Ever found yourself wanting to play golf in San Diego? Why wouldn’t you? With San Diego’s toasty temperatures and calm conditions, it’s a great place to play golf.
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.
Today we will be rating the best golf courses in San Diego according to real players with help from TheGrint. This is an app that lets players check out courses and store golfing stats. So before we begin, a big thanks to TheGrint!
The 9 Best Golf Courses in San Diego: At a Glance
- Maderas Golf Club – Best Overall
- The Grand Golf Club – Luxury Pick
- Torrey Pines South Golf Course – Most Famous
- Aviara Golf Club
- Steel Canyon Golf Club
- Coronado Golf Course
- Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (Champions Course)
- Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course
- Balboa Park Golf Course – Excellent Value
Read More: Which State has the Most Golf Courses
The 9 Top Golf Courses in San Diego
1. Maderas Golf Club – Best Overall
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 7167 yards
- Price: Bronze membership = $350 | Booking = $139
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 97
- Fun Rating: 97.2
- Shape Rating: 96.7
Signature Hole: 15th hole which is 253 yards. A tricky downhill par 3.
Coming it as the best golf course in San Diego is the Maderas golf course. Not only did it receive the highest player rating on TheGrint with 97 out of 100, but it also has numerous accolades from golf companies. Big names such as Golf Digest, Golf Advisor, and Golf Week all consider it to be one of the top courses in the country.
The topography of the course is very hilly, and the scenery is top-notch, it includes rocky areas, waterfalls, and plenty of wildflowers.
You are eased in somewhat as the difficulty picks up on the back nine. From here you can expect frequent elevation changes which will test your skills.
2. The Grand Golf Club – Luxury Pick
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 7160 yards
- Price: $310-$360
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 95.8
- Fun Rating: 97.7
- Shape Rating: 94
Signature Hole: 18th hole which is 421 yards. Plenty of width with a small pool just short of the green. Behind is a beautiful man-made waterfall.
Designed by renowned golf architect Tom Fazio, it is the only course of his making in San Diego. It spans 350 acres and has plenty of undulation.
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.
The only issue is that the course is reserved for those who are staying at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. So you could end up spending an arm and a leg if you’re keen on going. That being said, the whole experience makes for a luxurious golfing trip that is well investing in.
3. Torrey Pines South Golf Course — Most Famous
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 7800 yards
- Price: $135-$278 + extras
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 95.4
- Fun Rating: 97.8
- Shape Rating: 93
Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 201 yards. It’s one of the most beautiful on the course and versatile in its club selection. You can select between a hybrid and a 9 iron, just make sure you don’t overhit! If you do, you’ll have a difficult pitching shot to make the green.
Designed in 1975 by William Bell Sr, Torrey Pines South is the most famous San Diego golf course. It hosted the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Open Championships. It also hosts the yearly Farmers Insurance Open, formerly known as the San Diego Open.
Given its frequent usage at the top level, it should come as no surprise that it’s a difficult course to play. Nonetheless, it’s a must-try for avid golfers.
The course has undergone two major renovations, one in 2001 and another in 2019, the latter costing $14 million. This saw the course extended to a sizeable 7,800 yards.
4. Aviara Golf Club
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 7007 yards
- Price: $506+
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 94.5
- Fun Rating: 96.3
- Shape Rating 92.7
Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 149 yards. There is a pond situated on the right and just before the green.
Aviara is designed by Arnold Palmer who is one of the greatest golf players who ever lived. Fans of Condé Nast Traveler also rated it as the top golf resort in Southern California.
The Aviara course features unusually large greens. Originally, the construction team mistakenly doubled the size of the front nine greens. However, rather than undo the work, officials decided to enlarge the other greens to match.
Player sentiment toward this course is very high. The little negative feedback received stems from course construction, where temporary holes were created to make up the numbers.
5. Steel Canyon Golf Club
- Website Link
- Par: 71
- Length: 6781 yards
- Price: $75-150
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 92.6
- Fun Rating: 94.5
- Shape Rating: 90.7
Signature Hole: 12th hole (3rd hole of the Ranch course). Nicknamed the ‘Parachute’, this is a 450-yard par 4 hole that has a tonne of elevation from the tee. Players should aim slightly to the right as the natural slope will cause your ball to roll to the middle.
Designed by Gary Player, it’s plain to see from the above photo that the Steel Canyon golf course is highly photogenic. The landscape is very hilly making shots a lot more difficult than they look at face value.
There are three 9s available at Steel Canyon, these include the Canyon, Ranch, and Vineyard. Each has its own unique look and feel which helps to provide a nice rounded playing experience.
Players describe the course as affordable and challenging. 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.
Read More: Country Club Membership Cost
6. Coronado Golf Course
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 6590 yards
- Price: $39-$44 + booking fee
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 92.4
- Fun Rating: 94.1
- Shape Rating: 90.7
Signature Hole: 16th hole which is 365 yards. It’s adjacent to Glorietta Bay and it’s certainly one of the most picture-perfect holes on the course.
Ranked 5th in the U.S. by Golf Digest, there’s a lot to like about Coronado. The staff are friendly, the course is always in great condition, and the sites will keep you well-engaged even during slower periods. These include the ocean view, the shipyards, and the Coronado bridge.
The layout of the course is very flat, so you should have no trouble walking it irrespective of your age. There are also only a few straight holes, but this doesn’t seem to bother most players.
What’s more, this golf course is near downtown San Diego. So in just a few minutes, you can get to the hub of the city. To many, this will be advantageous over some of the more isolated courses.
7. Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (Champions Course)
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 7004 yards
- Price: $278+
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 90.6
- Fun Rating: 93.4
- Shape Rating: 87.9
Signature Hole: 16th hole which is a par 3.
The course is open for both La Costa club members and guests. As a guest, you can book your sessions up to 60 days before your intended visit date to secure a spot.
This San Diego area golf course was designed by Dick Wilson in 1965 and it is well known in the golfing world, having been the venue for 37 PGA Tour events. In 2011 the course was renovated which included the addition of four new holes.
More recently, renovation commenced on the course in November of 2022. This will be welcome news for many, as some reviews noted that the upkeep of the course had slipped a little. In the meantime, the Legends course is available which is also highly rated on TheGrint with an overall score of 86.4.
8. Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 6629 yards
- Price: $35-$105
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 87.9
- Fun Rating: 91.4
- Shape Rating: 84.3
Signature Hole: 9th hole which is 305 yards. It begins narrow but really widens at the fairway. You’ll have to be very careful approaching the green as there is a pond very close by. A wide-left approach is the safe play.
The course was formerly featured in the Farmers Insurance Open which speaks to its pedigree.
It seems the quality of the course has unfortunately declined a little in recent years. This is most apparent on the front 9 which are not up to the conditions we would expect of such a course. However, the back 9 are much better.
Hole 18 in particular, is one of the most enjoyable. It’s 522 yards in total with a pond on the left, a tree line on the right, and a small creek before the green.
9. Balboa Park Golf Course — Excellent Value
- Website Link
- Par: 72
- Length: 6347 yards
- Price: $23-$61.50
Player Ratings
- Overall Rating: 87
- Fun Rating: 90.5
- Shape Rating: 83.5
Signature Hole: 3rd hole which is 383 yards.
The Balboa Park San Diego golf course is the oldest in San Diego and has great views and amenities nearby.
At 6347 yards it is one of the shorter courses on offer, but that does help to ensure that a round doesn’t drag on too long.
The course is also relatively flat, so it’s not at all challenging to traverse, but what really seals the deal is the price. It’s highly affordable, and for what you are getting, it’s a must-try if you are in San Diego.
FAQs
What Is the Hardest Golf Course in San Diego?
The hardest San Diego county golf course is Torrey Pines. As a venue that often holds competitions, it has a noticeably higher skill requirement than most other courses in San Diego.
Is San Diego Good for Golf?
San Diego is a cracking area to play golf. For many years, there were only a few well-recognized courses in the area. However, over time the total number of courses has risen to 72, and among these, there are many which are exceptional.
What Is the Most Exclusive Country Club in California
According to Billionaire.com, the two most exclusive golf courses in California are Cypress Point Golf Club and Los Angeles Country Club. They made the top 10 list of the most exclusive clubs globally. The former has just 250 members!
Final Thoughts
So that summarizes the 9 best golf courses in San Diego according to fellow golfers. The next time you’re around the area, consider swinging by one and checking it out for yourself. We are pretty sure it won’t disappoint!
Alternatively, if the best San Diego golf courses don’t quite cut it, consider enlarging your search and check out our guide for the top golf courses in California as well.
Read More: Most Expensive Golf Courses in the World by Green Fees
Alex’s routes in sports began with football and now mostly focuses on ping pong and golf. Alex loves the strategy and is always looking for a competitive edge. This is what drove him to write strategy guides and product reviews. He takes great pride in spreading his knowledge and loves to coach fellow players. You can connect with him on LinkedIn, IG, FB, or alexhorscroftwriting@gmail.com.
