Gilroy may be known for its garlic, but it has several notable golf courses, too. You will find courses ideal for beginners and more experienced players. Swing away and enjoy these diverse Gilroy golf courses!
Gavilan Golf Course: Great for Beginners
Gavilan Golf Course is a nine-hole recreational course located in Gilroy, about an hour’s drive from Monterey and the San Francisco Bay Area. The golf course takes its name from the Gabilan Mountain Range (gabilan means “sparrow hawk” in Spanish) that is the backdrop throughout the course.
Built in the late 1960s, this beginner-friendly golf course has been the perfect learning place for thousands of golfers over the years. It plays a par-31 and can be played as an 18-hole loop in about two hours.
This walker-friendly course surrounded by scenic live oak trees and grassy fields is an ideal place for a relaxing round of golf. Super twilight rates and beginner rates are available daily. Gavilan Golf Course facilities include a driving range and practice facility, plus food and beverage services.
5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., Gilroy. 408.846.4920. Gavilan Golf Course
Gilroy Golf Course: An 11-Hole Jewel
The Gilroy Golf Course, surrounded by the beautiful, unspoiled Uvas Valley, has been dubbed the “Best 11-Hole Golf Course in the U.S.” But don’t let the 11-hole factor confuse you—this course can be played as a nine-hole course for a quick round during the day, or you can challenge yourself with 18 holes.
Built in 1923 by farmers and businessmen, this course has undergone only small changes over the years and retains much of its original classic design. Gilroy Golf Course did add a par 3 Hole #4 in 2021, which was a part of the original course in 1923.
Gilroy Golf Course Hole #8
On the back nine, you play seven of the same holes that you played on the front nine, but from different lengths and angles, plus two different holes that you didn’t play the first time around. Hole #7 is an uphill par 5 with a double tier green, and Hole #8 is a beautiful downhill par 3. On the back nine, you will go “around the hill” with two par 4’s (#16 and #17).
The course is a par 70 (35 on each side) and can be played from 5,200 yards to just over 6,000 yards. You will enjoy driving the golf carts on the newly-paved cart paths. At Gilroy Golf Course, you will feel as if you are miles away from the hustle and bustle of a big city. This design is user friendly for the recreational golfer yet challenging enough for the low handicapper.
2695 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. 408.848.0490. Gilroy Golf Course
Eagle Ridge Golf Club: A Beautiful Challenge
This public venue’s 18 holes were meticulously designed by Ron Fream and David Dale to incorporate the existing movement of the land, frequent natural water features, and spectacular views. You can enjoy exploring the course in their new golf carts, added in June of 2022. Also, like many relatively upscale modern courses, five sets of tee boxes offer plenty of options, making the course range from 7,005 yards from the black tees to slightly more than 5,102 yards from the burgundy markers.
Tree-lined, swelling fairways lead to multi-tiered greens that are protected by dramatic bunkering, a scattering of rocks, and diverse water features. The layout is sprinkled with 92 bunkers, three lakes on two holes, and creeks on seven holes. It remains a fair-minded test to a variety of challengers.
Eagle Ridge has received some special recognition in previous years, including one of the “50 Women-Friendly Courses” by Golf for Women Magazine and one of the “Top Ten Golf Courses in the Silicon Valley.” It has also been given a “Four Star Rating” by Golf Digest Magazine. The Eagle Ridge course has also qualified as a site for the USGA Public Links, USGA Women’s Open, PGA Champions Tour Siebel Classic and numerous NCGA qualifiers.
2951 Club Drive, Gilroy. 408.846.4531. Eagle Ridge Golf Course
Stay and Play for More than Just One Day
Book a hotel in Gilroy, reserve a tee time at our local courses, and then add in a wine tasting or two (preferably after you play!), some great meals at our diverse restaurants, and enjoy some of the other fun Things to Do in Gilroy. You can take home some great souvenirs as well from our California Welcome Center Gilroy, located in the Gilroy Premium Outlets near Forever 21.
To learn more about other golf courses in the region, check out Golf Courses In and Near Gilroy.
