Half Moon Bay Old Course VS Ocean Course (Check Out The Major Differences Between These Two Iconic Golf Courses!)

Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Alex PT

Half Moon Bay’s Old Course offers traditional parkland golf with 7,001 yards, while the Ocean Course boasts coastal beauty and 6,732 yards. Both are 18-hole championship courses, providing diverse golf experiences on the stunning California coast.

Differences Between Half Moon Bay Old Course and Ocean Course

Characteristic	Half Moon Bay Old Course	Half Moon Bay Ocean Course
Location	Half Moon Bay, California	Half Moon Bay, California
Course Type	Parkland	Coastal
Yardage	7,001 yards	6,732 yards
Holes	18	18
Scenic Views	Lush fairways, forested	Spectacular ocean views,
	surroundings	rugged coastline
Signature Holes	18th hole (Par 4, ocean	7th hole (Par 3, ocean
	views)	backdrop)
Level of Challenge	Moderate to challenging	Moderate to challenging
Resort Amenities	Accommodations, dining,	Accommodations, dining,
	spa, and more	spa, and more

Half Moon Bay Old Course VS Ocean Course

1. Location & Scenery:

• The Old Course, designed in 1973 by Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane, winds its way through residential areas and is typified by a more traditional parkland-style layout. With beautiful homes along the course, the spectacle comes with the 18th hole that plays directly along the coastline.
• The Ocean Course, on the other hand, designed in 1997 by Arthur Hills, is renowned for panoramic seaside vistas as a classic Scottish-style layout on most of the holes. With holes progressing towards the Pacific Ocean, it provides an immersive coastal golfing experience.

2. Difficulty & Design:

• The Old Course may be slightly easier for the average golfer, offering wide fairways and straightforward hole layouts. It might be a preferred choice for those looking for a less demanding, yet engaging golfing session.
• The Ocean Course has a more difficult design with tighter fairways, harder hole locations and more natural obstacles. This provides a challenging game for more experienced players.

3. Signature Holes:

• The Old Course’s 18th hole, a challenging par-4, ending on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is undeniably its signature hole, providing as much challenge as beauty.
• The Ocean Course’s entire finishing stretch from 16 to 18 along the coast serves as its signature, providing unobstructed ocean views and a demanding finish.

4. Amenities & Clubhouse:

• Both the Old Course and Ocean Course share the same range of amenities including a gorgeous clubhouse with a bar, restaurant, pro shop, and locker rooms. Regardless of which course you play, you’ll have access to these excellent amenities.

Half Moon Bay Old Course

Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane are the two pioneer designers of the Old Course in 1973. If you’re talking about the best golf course with the most spectacular locations on California’s rugged west coast, then you’ll probably mention Half Moon Bay. You will find the course just 30 miles south of San Francisco. The course boasts of 36 holes of golf and a remarkable Ritz Carlton hotel that overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

The Old Course By The Numbers

Tees	Par	Yardage	Rating	Slope
Black	72	6854	72.9	131
Blue	72	6470	71.2	125
White	72	6052	69.6	123
Gold	72	5461	66.5	118
Red (Women)	72	4872	68.5	115

How Much Does It Cost To Play The Half Moon Bay Golf Course?

Half Moon Bay Links Ocean Rates, Specials, and Tee Times in San Jose/South Bay Area, Northern California – with the average weekend peak rate to play falling within $100 to $150.  The cost to play at the Half Moon Bay Golf Course is affordable when compared to some other expensive courses in the United States.

Which Half Moon Bay Course Is Better?

There are two major Half Moon Bay Golf Courses and the Old Course is known to be more difficult but better than the other. The two Half Moon Bay golf courses are great but most golfers prefer the Old Course at the Half Moon Bay.

Is Half Moon Bay Safe?

From our research, the chance of being a victim of either property or violent crime in Half Moon Bay is one in forty-eight. We all know that Half Moon Bay is not rated as the safest community in America. The community has a crime rate that’s higher than the 54% of the state’s cities and towns.

This Table Contains Vivid Information About The Ocean Course At Half Moon Bay.

How Hard Is The Ocean Course?	Among all the big-time courses around, one can say that Ocean Course has one of the toughest stretches of holes. Golfers need to face extra arduous par four at the 10th hole after starting at the long par four at the ninety hole.
How Much Does It Cost To Golf At Kiawah?	They are quite expensive and might not fit into an average golfer’s budget. Excluding a gratuity fee for the saddle, the Ocean Course charges any golfer about $383. This exorbitant amount keeps most locals away from the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.
When Was The Ocean Course Built?	It was in 1991, during the Ryder Cup that Pete Dye designed and built the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Dye gave the course some great designs, which boasts of golfers panoramic views of the ocean, greens, and skyline from each hole.
Which Half Moon Bay Course Is Better?	There are two major Half Moon Bay Golf Courses and the Old Course is known to be more difficult but better than the other.

Ocean Course At The Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Due to the golf course’s picturesque seaside setting and coupled with the fact that it hosted the 2008 Senior PG Championships and the 2012 PGA Championship, it is certainly one of the most popular courses in all the Charleston area golf courses. We loved that Ocean Course boasts of more seaside holes than any other golf course in North America. The Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort is visited yearly by golf enthusiasts from all around the world. Most visitors to Kiawah Island enjoy the consistently challenging ocean breezes that are coupled with the elevated position of the course above the beach dunes. It was in 1991 that the golf course was designed and built by Pete Dye, who gave the course some great designs, which boasts of golfers panoramic views of the ocean, greens, and skyline from each hole. Visiting Kiawah Island will be a truly memorable and striking experience for any golf player.

How Hard Is The Ocean Course?

Among all the big-time courses around, one can say that Ocean Course has one of the toughest stretches of holes. Golfers need to face extra arduous par four at the 10^th hole after starting at the long par four at the ninety holes.

How Much Does It Cost To Golf At Kiawah?

If you’re talking about one of the world’s greatest golf courses in which most golfers dream of playing on, the Ocean Course at Kiawah is certainly one of them. They are quite expensive and might not fit into an average golfer’s budget. Excluding a gratuity fee for the saddle, the Ocean Course charges any golfer about $383. This exorbitant amount keeps most locals away from the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

When Was The Ocean Course Built?

It was in 1991, during the Ryder Cup that Pete Dye designed and built the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Dye gave the course some great designs, which boasts of golfers panoramic views of the ocean, greens, and skyline from each hole.

Closing Thoughts

The bottom line is that the two golf courses are iconic and remarkable, the choice is now left to you.  We’ve come to the final chapter of this informative blog post. We hope you were able to find resources in your quest to know the difference between the golf umbrella and the refusal umbrella. Please do not hesitate to contact us for questions or comments. Thanks!

References:

https://greggborodaty.com/half-moon-bay-old-course-vs-ocean-course/
https://www.golfpass.com/travel-advisor/courses/15533-half-moon-bay-golf-links-ocean-course