River Course at the Alisal: the valley's public 18

River Course quick facts

Address

150 Alisal Road, Solvang. 1.6 mi (8 min) from Solvang Park

Open to

The public. The other Alisal course, the Ranch Course, is only for Alisal Ranch guests and members

Layout

18 holes, par 72, 6,830 yards; bentgrass greens, four lakes

Tee times

Online through EZLinks, or the golf shop at 805-688-6042

Cancel rule

24 hours' notice; otherwise a no-show fee of 50% of the whole group's booking

Green fees

Not printed on the club site; EZLinks shows the live rate for your date

Restaurant

River Grill, 805-688-7784: 80 seats inside, stone fireplace, terrace over the 18th

Head pro

Jeff Raymond, PGA, 805-866-6872 (lessons)

What is the River Course like?

Wide-looking fairways that aren't. The club's own course notes say the mounding along the sides punishes a miss with sidehill lies, while the large greens roll true. A few holes to know:

• No. 9: a 172-yard par 3 that plays downhill across Alamo Pintado Creek, which runs the width of the course.
• No. 10: the No. 2 handicap, a 430-yard par 4 downwind through a chute of trees, with a big bunker right.
• No. 15: the hardest of the closing four, uphill across the creek.
• No. 17: the signature hole, just 123 yards but ringed by water and sand.

The last four holes run along a plateau below the clubhouse, and at sunset the Santa Ynez Mountains go lavender behind them.

Is the Alisal golf course open to the public?

One of them is. Alisal Ranch has two 18-hole courses. This one, the River Course, sits on Alisal Road just south of downtown Solvang and takes anyone with a tee time. The Ranch Course, a Billy Bell Jr. design from 1956 inside the ranch, is kept for ranch guests and club members. Staying at Alisal Ranch? You can play both; see our Alisal Ranch guide.

Can you eat at the River Grill without golfing?

Yes. The River Grill is the clubhouse restaurant: 80 seats under a high-beamed ceiling with a stone fireplace and wall-to-wall windows, and a terrace that looks over the 18th green. Call 805-688-7784; our golf guide has its current hours and the Thursday and Friday dinners.

Make a day of it

The course is 8 minutes from Solvang Park, the village green, so the round slots between pancakes and a pour:

• Before: Danish pancakes downtown (see breakfast in Solvang).
• After: taste on Copenhagen Drive, minutes away (see Solvang wine tasting).
• Second round: La Purisima near Lompoc or 9 holes at Zaca Creek.

Good to know

How do I book a tee time at the River Course at the Alisal? Online through the club's EZLinks booking system, linked from rivercourse.com, or by calling the golf shop at 805-688-6042.

How long is the River Course at the Alisal? 6,830 yards, par 72, with four lakes and Alamo Pintado Creek crossing the course.

What is the signature hole at the River Course? No. 17, a 123-yard par 3 surrounded by water and sand.

Nearby: eat, taste, stay

• Golf near Solvang: La Purisima's harder test and Zaca Creek's 9 holes
• Alisal Ranch: A 10,000-acre working ranch with its own guests-only course
• Solvang wine tasting: Walkable tasting rooms after the round
• Solvang hotels: Stay-and-play near Alisal Road

Quick answers

What is the cancellation policy at the River Course?

Give at least 24 hours' notice. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged 50% of the whole reservation to the card holder.