“Groups wanting the Pebble Beach area experience at daily-fee pricingwill find this course most rewarding.”
Poppy Hills Golf Course sits inside the Del Monte Forest — the same 93953 zip code as the resort's marquee courses — but is owned and operated by the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA), entirely separate from Pebble Beach Company. Day visitors do not pay the Pebble Beach gate fee; the NCGA entrance is completely separate.
At par 71 and 7,002 yards (rating 73.5, slope 135), the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design opened in 1986 and underwent a 13-month renovation completed in April 2014, which introduced native sandy waste areas, removed rough, and opened up the forest floor. Post-renovation, Golf.com called it 'Pinehurst-like, with a hint of near-neighbor Cypress Point.'
Colin Montgomerie said it 'reminds me of Pinehurst and Pine Valley.' Tom Watson: 'I like that a lot — would love a three-round event at Poppy Hills.' RTJ Jr. himself describes it as 'the closest you can get to playing golf in a National Park.' The course record is 62, set by Matt Gogel in the 2001 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It co-hosted the AT&T from 1991 to 2009.
Groups of 16+ receive an advance booking window beyond the standard 90-day window — contact Group Ambassador Cassidy Young at cyoung@ncga.org or (831) 622-8239.
Poppy Hills is one of the stronger group-booking options on the Monterey Peninsula — with a dedicated Group Ambassador and a 16+ advance window, it’s easier to secure for large parties than most courses in the area. Monterey Golf Tours regularly includes it in group golf packages where the itinerary calls for a NCGA-operated forest course as an alternative to the Pebble Beach properties.
Photos
Poppy Hills sits in the Del Monte Forest — the same zip code as Pebble Beach, at a public access green fee.
Poppy Hills Golf Course — tall Monterey Pines of the Del Monte Forest create the cathedral-like atmosphere RTJ Jr. described as 'closest you can get to golf in a National Park.'
Course highlights
Worth knowing
Colin Montgomerie compared it to Pine Valley. Tom Watson said: 'I like that a lot. Would love a three-round event at Poppy Hills.'
All 18 holes play through towering Monterey Pines of the Del Monte Forest — unique atmosphere at a public price.
Day visitors do NOT pay the Pebble Beach gate fee to access Poppy Hills — the NCGA entrance is entirely separate from the resort.
- · Groups wanting the Pebble Beach area experience at daily-fee pricing
- · Mid to low-handicap players
- · You specifically want a Pebble Beach Company-branded course
- Green fee
- Daily-fee — enquire for rates (verify current rates)
- Address
- 3200 Lopez Rd, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
- Phone
- (831) 250-1499
- Website
- poppyhillsgolf.com
Poppy Hills Golf Course
Closest hotels
Drive times approximate. Verify with Google Maps before booking transport.
Common questions
Is Poppy Hills owned by Pebble Beach Company?+−
No. Poppy Hills is owned and operated by the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA), separate from Pebble Beach Company, despite sitting in the same Del Monte Forest area.
What's the green fee at Poppy Hills?+−
Rates vary — contact us or the club directly for current green fees.
Who designed Poppy Hills?+−
Robert Trent Jones II designed the course, which plays 7,091 yards from the Jones tees at par 71.
What kind of greens does Poppy Hills have?+−
Bentgrass greens, offering quality conditioning at daily-fee pricing.
Is Poppy Hills in the same area as Pebble Beach Golf Links®?+−
Yes — it sits in the same Del Monte Forest, though it's independently owned by the NCGA and doesn't carry the resort's gate fee.
Is Poppy Hills a good fit for a group Monterey golf package?+−
Yes — Poppy Hills has a dedicated group booking channel and an advance window for parties of 16 or more. Monterey Golf Tours includes it in group golf packages where the itinerary calls for a Del Monte Forest course alongside the Pebble Beach properties.