Oh well, I guess many, many golfers already have written about this golf course - my review tries providing a slightly different, and maybe more challenging perspective - “Not everything that glitters is gold!”
In a nutshell: it’s a regular golf course, with no-GPS golf carts to be paid extra (fair price of 30 USD though), a tiny, outdated practice area and, lastly, super slow rounds (close to 5 hours!) - perks that basically all other golf courses nearby offer for much less even
I guess I’m happy to only have paid 100 USD (after 2pm) instead of the 350 USD; I would have been frustrated to spend 350 USD!
But certainly, a very exciting opportunity to play such a prestigious course - and it definitely looks that way after entering the club house and see the view on the 7th, 9th, and 18th greens. It looks real nice and definitely quite professional … but …
… the course is long, no doubt; and I decided to take up the challenge and played it from the back tees (6730 yards), all the way. Having started, the front nines did not seem to offer much in terms of challenges other than the need for straight shots, the length of the course, and the greens. The greens, however, took a heavy toll on me, with an average of 2.7 putts on the front nines! Brutal, brutal, brutal!
The back nines then greets you with tighter fairways, more protected greens, and more dog legs to be managed. All in all, the back nines are much more exciting to play and I felt a heartwarming welcome from the Poppy Hills, at last.
Against my expectations, the course is only in good condition (Oct 2025) - a regular golf course with the major difference of more professionally maintained tee boxes and greens. The tee boxes, fairways and greens are top notch, no doubt. Bunkers are somewhat usual and not more exciting than on other courses, also with regard to placements. Various dry patches though observed close to fairways (see pics) - reachable already by slight mishits.
Most disappointing is the practice area, in particular the driving range - tiny and very old mats to play from! I was also surprised to only have received 1 token for 30 balls - shouldn’t one be able to prepare very well for a course like Poppy Hills? Anyway and in contrast, the practice green is pretty neat - big and equivalent to green speeds on the course itself.
Suggestions:
1. Golf carts: I would suggest including them in the tee time booking rates, maybe it helps speeding up the rounds? And please fix some GPS in these carts - this should be standard by now.
2. Greens/Pitch Marks: Please make sure you get those golfers to start fixing their pitch marks on the greens! Just park 1 staff at a Par 3 once and remind me each golfer who leaves a pitch mark that this is not etiquette - maybe show them live once how it’s repaired.
4 months ago
This is one of the best courses you can play in Monterey Bay area at a reasonable price. We got a twilight rate of $100 after 3pm. The course was in great shape from tee to green. Its a really challenging coarse that demands hitting it in the fairway. A number of tee boxes to really challenge those better golfers. Lots of trouble all over the place but coarse was what you woule
5 months ago
Another legendary place to visit on the 17 mile drive.
Decent prices for a high quality golf course.
The restaurant is well priced and good variety of food and drinks.
Must go if you love famous courses.
7 months ago
This is a real gem the Del Monte forest. Played two rounds here with my son and a couple of friends. Course is in great condition , fairways are beautifully cut, and the greens are deceptively hard. One of my favorite courses.
Course is in great shape considering all the storms this year.
Absolutely gorgeous today!!! Weather was great, greens are in fantastic shape, and the fairways were beautiful.
Update on 9-4-23, it was punched and sanded a couple of weeks ago. Had a few 3 putts today.
2 years ago
Played Poppy Hills for the first time. Really like the course. Very hilly, take a cart. Some very challenging greens. Beautiful scenery. Lots of nature. Great pro shop with friendly staff. Good restaurant and bar. I like the food, very good quality. Really nice place to take in the serene environment. They have a small range.
This is an NCGA course, think about joining, lots of great benefits.
2 years ago
