The five best golf courses near Newport Beach are Pelican Hill Golf Club, Monarch Beach Golf Links, Oak Creek Golf Club, Strawberry Farms Golf Club and Tustin Ranch Golf Club, and all of them take public tee times.
Keep reading to see how each one plays, what you’ll pay and how to get the best rates.
How These Courses Made the List
Each course was scored on five factors, ranked by weight:
- Expert recognition, including the 2025–‘26 Best in State ranking (1,900 panelists, more than 80,000 evaluations over a 10-year cycle), Best Places to Play listings and the list of America’s best golf resorts
- Public access
- Golfer reviews and recent condition reports
- Distance, with each course within about 15 miles of central Newport Beach
- Practice facilities and value
Visitors can’t book Big Canyon, Newport Beach Country Club, Shady Canyon or Santa Ana CC, so those private clubs were left out. Short and executive layouts, such as the 9-hole Newport Beach Golf Course and Back Bay, didn’t make the list either. Pelican Hill’s two courses count as one facility, which gives you five separate places to play.
Newport Beach Golf Courses Compared at a Glance
Here’s how the five courses compare on distance, price, design and difficulty.
| Course | Distance from central Newport Beach | Peak 18 holes | Twilight | Architect | Back tees: par / yards / rating/slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelican Hill (Ocean South and Ocean North) | About 3 miles | From $340 Sun–Thu / $415 Fri–Sat | $205 / $255 | Tom Fazio | South: 70 / 6,580 / 72.0/133 North: 71 / 6,945 / 73.5/137 |
| Monarch Beach | 15+ miles (Dana Point) | Dynamic; fixed advance rate $269 Mon–Thu / $299 Fri–Sun | Dynamic | Robert Trent Jones Jr. | 70 / 6,645 / 71.9/130 |
| Oak Creek | About 8 miles | $180 Mon–Thu / $230 Fri–Sun | $110 / $140 | Tom Fazio | 71 / 6,834 / 72.2/132 |
| Strawberry Farms | About 6 miles | $150 Mon–Thu / $190 Fri–Sun | $90 / $115 | Jim Lipe | 71 / 6,700 / 72.9/133 |
| Tustin Ranch | About 10 miles | Dynamic; about $51–$185 | Dynamic | Ted Robinson | 72 / 6,842 / 73.6/134 |
Twilight prices use the same day split as each course’s peak rate. Monarch Beach and Tustin Ranch use dynamic pricing, so what you pay depends on the day, season and tee time you choose.
The 5 Best Golf Courses Near Newport Beach
1. Pelican Hill Golf Club, Newport Coast
Pelican Hill is the only facility near Newport Beach with courses on the California Best in State list. Ocean North ranks 54th (down from 48th) and Ocean South ranks 60th (down from 57th). The resort is also 26th among America’s 75 best golf resorts. At about 3 miles from Newport Center and Fashion Island, it’s the closest course on this list.
Ocean South opened in 1991 and Ocean North in 1993, and Tom Fazio’s “re-perfection” reopened both in November 2007. The two courses play differently:
- Ocean South has short back-to-back par 3s that run to the cliff’s edge, and a 13th hole with two greens.
- Ocean North sits on higher ground, with sloping greens and canyon carries.
Here’s where the restoration stands:
- Brian Curley of Curley-Wagner Golf Design restored the bunkers, tees, green sizes and green surrounds. Crews closed nine holes at a time, so 27 holes stayed open.
- Ocean South was unveiled May 18, 2026, and fully reopened in July.
- Ocean North played as a 9-hole loop on holes 4–12 from August 10 to November 2. It was due to fully reopen in early November, but nothing official confirms that it has, so call before you book.
- The resort’s main renovation began November 2, ahead of a fall 2027 debut as the world’s first St. Regis Estate. Several restaurants and the main spa will be closed for months.
Rates:
- Evening rounds cost $135 / $165.
- Resort guests pay $255 / $315.
- Twilight starts up to four hours before sunset, so you may not finish 18 holes.
- The cart is included. A non-playing rider costs $50.
Practice and on-site details:
- The range is for warming up before your round only, and it opens at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays.
- Forecaddies are available.
- Rental clubs run $95–$115, so confirm the price when you book.
- Self-parking is free. Valet costs $50, or $25 with validation.
- Players and spectators must be at least 5.
2. Monarch Beach Golf Links, Dana Point
Monarch Beach is the only other course here with oceanfront holes. Two holes sit on the water, and several more have ocean views. It has been named a Best Places to Play course and a GOLF Magazine Gold Medal Resort, and it holds a 4.7 rating from about 1,190 reviews.
It ranks below Pelican Hill for three reasons: it has no Best in State ranking, it has no full driving range, and it’s the longest drive from Newport Beach.
The Scottish-links-style course opened in 1983 with tight fairways and firm greens. A 2015 renovation added new tees and refreshed the bunkers. Troon manages the course, which sits next to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. Its four tee sets start at the Platinum tees (5,050 yards, 64.6/113).
Prices and options:
- Dynamic rates have ranged from about $122 to $384.
- 9FORE9 nine-hole rounds cost $90–$140 with a cart. Juniors 17 and under pay half price.
- The $250 Drop-In package covers 18 holes, rental clubs and balls.
Warm-up and extras:
- You warm up in four hitting cages and on a putting green.
- During some time windows, you can hit from a fairway for about $25 per person, with a two-player minimum.
- Waterman Caddies and on-site dining are available.
3. Oak Creek Golf Club, Irvine
Oak Creek is the only other Fazio design in Orange County that the public can play. It opened in 1996, and the Irvine Company owns it. The parkland course has lakes, bull-nose bunkers and five sets of tees. Its greens are among the more interesting in the county.
The practice facility is the main draw:
- 65 natural-grass tees and a 9-acre landing area
- Two putting greens and a practice bunker
- Lights until about 10 p.m.
- Buckets for roughly $15 or $20 (these prices may have changed)
- A golf academy
Other rates:
- Super twilight costs $70 / $80.
- Seniors 55+ pay $130 Mon–Thu before 9 a.m.
- Each extra rider costs $45.
- TaylorMade rental clubs cost $75 and include a sleeve of balls.
On the downside, some golfers find the course pricey for its conditions, and you’ll hear freeway and train noise on a few holes.
4. Strawberry Farms Golf Club, Irvine
At about 6 miles away, Strawberry Farms is the second-closest course on this list. Former Angels player Doug DeCinces developed it, and it opened in 1997. The course runs through canyon and wetland terrain around a 35-acre reservoir.
Golfers call the greens fast and the course hard. Reviews average 4.4 out of 5 across 722 ratings, with 4.1 for condition and 3.7 for value. You may also see its rating and slope listed as 72.7/136.
Rates (Mon–Thu / Fri–Sun):
- Super twilight: $65 / $90
- Back-9 & Breakfast: $80 / $95
- Irvine residents: $125 / $155, with a California driver’s license
- Seniors 60+: $110 / $135 after 11 a.m., not available Saturdays
- Player’s Card holders: $100 / $130
You’ll also find a driving range, putting green, golf academy and the Farmhouse Grill.
5. Tustin Ranch Golf Club, Tustin
Tustin Ranch has a long list of awards:
- Orange County Register readers voted it the county’s best course and driving range in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015.
- The California Golf Course Owners Association named it Course of the Year for 2008.
- It is a past 4-star Places to Play course.
Its conditions are rated “Good” (6.89), 143rd of 2,354 Southern California courses. A 2025 irrigation and bunker-sand project is complete.
Troon manages the 1989 course, which is the farthest inland on this list. It has lakes, waterfalls, and greens with two and three tiers. Beyond the Black tees, the Blue tees play 6,446 yards (71.7/128) and the White tees 6,064 yards (70.0/123).
Rates and discounts:
- Your rate is locked when you book: about $51–$128 on weekdays and $65–$185 on weekends.
- A shared cart is included, and walking costs the same. A single-rider cart is $35 extra.
- Seniors 63+ save $10 Mon–Thu after 11 a.m.
- Juniors 17 and under save $20 after noon.
Practice and amenities:
- The lit range is open from sunrise to 9 p.m., and from 11 a.m. on Tuesdays.
- The short-game area costs $20 an hour.
- There is a golf school, private caddies, and a restaurant with banquet space.
Homes line most holes, so a stray shot can end up in someone’s yard.
How to Book Tee Times and Pay Less
Twilight rates are about 40–65% below peak at every course. Booking windows and discounts vary by course:
- Pelican Hill: tee times open 14 days ahead. Resort guests can book golf when they reserve a room, and golf bookings aren’t tied to Marriott Bonvoy tiers.
- Oak Creek: tee times open 14 days ahead. Twilight and super twilight times open 7 days ahead.
- Tustin Ranch: the window is 45 days, and new times are released at 6 p.m. The Ranch Card ($43.99 a month) saves up to 35% on tee times booked within 7 days.
- Monarch Beach: fixed-price rates open 21–90 days ahead, and blackout dates may apply.
- If you book 7 days ahead, you can get up to 35% off tee times from 7:30–8:30 a.m. and 12:00–3:30 p.m. Only three discounted times are offered each hour.
- Every online booking adds a $4.99 per-player fee.
To book:
- Pelican Hill: EZLinks or (888) 507-6427
- Oak Creek: EZLinks or (949) 653-5300
- Monarch Beach: the course website or (949) 248-3002
- Strawberry Farms: Quick18 or (949) 551-1811
Cancellation rules:
- Pelican Hill: cancel at least 48 hours ahead, or you pay the full fee.
- Oak Creek and Tustin Ranch: cancel at least 24 hours ahead.
- Tustin Ranch also charges no-shows $50 per golfer.
Before You Go: Dress Codes, Pace of Play and Closures
Dress codes
- All five courses expect a collared shirt and no denim.
- Strawberry Farms also bans tank tops, T-shirts, cutoffs and gym shorts, and the rule applies on the range and in lessons too.
- Tustin Ranch allows mock necks and Bermuda-length shorts.
- Monarch Beach and Tustin Ranch allow soft spikes only. Oak Creek requires non-metal spikes.
Pace of play
Plan for about five hours at Pelican Hill and up to five hours at Monarch Beach.
Value
Golfers say Pelican Hill’s price pays more for the views than for the course design. At Monarch Beach, the fairway conditions don’t always match the rate.
Closures
Tustin Ranch is closed November 25–29, 2026, and December 17, 2026, to January 3, 2027.
Which Course Fits Your Round?
- For a once-in-a-trip round: book Pelican Hill’s Ocean South, and call to check whether Ocean North is back to 18 holes. Twilight at $205 Sun–Thu is the best value, though you may not finish.
- For ocean holes at a slightly lower price: book Monarch Beach 21–90 days ahead to lock in $269 or $299. Arrive early, since there’s no full range.
- For the best value and practice: play Oak Creek on a weekday ($180) or at super twilight ($70), and use the lit range.
- For the lowest price close to Newport Beach: play Strawberry Farms at twilight ($90) or super twilight ($65). If you live in Irvine, use the resident rate.
- For flexible planning or frequent play: Tustin Ranch’s 45-day window and Ranch Card make it easy to plan ahead. Just work around its holiday closures.
Whichever course you choose, book early and check current conditions before you go.
Conclusion
Pelican Hill is the top pick near Newport Beach, while Monarch Beach, Oak Creek, Strawberry Farms and Tustin Ranch give you good options for ocean views, practice or a lower price.
Twilight rates and early booking can save you a lot at any of the five. Before you head out, call to confirm Ocean North’s status and check for closures so you get the round you planned.
