3) Sandpiper Golf Club, Santa Barbara County
If golfing is your thing there is no more picturesque place to tee off than at Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara. The old-time serenity of Pebble Beach Golf Links is the best competitor but its exorbitant fees put most golfers off. The Sandpiper Golf Club is a par-72 seaside course and an affordable alternative to Pebble Beach. The 7,000 yard tract is enough to challenge even the most seasoned of golfers but most visitors here enjoy the views even more than the game. Looking out onto the Pacific and flanked with mountains, the Sandpiper course comes within swinging distance of the water resulting in the sea collecting its fair share of golf balls and lending the whole experience an aura of beach-side calm. There may be no fancy lodge for after golf drinks but nearby amenities should do the trick.
