Pasatiempo Golf Club

One of California’s most historic golf clubs, Pasatiempo is a formidable challenge due to its difficult greens, changes in elevation and the little-roll fairways. Located just outside Santa Cruz and an hour drive south of San Francisco Airport, this is a perfect stop-off to or from Pebble Beach.

Designed in 1929 by famous golf course architect Alister MacKenzie of Cypress Point and Augusta National fame, Pasatiempo has hosted the Western Collegiate for 65 years and various USGA Championships. Although never a PGA TOUR stop, the likes of Bobby Jones, Ken Venturi, Juli Inkster and Tiger Woods have all enjoyed this Top 100 course.

Pasatiempo’s impressive onsite facilities include a fully stocked golf shop, driving range, chipping greens with multiple bunkers and large putting green. There are also two great pre and post-round options with the Hollins House Dining & The Tap Room and MacKenzie Bar & Grill, overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay.

Golf Course at Pasatiempo Golf Club overview

Measuring in at 6,521-yards par-70, the course at Pasatiempo Golf Club is an Alister MacKenzie classic design which has a long-established history of captivating players with its immaculate fairways, unbeatable views and rural surroundings.

A course which is characterized by its slow-rolling tree-lined fairways, elevation changes and difficult greens, although it may appear short by modern standards it plays much more like a 7000+ yard course.

Restored in 2007 under the close supervision of golf course architect Tom Doak, to reflect the original MacKenzie design, Pasatiempo received new grass and a few new strategically placed bunkers to ensure that it remains as formidable a challenge as MacKenzie had hoped when he originally designed it back in 1929.

Signature holes

Few courses finish with a par three, and fewer still can compete with the quality of Pasatiempo's final hole. A 169-yarder, it requires golfer’s hit a delicate shot over nasty bushes and grass to a highly undulating green. It is another classic example of Alister MacKenzie saving the best hole until last.

Did you know:

Designer Alister MacKenzie claimed that Pasatiempo was his best ever layout, ahead of even Cypress Point and Augusta National. He made his American home here, which still borders the sixth fairway.