California has 1,211 golf courses — 912 public, 204 private — with an average slope rating of 132 across 648 USGA-rated courses. The hardest is Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta at slope 155. Browse by county or city below, with scorecards and USGA slope ratings where available.
Browse California Courses by Numbers
Hardest by Slope
Bear Creek Golf Club
Journey at Pechanga
Winchester Country Club
El Niguel Country Club
Sand Canyon Country Club
Del Mar Country Club
Redhawk Golf Club
Mayacama Golf Club
Martis Camp Golf Course
Torrey Pines South Course
Easiest for Beginners
Rancho Duarte Golf Course
St. Stanislaus Golf Course
Escalon Golf Course
Cimarron Golf Club
Pico Rivera Golf Club
Gavilan Golf Course
Newport Beach Golf Course
Zaca Creek Golf Course
Haggin Oaks Golf Complex
Lakes Course
Longest by Yardage
Martis Camp Golf Course
Torrey Pines South Course
The Bridges Golf Club
Old Greenwood Golf Course
Coyote Springs Golf Club
Mountain View Country Club
Ruby Hill Country Club
The Madison Club
The Summit Club
Carlton Oaks Golf
Find a Course in California
Browse by County
Top Courses in California
Bear Creek Golf Club
Murrieta · 18 holes · Par 73
Journey at Pechanga
Temecula · 18 holes · Par 72
Winchester Country Club
Meadow Vista · 18 holes · Par 73
El Niguel Country Club
Laguna Niguel · 18 holes · Par 72
Sand Canyon Country Club
Santa Clarita · 18 holes · Par 72
Del Mar Country Club
Rancho Santa Fe · 18 holes · Par 72
Martis Camp Golf Course
Tahoe City · 18 holes · Par 72
Mayacama Golf Club
Santa Rosa · 18 holes · Par 72
Redhawk Golf Club
Temecula · 18 holes · Par 72
Torrey Pines South Course
La Jolla · 18 holes · Par 72
Stone Eagle
Palm Desert · 18 holes · Par 71
Black Gold Golf Club
Yorba Linda · 18 holes · Par 72
California Golf News & Articles
Friendly Hills CC: Where Major Champions Qualified
Jimmy Hines designed this 1968 Whittier club into a tight 6,406-yard par 70 with a 136 slope. The course has hosted US Open qualifying for decades.
Chardonnay Golf Club: 18 Holes Through Napa Vines
Algie Pulley's 1991 design winds through 150 acres of working Napa vineyards in American Canyon, with a par-3 eighth that Golf Digest's Ron Whitten ranked among the 18 most fun holes in America.
The Falls at Blackhawk: East Bay Golf at Its Most Strategic
Ted Robinson designed The Falls at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, CA to reward positioning over power. Renovated in 2010, this private East Bay course plays to 7,110 yards from the tips with a slope of 132 and delivers some of the most scenic rounds in Northern California.
About Golf in California
California has 1,211 golf courses ranging from public daily-fee tracks to exclusive private clubs. The average slope rating across rated courses in California is 132, compared to the national average of 113. 648 courses have verified slope and course ratings. Course pages link to official contact and website information where available; tee-time alerts are currently an early-access feature.
Frequently asked questions
How many golf courses are in California?
California has 1,211 golf courses in the Stymie directory, including 912 public and 204 private courses.
What is the hardest golf course in California?
Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta is the hardest golf course in California with a maximum slope rating of 155. Slope measures difficulty for a bogey golfer — 113 is average, 140+ is very difficult.
What is the average slope rating in California?
The average slope rating across 648 USGA-rated California courses is 132. The US national average is 113.