Winter Golf in Northern California: Events You’ll Want to Check Out This Season

October 5, 2025 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Winter never stops the competition in Northern California. From Pebble Beach to Stanford and Napa, here are some of our picks.

While most of the country hibernates through winter, Northern California keeps competing. The coastal microclimate, deep golf culture, and world-class venues make it one of the only regions in the U.S. where elite amateur golf thrives year-round.

From Monterey’s storied seaside layouts to Stanford’s collegiate precision, this is the ultimate list of winter tournaments that matter — for players chasing NCGA points, WAGR ranking, or simply the thrill of competition.

The Grapevine Amateur
Location: Silverado Resort – North Course, Napa, CA
Dates: December 27–30, 2025
The Grapevine closes out the competitive year with national-caliber fields and WAGR status. Its 3.0 index cap ensures every player on the tee sheet can go deep, and the championship setup at Silverado tests every facet of the game.
AmateurGolf.com Winter Invitational
Location: San Juan Oaks Golf Club, Hollister, CA
Dates: December 13–14, 2025
The AmateurGolf.com Winter Invitational presented by Callaway Golf is the perfect stage for serious players who refuse to take an offseason. Set at the newly reborn San Juan Oaks Golf Club—a Fred Couples and Gene Bates design brought back to championship life after a comprehensive modernization—the event blends history, strategy, and atmosphere like few others in California.
Following its 2024 renovation, San Juan Oaks now delivers a crisp, tournament-ready test with fewer but smarter bunkers (62 became 26), re-grassed fairways, and new bentgrass greens that stay true even in December. The layout rewards precision and creativity, using contour and firmness to make every decision matter. Players will find tight lines, lively short-game options, and a routing that tells a story shot by shot.
The event attracts one of the strongest winter fields in the region, with Championship, Senior, Mid-Am, and Women’s divisions all competing in gross play under a brisk, professional pace. Two days, pure competition, and a setting that feels both classic and current—this is how Northern California keeps golf alive through the winter.
Napa City Amateur & Senior Championship
Location: Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park, Napa, CA
Dates: November 1–2, 2025
Organizer: Northern California Golf Association (NCGA)
Format: Two-day, 36-hole event
The McClure Cup at Bayonet Black Horse
Location: Seaside, CA
Dates: January 5–7, 2026
One of the toughest 54-hole experiences in California. Bayonet’s narrow corridors and coastal winds turn this championship into a ball-striking bootcamp — rewarding grit as much as skill.
Silicon Valley Amateur
Location: Stanford Golf Course, Palo Alto, CA
Dates: January 12–14, 2026
The AmateurGolf.com Silicon Valley Amateur has become one of the most respected and competitive events on the West Coast — now officially a 54-hole limited-field WAGR points event hosted at the historic Stanford University Golf Course. The field includes 64 scratch players and 18 invited senior competitors, with a 36-hole cut to the low 30 amateurs and low nine seniors for the final round.
This event’s championship pedigree is unmatched. Past winners include Collin Morikawa and Max Homa, both of whom used this tournament as part of their early rise to the PGA Tour. More recently, Stanford’s own Ethan Gao (2025) and Barclay Brown (2024) have claimed titles on their home course, continuing a proud tradition of Stanford champions.
With a new long-term partnership between AmateurGolf.com and Stanford University, the Silicon Valley Amateur is set to grow even further — gaining broader exposure, enhanced ranking opportunities, and a permanent place on the winter national amateur schedule. The course itself, a George C. Thomas and William Bell design, provides a strategic and scenic championship test for collegiate and mid-am players alike.
Stocker Cup
Location: The Preserve Golf Club, Carmel, CA
Dates: October 16–18, 2025
A premier 54-hole, individual stroke-play mid-amateur invitational that draws nationally and regionally accomplished competitors to the Monterey Peninsula. In a concurrent event, each competitor teams with a net partner for a 54-hole Better-Ball competition vying for the Tatum Trophy—a format echoing the nearby AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Founded in honor of Preserve visionary Peter C. Stocker by Sandy Tatum (past USGA President) and George Kelley in 1990, the Stocker Cup blends championship golf with the spirit of fellowship. Invitations are application-based, with the committee assembling one of the most competitive mid-am fields on the West Coast.
Fresno City Four-Ball Championship
Location: Riverside GC, Fresno, CA
Dates: December 6–7, 2025
An inland staple with real competitive bite. Morning frost can be a factor, but Riverside’s classic layout and Central Valley following make this a standout regional event.
Two-Man Links & Father/Son at Pebble Beach
Location: Pebble Beach Resorts, CA
Dates: March 26–29, 2026
Four days, four world-class courses — Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, and Del Monte. Part competition, part celebration of golf’s best traditions; a cornerstone of the NorCal calendar.
Tracy City Amateur & Senior Championship
Location: Tracy Golf & Country Club, Tracy, CA
Dates: December 6–7, 2025
For competitors east of the Bay, Tracy’s annual championship remains one of the most competitive NCGA points events of the winter. Friendly atmosphere, fast greens, and strong fields.
AmateurGolf.com Pacific Grove City Championship
Location: Pacific Grove Golf Links, CA
Dates: February 21–22, 2026
“The Poor Man’s Pebble” closes the winter season on a high note — equal parts scenic and competitive along Monterey’s shoreline.

The NCGA: Your Year-Round Competitive Hub

A deep slate of stroke-play championships, team events, qualifiers, and seminars that keep Northern California golfers tournament-sharp all winter.

The Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) runs one of the most active calendars in the country. Use the schedule to target ranking events, build your prep arc around majors, and leverage rules education and open days to tune up ahead of key starts.

Pro tips for using the NCGA calendar

Filter by date, region, and format to slot events between your marquee starts.
Prioritize point events and city championships to maintain competitive rhythm.
Plug in rules seminars and open days for low-pressure reps and course access.

Winter–Spring Event Sampler

Jan 2–4: McClure Cup — Bayonet & Black Horse, Seaside
Jan 13–14: AmateurGolf.com Silicon Valley Amateur — Stanford GC, Stanford
Feb 1–2: Stockton City Four-Ball — Reserve at Spanos Park, Stockton
Feb 15–16: AmateurGolf.com Pacific Grove City — Pacific Grove GL, Pacific Grove
Mar 8–23: San Francisco City Championship (Men) — TPC Harding Park, San Francisco
Mar 15–24: San Francisco City Championship (Women) — TPC Harding Park, San Francisco
Mar 24–26: NCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship — Poppy Hills GC, Pebble Beach
Apr 5–13: Sacramento City Four-Ball Match Play — Bing Maloney GC, Sacramento
May 9–11: NCGA Four-Ball Championship — Spyglass Hill & Poppy Hills, Pebble Beach
Jun 7–8: NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship — Poppy Hills GC, Pebble Beach

View Full NCGA Calendar →

Dates/venues subject to change. Always confirm on the NCGA calendar.

Final Word

The Northern California winter circuit isn’t an offseason — it’s an opportunity. From Pebble Beach and Stanford to Ridgemark and Poppy Hills, the region’s mix of public access, private prestige, and organized competition makes it one of the most complete amateur golf ecosystems in the world.

Whether you’re chasing points, testing your game, or refusing to hang up your clubs in December, there’s no better place — or time — to compete.

Explore the Schedule

Most Popular Articles

Masters: Memorable performances by amateurs in the last 40 years

Apr 2, 2026A Mid-Amateur legend and a 14 year old have won low-amateur honors at Augusta National over the years

Meet the Amateurs in the 2026 Masters: Six Different Paths to Augusta National

Mar 22, 2026From teenage phenoms to seasoned dreamers, the amateur class at the 2026 Masters brings six compelling stories to Augusta

FINAL RESULTS: 2026 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley

Mar 14, 2026Miles Russell surged with a closing 67 to reclaim the boys title while Asterisk Talley dominated the girls division at Sage Valley

San Francisco City Championship: Champions Crowned

Mar 22, 2026Joey Hayden, Gianna Singh, Bob Niger, and Jeff Thomas capped championship week with title-winning performances at Harding Park.

Gary Woodland Wins Houston Open in Emotional Comeback After Brain Surgery

Mar 30, 2026Gary Woodland’s Houston Open win is a reminder of why perseverance matters in golf

Filters

Loading latest news...

Loading article...