Pebble Beach Golf Links was famously described (purportedly by novelist Robert Louis Stevenson) as “the most felicitous meeting of land and sea.”
Any golfer who’s played Pebble Beach would be hard-pressed to disagree, as nine picturesque holes overlook the Pacific Ocean. There’s just something about golf holes located on the water, especially in as dramatic a site as California’s Monterey Peninsula.
While the name Pebble Beach is iconic in the world of golf, instantly identifiable as one of the most well-known coastal courses in the country, fewer than 100 U.S. courses have the word “beach” in their name. It’s mildly surprising, given how evocative the label is.
Beyond Pebble Beach, below is a partial list of some of the most well-known “beach” courses in the U.S.
Note that this collection doesn’t include special spots like Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, the courses at Bandon Dunes, Half Moon Bay, or any number of courses in the Hawaiian Islands that physically overlook beaches but lack the actual “beach” label.
Dyker Beach (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
While this public course in New York City doesn’t have any holes set on the water, it sits in the shadow of the Verrazano Bridge in the southwest corner of Brooklyn, a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. The par 72 layout is a unique slice of golf history—originally designed by Tom Bendelow in 1897 and redesigned by Jon Van Kleek in 1935—and an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Hammock Beach Golf Resort (Palm Coast, Fla.)
This resort claims the most oceanfront holes in the state of Florida, with six holes of Hammock Beach’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Ocean Course playing directly on the Atlantic Ocean. While the two courses themselves don’t have the “beach” name, the resort does and golfers will refer specifically to Hammock Beach when playing either the Nicklaus design or Tom Watson’s Conservatory Course.
Monarch Beach Golf Links (Dana Point, Calif.)
Situated atop dramatic bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. fashioned a varied par 70 layout that boasts views of the surf breaks on every hole. In addition to Phat Scooters and GolfBoards, the latter enabling golfers to “surf the turf,” Monarch Beach offers Waterman Caddies who not only provide the usual on-course expertise and assistance, but can share current ocean water temperatures, swell directions, and can arrange surfing or stand-up paddle board lessons or excursions.
Myrtle Beach National (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
Like Hammock Beach, Myrtle Beach National is home to multiple courses—in this case, three 18-hole signature designs from Arnold Palmer. The 54-hole inland property at Myrtle Beach National is highlighted by King’s North, one of the most iconic layouts on the Grand Strand, as well as the West Course and South Creek. About 20 miles south is another good “beach” course, TPC Myrtle Beach, which debuted its Tom Fazio/Lanny Watkins design in 1999.
Palm Beach Par 3 (Palm Beach, Fla.)
One of the game’s finest par-3 courses is this municipal layout owned and operated by the town of Palm Beach. This 18-hole short course is tucked on 39 windswept acres squeezed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. It was rerouted and redesigned by Raymond Floyd, who helped raise $3 million in private money for the project that was matched by the township. Fittingly, the course’s website is golfontheocean.com.
Pelican Beach Golf Club (Hyannis, Neb.)
Not to be confused with Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, Calif., this 9-holer in the sandhills of Nebraska—just over a half-hour due west of Mullen (and the notable Sand Hills Golf Club)—is as about as far from a traditional beach as you can get. The course was planned, built, and is maintained by a volunteer crew from the local town, has an honor box for green fees, and got its name when pelicans from nearby Beem Lake flew overhead during one of its first events.
Waikoloa Beach Resort (Kohala Coast, Hawaii)
Of all the great golf in Hawaii—Manele on Lanai, Kapalua on Maui, Hualalai on the Big Island, Turtle Bay on Oahu, and Poipu Bay on Kauai—there are surprisingly few places that have “beach” in their name. The Waikoloa Beach Resort qualifies, with three 9-hole loops (Beach, Lakes, and Kings’) that offer views of the Big Island’s towering mountains and ancient black lava fields as well as the Pacific Ocean. The par-five 6th hole of the Beach nine is among the most memorable holes in the Hawaiian Islands.
What other “beach” courses should be on this list?
