Pelican Hill Golf Club - North

Pelican Hill Golf Club - Ocean North, like its slightly older sister course, Pelican Hill Golf Club - Ocean South, is one of the very best courses you can play in California. Together, the two side-by-side Tom Fazio-designed playing fields make up one of the most impressive 36-hole public-access clubs in the entire United States. They also are chief amenities of The Resort at Pelican Hill, a fabulous, dreamlike luxury retreat in Newport Coast, located 50 miles south of Los Angeles. In 1993, Fazio routed Pelican Hill North on higher ground just above the Ocean South Course. While it cannot boast any holes right on the ocean like its sister, Pelican Hill North arguably offers better views. When you have a tee time to play here, the Pacific Ocean is in view on every hole. On clear days you will enjoy long-range vistas toward Catalina Island and the city of Newport Beach. This one-time United States top-100 public-access course is Pelican Hill's more difficult eighteen. Pelican Hill North features five sets of tee markers that stretch the layout from 4,951 yards to 6,945 yards. Fazio created the routing with minimal earth moving. The playing field follows typical California terrain, playing up, through, and around windswept ridges and canyons. Natural elevation changes of well over one hundred feet add up to spectacular golf, especially when the Pacific Ocean or Newport Harbor is visible on very hole. Nothing is easy here, though. Many holes feature forced carries. Shots that miss the fairway and the rough can easily get lost in wild California brush. Perhaps the most memorable hole is the 2nd, called the Postage Stamp. This par 3 begins from a supremely elevated tee box with the ocean in the distance and it plays down to a green so well bunkered it might as well be an island. Pelican Hill North has a reputation for having superbly conditioned putting surfaces that roll fast. The greens are tough to read, as they slope significantly and are further impacted by the ocean. This service-oriented club has forecaddies available and tries to make guests feel like they are at a special place. Practice facilities include a driving range and putting green. The palatial clubhouse features a swanky pro shop, locker rooms, and a cafe that is open for breakfast and lunch. The adjacent Pelican Grill offers fine dining for lunch and dinner. Pelican Hill Golf Club is part of The Resort at Pelican Hill, an ultra-luxurious secluded hideaway. The resort may or may not be of prime interest to you, but a tee time to play Pelican Hill North is bucket-list-worthy and provides a memorable and incredibly beautiful golf experience.