Pelican Hill Golf Club

Few coastal golf experiences in Southern California carry the architectural prestige of Pelican Hill. Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1991, the club actually operates 2 courses — the Ocean North and Ocean South — each delivering sweeping panoramas of the Pacific from the bluffs above Newport Coast. The courses are routed through the canyons and ridgelines of the Pelican Hill resort property, and on a clear day the views stretch past Catalina Island. Fazio shaped the terrain into flowing, generous fairways that feel approachable from the tee but reward precision on approach, particularly when ocean winds pick up and complicate club selection entirely.

Newport Coast sits just above Crystal Cove and the broader Newport Beach corridor, one of the wealthiest and most golf-rich stretches of Southern California. The surrounding landscape is classic coastal sage scrub giving way to sculpted turf, and the light here — especially in the late afternoon — has a particular golden quality that makes the setting feel almost theatrical.

This is resort golf operating at a high level of service and conditioning. Visitors should expect well-appointed practice facilities, immaculate conditions, and green fees that reflect the property's ambitions. It suits golfers who want scenery and polish alongside a genuine test.