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4.0
190 Reviews (190)
5 Stars
109
4 Stars
45
3 Stars
20
2 Stars
13
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.9
Value
3.7
Layout
5.0
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
1.6
Amenities
4.0
98.2%
Recommend this course
162 out of 190 reviews
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Average Rating
Avg Rating
0
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
0
Value
0
Layout
0
Friendliness
0
Pace
0
Amenities
0
0%
Recommend this course
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.0
Layout
5.0
Pace
1.0
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
5.0
100.0%
Recommend this course
1 out of 1 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Parkland
Par 71
Length 7002 yards
Slope 144
Rating 74.4

Located on the famed 17-mile-Drive, Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach was the first course in the United States to be owned and operated by an amateur golf association, the Northern California Golf Association. Originally opened in 1986 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.,Poppy Hills is a challenging, par-71 venue that weaves through the Del Monte Forest and has played host to several renowned tournaments, including the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991-2009. In 2014, it received an extensive, $10 million renovation by RTJ Jr. The project was first and foremost aimed to improve environmental responsibility, and cut water consumption by reducing the amount of irrigated turf -- about 60 acres -- while also extending the layout to over 7,000 yards. From a playability perspective, all the rough was removed and doglegs were softened. The course was awarded "Best Renovation" that year by all four major golf publications.

Course Details

Year Built 1986
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (1986) Donald Knott (1986) Gary Linn (1986) Mark Rathert (1986) Mike Gorman (2014)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $25
Clubs Yes
GPS Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Golf Simulator Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Indoor Practice Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Bar, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Conference Facilities, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in California (2017 #22)

Reviews

4.0
190 Reviews (190)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 9
19th Hole Scenic Views 6
Patio Dining 6
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 12
Undulating Greens 10
Forced Carries 6
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 12
A Weekend Splurge 11
Advanced Golfers 10
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 10
Near Local Attractions 6

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Poppy Hills

Course was in great shape, especially considering all the rain. Fun and challenging course, worth the visit for sure.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Poppy Hills January 2019

Great venue. ET friendly and efficient staff. Lovely course. Very enjoyable.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Poppy Hills

Just an incredible experience. First class course. Tough but not brutal. Rough is forgiving. Greens are tough but in perfect condition. Highlight of the day was seeing Deer near one of the greens.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great birthday with son

Outstanding course in a great area of the world
Course was challenging but fair
Looking forward to playing again

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

US Open Shotgun Fired on Target

Poppy Hills planned ahead for U.S. Open week, and the course was in stellar condition. The greens were true and fast, The fairways were well manicured, and the sand in the bunkers was country club quality. The only complaint is the opportunistic pricing for the round since they anticipated golfers would pay any price even if if only a handful of us showed up for an 8 am shotgun stsrt.

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Good day with wife

Took my wife out mid day. Everyone friendly, started on time, had a nice day out.
Greens slow as they still had a bit of sand. Rolled true but you had to give it a whack. The course requires you to take what you get. Learned my lesson on a par 5 when I tried to hit a hooked 4 iron from deep in the trees. Bad idea. Bounced around and made 8. Plenty of room to play sideways back to fairway, lol. Trying to show my wife I could hit it through a 5x5 window 50 yards away. My bad. Her laugh.
We will be back soon.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Pebble Beach's Hidden Gem

Poppy Hills is the hidden gem of Pebble Beach! The course was gorgeous and challenging! The staff was very welcoming, helpful and friendly.

This course challenges your club selection off the tee, but is really fun to play at the same time. Greens ran true and for a little challenging to read.

This is probably my favorite track i have ever played! i will definitely be back.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 12
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Awesome experience

Weekday in December. Gloriously sunny and nobody on the course. Course was in fantastic condition except for one thing - greeens we’re recently sanded. Did not diminish our experience. This is one of my top five favorite courses. I play to about an 8 and it is plenty challenging while not being overwhelmingly difficult. We walked 18 in about 3 1/2 hours and we could have played much faster if we’d wanted. One of my favorite golf experiences ever.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Poppy Hills

Fun course to play with lots of challenges..

Many elevated approach shots and tricky greens.

If I had one negative the pace of play is slow.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Thank you NCGA

Played on 11-11-18 and Poppy remains one of my favorite courses in the Western US. It was very dry and smoky because of wildfires but course was excellent condition. Luckily, carts are allowed off cart paths for November and this makes it much more enjoyable. If you play it under NCGA 'normal' conditions (cart path only) you're better off walking - but it is hilly.

Great mix of holes with challenging par 5's. You won't understand the greens until you've played it 3-4 times at least.

Thanks to the NCGA for taking the risk of owning such a fantastic course in the prettiest area in the US.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Overall a good experience, but .....

There is plenty of room for improvement. Positives first:
Great layout
Iconic setting
Staff very friendly
Course was in great shape
Had beautiful weather
Beer prices were reasonable

Negatives (keep in mind that we just paid $250 in Greens fees and an extra $25 for a Cart fee):
Driving range poorly stocked - no tees, no towel at club wash bucket
Carts were poor - cooler had no ice or water, no clubwasher on cart, no towels in cart, no GPS
No GPS and no layout card/book provided
Snack shack closed when we teed off at 0930
Worst thing - it literally took 6 hours to play!!! No marshals. We waited on every single shot!

If a few of these negatives were corrected, this would be a world class golf experience, but the lack of amenities puts it in the class of an expensive muni with a really nice tract.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Happy Poppy

Great experience. We played early as a twosome in three hours forty five minutes. Staff was very friendly and welcoming. The greens are tricky but fair. Lots of interesting scenic holes with great variety. Only criticism--change the routing back to what it was originally. The nines were reversed since we last played.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Greens Ruined The Round

This could have been an exceptional golf experience had it not been for the speed of the greens. They were so fast it was not uncommon to see 4 putts and balls roll completely off them. Otherwise the course was in great shape and was a nice layout. Honestly, we were so exasperated we did not even want to finish the round. Glad we only paid the NCGA rate and not the regular price.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course

It would have been helpful to have GPSin carts as well the greens were very difficult to read would have been nice if we could have purchased something that showed the slopes on the greens

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

Fast Greens

Toughest greens I’ve ever played on. Between the speed and rolling slopes, it was very tough! Beautiful course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 30
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

One of my favorites !

First of all, I am a NCGA member. This is one of the fairest test of golf in the Monterey area! You gotta have all the clubs working when ya play here! Course conditions are some of the best! You really have pay attention to where you land your tee ball and where your approach shot land on the green.
Overall this has become one of my favorite track!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
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Golf Packages

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™.

Pebble Beach® Golf Experience Package

FROM $947 (USD)
PEBBLE BEACH, CA | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The Lodge at Pebble Beach™ and 3 rounds of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links™, Spyglass Hill Golf Course™, and The Hay Short Course at Pebble Beach™.

Monterey Peninsula Championship Courses Stay & Play Package

FROM $1117 (USD)
MONTEREY, CA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at The Lodge at Pebble Beach™ and 4 rounds of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links™, Spyglass Hill™, Pasatiempo & Bayonet Golf Courses.

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.
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