At the top of a golf swing, the world settles into a hush. Anyone within 50 yards kindly shuts up in reverence. Steady heartbeats tuck inside the sound of the wind. Time stands still.
Or—panic sets in, a thousand warnings from coaches and YouTube tutorials prattle through your brainpan. You wonder if a good walk prepares to be ruined.
On descent, the club rearranges air particles as it slices on a perfect or unwise line toward an earth so green, it seems like AI. The iron face meets the ball, and the satisfying or unsettling thwack echoes across the fairway like a nonviolent gunshot or a cry for help. Breath catches, curse words load in the prefrontal cortex. Eyes squint to follow the hard-to-see projectile zip majestically through the air or bounce lamely along the ground like a failed hurdler.
Sometimes it goes a couple hundred yards in the right direction, other times a couple yards into uncaring swamps. Golf’s beautiful and hard as hell.
Mindfulness and stillness reign over speed and might—which goes against most basal American instincts regarding sport. Its quiet, serene mocking of our human abilities is what brings so many of us to the life-long process of sharpening the skill. Because who hasn’t stared at the most beautiful parks and lawns in the world and said, “How can I turn this into a game and win it?”
Luckily, San Diego has an abundance of courses to improve and curate self-doubt. The county is home to over 70 courses that attract the top golfers in the country. Some of the biggest names in the sport—Callaway, TaylorMade, Cobra, Titleist, Odyssey, Honma—are based here. Perfect weather never hurts. But San Diego golf courses also promise a smorgasbord of terrains: rocky canyons, hot deserts, and lush greens overlooking the expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
If you could take the 1,300-ish holes around San Diego and pick the very best ones to create your ultimate course, which would they be? We asked some of the top golf pros in the county to do just that. The result? San Diego’s Dream 18. Think fantasy football but for golf.
Just like any great course, our Dream 18 includes four par 3s, 10 par 4s, and four par 5s—everything from tricky dog legs and psychological tee shots to just pretty, pretty views. Once we had our list, we either asked the head golf pro what makes a hole so special, or other pros spoke on its behalf. Go ahead, tell us what we missed.
“One of the most iconic par 3s on the West Coast. The cliffside setting above the Pacific and the constant ocean breeze make it both beautiful and demanding.”
—Anthony Valverde, Director of Golf, The Crosby Club atRancho Santa Fe
“It’s a downhill par 3 over water with a great view from the tee down to the green. It’s surrounded by bunkers as well, so it almost feels like an island green even though it’s not. What’s really cool is once you drive to the next hole, if you look back on No. 14, it’s a great view as well. One of the signature holes [at Santaluz].”
“Hole 15 is widely considered one of the best and most memorable holes on the course. At about 250 yards, it’s a long downhill with multiple tiers and panoramic views into the valley. It looks intimidating at first, but there are lots of recovery contours and the green is fairly large.”
“While it’s beautiful with the backdrop of the Batiquitos Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, this finishing hole demands both precision and nerve. The water guarding the right side and fairway bunkers ahead create a visually striking, strategic tee shot, while the expansive green rewards a confident, well-placed approach. If you can make a par on this hole, you’ve played it very well.”
“The 18th hole at Del Mar CC is a demanding par 4 with an elevated tee box. Water guards the right side of the green, and a player must hit a precise shot into this green.”
“It’s a difficult 428-yard par 4 playing into the predominant west wind. The hole is post-renovation and the vegetation was trimmed back, so now it exposes a penalty on the right. It’s uncomfy at the tee but a good challenge. Plus, it’s the No. 1 handicap for [all players].”
—Chris Lungo, Head Golf Pro, Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club
“Some argue it’s our signature hole. A short par 4 with an elevated tee shot over a canyon. Beautiful views looking over the property. A good tee shot leaves you with a short second into a challenging green complex. Left drops off into a canyon, long as well. Right of the green is a challenging bunker complex, all of which makes a difficult up and down if you miss.”
—Brian Andrews, Head Golf Pro, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe
“The first 12 holes, you’re working toward the mountainside away from the ocean. When you get to No. 13, all of the sudden, you’re looking directly at the Pacific Ocean for the first time all day. You know you’re playing in a really special place, but you kind of forget that the Pacific Ocean is so close. It’s also a really challenging hole: On the right side, you have the canyon, where it’s easy to lose a golf ball. There’s room on the left, but there are some trees over there you have to maneuver around.”
“I smile every time I think of that hole. Growing up in San Diego, that’s where I played most of my golf. We’d put our name in the starter hut, and while we would wait, we’d sit in the atrium with [floor-to-ceiling] windows and watch people tee off here for hours. From that angle, you can see the downtown skyline, the Coronado bridge, and the topography and undulation of the land the course is built on. It’s a classic.”
—Matt Loflen, Tournament Sales Director, Rancho Bernardo Inn
“A great long par 4 on the new Gil Hanse design. Elevated tee shot to a narrow fairway with long rough on both sides. The green is long front to back and very narrow, with large mounds protecting both sides making up and downs very challenging.”
—Brian Andrews, Head Golf Pro, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe
“I can’t think of many holes in San Diego where you’re that close to the water and sailboats. It’s basically where surf meets turf when it comes to golf. You can see the boats in the harbor, all while you’re maneuvering your drive off the tee. Not only is it a great setting, but it’s a spectacular hole.”
—Matt Loflen, Tournament Sales Director, Rancho Bernardo Inn
“No. 4 was redone within the last two years, with some new brick work, a fountain, a brand new tee box, and it’s all over water. It’s just a really good hole.”
—Rick Lindemann, Director of Golf, Singing Hills Golf Club
“A championship-length par 4, regardless of the selected tees being played, hole 18 at San Diego Country Club requires four solid golf shots to make par. Beginning with the day’s final tee shot, played from an elevated tee on the highest point of the property, eloquently overlooking the entire golf course. Additionally, [players get] stunning views of the Pacific Ocean less than two miles away to the west, as well as a scenic view of the not-too-distant famous Coronado Bridge and city skyline, [all of which] make for a tremendous closing hole.”
—Jason Brustad, Director of Golf, San Diego Country Club
“It’s a really good hole because it requires shot-making every step of the way. Your tee shot is demanding, with trouble on both sides of a narrow fairway. You have the option to go for it in two, and if you choose to go for it, you have to hit a precise approach shot, because the green’s guarded by water on the right, and there’s mounding on the left. It’s a hole that’s very, very challenging, rewards good shot making, and unique in that it can be played in different ways.”
“The water features that run all the way down the left side of the hole make it quite picturesque. It is not, however, overly penal and is scoreable for even intermediate golfers if you play smart. For more advanced golfers, it is reachable in two but not without risk.” —James Cassidy, 1st Assistant Golf Pro, Maderas Golf Club
“I think it’s one of the best finishing holes in San Diego. It takes three really good shots, with your second shot being the most important. There’s water in play, a three-tier terrain, and match-deciding potential. You can have a great round, but you can’t take your foot off the gas. It’s where a lot of good scores have gone out to pasture.”
—Matt Loflen, Tournament Sales Director, Rancho Bernardo Inn
“This is a par 5 requiring an accurate tee shot with water and bunkers guarding both sides. It’s beautiful: Mountains and the clubhouse frame the hole, and it takes three strong shots to make birdie.”
Lili Kim is a content coordinator and writer for San Diego Magazine, with experience highlighting local businesses and communities. When not writing or shooting film, she is likely brewing her seventh cup of tea of the day or strolling along Sunset Cliffs.
