Los Angeles Country Club (North)

US Pacific Division Best in State Rankings 2018 Five States in our West Region are updated in the first of nine US divisional updates. This is the fourth biennial update of the Best in State rankings that we introduced for the United States in 2012. As we did two years ago, we’ll publish the revised tables for the fifty states in nine geographical divisions over the next few months, beginning with the five Pacific States of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. In these state charts, a total of 195 courses are featured – nineteen of which appear for the first time – and with seventeen Pacific tracks currently occupying prominent positions in our national Top 100 for the United States, that statistic tells you it’s a region which is high on quality at the top end. So, without further ado, it’s time to embark on a golfing journey across North America that starts now on the western seaboard and ends in August on the opposite side of the country with the six states in our New England Division. Alaska Alaska is the only US state where we list fewer than ten courses. The Last Frontier State’s number 1 is still Bill Newcomb’s thirty-year-old Anchorage Golf Course, located on the edge of the City of Lights and Flowers, with the fairways framed by the Chugach Mountain Range, the Anchorage city skyline and the Cook Inlet. The golf season at the club runs from early May through to mid-October but it’s still possible to tee it up on the 1st at 8.00 pm during June or July and finish all eighteen holes around midnight. Rank/ Click the link to see full details of our 2018 Alaska Best in State rankings California There’s a little bit of movement within the Top 10 for California but Alister MacKenzie’s Cypress Point remains firmly in the number 1 position – which will hardly come as a shock to the system when you realise it’s also our current US and World Number 1! A reviewer had this to say after a recent round on the course: “Cypress for sure held up as the best course in the world. It was in pristine shape and every single hole was unique and fantastic in its own way.” Suffice to say, all but one of the posts we’ve ever received for this layout has been accompanied by a 6-ball rating. Two 18-hole layouts make significant two-place upward moves within the new Top 10 and both have benefitted greatly from extensive renovation work carried out over the last few years by two of the world’s top architects. The first of these climbers is the North course at Los Angeles Country Club (at number 3) which Gil Hanse has upgraded and the second course is California Golf Club of San Francisco (at number 6), where Kyle Phillips has given the layout an extensive facelift. Another course to have its fortunes positively transformed by a large-scale makeover is Monterey Peninsula (Dunes) (up ten spots to number 11) which has had its original 1920s Seth Raynor design remodelled by Tom Fazio and former associate Tim Jackson. Our US Consultant Fergal O’Leary visited last year and he told us there had been “improvements to drainage and irrigation across the course” along with “much-improved bunkering” and he felt “you’ll be left with countless memories due to the excellent design variety and aesthetics” after playing here. The highest of the twelve new entries in our updated Top 100 for the Golden State arrives at number 35 and it’s the result of another Tom Fazio redesign project at Rams Hill Golf Club in Borrego Springs. Only reopened in 2014 after being closed for a few years, the course enjoys a curtailed playing season during the Autumn and Winter months but its relative remoteness next to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park makes it an ideal weekend getaway destination for the more intrepid golfer. A reviewer in January described it as “a classic Fazio design, very picturesque, a really good track and fun to play for all levels”. Click the link to see full details of our 2018 California Best in State rankings Hawaii The top seven positions in the Aloha State remain the same as before so that means David McLay Kidd’s design at the ultra-exclusive Nanea holds on to its status as the number 1 in state. According to the DMK website, this was the first course in North America to use paspalum from tee to green, across the entire course. David’s father Jimmy had pioneered the use of this grass in the Middle East years earlier and he felt that it would be ideally suited for the Hawaiian islands. Taking a not so subtle swipe at his critics, the architect says: “Nanea was my retort to those that enviously postulated that anyone could have designed Bandon Dunes.” The only course to progress within the Hawaiian Top 10 is the Rees Jones design at Kohanaiki, inching one spot closer to the top at number 8. Laid out with six ocean-front holes on a coastal site near Kona international airport, the course is the sporting centrepiece of a private residential development where its paspalum fairways are routed around a rather unique environment of Ahu rock shrines, numerous anchialine ponds and black lava outcrops. The highest-placed of three new entries is Makena Golf & Beach Club on the southeast coast of Maui which enters at number 15. The course started out as the North course at the Maui Prince Hotel in the early 1990s but, after several changes of ownership over the last decade, the Discovery Land Company acquired the property four years ago and commissioned Dennis Wise, a former Tom Fazio associate, to remodel the layout. Click the link to see full details of our 2018 Hawaii Best in State rankings Oregon The top four slots in our Beaver State chart are all held by courses from the iconic Bandon Dunes Resort with Tom Doak’s Pacific Dunes layout retaining its position at the top of standings, where it has held a tight grip on the number 1 position for the last six years. All four 18-hole layouts at this modern golf destination are firmly entrenched within our US Top 100, giving Bandon a reasonable claim to be considered as the best golf resort in the country. The course at Waverley Country Club rises seven places to number 5, tucked in behind another three Bandon layouts in our chart. Originally redesigned by Chandler Egan more than a century ago, the layout has been modified over the last couple of decades by Gil Hanse, with many trees removed and bunkers reinstated to help revitalise its Golden age design credentials. Host venue for a number of USGA tournaments over many years, the course came under the national spotlight again last year when it was used for the 2017 Senior Women’s Amateur. The only new entry in the Oregon Top 30 appears at number 11 and it’s yet another Bandon Dunes layout, the 13-hole par-three circuit named Bandon Preserve, which is located between the sand hill holes at Bandon Trails and the closing holes at Bandon Dunes. Our International Correspondent David Davies awarded this short track a 6-ball mark when he played here, saying it “has enough eye candy to equal every one of the other Bandon courses… the routing is wonderful and runs through extremely wild and rolling sand dunes… a roller coaster ride of short irons, punch and knock down shots”. Click the link to see full details of our 2018 Oregon Best in State rankings Washington The Evergreen State chart is now headed by David McLay Kidd’s Gamble Sands which eases up one place from the runner-up position to number 1. Laid out on top of a sandy mesa within a massive 1,000-acre property, this course proves that it doesn’t take an enormous construction budget to create a nationally ranked top track. Of course, it helps to have the right topography and an architect who knows how to extract the best from it. The course at Wine Valley Golf Club advances two positions to number 3 in our revised state listings. It’s Dan Hixon’s second design and already he’s being earmarked as an architect worth watching (his 2017 reversible creation at Silvies Valley Ranch in Oregon is also receiving praise). Last month, one reviewer posted the following for this course: “there’s plenty of width here in a similar vein to Gamble Sands. With width you get options and with the wind that blows here it’s a necessity. Wine Valley will appeal to minimalists but it just seemed a touch bland off the tee lacking focal definition to my eyes – a few more fairway bunkers [required] perhaps.” The first of two new entries comes in at number 20 and it’s the course at White Horse Golf Club near Kingston in Kitsap County. Now operated by the Suquamish Clearwater Resort and Casino, the original Cynthia Dye-designed layout opened a decade ago to much critical acclaim, though many observers felt it was just too tough. When the golf facility changed ownership a few years back, architect John Harbottle III (who sadly passed away in 2012 at the age of just 53) was called in to soften the layout by widening fairways, removing bunkers, clearing trees and adding more tees. Since those changes were carried out, the club has never looked back. Click the link to see full details of our 2018 Washington Best in State rankings We’re always happy to hear what you think about our re-ranking process so feel free to let us know your opinion of our five newly updated US Best in State charts. Which course have we overlooked or maybe there’s one (or more) that really shouldn’t be listed? Perhaps a particular layout features too prominently or maybe it sits too low in the standings? Whatever your thoughts, please click the “Respond to this article” link at the top or at the bottom of this page if you’d like to voice your opinion. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

There are few tee times in golf more desirable than one at Pebble Beach Golf Links. The setting is extraordinary, the history is unparalleled and the opportunity to play a course that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and countless other significant events is firmly on many golfers' bucket lists. Eighteen-time Major champion Jack Nicklaus once said if he only had one more round to play, he’d choose to play it at Pebble Beach, calling it “possibly the best [course] in the world”. Pebble Beach has retained its status as one of the world’s great public-access courses, meaning there are ways for ordinary golfers to play it, unlike many of the world's most exclusive layouts. The catch? Getting a tee time requires a little more planning than simply clicking through an online booking system. The good news is that there are a couple of different routes to the first tee at Pebble Beach. Here's everything you need to know. Where is Pebble Beach Golf Links? Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of golf’s great amphitheaters, where the Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop and almost every hole carries a piece of history. The course sits on the spectacular Monterey Peninsula on California's central coast, roughly 120 miles south of San Francisco. It forms part of Pebble Beach Resorts and is reached via the famous 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road that winds around the coastline between Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Pebble Beach occupies a dramatic stretch of Pacific coastline, with several holes running directly alongside Carmel Bay. It is also surrounded by some of the most recognisable scenery on the Monterey Peninsula, including the Lone Cypress and the rocky coastline for which the area is famous. For golfers arriving by air, Monterey Regional Airport is by far the closest airport. From the airport, the route to Pebble Beach Golf Links follows Highway 68 and then 17-Mile Drive, with the resort estimating a journey of about 15 minutes. The Easiest Way To Play: Stay at Pebble Beach Resorts The most dependable strategy to secure a tee time is to make your trip a resort stay. Guests staying at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay or Casa Palmero have access to Pebble Beach's courses, and resort guests are the only golfers who can reserve a Pebble Beach tee time more than 24 hours in advance. The booking window is particularly useful for golfers planning a bucket-list trip well ahead of time. Guests at The Lodge and The Inn at Spanish Bay can book accommodation up to 18 months in advance, while Casa Palmero reservations can be made up to 12 months ahead, subject to availability. To avoid disappointment, Pebble Beach explicitly recommends that resort guests request their tee times at the time of booking their room. A minimum two-night stay is required to secure a round at Pebble Beach Golf Links, although the resort can require three nights on certain dates. The resort's availability calendar identifies dates where different requirements apply, so it’s worth checking before finalising your itinerary. How Far Ahead Should You Book? As soon as possible is the short answer. Because resort guests can plan their accommodation up to 18 months in advance, Pebble Beach is best approached as a destination trip rather than an isolated round of golf. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we'd recommend starting with dates rather than a particular tee time. If you are travelling a long way to play Pebble Beach, it’s better to have several possible dates than to become fixated on one particular morning. Another important consideration for larger groups is that up to two players may be booked per room, based on room occupancy. A group of four should therefore plan around two rooms if everyone wants to play Pebble Beach. What if You Don't Want to Stay at the Resort? There is another considerably cheaper option to walk in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, although it is much less certain. Non-resort guests are able to book Pebble Beach Golf Links one day in advance, meaning you don’t necessarily need to fork out for several nights of accommodation to play the course. Being one of the premier public courses in the world, tee times are in high demand, making the one-day window a genuine gamble. If you're already in the Monterey or Carmel area and have some flexibility, it's worth trying. If you're flying across the Atlantic specifically to play Pebble Beach, however, the resort route is significantly safer. How Much Does it Cost? Playing at such a prestigious course does not come without a hefty price tag, particularly if you’re planning on staying at Pebble Beach Resorts. For the current rate period of April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, the published green fee for Pebble Beach Golf Links is $695. The green fee applies to both resort and non-resort golfers, although non-resort golfers also pay the applicable cart fee. Additional published charges include: Cart: $60 per person Pull cart: $20 Single-bag caddie: $175 Double-bag caddie: $250 Forecaddie: $62.50 per person, with a three-player minimum Club rental: $120 per bag, plus tax Those figures make Pebble Beach one of the most expensive public-access rounds in the United States, particularly once accommodation, travel and caddie gratuity are added - but for many golfers this isn't an everyday round, it is the centrepiece of a trip.

California is home to some of the finest golf courses in the United States, but many of its highest-ranked layouts are reserved for members. For visiting golfers, that can make finding a truly exceptional public course a challenge. Fortunately, the California Top 100 ranking includes several outstanding courses that welcome public play. From the bucket-list experience of Pebble Beach to the much more affordable Rustic Canyon, here are the five highest-ranked courses in The Golden State that visiting golfers can play. Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach) World Ranking: 27th | California ranking: 3rd | Green fee: $755 Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of golf’s great amphitheaters, where the Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop and almost every hole carries a piece of history. Jack Neville’s original 1919 layout, remodelled by Henry Chandler Egan, has evolved over the years, but its essential character remains intact. This is the course where the greats have made history, from U.S. Open champions to the stars of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, yet its greatest appeal is that anyone can play it. The price may make the wallet wince, but where else can an ordinary golfer walk in the footsteps of Nicklaus, Watson and Woods? The stretch from the 7th to the 10th is among the most exhilarating in golf, while the run to the 18th provides a suitably spectacular finale. Pebble Beach may not be perfect, but when the Pacific is crashing against the cliffs, who really cares? Only resort guests can reserve Pebble Beach tee times more than 24 hours in advance, subject to a minimum two-night stay. Non-resort guests can call 24 hours before play to enquire about any remaining tee times. Green Fees: Resort Guest: $695 (£513) Non-Resort Guest: $755 (£557), including cart fee Pasatiempo Golf Club (Santa Cruz) USA Ranking: 63rd | California ranking: 7th | Green fee: $465 Pasatiempo Golf Club is one of America’s great Golden Age survivors and, remarkably, the only public-access course that famed golf architect Alister MacKenzie regarded as his finest work. Founded by Marion Hollins in 1929, the rolling Santa Cruz layout was MacKenzie’s American home, and he lived alongside the sixth fairway during the final years of his life. The course has plenty of history, but it remains a thoroughly enjoyable test for visiting golfers. The front nine winds through the trees before the routing becomes more dramatic on the back nine, where deep barrancas and undulating terrain come into play. A major restoration completed in 2024 returned the greens and bunkers closer to their original forms. Although Pasatiempo is a semi-private club, visiting golfers can book two types of tee times through the club's online booking system – regular, available up to a week in advance, and priority, available up to a year in advance. For golfers looking to experience one of California's great courses without the price tag of Pebble Beach, Pasatiempo offers a rare chance to play a genuine piece of Golden Age golf. Green Fees: 18 holes: $465 (£341), excluding $50 cart fee Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Pebble Beach) California ranking: 17th | Green fee: $610 Spyglass Hill is one of the great tests on the Monterey Peninsula and, for many, the most demanding of the Pebble Beach quartet. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1966, it has been part of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am rota since the following year. The opening five holes sweep from the Del Monte Forest towards the Pacific, with Jones deliberately drawing inspiration from Pine Valley. The course then turns inland through towering Monterey Pines and Cypress, with its tree-lined corridors recalling Augusta National. The 12th and 15th provide memorable par-three challenges, while the closing holes demand a strong finish. Spyglass Hill may live in the shadow of Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, but its reputation as one of America’s toughest and most rewarding layouts is thoroughly deserved. Unlike its more famous neighbour, Spyglass Hill is considerably easier for visiting golfers to book, with non-resort guests able to reserve tee times up to three months in advance. Green Fees: Resort Guest: $550 (£406) Non-Resort Guest: $610 (£450), including cart fee Rustic Canyon Golf Course (Moorpark) California ranking: 19th | Green fee: From $30 Rustic Canyon Golf Course offers a very different experience from the famous resort courses of the Monterey Peninsula. Laid out by Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford on a former sheep ranch north-west of Los Angeles, it is a relaxed, natural-looking course where wide fairways and firm, fast-running turf give golfers plenty of options. The course is relatively forgiving from the tee, but its large, undulating greens provide a sterner test, while the exposed setting means wind can quickly change the character of the round. The back nine is particularly memorable, climbing into the surrounding hills before a testing finish. It may lack the ocean views and tournament history of California's marquee courses, but Rustic Canyon offers excellent golf at a fraction of the price. For golfers looking beyond the obvious names, it is one of the state's best-value public courses. Tee times can be booked online, with reservations available to public golfers up to 28 days in advance. Popular weekend slots can fill quickly, while green fees vary depending on the day of the week and how far in advance you book. PGA West – Stadium (La Quinta) California ranking: 23rd | Green fee: From $60 PGA West’s Stadium Course is the toughest of the three public courses at the La Quinta resort and has been challenging golfers since 1986. It has plenty of tournament pedigree, having hosted the televised Skins Game and now serving as the venue for The American Express on the PGA Tour. At 7,300 yards, the Stadium Course is no pushover, with water coming into play on many holes. The closing stretch is particularly demanding, with the famous island green on the 17th – nicknamed Alcatraz – followed by a daunting water-guarded 18th. The course underwent a major restoration in 2024 and remains one of California’s most memorable public golf experiences. For golfers who enjoy a challenge, the Stadium Course offers the chance to test themselves on a layout that continues to feature on the professional circuit. Tee times can be booked online through PGA West, with the Stadium Course available to both resort and non-resort guests. Green Fees: Approximately $60–$399+ (£44–£295+), depending on the season and tee time.