
North Kern Course
North Kern Golf Course

About this course
North Kern Golf Course is a municipal facility located in the northern part of Bakersfield, California, serving the local golfing community in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The course operates as a public-access layout in a region where golf is played year-round due to the warm, dry climate characteristic of California's Central Valley. Bakersfield's relatively flat terrain and agricultural surroundings provide the setting for this straightforward municipal design. The course features typical characteristics of mid-century California public golf: tree-lined fairways, modest elevation changes, and greens protected by bunkers and water hazards. The layout accommodates golfers of varying skill levels, with multiple tee boxes allowing for different yardages and challenges. Like many municipal courses in California's inland valleys, North Kern contends with summer heat that can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, making early morning and late afternoon the preferred times for play during peak season. The facility serves as an accessible option for Bakersfield residents and visitors seeking affordable golf in Kern County. The course maintains the practical, no-frills character common to municipal operations, focusing on playability and maintenance within public budget constraints. North Kern represents the kind of community golf resource that introduces many players to the game and provides regular recreational opportunities for local golfers who form the backbone of public golf participation in California's Central Valley.
Quick facts
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1953
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,754 yards
- Difficulty
- 71.4/117
Getting there
North Kern Golf Course lies on the northern edge of Bakersfield, most easily accessed via Meadows Field Airport (BFL), which welcomes regional connections and private aviation just minutes from the course gates. For those routing through major hubs, Burbank (BUR) or Los Angeles International (LAX) sit roughly two hours south along the Grapevine - the dramatic climb and descent through the Tehachapi Mountains that marks the threshold between Southern California sprawl and the wide, agricultural expanse of the San Joaquin Valley. The final miles trace flat, open roads past citrus groves and oil derricks, a landscape both utilitarian and unmistakably Californian, before arriving at this unpretentious municipal layout where the valley floor meets the foothills.

FAQ
Common questions about North Kern
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Yes. North Kern is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at North Kern is 72.
North Kern plays 6,754 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at North Kern is 117.
North Kern is a 18-hole course.



