Photo of River Course at the Alisal

Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort

150 Alisal Rd,

Solvang, California 93463

  • Office

    +1 (805) 688 6042
  • Pro shop

    +1 (805) 688 6042
  • Fax

    +1 (805) 688 8229
  • Golf pro

    Jeff Raymond (Head Golf Professional)

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Rural countryside.

  • Designer:

    Jack Daray Jr & Stephen Halsey

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
6830
6099
5710
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
72.7
69.5
73.8

At the same location:

Above distances are for the public-access River course. Also at The Alisal (1.5 mi to the south) is the 18-hole member/resort-guest 18-hole Ranch course (par-72; 6542 yds from back tees).

Location

Latitude:

34.586408

Longitude:

-120.137172

How to get there:

35 miles NW of Santa Barbara / o.5 miles S of Solvang

From the centre of Solvang, head south on Alisal Road. After o.5 miles turn left into Alisal's River Course.

River Course at the Alisal

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.

Est. 1992

River Course at the Alisal: In the heart of the Santa Barbara wine country, The Alisal Resort is home to two championship golf courses. The River course, located on the north side of the Santa Ynez River, occupies a picturesque area of relatively open and gently undulating terrain. On the south side of the river, and running along the bottom of the Alisal Valley, you'll find the member and resort guest-only Ranch course. The older, considerably more tree-lined and more characterful Ranch course lays down a tougher challenge than its newer and easier-going stablemate.

Bordering the Danish-styled town of Solvang, the River course is played in a predominantly natural environment, where vineyards and rolling hills are much more in evidence beyond the course than housing. This pleasant, well-maintained, but not overly dramatic layout, has matured well following the original planting of sycamore, alder and liquid amber trees.

The River's generally good-width fairways are defined by a modest amount of earthmounding and bunkering, while three small lakes and a pond ensure the presence of water on nearly half the holes. Your first sighting of the wide, rock-filled Santa Ynez River comes at the par-5 14th, with the river also flanking the left side of the par-4 15th and 16th holes.

The signature par-3 17th measures only 123 yards from the tips, and is played to a small green, encircled by a wrap-around bunker. The picturesque scenery beyond the course provides a pleasant counter-point to the flatter and less visually exciting stretches of this maturing golf course.

Stay&Play at The Alisal: luxury accommodation available 1.5 mi to the south at The Alisal Ranch (see Where2Stay section below).

List of courses: Central Coast, CA
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal
  • Photo of River Course at the Alisal

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes: weekdays $75; weekends $90. Golf cart included.

Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2020].

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted. Golf carts available to rent.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

Alisal (meaning "place of the sycamores") is a horse lover's paradise with numerous trails through 10,000 acres of valleys and rolling hills. Group, private and children's rides are all available through the Alisal Resort. The Alisal's spring-fed 100-acre private lake offers excellent boating and fishing. Private lessons and guide trips can be arranged.

The nearby Danish town of Solvang is a popular tourist destination. Founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators, the architecture of many of the buildings follows traditional Danish style, while the city is home to bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of Denmark in California. There is a copy of the famous Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen, and one featuring the bust of the renowned Danish fable writer, Hans Christian Andersen.

Where2Stay

  • Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort4.5 star

    1054 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463

    +1 (805) 688 6411

    Visit website

    The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort nestles in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley and the renowned Santa Barbara County wine country. A hideaway for generations of families, couples and groups since opening in 1946, the romance and majesty of the “old west” remain in the Ranch’s wide-open spaces and unspoiled natural beauty. As one of California's premier Guest Ranch locations, the Alisal features golf, horseback riding, tennis and fly-fishing.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Alisal (Ranch course)

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Alisal (River course)

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Ranch San Marcos; La Purisima

  • Royal Scandinavian Inn

    400 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93464

    +1 (805) 688 8000

    Visit website

    The Royal Scandinavian Inn is a full service hotel with the charm of a country inn, nestling in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley's wine country. You can enjoy the Danish-influenced ambiance of Solvang, explore world-class wineries and take advantage of nearby championship golf.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Alisal (River and Ranch courses)

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      La Purisima; Rancho San Marcos

Find a course

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Tournaments

124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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