Pacific Grove Golf Links

This is really two separate golf courses. The front nine is parkland, with loamy soil, but the back nine is very linksy and sandy and flows along the ocean. Great views of pounding surf. The back nine reminded me very much of Scotland, right down to the small white flowers in the fairway. A great course for the money and really deserves the name "poor mans Pebble Beach"

We played here on a monday morning after spending the weekend in Monterey for my wife's 30th birthday. We teed off at 8:40 and played the front nine in 1:40, but were joined by a couple of locals for the back which took about 2:20 (still 4 hour 18 though). The front nine isn't all that exciting, but challenges you to hit it pretty straight and hit your spots. Small greens and a long par 3 to finish the front. But I knew from the reviews that you play this course to play the back 9, which was spectacular. Since we played on a pretty calm morning the wind was present but not overpowering. Just beautiful and fun 9 holes. It was quite helpful to have a local with us as there are some blind tee shots and deceptive fairways. Would definitely play again. Oh yeah we also walked, which I think adds to the enjoyment of this course.

We have played this course a number of times, but never quite like this. There was much needed rain throughout the round. Strangely enough my playing partner and I both had personal bests despite the rain. The course was in good condition despite the weather. No one else was playing so we were able to stop for lunch during the worst of it.

The front nine is a basic municipal course with houses and fences along many of the fairways. The back nine is along the Pacific Ocean and is really beautiful.

I've played several rounds here. It is a terrific course with amazing views of Monterey Bay! After playing, score seems insignificant; the experience will be memorable. The pro shop staff was courteous and very accommodating.
Highly recommend this course!!!

As known for public, this course is affordable and back 9 is beautiful. But, unfortunately, green condition was not excellent. Green was uneven, bumpy and rugged. Except that, it was great course.

well, when I say the weather was excellent, it was if you like scottish golf. Warm on the front nine, then we hit the back, fighting the wind all the way. Really a lot of fun and in many ways better then the bright sun. Had a great time. Walked the course and was told that we could use a cart on the back if we wished to. Saw lots of deer.

We've been here about 3 times over the past couple of years and we love it!!! The front 9 is fine, but the back 9 along the ocean is amazing. We will continue to drive the couple of hours to play there as well as enjoy the beautiful surrounding areas.

This course is horrible. One of the least maintained courses I've ever played. With the views of the Pacific though this place stays packed. If I was the city I wouldn't pump any money into it either if it's bringing in all the revenue. The course is a joke and hackers are everywhere. BUT, the views on the back 9 are the best around. It would be amazing what this course would be if they cared about maintaining it.

We played 18 holes in 3 hours 50 minutes and it was completely enjoyable. Weather, fairways and greens, all super! The back nine is out standing at Pacific Grove.

Was in town for the AT&T and played with a friend before leaving town. It was close by to Monterey but it didn't quite hit expectations. The course is quite tired and needs some attention. The greens were in terrible condition. Not worth the $ I paid.

Worth the money just for the back 9 views. Was a slow round.

Great day, just slow because of the holiday week. This is a beautiful course-especially for the price.

What a great experience.First time playing there and on a recommendation from a friend I played the back nine twice. The scenery was awesome. I imagined it was like playing a scottish links by the ocean with sand dunes and ice plant to guard the fairways. The greens had lots of subtle dips and undulations which made putts challenging. Greens were very receptive. Something I didn't expect was to see deer on the course. Just a great experience and cant wait to play it again.

If I lived down in Monterey I would play this course regularly. If you want to experience 'proper' seaside links golf, come to Pacific Grove.

Holes 11 to 16 is the way the game is meant to be played. Bump and run, blind shots, tee it up high downwind, keep it low into it, greens sighted between the low dunes, it is all here.

The start is odd, with the 2 3's, 2 4's, 2 5's routing, but you may get to see some deer and the par 5's have the required length to keep your attention. Along with the par 5's, the par 3's on the front are actually pretty long and it is really the par 4's where the course pays short. The front on its own is probably a 3/5.

After you cross the street and play the short 10th, the real fun begins on the 11th tee. 11 provides a wide open introduction to the dunes, where you can play a driver, 3 wood, hybrid, or long iron and be safe off the tee. Along with the 13th, they are the two shorter holes along the sea, the others are more grownup holes. The par 5 12th plays along Sunset Drive and is one of my favorite par 5's around.

Once you complete 16, where you drive up and over a hill straight down to the Pacific, 17 and 18 play around the driving range and lead you back to the clubhouse.

As others have pointed out, it is a reasonably priced muni, so it does get some inexperienced golfers who can be seen to hack it about the place and take their time. If you get a lot of them out there at once, it will be a slow round.

That said, if you live here you should have played it already. If you are visiting the famous 17 Mile Drive courses, you should play it while you are here. It is not a serious challenge like those courses, but it makes for a cracking few hours along the bay.

When somebody asks me where they should play when they go to Monterey, Pacific Grove Golf Links is always the first course I recommend, especially if they're on a budget. It's called the "Poor Man's Pebble Beach," inferring that you get ocean views for a fraction of the price of Pebble. But really, other than sharing a designer and the Pacific Ocean, it's nothing like Pebble. What it has is great charm and a back nine largely on the ocean. It's actually more linksy than Pebble Beach.

Due to the time of the year there were few people on the course and it was a very cold day at 45-50 degrees. There were many deer on the course that were not fazed by the activity. The back 9 holes have terrific views of the ocean.

There are almost two courses for one: the first 9 holes play through cypress and oak trees, the back 9 along the pacific coast, with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, the lighthouse and Asilomar Beach's natural sand dunes..Nice to play with in relaxing atmosphere. I'll certainly come again!.

The course has some very nice views on the back 9, but that doesn't make up for the condition of the course. I booked 3 courses in the Monterey area through GolfNow. Bayonet and Balckhorse are far superior courses than Pacific Grove. Bayonet and Blackhorse were $50.00 and Pacific was $47. If there was comparable value, Pacific would be around $15.

The PG links has some of the most interesting holes imaginable. Really, when you play there, you're playing two distinctly different golf courses. On the front nine, the fairways meander through a tunnel of Cypress trees, while the back nine is wide open links style gold at its best with lots of sand dunes along the Pacific Ocean. It's really spectacular and a lot of fun!!

beautiful setting next to monterey bay,great views of ocean and dunes.