I will be heading to Monterey in a few weeks and am looking for a place to play. Most of our trip is planned, but we need to find a place to play Sat.

We will be playing San Juan Oaks on the way over on Friday and either The Preserve or Tehama on Sunday. We are looking to play 36 on Sat. We were going to head to Bayonet, but with the remodel we are changing our minds.

Lets hear you suggestions for 36 on Sat.

Thanks for the help!

I like Pacific Grove Golf Links (it is a Muni), there is Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach. It is the Northern California Golf Association Home Course. I also like Laguna Seca Golf Course. There is also Rancho Canada in Carmel as your head into Carmel Valley. It all depends on your $$ budget.

All depends on how much cabbage you want to drop. Like the other poster said rancho canada is ok but to play anywhere nice is cash.

Poppy Hills, Quail, and Spyglass are only a few of the many great courses you can find there.

If I were you, I'd jump in the car and drive 35 minutes to Santa Cruz and play Pasatiempo. The Tom Doak restoration is complete and the course is absolutely fantastic right now. Many people pass on Pasa because it's not in Monterey and it gets forgotten about quite easily. But Pasa is a Top 100 golf course and a stellar place to play.

Of course there's the usual Cypress Point, Peb's, Spy, Poppy, Spanish.

You could run 36 by adding Pacific Grove GC into your day. It's a fantastic muni in the city of Pacific Grove and barely 6000 yds, but you'll hit every club in the bag and the back nine is just as good as Spanish(view-wise). You could play it in 3 hours because of it's length and it's dirt cheap, best bang for your buck in the entire state of California.

+ 1 On Pasatiempo plus there is nothing wrong with a nice drive up highway 1

Pasatiempo - would put it ahead of Pebble IMHO.

Played Poppy Hills and Bayonet/Blackhorse a couple of weeks ago. True it's a combo Bayonet Front 9 with Blackhorse Back 9 but playing really nicely right now, and they have the best range I've seen anywhere. Poppy Hills is my favorite course anywhere -- I've played Spanish Bay, Pinehurst 2, 4, 8, and Mauna Lani South among others but Poppy is still my favorite.

I would go the Bayonet/Blackhorse composite and Pacific Grove assuming that you do not want to drive up to Pasa. I really dislike Poppy Hills and I pay NCGA local rates. I certainly would not recommend it if you are paying full freight. Take the drive to Pasa. You will not regret it. BTW - You will love San Juan Oaks.

You should answer the "What are you willing to pay" question.

My vote: Spyglass.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ If it was only that clear when I played it

Come back in September or October when the Arizona courses are over-seeding.

ahhh how I do miss greenery much better than the brown we have here. We are planning a 3day trip to pebble in next year or two and playing pebble, spyglass, spanish bay. I do have some friends up in Sf I may just have to try and get back up there for a round during overseed.
To the original poster Play Spyglass/Pasatiempo you wont regret it. I have never been so happy to play a course in 50* weather with a downpour and windy. Just thinking about it makes me want to jump in the car and go. IMO I would rather pay a hefty price for 2 phenomonal tracks that you will never forget than play 4 average courses for a cheaper price.

I'd do pasa, then probably Pacific Grove, unless you had the scratch for Spyglass or Pebble.

pac grove over rated IMO (front 9 is pretty bad) -- go Poppy and Pasa.