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4.7
311 Reviews (311)
5 Stars
216
4 Stars
77
3 Stars
11
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
4
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.5
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.5
96.6%
Recommend this course
297 out of 311 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.6
20 Reviews (20)
5 Stars
15
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.8
Layout
4.8
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.3
StaffFriendliness
4.6
100.0%
Recommend this course
20 out of 20 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
52 Reviews (52)
5 Stars
40
4 Stars
11
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.6
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.5
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.7
100.0%
Recommend this course
52 out of 52 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Private/Resort
Par 70
Length 6117 yards
Slope 131
Rating 70.1

Back along Snively’s Ridge on the eastern boundary of the Santa Lucia Preserve is a spot that is one of the great luxury getaways in the USA. It’s called Carmel Valley Ranch, and its Pete Dye par-70 layout is a very playable golf course that was voted one of the Top 100 Women-Friendly Courses in the country by Golf for Women’s Magazine.

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Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1981
Fairways Rye Grass
Greens T1 Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye (1981) Gene Bates (2006)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Cafe, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Spa, Locker Rooms

Available Sports

Fitness, Tennis

Accolades

Reviews

4.7
311 Reviews (311)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 9
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 15
Bunkers 13
Water Hazards 10
This course/club is great for:
A Weekend Splurge 14
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 13
Advanced Golfers 10
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 16
Worth the Drive 13

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 134
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 100 Contributor
Verified Purchaser
San Francisco Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Course All Around

This is a super course that is a blast to play. Located inland, you are guaranteed to find some sun. Course conditions are fantastic right now (as they generally are). Fairways are immaculate as are the tee boxes. Greens are great as well. Greens roll super smooth at a nice fast pace. Most greens have a modest slope that make them very manageable.

The greens were a tad on the firm but nothing too bad. The layout is a blast with water hazards on the front (flat) nine and a lot of elevation changes on the back nine.

Great pro shop and clubhouse with full locker room services and restaurant.

Staff is great all around.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Excellent conditions, helpful and friendly staff

Since it was the first time I played the course, I had a lot of questions, many of them being elementary . The staff took an interest and in answering them fully. The starter, Anthony was particularly helpful. The course is in great shape, I consider is a challenging and scenic course well worth the price to play. I will play it again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great golf in Carmel Valley

The course was in outstanding condition - all aspects of the course was perfect. The only issue was that the pace of play was rather slow.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Amazing Day in Carmel Valley

I've been to Carmel Valley Ranch a couple of times but never had a chance to play the course. It did not disappoint! The course is in pristine condition and offers two very different experiences between the front and back nines. The greens we so good that I ended up having the round of my life, with no fewer than 8 one-putts, many for 15 feet or longer!

Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging brown tee

It is par 70 short course with less than 6200 yards from the farthest brown tee. But if you want to play at the brown tee you should be more than a good player since there are quite many holes with visual threat from the back tee. Overall course are greatly maintained but brown tee boxes in first 4 holes are quite challenging and dangerous to hit near or over the car and people passing roads.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Geat course for skilled players

The course is perfectly maintained. It is a bit short course so we choose to play at Brown tee box but it is way more difficult due to the course design. So I recommend not to play at the back tee. Course design is very interesting and fairly challenging but first 4 holes are adjacent to the road so running cars and walking people could be in danger.
A team ahead of us played quite slow, but no marshall was present so no one controls the pace.
Club house restaurant closes quite early.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 14
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Great Course - Going Back!

It’s a great course. The staff friendly. Nice people we were with. Pace of play was good. Had lunch and drinks that were fantastic. Will definitely go back

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Bargain for a reason

My only gripe was that the greens were aerated with sand sprinkled on top. I guess that's why the green fee was much lower.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Course But Staff Communication Is Not A Strength

First time here. Played at 1/2 normal fee just 5 days after green punching and aeration -- neither of which I knew at time of booking. Arrived 2 hours early to prep. Nice driving and practice areas and restaurant/lounge. Check-in staff neglected to inform me of some important info, such as their "roving starter" who is not stationed near the first tee (??) but rides around on a cart. I arrived at tee box #1 about 10 mins before my tee time, and was there alone as I prepared to tee off. Finally the starter arrived with my playing companions with just 2 mins to go. He was not happy with me, since I apparently (1) had not looked for him and (2) had parked my cart in the wrong place. Fortunately my playing partners were very cordial and as the day wore on I forgot about the bad start. Front 9 much easier than back 9, as elevation changes grew more severe. Even from the Orange (white) tees I really needed a good long iron and fairway wood day to score reasonably. Wind kicked up later in day making those shots even tougher. Fairways were perfect, as well as bunkers. Some greens had a layer of sand that was still 1/8" high making putting and short game a bad carnival ride. With all the other great courses in the area I will likely not return to this one soon, no matter how good the greens may be on the next visit.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great day

A bit slow as the aeration had just started.

You owe it to yourself and a friend to play this gem.

Spectacular…

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course

Not only is the course layout fantastic, the views and setting are superb.

We played at twilight. Finished all 18.

Le let 3-4 singles play through. Singles behind a foursome always rough.

But, even so we finished in 4 hours.

Highly recommend that you do not miss this course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

No turkey to be found

It was a a very pleasant day, pace what good
We ran into some early wind.
Greens had different speeds
A challenge to figure out?
No turkey’s were to be found.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

No turkey’s

As always I find this course tough.
some greens were found to be fast and other greens to be slow.
This course is filled with natural wonders
Birds, deers ,hawks Turkeys not found on this round?
We found several of the golfers gracious enough to let us pass through since we were only two,.
The wind made its day view the course got longer!
It turn out to be a journey on a lovely day.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Carmel Valley Golf

Enjoyed the course and the layout. Lots of elevation changes, was in great shape and greens nice. Had a great time with my family 👏⛳️🏌️‍♂️

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

Carmel Valley Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $597 (USD)
MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at Quail Lodge & Golf Club and 2 rounds of golf at Carmel Valley Ranch and at Quail Lodge Golf Course.

Premier Monterey Stay & Play Package

FROM $487 (USD)
MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa and 3 rounds of golf at The Links at Spanish Bay™, Bayonet Golf Course and Poppy Hills Golf Course.

Monterey Tournament Course Stay & Play Package

FROM $567 (USD)
MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Embassy Suites by Hilton and 3 rounds of golf at Poppy Hills Golf Course, Black Horse Golf Course & Del Monte™ Golf Course.

17-Mile™ Stay & Play Package

FROM $957 (USD)
PEBBLE BEACH, CA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at The Inn at Spanish Bay™ and 3 rounds of golf at The Links at Spanish Bay™, Spyglass Hill Golf Course™, and Pebble Beach Golf Links™.

Best of Monterey Package

FROM $1,107 (USD)
MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach™ and 3 rounds of golf at The Links at Spanish Bay™, Spyglass Hill Golf Course™, and Pebble Beach Golf Links™.
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