Detailed description of Sandpiper Golf Course
Sandpiper Golf Course, is a Public, 18 hole golf course located in Goleta, California.
Sandpiper Golf Course first opened for play in 1972. The course was designed by William F. Bell.
Sandpiper Golf Course provides a challenging game and great scenery. Because of the six holes that play along a cliff above the ocean and provide great views, the course has been referred to as the "poor man's Pebble Beach."
#10, a 381-yard, par 4 and #11, a 224-yard, par 3, are particularly interesting and enjoyable to play. Hole #10 has a downhill, dogleg left fairway with the Pacific Ocean providing the background for the green. On hole #11 you tee off from a cliff that is about eighty feet above the green, again with the ocean in back of the green.
The fairways are fairly open with some trees in play if you get off the fairways. There are several holes that play uphill or downhill from the tee. The greens are medium to large in size and are sloped but not very undulated. Most of the greens and tees are elevated.
Although #18 is not one of the six holes with tees or greens on the Pacific Ocean, it is the only hole with water in play (a pond). #18, is a 174-yard, par 3, where you tee off from a cliff, over a lake, to the green below.
Kenneth H. Hunter, Jr. developed this course, along with Hunter Ranch in Paso Robles and La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc. All three courses have received recognition as outstanding courses.
Sandpiper Golf Course plays to a par-72 and a maximum distance of 7,068 yards The course rating is 74.5 and the slope rating is 134.
$76 (cart included), played on Monday, June 2013 at noon
Great course. Lovely setting. Challenging.
$76 (cart included), played on Monday, May 2013 at 10am
Beautiful setting. Like a Torrey Pines.
$76 (cart included), played on Friday, December 2012 at 8am
This course is one of my all time favorites. Well worth the drive. Has awesome pacific ocean views. Course has been in great condition every time I have played it.
$101 (cart included), played on Wednesday, November 2011 at 8am
Played 2 of three day tournament(3rd day rained out as even w/severely sloping greens, they were too wet) Greens very demanding if above the hole. Greens were in quite good condition, but fairways, rough, and teeing grounds just average. Some better than average hole layouts(#10,11,13,& 18) interspersed with some very ordinary ones (remainder),
$126 (cart included), played on Tuesday, August 2011 at 10am
Other then the ocean views, would be a $50 course in Southern California. Fairways were below average. Staff extremely nice and helpful. They let us play as a twosome.
$61 (cart included), played on Wednesday, March 2011 at 10am
I played this course mid day/mid week, sunny, 72degrees, and without wind. I had absolutely no complaints. The greens were tough to read, but very true. Comparitively I would say that the course was in excellent pohysical shape. Like Torre Pines, it is a course that can be mezmerizing and break your concentration. I was fortunate enough to play with a member and so received the $65 green/cart fee. If I played as a walk on, I am sure that the fee would have been much steeper.
Member (cart not included), played on Friday, December 2010 at 6am
There had been lots of rain, otherwise I would have rated the fairways as outstanding. But the course held up well under the rain, and the greens are always fast and smooth.
$151 (cart included), played on Saturday, August 2010 at 8am
Very scenic course with spectacular views of the ocean. We played early AM and the course's main defense (wind) had not yet come up so it perhaps played easier than the rating. Worth the drive from SoCal.
$101 (cart included), played on Friday, April 2008 at 2pm
Any time you are playing on the Pacific Ocean...it can't be too bad!
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$56 (cart included), played on Thursday, April 2017 at 7:00 AM
Sandpiper was in great shape on the day we played it. The fairways, greens, and bunkers were all top-notch. Having grown up playing Torrey Pines, I was expecting a similar experience at Sandpiper. And, for the most part, it was a fun course to play. However, after playing it, I felt that too many holes were a bit plain and too similar to other holes. Sure, the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th holes (which hug the cliffs) are pretty nice but came away from this course a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, if I lived nearby I would play it often, but will probably not drive from San Diego to play it again. The fairways are generous but if you venture about 10 feet off the fairways you can be in very long grass that makes for a lot of lost balls. Pick one club more as the heavy ocean air seems to take about 5-10 yards off your irons. Great staff and I was really impressed with the condition of the greens. A fun day.