Best golf resorts in Southern California

Southern California has long been a popular golf destination with its warm temperatures and splendid year-round weather. From the Pacific Ocean beaches to the sands of the Palm Springs desert, Southern California has some spectacular views no matter where you are.

The views may be great, but having the convenience and leisure of golf, accommodation, restaurants, shopping, etc. all in one place is even better. To make your next golf holiday as easy and hassle-free as possible, we have listed some of the best golf resorts in Southern California below.

Situated roughly 24 miles outside of the city of Palm Springs stands the five-star La Quinta Resort & Club. Located at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the 45-acre resort is a customer favourite with two golf courses on the property (and 3 others a short drive down the road). There are also Spanish style casitas, numerous pools, tennis courts, restaurants, and a first-class spa.

The five golf courses mentioned above make up PGA West, a regular PGA TOUR stop on the West Coast swing (The American Express) played on the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course. The two courses on-site are the Dunes and Mountain courses, and the three other courses are the Norman, Nicklaus, and Stadium courses, all located next to each other.

The combination of superb golf and relaxing amenities makes La Quinta Resort & Club the perfect stay & play option in the area.

Another golf resort in the Palm Springs area is the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort, located nine miles outside the city. Though the resort is not located near the mountains, the views and scenery can still be clearly seen throughout the resort and golf course.

This four-star resort option has over 500 guestrooms (each with its own balcony), one golf course on-site and one other across the street, a handful of restaurants, pools, tennis courts, and a full-service spa.

The layout on-site is a Pete Dye-designed resort course located behind the hotel and amenities. The golf course across the street from the resort is the Gary Player Signature Course at Mission Hills North.

While these are the closest courses to the resort, there are plenty of other fantastic options within a 10-15 minute drive including Classic Club and Indian Canyons.

Located between the Westin Rancho Mirage and La Quinta is the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas. This venue is located 20 miles outside of the city of Palm Springs in Palm Desert. This is another four-star property with over 500 units ranging from standard guestrooms and suites to spacious villas.

The resort boasts fantastic first-class restaurants, multiple large pools, a lazy river, a fitness centre, and a serene spa. The hotel is situated right next to the Indian Wells Golf Resort which has 36 holes of impeccable golf that are void of homes and have some incredible views of the surrounding mountains.

The courses at Indian Wells have played host to Golf Channel’s Big Break and the PGA Tour’s Skins Game. Both courses offer golfers an enjoyable yet challenging experience with stunning views, undulating fairways and greens, and multiple tee box options.

Situated 16 miles up Interstate 5 from downtown San Diego sits The Lodge at Torrey Pines. This five-star property is set along the cliffs bordering the Pacific Ocean and boasts over 170 rooms, two restaurants, an excellent spa, a large pool and hot tub, and two superb golf courses. All of this and more made Torrey Pines an easy pick for our best golf resorts in Southern California list!

The courses at Torrey Pines are some of the most famous municipal golf courses in the country as they are owned by the city of San Diego. The South Course at Torrey Pines is the crown jewel of the two courses, has hosted two US Opens (’08, ’21), and is the host site of the annual Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA TOUR. 11 of the 18 holes on the South Course play along the cliffs offering unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, nearby cliffs, and the paragliders.

Located further up the coast a little inland from Torrey Pines is the fantastic four-star Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. The resort offers guests over 600 modern guest rooms, multiple restaurants, bars, tennis courts, a world class spa, two championship golf courses, and many pools overlooking the golf.

The room options range from standard plaza guestrooms up to Presidential Suites and the Spa at La Costa was recently rated the Number 1 Wellness Spa in the country by Spa Magazine.

The two courses on-site at Omni La Costa have been used to host PGA TOUR tournaments for over 30 years with the layout combining 9 holes of the South Course and 9 holes of the North Course.

The North Course is the older of the two and went through a redesign in 2011, which now plays a little over 7,100 yards from the back tees. It has generous fairways, deep bunkers, and water on every hole of the back 9 giving golfers a true test throughout their round.

The South Course similarly went through a renovation in 2013 and plays about 200 yards shorter than its sister course. The layout has many dogleg holes with narrow fairways, strategic bunkering (especially around the greens), and the San Marcos Creek that runs through a majority of the holes on the course.

Situated at the Sehana Valley, just 20 miles northeast of downtown San Diego is the Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan. The Singing Hills facilities are located far away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city and tourism making for an immersive and serene holiday.

Relatively smaller than the other resorts, the hotel on the property has just over 100 guest rooms. It also has a fantastic spa, outdoor pools, two 18-hole golf courses, and an 18-hole par 3 course on-site. Not to mention a casino with restaurants and bars conveniently located 5 minutes down the road.

Both golf courses are relatively similar in distance, slope, and rating, but have different layouts and features. Starting with the Willow Glen Course, this 6,600-yard course offers tight fairways, decent sized greens, and the Sweetwater River adding more difficulty to the course.

The Oak Glen Course is about 50 yards shorter than the Willow Glen and has dog legged holes, tricky greens, and difficult hazards all set in amongst beautiful scenery.