Orange County, Calif. Golf Course Guide

April 11, 2014 | by

Our guide to golf in Orange County, Calif., where the sun shines 300 plus days a year and golf options abound

The sun shines 300 plus days a year. Average temperatures sit in the 70s and 80s. Palm trees and ocean breezes surround you and serve as constant reminders of just how lucky you are not to own a snow shovel.

Welcome to Orange County, Calif.

Whether you live in the region, found between Los Angeles and San Diego, visit on business or are blessed to be spending a few days working on your tan, golf courses of varying difficulty, cost and scenery abound.

Enjoy our official Golf Course Guide to Orange County, California:

Mile Square Golf Club

Courses To Play On a Budget: The cost of living in Orange County, and therefore, the cost of golf is typically higher thank in most areas. Still, there are options for golf that won’t bust your wallet for a round. Here are a few budget courses worth considering.

Mile Square Golf Club: The two courses at Mile Square Golf Club (The Players and the Classic) in Fountain Valley, just off I-405 in North Orange County, are tough to beat in a quality-price comparison. For less than $50 per round weekday and under $55 weekends (walking rates), Mile Square is a great deal. The Classic Course (Par 72, 6,716 yards) is tree-lined and a traditional parkland course. The Players (Par 72, 6,856 yds) is an open, lake filled course. Both require quality shots and, with medium to large greens, a deft putting touch.

San Clemente Golf Club

San Clemente Golf Course: Go as far south as you can in Orange County along I-5, and you’ll end up right near the San Clemente Municipal Golf club. At weekday rates of $36 and weekends at $44, the price of golf is not found many places in the area. The 6,435 yd, par 72 course looks out over the Pacific Ocean in places and has many quality golf holes. But because of the quality and price, getting a tee time can be just as much of a challenge as focusing on your golf so close to the ocean!

Tijeras Creek Golf Club

Courses with the Best Value: Okay, so you’ve got a few extra bucks available but maybe still need to face the home CFO once in a while without getting “the look”. There are many excellent courses in Orange County that will range $75 to $120 for weekday rounds, but which are the most worthy of dropping a Benjamin on? Here are a couple value tracks to consider.

Tijeras Creek Golf Club: Found in Rancho Santa Margarita in southeast Orange County, Tijeras Creek can stretch out to 7,000 yards for its par 72 layout. The front nine offers a quality parkland routing with many fine holes including the 225-yard, lake-guarded 7th hole.

Black Gold Golf Club

But when you make the turn and head to the back side, the course changes its personality severely. Nos. 10-13 run along a ridge with canyons on each side, and then after playing downhill on the par-3 14th hole, you play back through the canyon towards the clubhouse. Creeks and valleys (along with the occasional wild animal) keep your interest throughout the round.

Black Gold Golf Club: Built in the foothills of Orange County, the Black Gold Golf Course is built along old oil rigs in Yorba Linda in northeast Orange County. The 6,756 yard, par- 72 layout has a lot of variety and elevation changes, including drivable par 4s and back- to-back par 3s. With undulating greens, the course presents a variety of challenges but is definitely designed in the modern era. The finishing par 5 with a lake fronting the green makes the decision to go for it in two something that can make or break your round and a fitting conclusion to a solid golf course.

Pelican Hill Golf Club

Must-Play Courses: If money is no object or you just need that “once-in-a- lifetime” experience, Orange County golf has that available for you! Here are a few resort courses if you can’t get that tee-time on the private clubs in the area.

Pelican Hill GC: The Ocean North (6,945 yards, Par 71) and the Ocean South (6,580 yards, Par 70) sit atop the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach. With holes isolated from each other and seemingly civilization itself, the Tom Fazio designs test your golf ability and your focus equally. As the holes run along the ridges, and then down towards the ocean on the other side of Pacific Coast Hwy, images of the great sea-side courses come to mind. Sure, they are a small fortune to play, but once-in-a-lifetime happens just that way.

Monarch Beach Golf Club: Just a few minutes south along Pacific Coast Hwy is the Monarch Beach Golf Club (pictured above) in Dana Point. The 6,600 yd, par 70 course runs near the ocean as well. The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort specializes in high-end quality and upper-end service. The golf course isn’t much different. With white sand bunkers, multiple lakes in play and holes running along the beach, Monarch Dunes is a special day of golf.

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