San Diego residents and destination golfers have often asked Go Golf San Diego to post the "Must-Play" public golf courses in San Diego. Well, based on our staff's experience and some of our key community members, we have compiled a list of "Must-Play" courses for all of our members' reference. Currently, this list of SD public golf courses is in alpha order. Let us know how you would rank these particular courses or if we missed one or two, and if you would add any other SD courses to the "Must-Play" list.

Barona Creek Golf Club

This was the first 18-hole golf course built on a California Indian reservation. Designed by Gary Roger Baird and Todd Eckenrode, each hole is an island of green between large expanses of rolling hills, rock formations, and native plants. This course is as tough as the rugged terrain that surrounds it.

If you are not challenged enough by the golf course, stop in and try your luck in the Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino.

• Ranked 5th best resort golf course in California by Golf Week Magazine
• Ranked 5th best public golf course in California by Golf Week Magazine
• Ranked in the Top 20 Best Courses for $100 or less by Travel & Leisure Golf
  

Coronado Golf Course

Opened in 1957, Coronado Municipal Golf Course is one of the most scenic public golf courses in San Diego, with the San Diego Bay running alongside four holes and views of the city and mountains beyond. There are dramatic views of the Coronado Bridge and Hotel Del Coronado.

This flat course is easy to walk. Since Coronado is built on sand reclaimed from the bottom of the bay, when rain closes other area courses, this one's usually open.

• 2006 Rated 10 out of 10 by San Diego Union-Tribune
• 2005 Best Value in San Diego County by Greenskeeper

 
The Crossings at Carlsbad

The Crossings was named for the five bridges – or crossings – that were designed into the course to meet existing environmental and topographic conditions. Nineteen years in the making, this is Carlsbad's first municipal golf course but has the feel of an upscale resort. At $70 million, it may well be the most expensive municipal golf course construction effort in the nation.

Designed by Greg Nash and managed by Kemper Sports, this is a championship caliber course with the Pacific Ocean and acres of California Coastal Sage as its backdrop.

There is a 28,000 sq. ft. clubhouse and a state-of-the-art practice area.

Four Seasons Resort Aviara

Designed by Arnold Palmer, the course is sculpted around natural topography with water hazards positioned as visual extensions of the lagoon.

The club includes a 32,000 sq. ft., 2-story Spanish Colonial clubhouse.

• 2006 Ranked #1 golf course in Southern California by Golf Magazine
• 2006 Ranked #1 resort on West Coast by Conde Nast Traveler

Maderas Golf Club

Designed by Johnny Miller and Robert Muirgraves, this course is tucked away amidst the rolling hills of north San Diego. The creative designers interlaced 3 lakes, 5 waterfalls, rock outcroppings, forests, and over 40 acres of natural wildflowers. The Italian villa-style clubhouse features vast views of the course and award-winning cuisine.

• 2003-2007 Ranked #1 golf course in San Diego County by the Zagat Survey
• 2007 Ranked 4-1/2 start by Golf Digest

Mt. Woodson Golf Club

Designed around a historic rock mansion built in 1921, Mt. Woodson is located in the rugged natural setting of the Ramona Valley. Designed by Schmidt/Curley architects, the dramatic elevation changes have inspired pet names for the holes, such as "The Chute," "The Plunge," and "The Razor's Edge."

Golf Digest calls this course one of the "most beautiful, unique courses in California, citing its superb condition and panoramic views."

Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course

The only San Diego golf course to have hosted both PGA Tour and LPGA events, Rancho Bernardo Inn boasts tree-lined fairways set against the backdrop of the San Pasqual mountains.

This course is owned by the AAA Four-Diamond Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort and Spa, which is a mission-style resort reminiscent of a country estate. The Inn houses El Bizcocho, Zagat Survey's highest-rated San Diego restaurant, but golfers can enjoy a meal on the charming outdoor patio overlooking the course.

Rancho Bernardo Inn's golf course was designed by William F. Bell and is managed by JC Resorts.

Steele Canyon Golf Club

Designed by Gary Player, this 27-hole Championship course was given a 4-star rating by Golf Digest for four consecutive years.

Each nine-hole course has distinct features: the rugged Canyon course with dramatic elevations; the Ranch course winding through the fields of a working ranch; and the Meadows course with woodlands and streams.

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Torrey Pines Golf Course is San Diego's TV star and host of the PGA Tour Buick Invitational each year in January or February. Named after the Torrey Pine, a rare tree that grows in the wild along the San Diego County coastline, this course features steep ravines and magnificent coastal views.

Torrey Pines is a municipal public golf course, designed by William F. Bell and re-designed by Rees Jones, and it sits on the coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean south of Torrey Pines State Reserve. There is a North Course and a South Course, which will be the site of the U.S. Open in 2008.

• Listed in Golf Magazine's Top 100 courses
• One of the "Must Play" courses in the world by Golf Links Magaine