Golf in Pacific Grove

Cleaved through the tall pines of the Del Monte Forest, Poppy Hills Golf Course's 18-hole layout blankets the scenic terrain of the Monterey Peninsula with a 6,857 trail of meticulously manicured fairways and greens. Designed by renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones II, Poppy Hills has hosted many high-profile golf events, including co-hosting the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991 to 2009, a 19-year span during which Bill Murray never left.

Named one of California's Top 10 Courses You Can Play, Poppy Hills gives casual golfers a chance to test their mettle on a world-class course—the 426-yard fifth hole was rated the most difficult par four in PGA Tour play in 2006—with four tee options that make it surmountable for golfers of all stripes. Though its known for its woodland scenery and large, undulating greens, the par 72 course also features water hazards that come into play on two holes, gobbling up golf balls and serving as a convenient vacation spot for fish trying to spend a weekend away from the Pacific.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course designed by Robert Trent Jones II

• Length of 6,857 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 74.3 from the farthest tees

• Slope rating of 144 from the farthest tees

• Four tee options

• Scorecard

Pristine fairways gently rise and fall across 6,664 yards of undulating terrain at Pajaro Valley Golf Club's 18-hole course. Located a mere Goliath's drive from the Pacific Ocean, golfers can smell the crisp sea air and hear the hushed whispers of heist-planning pelicans throughout the picturesque par 72, once the verdant kingdom of 1930s golf legend Olin Dutra. The club’s E-Z-Go golf carts ferry about the arsenal of woods and irons needed to triumph over the transition from shorter par 3s and 4s to the lengthy fairways at the 1st, 4th, 15th, and 17th holes, all par 5.

After looping the horticultural haven, golfers can retreat to the club's full-service restaurant, where frothy beers and hamburgers refuel weary bodies and famished 9-irons. Spiky-shoed journeymen can place their order ahead of time at the 9th or 18th tees, ensuring their meal will be ready for them at the turn or shortly after the round.

Golfland debuted its first putt-putt green in 1953 and has since expanded to seven locations across California and Arizona. Each location features one to three 18-hole courses, replete with colorful castles, windmills, and fountains. After navigating the obstacle-filled fairways, guests can try their hands at an array of arcade games, whether felling foes in fighting games, stocking up on tickets to win prizes, or following the spellbinding plotline of a pinball game. At the San Jose location, visitors can cool off in the warmer months with a trip down parallel outdoor waterslides.

With a trophy case filled with several awards, such as the Merit Award for Public Facilities from Golf Digest and the GCSAA, Deep Cliff Golf Course earns praise for its bucolic scenery and petite layout that rewards short-game skill. The 2012 season marks 50 years since course architect Clark Glasson unveiled the par 60 course in the Cupertino foothills. With a total length of 3,358 yards, players can easily walk the executive course's six par 4s and 12 par 3s, giving beginners a manageable spot to learn the game of golf and experienced players a relaxing place to sharpen their skills. During their round, players may spot such local wildlife as rabbit, deer, feral caddies, and quail frolicking in the forests or practicing cannonballs into Stevens Creek.

The practice center at Deep Cliff Golf Course presents players with ample space to practice putts on an 8,000-square-foot green and smash golf balls into the net at the 11-station hitting area. Here, players can warm up before a round, work the kinks out of a rusty swing, and figure out which of their clubs are in the middle of an afternoon nap.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 60 course
• Total length of 3,358 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 59.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 99 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Designed by Clark Glasson

Emerald Hills Golf Course strings together nine par 3 holes that test short-game proficiency as players use shorter irons to propel their golf balls through course's frequent elevation changes. The sixth hole presents opportunities for holes-in-one with a downhill tee shot of just 120 yards into a bowl-shaped green, easily replicated from a backyard deck into an inflatable swimming pool.

Golfers hoping to shave strokes off their scores can work under the tutelage of the course's certified teaching professional, Chris Raddie. Players can then practice Chris's corrective advice after a lesson or before a round on the two practice greens or midsize practice cage, which can double as a penalty box for prevaricating scorekeepers.

Course at a Glance:

• 9-hole, par 27 course
• Total length of 1,156 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 54.2 from the back tees
• Course slope of 88 from the back tees
• Two sets of tees per hole

Within his teaching domain at Fremont Park Golf Center, PGA professional Ren Chang smoothes rusty swing mechanics and hones mental strategy, with an emphasis on shoring up the fundamentals. Ren brings more than 20 years of golf experience—including more than 10 years as a teacher—when he teaches his personally tailored lessons. He employs video analysis to ascertain problem areas such as assuming a weak stance or mistaking a tire iron for a pitching wedge, and then both student and teacher collaborate to craft a swing that feels comfortable and leads to lower scores. Throughout instruction, Ren aims to make students as comfortable as possible, keeping an extra set of clubs on hand to loan to those who need them. He is also fluent in Chinese, ideal for native Chinese speakers and those seeking to curse at their clubs in more than one language.