Pasatiempo Golf Club is a semi-private, publicly accessible course in Santa Cruz, California, designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie in 1929 — his self-declared finest work — sitting at number 15 on Golf Digest's America's Greatest Public Courses list, with public green fees running $425 to walk and $470 to ride.
Read on for everything you need to know about the course's history, layout, pricing, and how to make the most of your round.
The History Behind Pasatiempo
Pasatiempo was the brainchild of Marion Hollins, the 1921 U.S. Women's Amateur champion and one of the sharpest real-estate minds of her era.
After pocketing roughly $2.5 million from selling her stake in the Kettleman oil fields, she acquired about 570 acres of rolling, sandy hills above Santa Cruz and set out to build something ambitious — a full sports-and-residential community complete with an 18-hole championship course, polo grounds, tennis courts, and a beach club on Monterey Bay.
For the course itself, she turned to Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who was already building his reputation with Cypress Point and would later co-design Augusta National and Royal Melbourne.
MacKenzie took to Pasatiempo so deeply that he built his home on the 6th fairway and lived there until his death on January 6, 1934 — making it the only one of his major works he saw fully completed.
The course opened September 8, 1929, with a star-studded foursome of Hollins, Bobby Jones, U.S. Women's Amateur champion Glenna Collett, and British Amateur champion Cyril Tolley drawing over 2,000 spectators.
The Wall Street Crash followed weeks later. The Depression forced Hollins to sell her holdings, and cost-cutting over the following decades saw bunkers filled in and trees planted — gradually pulling the course away from MacKenzie's original intent.
That changed between April 2023 and December 2024, when architect Jim Urbina rebuilt every green and bunker to MacKenzie's 1929 design, restoring the course to its original character.
Course Layout and Signature Holes
Pasatiempo plays to par 70 across 6,495 yards from the Gold (back) tees, rated 72.5 with a slope of 141. Four tee sets give players options across a wide range of abilities:
- Gold: 6,495 yds | 72.5/141
- White: 6,093 yds | 70.8/134
- Green: 5,595 yds | 68.5/132
- Hollins (forward): 4,438 yds | 63.2/117
There's virtually no water on the course. The defenses are MacKenzie's steeply contoured, multi-tiered greens, his bold high-lipped bunkers, and the barrancas — deep sand-and-grass ravines that run throughout the property.
The two nines feel like different courses. The front nine drops from elevated tees toward Pacific Ocean views before climbing back to the clubhouse over tilted fairways.
The back nine cuts through a hillside canyon where barrancas come into play on seven of the nine holes, including 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 18.
Holes worth knowing before you play:
- No. 16 (par 4, ~387 yds): MacKenzie called this his best two-shot hole. A semi-blind tee shot must hold a right-to-left fairway shelf with a barranca left and OB right, then the approach falls to a three-tiered green dropping roughly 10 feet front-to-back with a 20-foot bunker on the right. A hybrid or long iron off the tee is smarter than driver.
- No. 11 (par 4, ~390 yds): The No. 1 handicap hole. You carry a barranca off the tee to reach a green that was expanded by about 1,100 square feet in the 2023–24 restoration.
- No. 18 (par 3, ~173 yds): One of the few par-3 finishing holes in serious golf — played over a barranca to a contoured green framed by restored bunkers.
Holes 3, 10, 13, and 15 round out the must-see list, with No. 13 drawing particular attention for its celebrated bunkering.
Green Fees, Booking, and Access
Public green fees are $425 to walk or $470 to ride. Additional costs to factor in:
- Electric cart: $45/player
- Push/pull cart: $15/player
- Club rentals: $60/player
- Priority reservation fee: $35/golfer (non-refundable, on top of green fees)
Pasatiempo doesn't offer twilight rates. If weather cuts your round short, the rain policy works like this: stop before hole 5 and you get a full green fee refund; stop between holes 5 and 9 and it's 50% back; after hole 9, there's no refund. Cart fees are non-refundable regardless.
If you know someone who's a member, the guest fee of $90 for 18 holes is far and away the best way to play here.
Two ways to book public tee times:
- Regular reservation — opens 7 days in advance; free to book online via TeeItUp at pasatiempo.com or by phone at 831-459-9155
- Priority reservation — locks your tee time up to 365 days out for a $35/golfer non-refundable fee; cancellations or changes must be made at least 10 days prior
Only about 20% of rounds at Pasatiempo are open to the public, and weekend mornings are largely reserved for members. As a public player, expect late-morning or afternoon slots. Peak season runs April through October — set a reminder for when your preferred date opens and book as soon as the window allows.
Membership Overview
Pasatiempo runs on a full-equity shareholder model, which means no monthly dues and no food-and-beverage minimums. To become a member, you purchase a share of stock from an existing owner — the club provides a list of shares currently for sale.
On top of the share purchase, expect a one-time capital fee of around $27,500, with annual individual golf membership running approximately $8,640 per year.
For those not ready to commit, the Trial Membership is worth considering. It's limited to 20 participants at any time, costs $3,000 upfront with $1,500 refundable if you purchase a share within the year, and runs for one non-renewable year with full member playing benefits.
Member benefits at a glance:
- Reserve tee times Friday–Sunday mornings ahead of the public
- Book tee times two days earlier than public access
- Guest fees reduced to $90 for 18 holes
- Pro shop and F&B discounts
- Access to five in-house clubs (men's, seniors, women's 18-hole, women's 9-hole, couples)
Because public green fees fund roughly 20% of rounds played, that revenue helps offset member costs — making Pasatiempo's annual fees notably low compared to other private clubs in the Bay Area. Confirm all current figures directly with the club, as fees vary between documents and are updated periodically.
What to Expect on the Day
Plan to arrive 45 to 60 minutes before your tee time. The practice area adjacent to the first tee includes a large putting green, chipping green, and practice bunker — all designed to mirror the severe conditions you'll encounter on the course. Time spent here is genuinely useful, not just routine warmup.
Caddies: Strongly worth it at Pasatiempo. The greens are large, tiered, and unforgiving, and a caddie's reads can realistically save you several strokes. Reserve at least 24 hours ahead by calling the pro shop at 831-459-9151.
On the course, two things matter most:
- Greens: Stay below the hole at all costs. On 16 and 18 especially, an above-the-hole position can mean three-putts or putts that roll off the green entirely.
- Tee strategy: Position beats power here. MacKenzie's bunkering is designed to trick the eye — on hole 16, a hybrid or long iron that holds the correct fairway shelf is smarter than driver. Take enough club on uphill approaches, particularly on holes 3, 11, and 17.
Most visitors should play the White (70.8/134) or Green (68.5/132) tees. The Gold tees at 72.5/141 are a serious test and best suited to low handicappers.
Dress code requirements:
- Collared shirts mandatory; golf-brand hoodies permitted
- No denim, tank tops, or cut-offs
- Soft spikes only — metal spikes are not allowed
The pace of play target is 4 hours 15 minutes, enforced by marshals. For food, the MacKenzie Bar & Grill inside the clubhouse is open daily from 8:30am to 7pm.
The Hollins House — a historic 1931 residence with sweeping bay views — now operates primarily as an event venue and isn't a reliable dining option for a regular round.
Rankings, Notable Events, and Getting There
Pasatiempo sits at number 15 on Golf Digest's America's Greatest Public Courses list for 2025–26 and number 11 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play. Those rankings reflect a restored course that's now widely regarded as the most faithfully preserved MacKenzie design in America.
The course has a long competitive history. The Western Intercollegiate has been held here nearly every year since 1947, with past competitors including Tiger Woods, Collin Morikawa, and Scottie Scheffler — the tournament has produced hundreds of PGA Tour wins among its alumni.
On the USGA side, Pasatiempo hosted the 1986 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 2004 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur. World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster grew up playing the course and remains its touring professional.
Getting there:
- Address: 20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- From Highway 17: Take Exit 1 (Pasatiempo Drive), cross to the west side of the highway, and follow Pasatiempo Drive north roughly 0.6 miles to the clubhouse gate
- From San José (SJC): 30–40 minutes
- From San Francisco/Oakland: 45 minutes to just over an hour
- From Monterey/Pebble Beach: 40 minutes to an hour
If you're planning a Central Coast golf trip, Pasatiempo pairs naturally with Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill — all three rank among California's top public courses and sit within an hour of each other.
Conclusion
Pasatiempo is a fully restored MacKenzie masterpiece that remains open to the public — a rare combination at this level of course design. Pricing moves, so confirm current green fees directly with the pro shop before you book.
And if you do make it out, don't be surprised if one round isn't enough — the course has a way of pulling you back.
