark (T147m)

6. Yocha Dehe at Cache Creek Casino
Brooks (m)

T7. Pebble Beach Resorts (Links at Spanish Bay)
Pebble Beach (m)
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T7. CordeValle
San Martin (m)

T7. Rams Hill
Borrego Springs (m)

10. PGA West (Stadium)
La Quinta (m)
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11. Torrey Pines (North)
San Diego (m)
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12. Poppy Hills
Pebble Beach (m)
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13. Pelican Hill (Ocean South)
Newport Coast (m)

14. Pelican Hill (Ocean North)
Newport Coast (m)

15. Bayonet
Seaside (c)
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16. Quail Lodge and Golf Club
Carmel (m)

17. Classic Club
Palm Desert (m)
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18. Trump National Los Angeles
Rancho Palos Verdes (m)

19. PGA West (Nicklaus)
La Quinta (m)
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T20. TPC Harding Park
San Francisco (c)

T20. Maderas*
Poway (m)

22. Fairmont Grand Del Mar (The Grand)
San Diego (m)

T23. Fantasy Springs (Eagle Falls)
Indio (m)

T23. Soule Park
Ojai (m)

25. Oak Quarry
Riverside (m)

26. Desert Willow (Firecliff)
Palm Desert (m)

27. Park Hyatt Aviara*
Carlsbad (m)
Book your round at Park Hyatt Aviara today

28. La Purisma*
Lompoc (m)

29. Shadow Ridge*
Palm Desert (m)

30. Silverado Resort & Spa (North)*
Napa Valley (c)

Best private courses in California

Lake Merced Golf Club in California (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)

1. Cypress Point
Pebble Beach (1c)

2. Los Angeles CC (North)
Los Angeles (11c)

3. San Francisco GC
San Francisco (16c)

4. Riviera CC
Pacific Palisades (17c)

5. California GC
South San Francisco (T27c)

6. Monterey Peninsula (Shore)
Pebble Beach (T19m)

7. Valley Club of Montecito
Santa Barbara (38c)

8. Olympic Club (Lake)
San Francisco (T43c)

9. Monterey Peninsula (Dunes)
Pebble Beach (T49c)

10. Bel-Air
Los Angeles (T57c)

11. Martis Camp
Truckee (43m)

12. Meadow Club
Fairfax (T71c)

13. The Quarry at La Quinta
La Quinta (m)

14. Mayacama
Santa Rosa (T92m)

15. Lahontan
Truckee (m)

16. The Tradition

La Quinta (105m)

17. Santa Lucia Preserve
Carmel (T111m)

18. Lake Merced*
Daly City (119c)

19. Wilshire
Los Angeles (T120c)

T20. Stone Eagle
Palm Desert (T147m)

T20. The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe*
Rancho Santa Fe (m)

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Wyoming

Wyoming’s top golf courses offer the opportunity to elevate your golf game.

If you’re looking to elevate your golf game, Wyoming – with its thin air and mountainous terrain – might be just the spot.

Golfweek’s Best offers many lists of course rankings, with that of top public-access courses in each state among the most popular. All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Wyoming’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Wisconsin

Whistling Straits and Sand Valley top the list for courses in Wisconsin, which ranks among the best states in the country for public golf.

Despite a short golf season amid its northern climate, Wisconsin offers one of the best lineups of golf courses in the U.S. Players who haven’t sampled the game in Wisconsin might be surprised to learn the state ranks amid the top five of all states for its elite public-access courses.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Wisconsin’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in West Virginia

The mountains of West Virginia offer several of the top golf courses in the U.S.

Golf in West Virginia is played across a scenic and mountainous landscape, and several of the state’s top layouts rank among the best in the U.S.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for West Virginia’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Washington

From the coast to Washington’s mountains, the state offers some of the best golf courses in the U.S.

Washington, from the state’s inner mountains to its coast, offers some of the best golf courses in the country.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Washington’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Virginia

Virginia’s vast golf offerings include elite public and private layouts.

Virginia offers a vast array of classic and modern courses, both private and public. The top layouts in the state rank among the best in the country, as voted by the Golfweek’s Best rater system.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Virginia’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Vermont

Check out the top public and private golf courses in Vermont.

Vermont isn’t a golf powerhouse with hundreds of courses on offer – the whole state has fewer than 100 layouts. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some worthwhile courses among Vermont’s offerings.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Vermont’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Utah

The views in Utah are breathtaking.

Utah has become a major golf destination in recent decades, with incredibly varied terrain overcoming a relatively short golf season at many elevations. An abundance of stunning scenery never hurts, either.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Utah’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Texas

“If you’ve never been to this part of Texas, you’re not gonna believe it,” Lanny Wadkins said of the No. 1 course.

Texas has an incredibly diverse mix of landscapes, and its best golf courses likewise serve up a great variety from its desert borders in the west to the farmland in the east.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Texas’ private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Tennessee

The Volunteer State proves that nine holes can be enough with Sweetens Cove and the Course at Sewanee.

Golfweek’s Best is willing to buck tradition when it comes to the top public-access layouts in Tennessee, as two of the three highest ranked layouts are just nine holes.

Sweetens Cove, which has built a loyal following online and on its untraditional tee sheet, comes in at No. 1. Located about halfway between Nashville and Atlanta in tiny South Pittsburg, the design by the firm of King-Collins offers fresh twists on classic architectural features across its nine holes. It has created massive interest in a flat floodplain between mountains, proving that golfers are more than willing to travel to find a good time.

Likewise, the Gil Hanse-redesigned Course at Sewanee is a can’t miss in Tennessee despite being just nine holes. Perched atop a mountain at the University of the South, several holes feature long views over a valley while various tees allow the nine holes to play entirely differently on subsequent loops. Sewanee comes in at No. 3 on Golfweek’s Best 2022 public-access list for Tennessee.

Golfweek’s Best offers many lists of course rankings, with that of top public-access courses in each state among the most popular. All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Tennessee’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.