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Someone tells you that they are about to take a nice relaxing vacation in Anaheim, California. Is your first reaction to say that you don’t find anything about Disneyland to be even the slightest bit relaxing? You wouldn’t be the first person to have that reaction. Most people think Anaheim and immediately think Disneyland. While that theme park is obviously a big draw to the area, it’s not all that Anaheim has to offer. It’s possible to go to Anaheim and skip Disneyland altogether in order to have a relaxing good time. This is especially true for people who love to golf.

Anaheim, California is about as stereotypical as “California” gets. It is sunny almost every single day of the year. It’s never so hot that you’re particularly uncomfortable. There’s often a slight breeze coming off of the Pacific Ocean. In short, it’s a place where you can make vacation plans to spend every single travel day outside and you probably won’t need to rework anything do to weather. No matter what time of year you want to go on vacation, you should be able to enjoy the outdoors in Anaheim. For golfers, this is the ideal situation.

Of course, you need more than just nice weather to enjoy golfing. The golf courses also have to be beautiful, interesting and challenging. Anaheim, California doesn’t disappoint its golf visitors. There are two major golf courses located in Anaheim itself and there are also several golf courses located in neighboring California cities. You can go just for the course (let’s say that you’re sneaking away while your spouse takes the kids to Disneyland) or you can book a whole golf course vacation and stay near your favorite courses.

The most well-known and often-visited Anaheim Golf Course is the appropriately named Anaheim Hills. This is a favorite place in large part because it offers absolutely stunning views of the surrounding California landscape. However, it’s also favored because its three sets of teeboxes provide varying levels of challenge and fun. Golfers of all skill levels can enjoy golfing on this eighteen hole regulation length course. The green fees are between $30 and $60 which most visitors find to be reasonably priced. Anaheim Hills is located less than ten miles from Downtown Anaheim and less than half an hour away form Disneyland. This makes it ideal for someone who is staying with his family on a Disneyland vacation but also good for those folks who want to book a stay in an Anaheim resort and spend their whole time golfing. If you find that you don’t want to leave the golf course, the 30,000 square foot banquet center should keep you entertained for the bulk of the day.

Although most people who are visiting Anaheim Golf Courses for the first time will go to Anaheim Hills, it gets a lot of competition from travelers interested in experiencing Anaheim’s other major golf course, Dad Miller. This golf course is also an eighteen hole regulation length course with three sets of teeboxes but the green fees run approximately $15 less at this course than at Anaheim Hills. In addition to the lower price, it is sometimes favored by Anaheim travelers because of the beautiful scenic lake that makes up part of the course. This course is located just three miles from downtown Anaheim and so is specifically a favorite of people who are staying in the Anaheim area on business and just trying to get away to the green for a portion of their stay.

People who want to stay in Anaheim will have to play on those two golf courses as they are the only major golf courses actually within city limits. However, anyone that is familiar with California cities knows that there are many small cities located around a place like Anaheim. Most people living in the area don’t consider it a big deal to drive a little ways away to try out new experiences and therefore the golf courses in the surrounding region are also popular with Anaheim locals. Anaheim visitors may find that they want to try out these other golf courses as well. In fact, you might be surprised to find out that many of these golf courses are actually located closer to downtown Anaheim than the favorite Anaheim Hills Course is.

The most popular city outside of Anaheim for golfing is Santa Ana. There are two golf courses there, Riverview Golf Course and Willowick Golf Course, which are each less than five miles away form downtown Anaheim. River View Golf Course is considered to be the Anaheim area golf course which offers the best deals to travelers in terms of price.

Willowick has the distinction of being the oldest golf course in Orange County. Each of these locations is within very short driving distance of both the airport and Disneyland so visitors of all kinds can get to them easily. Santa Ana itself is an interesting city with a unique downtown historic arts district which you may want to take the time to explore after you’ve finished golfing in the area.

Another city in the Anaheim area which is popular for golfing is Buena Park. There are three golf courses located in this city which is situated just over five miles away from the heart of Anaheim. All three of these courses are affiliated with the same owner, Los Coyotes Country Club. However, there is a Vista Course, a Valley Course and a Lake Course which each provides something a little bit different to the golfer in terms of skill level needed and experienced gained from playing on the course. These are each nine-hole golf courses. Some people challenge themselves to play all three holes to make up a twenty-seven hole “championship golf course” experience. The best thing about this location is that it’s not all just about the golf; there’s an entire resort and country club experience to be had here so it’s a perfect little getaway vacation spot.

In addition to the golf courses in Santa Ana and Buena Park, there are golf courses in many of the other areas surrounding Anaheim. David L. Baker Memorial Golf Course in Fountain Valley is an eighteen hole golf course which is part of the American Golf Corporation course program. Also in Fountain Valley is the Mile Square Golf Course. Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia offers the full country club experience. People who want to travel to Fullerton can experience the Fullerton Course as well as the Coyote Hills Golf Club. Additionally, the cities of Brea, La Mirada, La Habra, Orange, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Yorba Linda, Costa Mesa, and Tustin each offer golf courses that are situated within ten miles of the heart of Anaheim.

Yes, people go do to Anaheim in large part to visit Disneyland. However, that’s hardly the only draw to the area. Anyone who likes to be outside in the sunshine can enjoy an Anaheim vacation. And those folks who like to explore the golf courses of the world will find that there is plenty of golfing to be done both in Anaheim and in the surrounding cities. Those cities each have their own unique style to offer so it can be a great experience to see the green and then see the rest of the city as well.

photo credit: sxc

Tags: anaheim | California | golf | North America | United States