Pelican Hill’s North Course delivers unforgettable Pacific vistas, strategic shotmaking, and luxury resort polish. Recent renovations have sharpened every bunker, green surround, and visual angle, making this Fazio design one of Southern California’s ultimate public-access golf experiences.
Pelican Hill’s North Course is a masterclass in Californian resort drama, blending Fazio’s sleek, risk/reward architecture with relentless coastal exposure. Routed across hillsides, arroyos, and canyons, the course demands calculated tee shots and offers uninterrupted Pacific vistas from every hole. The 2025–26 Curley-led renovation elevated playability with restored bunkers and expanded, transformed green surrounds while honoring Fazio’s original vision—yielding a layout equal parts bold, fair, and visually intoxicating.
Tom Fazio capitalized on rare, uninterrupted oceanfront terrain; Brian Curley’s renovation ensures the course shines for decades to come.
Kicking off with a pulse-quickening view straight toward the sea, this par 5 rewards bold drives that flirt with canyon edges and sets the round’s tone for panoramic drama and calculated risk.
Play to a safe landing regardless of the urge for an opening birdie—position beats anything flashy here.
Left is canyon; aggressive approaches can lead to awkward lies or tricky up-and-downs.
Superb greens, lush Kikuyu and fescue; meticulous bunker edges thanks to the Curley renovation.
Expect 4.5–5 hour rounds in peak times—twilight is often fastest.
Luxurious, polished, and quietly competitive; the ocean setting amplifies every moment.
Traditional resort attire: collared shirt, tailored shorts/pants, no denim or athletic wear.
Par 3s are demanding and exposed, often playing longer than the card.
Bigger hitters face more risk than reward—focus on positioning.
Practice three-quarter swings and ball flights for crosswinds and ocean gusts.
Course is walkable but with elevation and green-to-tee transitions; consider a cart during busy times or summer heat.
North Course opens, designed by Tom Fazio
Fazio returns for full 're-perfection' renovation
Resort reopens after extensive rebuild
Brian Curley starts major phased restoration
Full renovation completion projected (Fall)
Tom Fazio nearly turned down the commission, thinking nothing could top his existing California work—until he saw the North Course’s unmatched ocean setting. Years later, he called the layout one of the most spectacular in golf.
Pelican Hill is famed for using its dazzling aesthetics as a mental obstacle—ocean backdrops, chiseled bunkers, and rolling canyons demand your full focus, or the views will defeat your scorecard.
Beginning in 2025, Brian Curley and Curley-Wagner led a wholesale bunker and green surround restoration, modernizing turf and infrastructure without losing the iconic Fazio look or high-drama shot demands.
On still evenings, the final stretch glows golden above the Pacific, making every closing putt feel like a trophy moment—no matter the score.
Every hole, including the par 3s, offers a direct Pacific view.
Tom Fazio was initially hesitant about building here, but calls it one of his most dramatic sites ever.
Bunkers and surrounds were fully restored in 2025–2026 to original Fazio specs by Brian Curley.
Pelican Hill’s North and South Courses together form the only 36-hole resort-luxury duo of their kind on the California coast.
Open to public play via resort guest access—a rare treat for a design of this caliber.
SoCal’s top public inland test, with dramatic quarry holes and a very different challenge than Pelican Hill’s ocean terrain.
The North’s sibling Fazio course; play both for the complete Pelican Hill experience.
Solid, affordable inland layout just half an hour from Pelican Hill.
Elite local option if you score an invite; annual host of the Hoag Classic.
Top-rated Golden State course for those with access, offering a traditional, demanding test.
Choose Newport Coast/Fashion Island for convenience, ocean views, and luxury; Laguna Beach for a more walkable scenic scene.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If Pelican Hill Golf Club - North Course is your kind of course, Shooting Star is worth a look because it makes the landscape part of the experience.
Why it matches: The Golf Club at Red Rock is a natural next stop after Pelican Hill Golf Club - North Course: it shares a memorable sense of place.
Why it matches: Princeville Makai Golf Club is a natural next stop after Pelican Hill Golf Club - North Course: it shares a memorable sense of place and offers similarly polished playing surfaces.
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