Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach - sunset
Even on a cloudy day, sunsets at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach can be spectacular.
Resort, One, Dana Point, California 92629, US
(800) 722-1543
Location Map

About Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club

The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club is a grand Mediterranean retreat that has earned AAA Five Diamond Awards since 2003 and Mobil/Forbes Five Star Awards since 2007. The Monarch Bay Beach Club is a private beach club across the Pacific Coast Highway where guests have access to a private beach and an all-day food menu in a gorgeous setting.

Facts

Price Range$$$$
Property Class★★★★★
Acres162
Year Opened2001
Number of Units300-500

Amenities

RestaurantsFine, Casual
Room TypesRoom, Suite
TennisYes
Fitness CenterYes
Beach AccessYes
Banquet SpaceYes
SpaYes

Services

Kids ProgramYes
Room ServiceYes
ConciergeYes

Rules

Is the resort pet friendly?Yes
Is resort stay required for a tee time?No

Golf courses at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
269 Reviews (269)
Review 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

Twilight’s the value tee time

Happened to find a hot deal tee time just an hour before. The course conditions were great and the staff was also super nice. Once I get to know the course layout, it’ll be very interesting course to play as it is not long but there were a lot of hidden obstacles.

Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
Review 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Played

Beautiful..... but not worth it

For $300 there should be a range, bunkers should be consistent and no way should you be waiting on the T box or fairway for slower groups to clear. Beautiful course, staff is great..... but not worth it

First Time Playing
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 2.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 3.0
Amenities 3.0
Default User Avatar
Commented on 01/10/2023

I agree!

Very marginal practice area!

675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 11/17/2022

Greetings Petehilke2021,

Thank you for sharing your experience, though we are sad to hear you felt it wasn't worth it. We will share your words regarding our team members and wish you the best.

-Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 8
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

overpriced resort course

Agree with reviews that you'll be disappointed if this course is your destination. It's a nice resort course with wide and favorably sloped fairways. Only two holes are scenic and it is not walkable. I played 18 holes in an outing on Saturday and played 9 holes late afternoon the next day. The $131 was for the 9 holes. If you are going to play 9, make sure you play the front.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 2.0
Layout 3.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 3.0
Difficulty 3.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 11/17/2022

Greetings,

We thank you for taking the time to rate your experience. We understand we aren't for everyone, but hope we do have the opportunity to host you again.

-Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Review 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Played
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 3.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 1.0
Amenities 5.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 10/07/2022

Thank you, rschot23, for taking the time to rate us. We hope next time you visit us it is more of a 4 or 5 star experience.

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 16
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

Fun course

Fun course with some nice water holes and creative shots needed. Only two holes on the beach if you think it is an ocean course it is not really.

Staff was very friendly at all locations pro shop, snack shop, Marshall, etc..

No driving range but hitting area was good for warm up.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 4.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Difficulty 3.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 10/07/2022

Thank you, tshedeed, for taking the time share your experience. We hope you have time to visit us again.

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 2
Recommended
Played
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Review 1
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 4.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 3.0
Amenities 5.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 08/26/2022

Thank you for rating us 5-stars!

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 4.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 08/26/2022

Thank you for taking the time to rate us 5-stars!

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 12
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

Dana Point Delight

If you ever thought about playing Monarch Beach and just haven't done it......don't wait! It is a tough but fair course and the conditions are wonderful. The fairways and greens are well maintained and the views are just as good.

I Played as a single as was paired with some local players. I couldn't have had picked nicer and more helpful playing companions for my first outing there.

Treat yourself and friends and book a round soon.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Difficulty 4.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 08/26/2022

Thank you for taking the time to share your words and experience. We hope you have a chance to play with us again soon.

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Review 1
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 3.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 3.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 08/19/2022

Thank you for rating us 5-stars!

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 25
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Played

Underwhelming

Ridiculously overpriced for an unmemorable course. Anything good about the course has to be tempered with the fact that it’s simply too expensive for what you get.

Ranger came by 2 or 3 times to tell us we were half a hole behind even though nobody came close to being behind us. 4:20 right on pace on the card.

One ocean hole. Guess that’s what you’re paying for. Won’t be back, too many better courses around for less than $200.

Staff was nice though, and was put with a good group of people.

First Time Playing
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 1.0
Layout 3.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Review 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Played

Fun Course | Poor Value

I will keep this short - if you are booking this as a destination experience you will be disappointed if your expectations are not set.

If part of your experience is driven by experiencing course facilities you will be disappointed.

- No Driving Range

This is hard information to find on the site and they try to sell you on this being a good thing. Would be passable if they had additional technology such as TrackMan, but the facility is no better than a backyard cage

- No food for early tee times

Both food options were closed in the morning during the weekday. This may be different for the weekend.

- Locker Room below expectations

The locker room was simply a bathroom. No sauna, steam room, nice toiletries, etc.

- Fairways Under Repair

A surprising amount of fungus and damage to the fairways at this price point. It sounds improved from earlier in the year, but the fairways are still a bit rough on certain holes.

- Not Walkable

The site says its walkable - it really isn't. There are several holes with significant walks through tunnels and up hills. Do yourself a favor and get a cart. This is particularly true if you are playing in a group with other cart riders.

If expectations are anything higher based on price point you will be disappointed. Unless you have a discounted round rates from staying at the hotel think twice before booking. You can play comparable courses in the area 3-4 times for this green fee.

First Time Playing
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 2.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 4.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 2.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 07/29/2022

Greetings kbishop33,

Thank you for taking the time to review your experience with us. Though we may not fully agree with all you mentioned, there are some valid points. We plan to add tech to our hitting bays soon. Golfer also have access to the Miraval Spa for a nominal fee, the golf shop carries some F&B for times when the Cafe is not open and we do have many people who choose to walk our Links course. As for the conditions, we work hard every day to solve longstanding issues and are closer to the standard we are holding for ourselves.

Thank you again for choosing to play and review Monarch Beach Golf Links - we do hope you can visit again soon.

- Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 3
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 4.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 07/29/2022

Thank you for ranking us 5-stars!

- Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Review 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Great course. Great value.

I will be back! Very playable course with just the right amount of obsticles. Ill be back!

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 07/08/2022

Thank you for taking the time to review your visit. We look forward to hosting you again!

- Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 40
Recommended
Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 4.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Reviews 18
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Great way to spend Mother's day

The staff was extremely pleasant , the weather was perfect & the course was in great shape. Only downside was a couple of the fairways had major work being done but we warned ahead of playing so no big deal there. Will be returning in the near future.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Difficulty 4.0
Reviews 51
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

Two fairways under repair

We had a great time and the course was in very good shape. The only disappointment (which we knew about) was fairways 6 and 7 were under repair and they made both holes very short par 3's. I understand these two holes should be back in operation in a month or so and we look forward to coming back.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 4.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Difficulty 3.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 07/01/2022

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Please do return as both of those fairways are looking so healthy!

Happy Golfing!

-Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Review 1
Recommended
Played

Bob

very nice course, just 3 holes under construction so we lose a lot of fun, hopefully they can finish the construction in next couple month.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 4.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Difficulty 4.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 04/29/2022

Thank you, Bob for taking the time to rate your experience. We will be completing the project within the next month so you'll have to come back and see the finished project!

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Amazing experience. Greens were perfect! Views are outstanding. Challenging but VERY playable. ?Used every club in my bag. Highly recommend to others.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 5.0
Difficulty 4.0
675883f1-81ad-5c0f-be3a-45663fa9fa02
Commented on 04/13/2022

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and rate us 5-stars. Visit again soon!

Regards,

Eric Lohman, PGA GM

Now Reading