Del Monte Golf Course

Del Monte Golf Course in California

Del Monte is a landmark course that has played an instrumental role in popularizing golf out West since its inception in 1897. The birthplace of the California State Amateur and the oldest course in continuous operation west of the Mississippi retains much of that classic charm today, challenging the game’s best golfers with its small, sloping, old-school greens. The venerable layout brings out of bounds into play on more than half its holes and puts a premium on placing the ball below the hole with well-bunkered greens that are often pitched strongly from back-to-front.

Originally designed as a nine-hole course in 1897 by Charles E. Maud and expanded to 18 holes in 1902, Del Monte promptly attracted the game’s best players. The course’s Del Monte Championship was so highly regarded that many considered the champion to be the best golfer in the state. When the California State Amateur was founded in 1912, Del Monte was the natural choice to host it. Del Monte was also selected to host the 1916 Western Amateur, marking the first time one of the era’s biggest national amateur events was played west of Colorado.

Del Monte annually stages the professional Monterey Open and amateur Monterey City Championship and has regularly tested PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour players as a previous host of the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational presented by DELL EMC and PURE Insurance Championship.