Monterey Peninsula Country Club

Monterey Peninsula Country Club is home to two excellent oceanside, links golf courses: the Shore and the Dunes. The Shore course is rated one of California's finest layouts, perenially included in listings of America's 100 greatest courses.

Separated by a small row of sand dunes from two other great Monterey courses (The Links at Spanish Bay to the north and Spyglass Hill to the south), the 36-holes at Monterey Peninsula occupy some of the best oceanfront golfing terrain in the United States.

On the out-and-back Shore course, many of its holes on both nines are separated from the Pacific Ocean only by the thin sliver of road that is 17 Mile Drive. The Dunes course, also an out-and-back design, starts with nine "parkland" holes, played through a more wooded and occasionally villa-lined environment. The links-style theme returns on the Dunes' back-nine, which is again played in full view of the ocean. At the Dune's spectacular par-3 14th, you cross 17 Mile Drive to play an exquisite and heavily bunker-defended par-3, which sits directly alongside the ocean's rocky foreshore.

The rugged appearance of the duneland links holes on both courses, is frequently accentuated by rocky outcrops and plenty of rough-edged bunkering that flanks the wonderfully rolling, undulating fairways.

Limited access: this private course is generally playable only by members and their invited guests.