Best golf courses: Central Coast, CA

Central Coast, CA: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in this country or region. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key for the rating definitions.
Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Santa Barbara
MacKenzie & Hunter

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Original design by Dr Alister MacKenzie & Robert Hunter (1929); modifications by Tom Doak (2018).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Rsrt guests only
Santa Barbara
Bell, William F.

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

William Francis "Billy" Bell Jr.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Bell, William F.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

William Francis "Billy" Bell Jr.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Pascuzzo & Pate

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Damian Pascuzzo and Jerry Pate

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Daray Jr. & Halsey

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Jack Daray Jr & Stephen Halsey

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Jacobsen & Hardy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Peter Jacobsen & Jim Hardy

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Miller, Murphy & Noyes

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Front-nine designed by Russell Noyes in 1934, and completed in 1951. The original nine, now the back-nine, was designed by Quintin Miller & E.W. Murphy (1923).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Graves, Robert Muir

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Robert Muir Graves, Damian Pascuzzo & N. Meagher.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Graves, Robert Muir

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Robert Muir Graves

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Muirhead, Desmond

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Desmond Muirhead and Olin Dutra

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Hunter Jr & McGinnis

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Ken Hunter Jr. and Mike McGinnis

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Thomas, Bell & Morrish

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Original design by George C. Thomas Jr and William Park "Billy" Bell (1923). Later modifications made by Jay Morrish (1988).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Harbottle, John

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

John Harbottle

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Santa Barbara
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Santa Barbara

Designer

Robert Trent Jones II (lead designer Bruce Charlton).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
San Luis Obispo
Robinson, Ted

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

San Luis Obispo

Designer

Original designer unknown; redesigned by Ted Robinson Sr (1990).

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Tournaments

Chevron Championship: the first women’s major championship of 2023 is played for the first time in Texas, having been uprooted from its home of 51 years at the Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California.

Italian Open: the 80th playing of this prestigious European event will see many 2023 Ryder Cup hopefuls build their “local knowledge” of the Marco Simone course in Rome. (May 4-7). Ryder Cup (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Who's Who

Jon Rahm: dedicated his emphatic Masters Tournament win to the late Seve Ballesteros. “Rahmbo’s” victory came on the day his fellow countryman and golfing inspiration would have turned 66 years of age.

Steve Stricker: four-time senior major championship winner, chases a fifth title as he defends at the 34th Regions Tradition (May 11-14), the first senior major of 2023.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Costa Cruise & Golf

Costa’s "Cruise & Golf" allows golfers and their families to combine a unique golfing experience with the relaxation and fun of a cruise on board Costa Smeralda. Golf enthusiasts are offered a choice from 23 top-quality golf clubs; their chosen courses are played during the ship’s port calls in Italy, France and Spain. While the golfers are driving the fairways, accompanying non-golfers are able to enjoy the amenities and activities on-board, or explore wonderful places on day excursions organised by Costa. Read more ...

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