Seascape Golf Club

Tucked into the hills above Aptos on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Seascape Golf Club occupies one of the more quietly beautiful pieces of golfing real estate in the Santa Cruz area. The layout weaves through coastal redwoods and open meadows, with several holes offering glimpses of the Pacific on clear days — the kind of scenery that makes a bogey feel almost acceptable.

The course was designed to play fair but not easy. At just over 6,100 yards from the back tees, the yardage looks benign on the scorecard, but tree-lined corridors demand accuracy off the tee, and the greens — undulating and quick when conditions are dry — reward patience over power. The front nine opens up through meadow-style holes before the back nine tightens considerably through the redwood groves. Hole 14, a short par-4 that doglegs sharply left around a stand of trees, is the kind of hole that looks simple until you try to cut the corner and find the forest instead.

As a semi-private club, Seascape welcomes public play on most days, though weekend mornings can book up quickly with member tee times. Mid-week rounds offer the best combination of pace of play and green fee value. The clubhouse is modest but comfortable, and the staff tends to be friendly and knowledgeable about the layout — worth asking the starter for a quick tip on which greens are running faster that day.

For golfers making the trip down from the Bay Area, Seascape pairs naturally with Pasatiempo — just 10 minutes away — for a solid two-course Santa Cruz weekend. Green fees are reasonable by regional standards, and the course holds up well year-round thanks to the mild coastal climate.