A Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula golf trip itinerary on two budgets

Pebble Beach Golf Links is the definition of bucket-list resort golf. It's the anchor of what can arguably considered the most coveted golf destination in the world, Northern California's Monterey Peninsula.

Playing the best courses at Pebble Beach and surrounding area is a must for any avid golfer. But if you're not sure you can afford the expense, the good news is there are plenty of other courses in the area that deliver a relative value compared to Pebble.

Yes, you can visit Pebble Beach without paying to play Pebble Beach Golf Links and still have a memorable golf trip.

Here are two very different itineraries to the Monterey Peninsula. The first option is the ultimate, spare-no-expense itinerary, which begins with Pebble Beach and includes a collection of the most coveted courses available to the public in the area.

Pebble Beach Golf Links: $495
Pasatiempo Golf Club: $240
Spyglass Hill Golf Course: $395
Bayonet at Bayonet/BlackHorse: $140
Poppy Hills Golf Course: $225

Too expensive? Here's an itinerary for the Monterey Peninsula that features five rounds that add up to the cost of about one round of Pebble Beach:

Poppy Hills Golf Course: $225
Bayonet and BlackHorse Golf Courses: $195 (36-hole special)
Pacific Grove Golf Links: $64
Peter Hay Par-3 at Pebble Beach Resorts: $30

Editor's Note: Many of these golf courses offer dynamic pricing many times of year and can be played for less than the peak rates listed above. You can browse Monterey tee times at GolfNow. Other more affordable courses in the area include Monterey Pines and Laguna Seca among others. Unfortunately, Rancho Canada, an affordable 36-hole facility in Carmel, closed in 2016.