Best places to play, stay, eat

Among the places every golfer must visit at least once: Pebble Beach Golf Links and its majestic surrounds on the Monterey Peninsula.

Pebble Beach is the headliner public-access course in the area but other standouts include Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay as well as a host of more affordable options. Same goes for accommodations and restaurants: staying and eating near Pebble Beach can be pricey but if you venture farther afield, you can find solid offerings at all budgets.

On a recent episode of the Destination GOLF podcast, host Josh Sens said that you could build a memorable golf trip without entering the gates of famed 17-Mile Drive. But that would be like going to Rome without seeing the Coliseum. With an eye on helping you shape your first (or next) Pebble Beach golf trip, Sens and co-host Simon Holt recommended the best Pebble Beach courses, spots and activities for a getaway you won’t forget.

You can listen to the full breakdown about where, when and what we love in the Monterey area in the podcast player above. Listen and subscribe to Destination GOLF wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Or keep reading for everything you need to know to plan the perfect Pebble Beach golf trip.

Best golf courses to play near Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach Golf Links ($675)

Playing the No. 1-ranked course on GOLF’s list of Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the U.S. is a privilege, and Pebble Beach charges a premium for it: $675 is the standard walking rate. The cart fee is $55 per player. Caddies aren’t required but they are highly recommended. The single-bag caddie fee is $155 per player, not including tip. If you plan on taking a caddie, the resort asks that you travel with a single-strap bag that weighs 24 pounds or less. Otherwise, you might be asked to swap out your bag for one provided by the resort.

For a guaranteed tee time on Pebble Beach Golf Links, a minimum 2-night stay at the resort is required, unless otherwise noted on the resort’s calendar. On certain days throughout the year, a 3-night minimum is required.

Insider tip: If you’re looking to book your trip to Monterey without staying at the resort, you might still have a chance to get on at Pebble Beach. Singles can request access to a 24-hour waitlist.

Spyglass Hill ($495)

A resort stay is not required to book an advance tee time at Spyglass, the toughest of the three courses in Pebble’s celebrity pro-am rota. After plunging toward the ocean on its opening par-5, the routing romps through coastal dunes — a charming and challenging stretch highlighted by the par-4 4th, with its slender, angled hourglass-shaped green that runs away. Emblematic of the challenge is the par-4 16th, a 476-yard right-bending beast that perennially ranks among the hardest holes on Tour.

The Links at Spanish Bay ($350)

Spanish Bay was conceived as a Scottish-inspired course, a cap tip to the old country on the California coast. In late 2023, ownership announced its plans to bring the course up to snuff with its siblings through a renovation by architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. The course will close on March 18, 2026, and reopen the following spring, ahead of the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Peter Hay Par-3 Course ($75; kids 12 and under play free)

Situated between the driving range at the first tee at Pebble Beach, this 9-hole par-3 course was renovated in 2021 by Tiger Woods’ design firm, TGR Design. With no hole longer than 106 yards, the course is beginner-friendly but its firm, fast conditions make for an entertaining challenge for golfers of all abilities.

Poppy Hills Golf Course ($350)

Poppy left the Pro-Am rota in 2010. Three years later, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the architect behind the original design, redid the course, rebuilding greens and tees, upgrading drainage and relieving choke points. His team also sand-capped the property and added sandy wastes. The upshot: a wider, firmer, faster course that provides tons of fun on the same footprint. 

Fort Ord (36 holes for $230)

Two courses sit on what was once the Fort Ord military base, Black Horse and Bayonet. The U.S. Army decamped in 1994, and the property is now under private management. True to its name, Bayonet remains long and penal, though many of the trees that used to pinch it have been cleared, part of a sweeping renovation that widened fairways and remade greens. Bayonet’s sibling layout, Black Horse, offers similar aesthetics on a mellower scale.

Del Monte ($130)

Also part of Pebble Beach Resort, but not situated inside the gates of 17-Mile Drive, Del Monte first opened for play in 1897, making it the oldest continuously operating golf facility west of the Mississippi still on its original site. Unlike its famous coastal kin, Del Monte sits inland. But it still shares some traits with Pebble, including small greens pinched by bunkers. There are doglegs to contend with, and oaks and pines pose strategic trouble. The course exhibits more character midway through the front nine, gathering momentum as it goes.

Pacific Grove ($86)

This coastal muni has been called a sleeper so many times that it no longer qualifies as one. Its front nine, designed by Chandler Egan, opens quirkily with back-to-back par-3s, and cuts a pleasant path through a rolling landscape fringed with pines and eucalyptus. Pacific Grove is charming, quirky and raw. But it’s the magnificent, linksy back nine upon which the course has built its reputation.

Best places to stay near Pebble Beach

The region is filled with hotel options from the big brands to boutique stays. But because advance access to Pebble Beach Golf Links is tied to a stay at the resort, we highly suggest staying on site if you want to guarantee your tee time. At both locations, the resort requires a two-night minimum stay for tee time at Pebble.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach ($1,145)

Built in 1919, the Lodge offers luxurious accommodations overlooking one of the world’s most famous finishing holes.

The Inn at Spanish Bay ($995)

An elegant hotel overlooking the Links at Spanish Bay, the Inn has several upscale restaurants, a swimming pool and a fitness center. Every night at sunset, a bagpiper plays on the course just behind the Inn.

Beyond the gates of 17-Mile Drive, more budget-friendly accommodations abound, including the Marriott Monterey, and the Lighthouse Inn and Monarch Resort Pacific Grove. Airbnb’s are also plentiful in the area, with prices that range widely depending on size, location and time of year.

Where to eat near Pebble Beach