Monarch Beach Golf Links. Where birdies meet ocean breezes.
If you’ve ever dreamed of teeing off with the Pacific Ocean as your backdrop and the salty breeze gently reminding you you’re not stuck in an office, Monarch Beach Golf Links is calling your name—and it’s not whispering.
📍 Location & Setting
Located in sun-soaked Dana Point, California—aka where the rich coast meets richer views—Monarch Beach Golf Links is nestled alongside the very fancy Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. It’s just a pitching wedge away from Laguna Beach and about a one-hour drive (or three hours, depending on L.A. traffic) from both San Diego and Los Angeles.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
This isn’t just a pretty face. Monarch Beach has earned its stripes:
- Golf Digest: Named it one of the “Best Places to Play” (and they’ve played a lot of places).
- California Golf & Travel: Ranked it among the top 10 courses in SoCal.
- World Golf Awards: Even nominated it for “Best Golf Course in California.”
So basically, it’s kind of a big deal.
⛳ Signature Holes & Course Vibes
Designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Jr. (who had a habit of designing courses with a little bite), this par-70 layout winds through oceanfront bluffs, coastal canyons, and more photogenic moments than your last vacation.
Some memorable holes:
- Hole 3 (Par 4): A short dogleg with the ocean dead ahead—beautiful enough to make you forget you just sliced it right into the
roughocean. Number 3 at Monarch is one of the best short par-4s in all of So Cal, and walking away with a par is always a great score. - Hole 5 (Par 3): The showstopper. The ocean views are stunning when looking back at the tee from the green on this challenging par 3. Just make sure to focus when hitting your tee shot, because those sitting at the Monarch Beach Cafe left of the green, or in Adirondack chairs just above the green, sipping mimosas and Bloody Marys, are staring down at you–and the surf–as your group tees off.
- Hole 18 (Par 4): A strong closer with bunkers left and right off the tee to go along with the pressure of hitting over a small, picturesque pond that just loves to gobble up final hole approach shots. Many a bachelor party has ended on 18 with the groom-to-be running out of balls.
💸 Pricing & Tee Time Details
Luxury doesn’t come cheap, but it sure looks good on a scorecard. Rates as of spring 2025:
- Weekdays: $190–$235–Worth every penny, especially if you are taking the afternoon off work
- Weekends: $210–$360–The course is alway ready for prime time play
- Twilight/Sunset: Starting around $140—Same views, shorter shadows, better Instagram lighting
- Replay Rounds: Discounted second rounds, if you didn’t lose all your golf balls the first time around.
Pro tip: Book online to snag ideal times and rates before the locals beat you to it.
🌟 Why MBGL is Special
- Oceanfront Golf: One of the few public-access courses in California that puts the ocean in play. Not literally, unless you really miss it.
- “Surf the Turf” Golfboards: Walking is just so yesterday—surfing while golfing makes for great stories and even better selfies.
- Immaculate Conditions: The fairways are tighter than your last group text thread, and the greens are smooth enough to make a pro weep.
- Resort Vibes: Valet service, on-course food and drink delivery, and a full-service spa up at the Resort. It’s like golf and a vacation had a beautiful baby.
🏨 Stay & Play Packages
Make it a golfcation. Stay at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach and play 18 or more at Monarch Beach Golf Links. Monarch knows how to dial up Surf & Turf inside the restaurant and out on the links:
- Ocean-view rooms
- Preferred tee times
- Access to the beach club
- And enough pampering to make you forget about any bad scores you add to the card
☎️ Need-to-Know Info
- Address: 50 Monarch Beach Resort N, Dana Point, CA 92629
- Phone: (949) 248-3002
- Website: www.monarchbeachgolf.com
📝 Final Thoughts
Monarch Beach Golf Links is the kind of course that makes you want to golf more and work less. With jaw-dropping ocean views, an approachable-yet-sneaky-tough layout, and amenities that whisper “you deserve this,” it’s not just a round of golf—it’s a mini escape.
Just bring your A-game… or at least a few extra balls. The Pacific has claimed plenty.