Bayonet Golf Course

Perched on the sandy bluffs of the former Fort Ord army base above Monterey Bay, Bayonet Golf Course is widely regarded as one of the sternest public tests on California's Monterey Peninsula. The par-72 layout stretches to 7,104 yards and pairs tree-lined corridors, dramatic elevation changes and steep, penal bunkering to challenge players of every level.

Bayonet is one half of the 36-hole Bayonet & Black Horse complex; its sister course, Black Horse, is a separate par-72 layout of roughly 7,024 yards known for its Pacific vistas and fescue-framed fairways. Together the two courses have long been rated among the best 36 holes in the Monterey region.

Quick Facts

Course History

The land beneath Bayonet has military roots dating to 1917, when the U.S. Army acquired the property to build the training post that became Fort Ord, named for Civil War general Edward Otho Cresap Ord. The golf course itself was laid out in 1954 under Gen. Robert B. McClure, the post's commanding officer at the time. It took its name from the 7th Infantry Division, the Bayonet Division. Local lore holds that McClure, a left-hander, routed several holes to favor his own game.

A second 18, Black Horse, opened in 1964, giving the base 36 holes. For decades the courses served soldiers and hosted visiting dignitaries and touring professionals. Following the closure of Fort Ord, the facility opened to the general public in the mid-1990s and today operates as the Bayonet & Black Horse golf complex.

The Design & Architecture

In 2008, award-winning architect Gene Bates led a comprehensive renovation that re-routed and re-bunkered the course, added his signature white-sand bunkering and stripped out the old kikuyu and poa annua turf to sharpen playing conditions. The result preserved Bayonet's demanding character while modernizing its surfaces and presentation.

The routing plays through mature stands of Monterey pine and oak, with tight tree-lined corridors, undulating greens and enough elevation change to reward players who can flight the ball and manage the frequent coastal breeze.

Playing the Course

Bayonet's most famous stretch is the run of holes 11 through 15, nicknamed Combat Corner - a punishing sequence of blind, right-to-left dogleg fairways that demands precise driving and disciplined course management. Navigating it in level par is one of the toughest asks in Monterey-area public golf.

From the championship tees the course rates 74.9 with a slope of 137, reflecting a layout that puts a premium on length, accuracy and patience. Multiple tee sets make the round playable for a range of handicaps, but even from forward tees the narrow corridors and firm greens keep the challenge honest.

Know Before You Go

• Address: 1 McClure Way, Seaside, CA 93955; phone (831) 899-7271.

• Public access; tee times can be booked through bayonetblackhorse.com.

• On-site practice facilities include a driving range, chipping and putting greens.

• Bring extra golf balls and play conservatively through Combat Corner (holes 11-15).

• Consider a stay-and-play combining Bayonet with its sister Black Horse course for the full 36-hole experience.