Pacific Grove Golf Links
Pacific Grove Golf Links provides an inviting mix of tree-lined parkland holes and breathtaking oceanfront challenges in a public, 18-hole layout. With approachable play upfront and wind-swept coastal tests on the back nine, this course delivers memorable rounds at accessible rates along the Monterey Peninsula.
Course Overview
Pacific Grove Golf Links offers a compelling contrast within its 18-hole layout—an experience that starts in town and finishes at the rugged edge of the Pacific Ocean. A public course located along California’s Monterey Peninsula, it presents a harmonious blend of parkland-style holes upfront and dramatic seaside challenges on the back nine, inviting players of varying abilities to test their game in remarkable settings.
The front nine meanders quietly through a residential neighborhood where old-growth trees and well-kept fairways guide players through approachable holes that reward accuracy and strategic play rather than raw power. As the course transitions beyond the halfway point, the ocean’s presence grows stronger, culminating in sweeping cliffside views that engage all the senses: the salty breeze, the crashing waves, and the cry of seabirds create an immersive atmosphere. Notably, the Point Pinos Lighthouse stands as a stoic landmark near holes 10 and 16, adding both historical character and a visual anchor to the course’s rugged coastline.
With a par of 71 and total yardage just over 6,000 yards, Pacific Grove Golf Links offers a balance of measurable challenge and accessibility. The early holes allow newcomers and higher handicappers to build confidence, while the back nine demands creativity to navigate undulating greens and coastal winds that often affect shot shape and club selection. This duality makes the course inviting for families, tourists, and seasoned players looking for honest competition without the exclusivity or high costs of nearby destinations.
Amenities at Pacific Grove remain straightforward, emphasizing the course itself over luxury. A simple clubhouse, a snack bar, and a welcoming pro shop cater to players' essential needs. Walking is encouraged and typically comfortable due to relatively gentle elevation changes, but players should be prepared for coastal winds, especially later in the day.
Pacific Grove Golf Links stands out as a rare public gem where the spirit of classic golf endures—a spirited engagement with nature’s elements framed by a community of regulars and visitors alike. Its unique blend of approachable layout and seaside drama offers a memorable round every time the sun dips toward the horizon.
Course Highlights
Distinct dual personality course with a parkland-style front nine transitioning to a dramatic oceanfront back nine; signature coastline holes near the historic Point Pinos Lighthouse; challenging greens often influenced by shifting sea breezes; an accessible alternative to nearby high-end courses on the Monterey Peninsula.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guest Reviews
Nino B.
We play here most every time we’re visiting the Monterey area. Fairways this past weekend were in great shape compared to other times. Back nine with the ocean views is where you understand why people put up with the pedestrian front nine. Golden hour before sunset is best time to take photos. Some folks call it, “Poor man’s Pebble Beach, but it’s unworthy of that title. Most people here I surmise are not Veblen idle rich crowd, but also not Dickens era paupers. “Working man’s Pebble Beach,” is a more fitting name.
John Kimball
“The poor man’s Pebble Beach” I was told. What a spectacular place. Great weather, Pacific Ocean views, deer, doves, friends and family, good food, and challenging holes. What more could I ask for?
Nicholas Trebelhorn
Walking this course on a weekday afternoon feels like stealing. Best bang for your buck on a golf round I've ever gotten.
Joel
UPDATE: I didn't edit anything below this paragraph. I just played this course for the second time and was charged $110 to play on a Saturday afternoon. Played this course once, over a year ago. Strange course, 2 back to back Par 5s. Lots of wind off the ocean on back 9. Hole 13 is blind shot and had no understanding where to hit. Greens were bumpy and bad. Range has horrible mats and down the street from the pro shop. It looks better then it actually plays. They call this the poor man's Pebble Beach. I've played Pebble many times, this course does not resemble Pebble in any way. I would call this the Poor Man's Spanish Bay, the back 9 Resembles Spanish.
william boeck
John Kimball
“The poor man’s Pebble Beach” I was told. What a spectacular place. Great weather, Pacific Ocean views, deer, doves, friends and family, good food, and challenging holes. What more could I ask for?
Cesar Torres
What a view!!!! We played a round of 9 which was the back nine that was along the Oceanside. I enjoyed this course with my sons! I will definitely be back and play the full 18 holes.
Bill Lin
You know what, I really like this course, for the first time I walk 18 holes, this is not just enjoyable but a very rewarding 4-hour walk, cause you get to explore such a lovely courses details , and the tranquility of this nice little town called Pacific Grove. You first start with two Par 3s, break with two Par 4, then followed by two consecutive Par 5s, interesting arrangements [Joyful] Overall, Front 9 is nice and easy, just simple dog leg right or left with not much hazards; but the Back 9 is whole another story, you start playing by or against the sea, even though the breeze will cut your yardage, but it just totally worth it to be pushed back this way. Starting from Hole 12, you get see, hear, and smell the Pacific Ocean, totally different level of golfing I'll say. There's a 1885 lighthouse situated right by Hole 10, which kind of refresh your game after 9 holes, and actually it's right by the tee box of Hole 16, which is called LIGHTHOUSE [Joyful] I would say the entire Hole 16 is their signature hole, especially when you look at the sea while trying to approach the green.
Matthew Hill
Pacific Grove is the poor man’s Pebble Beach—and yet, it is richer in sorrow, and in poetry. They call it “the poor man’s Pebble” as if that is a dismissal. But poverty is honest. At Pacific Grove, the spirit of the game lingers in tattered clothes, battered clubs, and a quiet dignity that Pebble, with its gold-plated tee markers and $600 green fees, cannot understand. The front nine winds through the town like a forgotten tale—tight, tree-lined, municipal in every way. There is no grandeur here, only struggle. You are greeted not by applause or caddies, but by the barking of a distant dog and the indifference of locals who have played this course every Sunday since the Reagan administration. Then, without warning, you are thrown upon the back nine. The ocean appears like a fever dream. It crashes against the rocks with a violence that cannot be tamed, only endured. The Point Pinos Lighthouse towers over the dunes, holding a watchful gaze over the meandering fairways, shining into the depths of your impermanence. You are no longer in a budget course—you are in a Herzogian hallucination. Fog drifts across the fairways like memory itself, blurring the edges of your purpose. At the 12th, a par-5 framed by ragged coastline, sand dunes and flocks of seabirds, you realize: this is not a golf hole. It is an existential riddle. How does one aim when one cannot see? How does one swing when one’s hands are numb with the cold of introspection? How does one play a course on the tip of the Monterey peninsula which beckons the character of Bandon Dunes, perhaps Scotland, for a mere $65? There is no clubhouse of grandeur here, no valet parking or leather-bound whiskey menus. There is a snack bar. A cart with beer. And this, in its purity, is more noble than any marble statue or velvet rope. Pacific Grove Golf Links is not where legends go to finish their stories. It is where ordinary men and women confront the absurd, hole by hole, swing by swing, until they have nothing left to give but a crooked scorecard and a sigh toward the sea. 5 Stars (for dignity in the face of the absurd)
Manny Fresh
Absolutely phenomenal course. Well maintained fairways and greens; breathtaking views, and very knowledgeable staff. Dustin and Jose are 5 star employees. Will 100% be back.
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Course Details
Access & Location
77 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
Modest clubhouse with pro shop and snack bar
Walking is encouraged; course offers gentle elevation and compact layout. Sturdy golf shoes recommended for coastal wind and occasional damp turf.
Open to the public without membership; advance tee time booking recommended during peak seasons.
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