The Preserve Golf Club

unbelievable place. nothing like it anywhere else. set in the middle of a state preserve (16,000 acres), the golf course sits on beautiful land with fantastic views. golf course is difficult but there are many tees for all types of players. amenities and service is outstanding. one of the best and a must play.

The Preserve is set 10-15 minutes inland from the Carmel coast, and courses such as Pebble and Cypress. Once past the main gate, the private road slices up and over the Santa Lucia mountains and drops you into the redwood laced foothills and grassy valleys. A quick drive past the equestrian facilities, out another gate, across a public road, into another gate and you are greeted by the first hole fairway on your right and the magnificent club house perched above you to the left. Before you exit your car, the staff will great you ready to handle your clubs. It can be both much warmer than nearby Pebble in the summer, and also colder during the winter months. Frost delays are not uncommon during the early morning hours for a few weeks out of the year. The course itself is extremely challenging in distance and elevation. Many holes include long tee shot carries over knee-high to waist-high wildgrasses as well as deep intimidating ravines. Most anything off the fairways may be lost. At the turn, you are perhaps the farthest from the clubhouse. All in all a very unique and demanding private golf experience. You may not see another golf group, but chances are good that you'll spot wild turkey, fox, rattlesnakes, wild boar, and perhaps even a mountain lion. With a very small private membership, the course gets so little play that rounds for guests are essentially given away. Do whatever you can to play this course, but bring extra golf balls. Boogie golfers or worse should strongly consider playing from the front tees the first time. Signature holes include 1, the par five 17, and 18 where you must carry your tee shot across a deep canyon roughly 200 yards to the fairway. A seemingly impossible shot with stunning views of the mountains and clubhouse. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the course due to fire danger. Ideally, you want to walk this golf course.

Next to Cypress Point (which has the ocean to compliment) The Preserve is the best course in California. It is big, strong, great and powerful. The most spectacular inland scenery and perhaps Fazio's best course. The routing is excellent, over tons of acreage, with perfect conditioning, superb vistas, and one of the neatest clubhouses in golf. A++ grade ... does not get much better than this!