Seven Costa Mesa Area Golf Courses You Need to Visit

There is no better pastime and outdoor activity to while away the summer than hitting the links for a great round of golf. California, and specifically Southern California, is a gold mine of great golf courses, and every single day thousands of men and women tee it up on any one of the more than 600 golf courses in the region.

The Costa Mesa area itself is not without its fair share of high-quality golf courses you can play. Costa Mesa features everything from country clubs to public courses to executive par 62 courses and even a resort replete with a stunning golf venue.

While avid golfers and those who love to play the game regularly might know their way around some of the best Costa Mesa area golf courses, for novices to the game or newcomers to the city, it might be harder to wade through an overwhelming list of amazing tracks. Where to even begin?

To help you navigate your way through the Costa Mesa golfing scene, here is the ultimate guide to the seven Costa Mesa area golf courses you need to play.

Costa Mesa Country Club

Don’t let the name of this fantastic course fool you; it isn’t some country club with rules and dress codes. The Costa Mesa Country Club is a public golf course with two separate 18 hole tracks, the first called Los Lagos and the second, Mesa Linda.

Both courses have a beautiful, accessible layout that is far from intimidating. They are well maintained and have trees lining many of the fairways to make your round both a challenge and more picturesque.

The price is decent too, especially for a course located right in the heart of Costa Mesa at 1701 Golf Course Drive. You can play 18 holes on Los Lagos for $36 Monday-Thursday, $39 on Fridays, and $52 on the weekend (though twilight rates can be cheaper).

Mesa Linda is even cheaper and is one of the most played courses in the area. Monday-Thursday, a round of 18 costs only $29, while it’s $34 on Fridays and $43 on weekends.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course

Rancho San Joaquin has a rich tradition in southern California and is known as a course that is perfect for golfers of all levels. The setting is beautiful, too, with rolling fairways and tall palm trees scattered throughout.

Located in Irvine at 1 Ethel Coplen Way, the course is in a prime location, close to John Wayne Airport and only five minutes by car from The University of California Irvine.

Rates are affordable, at least as far as area golf courses go, starting at $38 Monday-Thursday and get as high as $55 on the weekends.

Back Bay Golf Course

Located in Newport Beach at 1107 Jamboree Road, Back Bay Golf Course is a shorter, more manageable course, perfect for new golfers and if you want to bring young children along with you. This 9 hole, par 3 golf course has a more casual, relaxed feel than some of the more affluent courses in the area.

At just under 700 yards, the course is really more of a chip n’ putt than a standard par 3 course. Still, it offers a perfect outing and afternoon activity if you are looking for ways to keep kids busy or enjoy the southern California summer sun.

Prices can reach upwards of $20, which is admittedly a lot for this tiny course, but if you are staying at the Hyatt Regency adjacent to the course, you play for free.

Mile Square Golf Course

Only eleven minutes from the heart of Costa Mesa in neighboring Fountain Valley at 10401 Warner Ave, Mile Square Golf Course is one of the most respected golf courses in southern California. Like Costa Mesa Country Club, Mile Square Golf Course has two 18 hole regulation courses in one, each with tall trees lining the fairways, numerous sandtraps for an added challenge, and absolutely immaculate greens.

The course also hosts men’s and women’s leagues, which offer a fun way to meet new and interesting people.

The cost to play at Mile Square is similar to other courses in the Costa Mesa area, starting at $41 during the week and climbing to $55 on the weekend. The twilight rate is exceptionally good, making it possible to play one of the best courses around for under $30.

Strawberry Farms Golf Course

A short fifteen-minute drive from Costa Mesa, overlooking the breathtaking Sand Canyon Reservoir and situated among rolling hills and wetlands, sits Strawberry Farms Golf Course at 11 Strawberry Farm Road. This 6700-yard par 71 18 hole golf course has everything a golf lover could want.

This magnificent course features cross-cut fairways, tumbling greens, and a golf experience unmatched in the region. While the course is public, there is a dress code you’ll want to review before you go.

While Strawberry Farms is a pretty course, it also costs a pretty penny. A regular round of 18 is $125 during the week and shoots up to $175 on Fridays and the weekends. There is a generous twilight rate that brings the cost down to a more manageable $75 and a super twilight rate that can be had for $50.

Oak Creek Golf Club

Another Irvine golf course you’ll want to check out is Oak Creek Golf Club, located at 1 Golf Club Drive. This gorgeous golf course showcases some of the striking landscape southern California is known for. It has lakes and bunkers and is one of the most scenic courses in the area, with rolling hills serving as a backdrop and mature trees framing the course perfectly.

Oak Creek is similar in price to Strawberry Farms, so it will cost you. A round during the week runs $135 for 18 holes and is $180 on Fridays and the weekends. Oak Creek also has steeply discounted twilight and super twilight rates that bring the price down considerably.

Pelican Hill Golf Club and Resort

A little farther afield from Costa Mesa at 22701 S Pelican Hill Rd, Newport Coast, is Pelican Hill Golf Club and Resort. This stunning resort features two incredible golf courses, both with unforgettable views of the Pacific. The North Course, in particular, is a masterpiece. There is simply no other public golf experience in Southern California to match Pelican Hill.

Of course, this quality comes at a price. A round of 18 holes at either course costs $295 for non-guests and $275 for those who are guests at the resort. The twilight rate dips to $195, and the super twilight rate comes in at $110.

Get Out and Golf Costa Mesa

It almost goes without saying that the Costa Mesa region and all of southern California is literally a golfing paradise. If you haven’t already, check out any of these courses or some of the many in the region that aren’t on this list.

And we didn’t even mention any of the marvelous private golf courses and country clubs in Costa Mesa and the surrounding area, such as, Santa Ana Country Club, Mesa Verde Country Club, or Big Canyon. All the private clubs in the Costa Mesa area are among the most revered private golf courses in the country.

Whether you’re teeing up for the first time or you’re a scratch golfer, there are plenty of great golf courses within minutes of Costa Mesa.