China Lake Golf Course

About China Lake Golf Course

Tucked away in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra at nearly 2,300 feet elevation, this municipal course sits in the shadow of the imposing Sierra Nevada range, offering some of the most dramatic mountain backdrops you'll find on any California public track. The setting alone makes it worth the drive to Ridgecrest – the course plays across relatively flat desert terrain, but those towering peaks create a sense of scale and majesty that transforms what could be an ordinary round into something memorable. The high desert location means cooler temperatures in summer compared to the brutal heat of lower elevation desert courses, making it a refuge when Palm Springs and Phoenix become unbearable. While the 3.8 Google rating suggests this isn't destination golf in terms of conditioning or layout sophistication, it's exactly the kind of honest, no-frills municipal course that serves its community well without pretension. Walking is allowed, which is increasingly rare and speaks to both the course's accessibility and the fact that it hasn't been overrun by cart-dependent resort golfers. For the price point you'd expect from a small-town muni, you're getting decent golf in an extraordinary setting – and sometimes that's exactly what you need.

Key Facts