Best golf courses: Monterey / Carmel

Monterey / Carmel: 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.
4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
McClure, Bob

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Originally designed by General Bob McClure. Significantly upgraded, re-routed and re-bunkered by Gene Bates (2008/09).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carnes, Edwin

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Original design by US Army General Edwin Carnes. Significantly upgraded, re-routed and re-bunkered by Gene Bates (2008/09).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Dye, Pete

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Original design by Pete Dye. Later renovation designed by Gene Bates (2006).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Carmel-by-the-Sea
MacKenzie, Dr Alister

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Dr Alister MacKenzie & Robert Hunter

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Maud, Charles

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Charles Maud (a golf and polo enthusiast).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Raynor, Baldock, Stranz et al

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Dunes course: original design by Charles Blair Macdonald & Seth Raynor (1925); modifications by Rees Jones (1998), and Tom Fazio, Tim Jackson & David Khan (2015). Shore course: Robert (Bob) Baldock & Jack Neville (1961); redesigned by Mike Stranz (2004).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Egan & Neville

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Front-nine originally designed by Chandler Egan (1932). Back-nine designed by Jack Neville (original designer of the Pebble Beach Golf Links).

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Neville & Grant

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Original design by Jack Neville & Douglas Grant (1919), with later improvements by Herbert Fowler (1920), H. Chandler Egan (1928), Jack Nicklaus (1998) and Arnold Palmer & Thad Layton (2007-16).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Original design by Robert Trent Jones Jr; renovated by RTJ Jr & Bruce Charlton (2013).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Fazio, Poellot & Tatum

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Tom Fazio, J. Michael Poellot & Sandy Tatum

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Graves, Robert Muir

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Robert Muir Graves

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Jr, with Tom Watson & Frank "Sandy" Tatum.

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Designer

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr, who said of Spyglass Hill "the first six holes were inspired by Pine Valley, the rest by Augusta National." Course modifications made by Tom Fazio (1996).

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Tournaments

Women’s (British) Open: the last women’s major championship of the season is hosted by Royal Porthcawl GC. It’s the first time this fabulous seaside links course has hosted the event (July 31-Aug 3).

Walker Cup: the 50th playing of this prestigious men’s amateur event sees the GB&I go head-to-head against the defending USA team at Cypress Point Club, California (Sept 6-7). After that, all eyes turn to Bethpage State Park on Long Island, NY, where the American and defending European professional teams engage in the 45th Ryder Cup (Sept 27-29).

Who's Who

Lottie Woad: 21-year-old Woad burst onto the professional scene in July, with wins in the Women’s Irish Open (as an amateur) and three weeks later in the Women’s Scottish Open (as a professional). She nearly picked-up a major championship, placing third in The Evian in the same month.

Pádraig Harrington: the ever-likeable Irishman added the (British) Senior Open Championship title to his stellar array of tournament successes. His win came on Sunningdale’s spectacular Old Course. Harrington had already bagged the U.S. Senior Open title in June this year.

The Dutch GC, The Netherlands

The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.

Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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Bethpage State Park (New York) host of the Ryder Cup 2025

Whistling Straits (Wisconsin, US)

TPC Louisiana host of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans