San Diego, California is a golfers mecca. The dozens of high quality courses located throughout the county, idyllic weather year round, and a reputation as a golf destination make San Diego one of the top golfing towns in the country. But golf in San Diego can be pricey, with weekend greens fees easily running $50 to $60 for a decent course. Here are some places to play, websites to peruse, and insider tips from a local on how to find good, cheap golf in San Diego.
Since there are so many courses to play in San Diego, you’d think it would be easy to find cheap greens fees in San Diego. But the high cost of land, high cost of living, San Diego’s year round tourist population, And the golfing culture here means that if you want cheap golf, you’ve got to work for it. Here are some good courses that are either inexpensive, or have regular specials that you can take advantage of – Mission Trails Golf Course (http://missiontrails.americangolf.com/), Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club (http://www.clubcmr.com/), Cottonwood Golf Club (http://www.cottonwoodgolf.com/), and Singing Hills at Sycuan Resort (http://www.sycuanresort.com/). All these courses are well maintained, enjoyable, playable courses that are located within 20 minutes of central San Diego.
One of the best methods for finding cheap golf is our friend, the Internet. I’m a big believer in www.golfnow.com (no I’m not working for them) to find discounted rates on good courses. The longer you can wait, the better the deal. If you’re flexible on the course you want to play and your tee time, this is a great website. I’ve used this website a couple of dozen times and find you get the cheapest rates a day or two before you want to play. You will have to pay a small fee in advance on the website (usually $1 or $2), and the depending on the course you book, you may not be able to cancel, so buyer beware.
Another great way to find deals is the local newspaper, the San Diego Union Tribune. They have many golf coupons in their weekday sports section, with Tuesday being their “golf special” edition, usually you can find a dozen or so valuable coupons.
Now for the juicy part, some insiders tips on getting cheap golf:
– During the summer (which is May through October in San Diego), if you can bear the heat try a course further inland like the Vineyard (http://www.vineyardatescondido.com/) or Eagle Crest (http://www.eaglecrestgc.com/). Both courses are 30 minutes or so from central San Diego, and it gets well into the 90’s, and usually above 100 degrees in the summer. Twilight rates are generally half off, and times typically start here around between 1:00 and 2:00, more than enough time to finish your round, but you may sweat a bit.
– Drive a bit further. If you have time, drive up to Temecula (an hour north of San Diego on I-15) and you’ll find a handful of courses that would love to have you visit. These courses will be HOT in the summer, and will typically have mid-week, mid-day, or twilight specials, and coupons in the local newspaper.
– Golf during the week. Avoiding all the local weekend warriors can save you $10 to $20 easily. A course that charges $60 can cost half that if you play Monday through Thursday.
– If you’re visiting from out of town, find a local friend to accompany you. Almost all courses charge more for out of towners than residents. Have your buddy pay for you both in the pro shop when you’re “conveniently” in the restroom, then slip them some cash afterwards to pay for your round. A few courses are more stringent and may check each players ID, but that is rare.
There you go. Check out the courses I mentioned, look for them online and in the newspaper for coupons and you can find a great course to play for little money. If you can be flexible on your tee times, and your location, and don’t mind booking at the last minute, you can snag a great deal. And don’t forget to find a local connection to help get you resident rates. Have a great time golfing in San Diego, hit ’em straight.
