Bonita at Bonita Golf Club

Bonita Golf Club sits in the community of Bonita in southern San Diego County, a few miles inland from San Diego Bay. Designed by William F. Bell and opened in 1957, the course occupies gently rolling terrain characteristic of the region's inland valleys, where elevation changes are modest but sufficient to create visual interest and strategic variety. Bell, a prolific Southern California architect active from the 1950s through the 1970s, designed dozens of courses throughout the region, typically emphasizing playability for a wide range of golfers while incorporating the natural contours of the land.

The layout at Bonita reflects Bell's practical approach to golf design, with tree-lined fairways and bunkers positioned to reward accurate play without overwhelming recreational golfers. The routing takes advantage of the property's natural drainage patterns and slope, and mature trees—planted in the decades since opening—now frame many holes and define playing corridors. The course serves primarily as a daily-fee facility, accessible to the public and popular with local golfers seeking a straightforward test in a relaxed setting.

Bonita's location in the South Bay area places it within a region known for mild year-round weather, making the course playable in nearly all seasons. The surrounding landscape mixes residential development with pockets of open space, and views extend toward the nearby hills that separate the coastal plain from the inland valleys. The course remains a neighborhood fixture, offering a traditional parkland experience shaped by mid-century design principles.