Black Horse

Few public courses on the Monterey Peninsula carry the kind of military backstory that Black Horse does. The course occupies land that was once part of Fort Ord, the sprawling Army base that defined this stretch of the Central California coast for decades before its closure in the early 1990s. Along with its sister course Bayonet, Black Horse reopened to the public after significant renovation and has become a respected destination in a region where the competition — Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill — is about as stiff as it gets in American golf.

What Black Horse offers is a legitimate Monterey Peninsula experience at a fraction of the resort price tags down the road. The layout winds through the sandy, forested terrain characteristic of Fort Ord, with Monterey pines framing fairways and the cool marine air keeping conditions firm and fast for much of the year.

For visitors who want the feel of the Peninsula without booking a tee time that costs more than a plane ticket, Black Horse makes a compelling case.