Avila Beach Golf Resort opened in 1969 on San Luis Obispo Bay, the work of Olin Dutra — the 1934 U.S. Open champion — and Desmond Muirhead, the prolific modernist course architect. Sitting three miles off Highway 101 between San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach, it is one of the few genuinely oceanfront public courses on the Central Coast, and the resort grounds double as a wedding and events venue with Mulligan's Bar & Grill hosting live music.

On the course

The two nines could hardly be more different. The front climbs hilly ground through oak-lined valleys to small, often elevated greens, while the back flattens out and crosses the tidal estuary of San Luis Obispo Creek, demanding several forced carries over the water to multi-level greens. Fairways are kikuyu and the greens classic bentgrass. From the blue tees it plays 6,557 yards at par 72, rated 72.3/132, with the 540-yard 9th as the number-one handicap hole and a drivable 259-yard par-4 2nd; per GolfPass, only the 10th and 18th offer glimpses of the open Pacific.

Who it suits

GolfPass reviewers consistently praise the variety and scenery — a shotmaker's course where no two holes feel alike and course management beats raw distance — though recent reviews are candid that conditioning has slipped at times, with thin fairways and rough patches noted. Walking is allowed, but the front nine's elevation makes a cart the popular choice. White tees at 6,090 yards (69.5/125) and reds at 4,854 keep the course playable for most games.

There is a driving range on site — note it closes at noon Friday through Sunday between Memorial Day and Labor Day — plus a practice putting green and a full pro shop. The course fits traveling golfers pairing a round with a beach day, and precise players who would rather plot around an estuary than bomb driver all afternoon.

Architect: Olin Dutra & Desmond Muirhead · Opened: 1969