The best-value golf courses in San Diego, California
The public and guest-friendly golf courses within about 25 miles of San Diego, California that Course Vaults golfers say are most worth the green fee. Each course needs value ratings from at least 5 different golfers who played it; 9 courses qualify.
Also covers La Jolla, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Poway, Oceanside and 4 more nearby towns.
Eighteen Hole
Balboa Park Municipal Golf Club
San Diego, CA, USAValue 4.2 out of 5 from 6 golfers
PublicWilliam Francis Bell
- 2.8Conditions
- 3.2Layout
- 4.2Value
- 3.2Scenery
- 2.7Facilities
- Driving range
- Views
- Challenging
Coronado Golf Course
Coronado, CA, USAValue 3.4 out of 5 from 7 golfers
PublicJack Daray
- 3.5Conditions
- 2.9Layout
- 3.4Value
- 4.4Scenery
- 2.9Facilities
Great value for the view, flat and relatively easy for a decent golfer. It feels like it’s nicer than it is simply because you can see the ocean from nearly every hole.
Written by
@nick-jason
- Walkable
- By water
- Driving range
Champions
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, CA, USAValue 3.4 out of 5 from 5 golfers
PublicDamian Pascuzzo
- 3.8Conditions
- 3.9Layout
- 3.4Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 4.5Facilities
The toughest course I’ve played, but the greens were spectacular. Gil Hanse crushed it on this design, it was similar to some other Hanse courses I’ve played : Fields Ranch East, Rustic Canyon, Colonial CC. If you miss your approach shot you’re staring at double bogey.
Written by
@lock
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Links
Encinitas Ranch Golf Course
Encinitas, CA, USAValue 3.4 out of 5 from 5 golfers
PublicCary Bickler
- 3.0Conditions
- 3.4Layout
- 3.4Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 3.2Facilities
- Fast greens
- Underrated
- Walkable
Maderas Golf Club
Poway, CA, USAValue 3.3 out of 5 from 9 golfers
PublicRobert Muir Graves & Johnny Miller
- 3.7Conditions
- 4.3Layout
- 3.3Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 3.5Facilities
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Grass range
(North) Torrey Pines Golf Course
La Jolla, CA, USA
Value 2.9 out of 5 from 24 golfers
(South) Torrey Pines Golf Course
La Jolla, CA, USA
Value 2.9 out of 5 from 34 golfers
Aviara Golf Club
Carlsbad, CA, USA
Value 2.9 out of 5 from 7 golfers
The Crossings at Carlsbad
Carlsbad, CA, USA
Value 2.8 out of 5 from 6 golfers
How we rank
This ranking uses each golfer’s value rating, on a 0.5–5 scale. Value is how worth the price a golfer felt the round was. Only public and guest-friendly courses are ranked, since private clubs rarely have value ratings. Every golfer counts once per course: repeat rounds are averaged first, then the course score is the average across golfers. A course needs value ratings from at least 5 different golfers. Ties go to the course with more golfers, then the higher Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of San Diego, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
FAQ
Eighteen Hole at Balboa Park Municipal Golf Club is #1 on Course Vaults in and around San Diego, California at Value 4.2/5 (6 golfers). 9 courses qualify for this list.
This ranking uses each golfer’s value rating, on a 0.5–5 scale. Value is how worth the price a golfer felt the round was. Only public and guest-friendly courses are ranked, since private clubs rarely have value ratings. Every golfer counts once per course: repeat rounds are averaged first, then the course score is the average across golfers. A course needs value ratings from at least 5 different golfers. Ties go to the course with more golfers, then the higher Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of San Diego, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
A course appears once at least 5 different golfers have rated its value on Course Vaults and it is open to the public or to guests. Log your round and rate it in the app to help it qualify.
Yes. It includes qualifying courses within about 25 miles of San Diego, not only courses whose address is in the city.
This page was last generated Nov 12, 2026, 4:00 AM EST. Scores and eligibility are recomputed about every hour.
