There is a reason why so many people move to California—the weather. But forget the fog of San Francisco and head down to San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley and where you can play golf 327 days a year. San Jose is in northern California’s golfing capital. With a large airport and great regional transportation network, it is the ideal place to spend a long weekend and hit a different course on each day. Here are some of our top picks for San Jose golf courses open to the public.

San Jose Municipal Golf Course: All-Around Fun and Value

San Jose Municipal is hands down the local favorite. This moderately difficult course has been a San Jose crowd pleaser for nearly fifty years. Located just a stone’s throw away from downtown, the greens fees are always reasonable and it is a great place to bring the family.

During the summer, they do weekend concert series and have an excellent bar and grill. And don’t worry the golf is great too. With medium speed greens, a mix of different traps and variable tees, it is a good spot for any skill level.

The Course at Wente Vineyards: Romantic Weekend Getaway

Roughly 30 miles North of San Jose is one of the best public courses in Northern California, The Course at Wente Vineyards. This is a fantastic place if you really want a weekend escape. Designed Greg Norman this excellent course with lush fairways, fast greens and being situated in wine country, it is hard to beat the experience here.

Afterward, you can attend a wine tasting or eat at the fantastic Wente Grill. Green fees are moderate, but definitely worth the price considering the excellent quality of the course.

Cinnabar Hills: So Many Options

In 1998, Cinnabar was the first public course to open in San Jose in over 30 years. The course was designed to maintain as much as possible the natural feel of the area. The name of the course actually comes from the red ore that as mined there in the 1800’s.

There are actually three distinct 9 hole courses that can be played: the Canyon, the Lake and the Mountain which gives you many different combinations of how you play your 18.

Poppy Ridge: Worth the Drive

Similar to Cinnabar Hill, Poppy Ridge actually over several varieties if 9-hole courses. It is a great combination of serious golf and serious wine. With 27 different holes, you can play all day and sample the local varietals all night. Rates are also very reasonable and getting the most out of all that yardage will not set you back much at all.

Los Lagos: A Good Course to Start the Season

Rounding out our list of San Jose golf courses is Los Lagos. There is a secret about Californians that people from places like the Midwest or Northeast won’t be able to quite understand. A lot of them don’t play golf in the winter because Californians think their winter is cold. For them, cold is a daily high of only about sixty degrees where for many people, we would consider that a blessing in January.

Anyway, if you haven’t been in the game for a while, Los Lagos is great spot to stretch out those golf muscles and get into the swing of things again. A moderately difficult course, its wide fairways and fairly low rates considering the quality of the place make it an excellent spot to shake off the rust.

Want To Explore More San Jose Golf Courses?

Be sure to check out our interactive map which features every single public golf course in San Jose (and beyond). Our unique tool will make it easy to locate courses, instructors, and practice facilities. The video below shows how it works:

Are there any San Jose golf courses you think should have made our list? Let us know in the comments section!