With counties like San Diego and Los Angeles, it’s no surprise that Southern California is considered an ideal golfing location. If you’re heading to SoCal soon, opting for a stay and play package at your resort of choice is a great idea. Not only will the golfers get to play some of the best courses, but the non-golfers will get to relax and enjoy the resort’s facilities.
1. The Lodge at Torrey Pines
The Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego is a municipal gem with a view of the La Jolla coastline. Torrey Pines is home to the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open and two world-renowned 18-hole courses, North and South. If you’d like to book a stay and take your chances on one of these courses, we recommend The Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Their stay and play package, named Play Where The Pros Play, includes a three-night stay in their luxury hotel rooms or suites, and a complimentary round of golf. The resort offers many other activities for the rest of the family, like yoga classes, a pool, and a spa.
*if you’re not familiar with the term, have a short look at our guide about stay and play golf packages.
2. Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
This luxury AAA Five-Diamond resort is situated on the magnificent coastline of Dana Point, Orange County. With a spectacular view of the ocean, you can enjoy a relaxing round of golf on the par-70 championship resort golf course, Monarch Beach Golf Links.
The Swing & Stay package is the perfect romantic getaway for two. It includes 18 holes on the gorgeous oceanfront and luxurious accommodation in the guest rooms or suites. While you’re there, you can enjoy a dinner at the restaurant situated right on the beach, or get a couples massage at the spa.
3. La Quinta Resort & Club
This resort offers not one, but five public championship courses. With 41 pools, a spa, a salon, and a fitness center on the premises, there will be no time for boredom after a round of golf. To get the most out of your time at La Quinta, their Stay and Play package is a must.
The package includes a round of golf per overnight stay, excluding the day of your arrival. The accommodation options that come with this package are the luxury casitas. Most of them are right next to the pool with a view overlooking the resort.
La Quinta’s stay & play package is one of our top recommendations in our list of the best stay and play golf packages in Palm Springs.
4. Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa
The Aviara Golf Club in San Diego is like no other, with honorable mentions by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. The par 72 course that overlooks the Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve was designed by Arnold Palmer. The resort offers two stay and play packages to choose from.
The Aviara Golf Club Package includes one round of golf per night of stay and unlimited use of the practice facilities. Additionally, you get a golf cart and overnight golf club storage to use for the duration of your stay. The Stay & Play with a Daily $100 Resort Credit offer isn’t limited to golf. It includes a stay at the resort and a $100 credit per day to use for dining, golf, or spa experiences.
If a package is not mandatory for you, there are more options in San Diego. Here’s our list of the best golf resorts there, check it out!
5. Pebble Beach Resorts
Pebble Beach offers three different resorts in Monterey, including The Inn at Spanish Bay, Casa Palmero, and The Lodge at Pebble Beach. They each have their own fantastic facilities, like a spa and world-class dining establishments. Plus, there are five different courses that you can play on the Monterey Peninsula coastline.
The trip upgrade package at Pebble Beach isn’t your traditional stay and play promotion. The resort offers a deal that includes $500 worth of resort credit if you stay at any of the options for four nights or more. This credit can be used to play golf on any of the five courses, including the number one public course in the country, Pebble Beach Golf Links.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the 8 best golf packages in Pebble Beach.
6. Omni La Costa
Omni La Costa, the PGA Tour’s hotel partner, is located in Carlsbad, just a few miles from San Diego. The resort has two popular championship courses, known as the Champions course and the Legends course. Plus, there’s a spa and 8 pools on the premises, which makes it the ideal location for your next stay and play family vacation.
The Omni PGA Tour Golf Package includes a free round of golf on one of the courses for every night of your luxurious stay at Omni La Costa. You’ll be staying in the guest rooms, suites, or villas, which are all conveniently located close to the golf courses. The $100 resort credit that they add to this premium package just makes this deal even more worthwhile.
7. The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa
With the Westin Wellness Spa and many other activities on the premises, there’s no need to explain why this resort is perfect for family vacations. Not to mention the The Pete Dye Resort Course, described by Pete Dye himself as ‘potentially diabolical, yet indescribably playable’. What’s more, the resort offers two stay and play packages to sweeten up the deal.
The Unlimited Golf package is a golfer’s dream package because it offers unlimited golf for two from the day of your arrival to the day of your departure. The other package, Play Two, includes two rounds of golf per player at Pete Dye and two rounds at Gary Player.
The resort is close to Palm Springs International Airport, so if you plan on traveling by air, be sure to check out our article on packing golf clubs for a flight. If you want to check nearby great courses, check out our list of the best golf courses in Palm Springs.
8. Fairmont Grand Del Mar
If you want to play a round of golf at the only course in San Diego designed by Tom Fazio, this is the resort that you should be looking at. This San Diego Golf Resort overlooks the Los Peñasquitos Canyon, with plenty of wildlife and more than 500 plant species.
Staying at Fairmont Grand Del Mar gives you the chance to play at The Grand Golf Club and enjoy other resort facilities, like the spa, while you are there. Their stay and play package is called the Golf Getaway. It includes accommodation in the suites or other luxurious on-site options and two rounds of golf for every night of your stay.
9. Rancho Bernardo Inn
Rancho Bernardo Inn is a cozy home away from home for many travelers. There’s a spa, three pools, lawn games, and a restaurant on the premises of this 265-acre resort. It is home to the championship Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course, which is a popular course amongst both professionals and amateurs.
The Golf Escape package is perfect for the golfer who can’t get enough. It includes a night’s accommodation and unlimited golf for two, which means that you can play as many rounds as you can fit into your stay.
10. The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
There are a couple of Ritz-Carlton hotels across the country and the one in Dana Point is like no other. The resort, like many others, has a spa and two pools for your relaxation needs. They also offer surfing lessons, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking on request.
The Swing & Stay Golf Package includes a round of golf for two at the Monarch Beach Golf Links, which features a magnificent view of the ocean. You can choose between various options for your stay, including a room with a view of either the garden, pool, or ocean.
11. Indian Wells Golf Resort
There are four gorgeous resorts around the Indian Wells Golf Course, including Miramonte Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, and Indian Wells Resort Hotel. Most of these offer stay and play packages which include three nights of stay and three rounds of golf at Indian Wells.
Indian Wells Golf Resort is located just twenty minutes from Palm Springs International Airport. If you’re taking your golf clubs on your next holiday, remember that some airlines waive their oversize policy for golf clubs. Here’s an example: JetBlue Airlines Golf Clubs Policy.
FAQ
How many golf courses are there in Southern California?
Southern California is rich in golf courses, with more than 600 courses to choose from. California is currently in 2nd place when it comes to states with the most golf courses, right behind Florida.
Here’s our top list of golf courses in Southern California.
What is the best time of year to play golf in Southern California?
Southern California is one of the regions in the US with the best weather. Most of the resorts and golf clubs offer year-round golfing packages because there’s no ‘best’ time to book a stay and play.
However, if you want to plan your trip early and you really need to know when you should book, Spring is highly recommended for the nicest weather. April and May in particular are prime golfing months.
Which golf course in Southern California is the most popular?
Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego stands out above the rest when it comes to popularity. Not only is it a popular course in Southern California, but it’s also considered one of the most popular courses in the entire state of California.
If a package is not that important for you, check out more options for on-site accommodations in our article for the best golf resorts in Southern California.
