Bayonet GC: #18
Bayonet GC: View from #18
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Rating Index Rating
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4.5
1549 Reviews (1549)
5 Stars
909
4 Stars
455
3 Stars
130
2 Stars
30
1 Stars
25
Conditions
4.6
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.3
90.2%
Recommend this course
1422 out of 1549 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
32 Reviews (32)
5 Stars
17
4 Stars
11
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
2
Conditions
4.5
Value
4.0
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.4
87.5%
Recommend this course
28 out of 32 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
61 Reviews (61)
5 Stars
42
4 Stars
13
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
2
Conditions
4.6
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.3
StaffFriendliness
4.6
88.5%
Recommend this course
54 out of 61 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Bayonet's challenging layout features long par fives, undulating fast greens, and tight fairways that reward well-struck shots. Friendly staff, pristine course conditions, and smooth pace of play make this Monterey Peninsula gem consistently worth the trip.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7104 yards
Slope 137
Rating 74.9

It was upon this land that General Bob McClure constructed the Bayonet Golf Course in 1954 and, due to Bayonet's initial acclaim, Fort Ord decided to expand the course. In 1964 a second 18-hole championship course named Black Horse was officially opened.

The Bayonet and Black Horse courses are steeped in rich tradition and have played host to PGA Tour greats such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, as well as several U.S. Presidents and foreign dignitaries. After a practice round in 1997, PGA Tour Professional Billy Andrade said, "If they play the U.S. Open here, the scores would be over par. It's tough, but it's fun!" One thing is for certain, the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses offer golf enthusiasts and history buffs alike, an experience that they are unlikely to forget.

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Bayonet Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1954
Fairways Rye Grass
Greens Jacklin T1 Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Gene Bates (2008)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $20 - $25
GPS Yes
Pull-carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes - "Bayonet Black Horse Golf Academy & Performance Center"
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

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12 rounds of waived fees
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Reviews

4.5
1549 Reviews (1549)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 64
Patio Dining 52
19th Hole Scenic Views 47
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 124
Undulating Greens 109
Elevation Changes 92
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 106
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 86
Playing Multiple Courses 70
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 103
Convenient to the City 64
Near Local Attractions 54

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful golf course

Gorgeous golf course and an excellent value.great layout and in pretty good condition. It could really benefit from a “combo” tee set as the almost 700 yards between the white markers and the blue ones is an absolutely huge difference in how the course plays.

I look forward to posing Black Horse the next time I get down there.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 40
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Perfect weather

Had a perfect afternoon on Bayonet. 70 degrees, sunshine and mild wind. Pace of play great, no waiting. Course is challenging, but fair. Nice conditions.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great afternoon with views

I had the privilege of playing from late afternoon to Sunset and had a great time. I joined two very good golfers and we played from the blue tips. A much longer course then from the white tips. I was impressed by the condition of the fairways and greens but mostly the sand in the sand traps made for great lies almost everywhere as long as I kept it in play. A great be back

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Just okay

Course was okay but nothing special. Lots of bunkers, trees. Fairways were good. Greens were sanded to slow roll following recent tournament. Staff wouldn't let me go out early since I'd booked online. I had arrived an hour early. Range and practice areas were good. Bunkers had inconsistent sand/quality which my group and I noticed and commented on amongst ourselves. I'm glad I got the online rate. I wouldn't play this course at normal rates. I won't be back. Plenty of other options in this area.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

18. 24 & 36 handicap

good tree lined course, stay on the fairways and it's not that hard, we had a good day but watched many struggle in the rough, front nine played in 2 hours, back nine 3.5 hours, some very slow players around which spoilt it a little -

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 48
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Extremely Difficult with super fast greens

Bayonet is a very difficult course especially when windy and the greens are running fast. If you are a single digit handicap then go for it. All others may find it very difficult as the greens are extremely fast. Our foursome had so many 3,4,5 putts it was ridiculous. Several holes if you were above hole then it became a challenge to keep your ball on the green. Prices also are over $150 now unless you find a discount. The course is beautiful and in 5 star condition, but is a US Open challenge for most golfers.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Met High Expectations

I’m a junkie when it comes to researching where to play when I travel. I have long known about the former Fort Ord courses and given the reviews I had high expectations. They were met — and then some. I was enamored with the entire facility. The driving range was out of commission because they were hosting the PGA professionals golf tournament the following week. For that same reason they also had all carts relegated to the cart paths and had each hole roped off. Well that sounds like it would have been a nuisance, it was actually somewhat cool. I’m just barely imaginative (or delusional) enough to be able to pretend there are people on the other side of the ropes... and I’m inside them playing for the cash.

All that said, the trees have evidently been softened from years past. Branches had been thinned out to make it possible to advance the ball if you miss the fairway. I seemed to notice a pattern on the par fours and fives, where there are two fairway bunkers staggered different links from the tea on either side of the fairway. This was a pretty cool design element in that you could work the ball left to right, or right to left, depending on which one you were trying to I seemed to notice a pattern on the par fours and fives, where there are two fairway bunkers staggered different distances from the tee on either side of the fairway. This was a cool design element in that you benefited from working the ball left to right, or right to left, depending on which one you were trying to cover and which one you were steering away from. It also appeared to me that most of the teeing grounds were elevated and the fairways were at the bottom of the hill. Most of the approaches were back up the hill to firm and fast greens. The greens rolled very true and there is a lot of movement in each one. To clarify, I didn’t feel as though they were heavily pitched, but there were many areas on the greens that would necessitate playing multiple breaks. I’m not sure if the rough was as high as it usually is, and I was lucky enough to have hit many fairways that day, but on the one hole where I caught the rough it was very very de i’m not sure if the rough was as high as it usually is, and I was lucky enough to have had many fairways that day, but on the one hole where I missed it was a penalty. However, if you miss the fairway every hole had a spot where you could run the ball onto the green.

As there were many players on the course that were preparing for the PGA professionals tournament, the pace was relatively slow despite being behind stacks of singles. We will consider this an anomaly. I’m sure the pace is usually nothing like what it was for me. Note, I still would have finished in the far less than four hours; was just surprised by the pace given it was just singles ahead — but soon saw why. (Not that this matters for review purposes, but I eventually paired up with one such professional who was with his caddie and his wife. They were extremely friendly and it was interesting to watch him prepare. It also showed why the pace was slower than expected.)

If I ever went back I would want to play Black Horse for the sole purpose of having played them both. My high expectations, as mentioned, were clearly met with Bayonet. Perhaps next time I’ll check out the serrated bunkers, which are the hallmark of the other track. If I had one complaint it would be that there was no signature hole. At least, I didn’t take note of any single hole that stood out from the rest. It’s just a good, consistent, difficult collection of holes.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 24
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great value @ championship course

Great course on the Monterey Peninsula that has it all: degree of difficulty, great views, pace of play, immaculate fairways and greens, awesome amenities, and all at a great price. Don’t miss this gem!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Golfnut

Course in good shape but it was an extremely windy day. I was disappointed that nobody mentioned that it would be cart path only.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Bayo review

2pm twilight at bayo is the best value in Northern CA. Best course for the money!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Fabulous course and value

Looking for a Monerey Bay course at a good price and value? Want to bypass the traffic? Do you like a good challenge and yet is forgiving? You've come to the right course. Steeped in tradition and history, this updated course is sure to please the discriminating golfer. We played Bayonet, generally considered the more challenging course. The course was in great condition before the up and coming PGA Senior Championship. The weather was cool so dress in layers. Great value, specially if you get a GolfNow deal. North of Monterey allows you to bypass most of the traffic if you are heading north after your round. If the PGA is holding a tournament, you know it can be a challenge but the have multiple tee box for all levels of skilled players. The practice facilities are really nice. We teed off at 9am and the pace of play was good. I have a 13.6 index and played the whites and that still had a slope rating of around 131?yet the tips are often 50 yard back. I felt good recording a 86 for the round. I would would gladly come back and recommend this course for weekend warriors and vacationers alike, and you won't be disappointed.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course Set Up

Though thw course was in excellent condition, it was set up for upcoming event. Golf carts paths only, which really had an impact on our group. Though not handicaped, we all have had surgeries which limit our abilities. I feel anytime a course is path only, it should be disclosed to booking party when booked. We play these courses 3/4 times a year, and never have had linited cart access.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Great course

Bayonet is a great golf course, plenty of challenge and plenty of length as desired.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Poppy Hills Golf Course, Bayonet Course, Black Horse Course, and Del Monte Golf Course.

La Quinta Resort & Club Stay & Play Package

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LA QUINTA, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at La Quinta Resort & Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of PGA WEST - Nicklaus Tournament Course, PGA WEST - Pete Dye Mountain Course, PGA WEST - Greg Norman Course, PGA WEST - Pete Dye Dunes Course, and PGA WEST - The Pete Dye Stadium Course.

The Inn At Spanish Bay Stay & Play Package

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PEBBLE BEACH, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Inn at Spanish Bay and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Del Monte Golf Course.

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PEBBLE BEACH, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Lodge at Pebble Beach and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Del Monte Golf Course.

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PEBBLE BEACH, CA | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Lodge at Pebble Beach and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Del Monte Golf Course.
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