BAYONET & BLACK HORSE GOLF COURSES
🇺🇸 Seaside, CA, USA
Designed by Gene Bates

Bayonet and Black Horse, carved into the Monterey Peninsula hills above Seaside, stand as a testament to military precision adapted for championship golf. These courses, named for Operation Bayonet, a military action during WWII, and the 1st US Cavalry's steed, offer distinctly different challenges across the dramatic coastal landscape.
Bayonet, the elder of the two, is a demanding, tree-lined layout. Originally designed by General Robert B. McClure in the early 1950s, it demands accuracy and strategic play. The tight fairways, framed by towering Monterey pines, often favor a controlled fade, punishing wayward drives. The course saw significant enhancements in the late 1990s by Gene Bates, modernizing its playability while preserving its stern character. Black Horse, its younger sibling, offers broader fairways and more forgiving sight lines, encouraging a more aggressive approach.
While neither course has hosted major professional championships, their challenging layouts and breathtaking views have made them popular destinations for regional and amateur competitions. Bayonet, in particular, has a reputation for its stringent test, making it a favorite for those who appreciate a classically unforgiving, strategic round of golf on the Monterey Peninsula.
Reviews
Best deal in Monterey area. Former Fort Ord military courses turned resort. Bayonet is the more difficult of the 2 courses neither is easy. If you want a 17 mile drive experience for less than 17 mile drive prices this is your best bet. Distant ocean views, tall cypress trees, white sand bunkers Bayonet has it. Good course and good value
Personally prefer this 18 over Black Horse, though they are very similar.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
The Bayonet at Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Courses has a Course Vaults score of 7.7 out of 10 based on 22 explicit golfer ratings.
The Bayonet was designed by Gene Bates.
Yes. The Bayonet at Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Courses is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at The Bayonet is 72.
The Bayonet plays 7,104 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at The Bayonet is 141.