Right, Pasatiempo. If you're planning a California golf trip, most people beeline for Pebble Beach and the 17-Mile Drive. Fair enough, it's spectacular. But if you want a proper American classic, it's worth making the short hop inland to Santa Cruz to play Pasatiempo Golf Club.
Opened in 1929 and designed by Alister MacKenzie (Augusta National, Cypress Point), Pasatiempo is all about angles, position and nerve. The routing tumbles over rolling, tree-lined terrain, with plenty of elevation change and a series of barrancas that force you to think, not just swing hard. The greens are the real defence: subtly shaped, deceptively quick and far more interested in precision than power. Add MacKenzie's bold, sculpted bunkering and you've got a course where you'll want to pick conservative targets, commit to them and accept that the odd miss will be punished.
Despite its pedigree and regular mentions in Top 100 conversations, Pasatiempo feels refreshingly grounded. It's not a resort set-up, it's golf first, scenery second and history everywhere. The par-3 16th, played across a deep barranca to a plateau green, is a hole you'll recognise from plenty of course photos, and it's even better in the flesh. If you like courses that reward course management and imagination, it's a brilliant counterpoint to the coastline's headline acts. It's an easy add-on if you're staying around Monterey, Carmel or Santa Cruz and want a day away from the oceanfront.
Who is this for?
Golf travellers who've already got Pebble on the list and want one inland round with genuine heritage, less resort gloss and a different style of test.
Who is it best for?
Players comfortable on fast, contoured greens who don't mind leaving the driver in the bag and value strategy, wedges and putting over pure length.
