Monarch Dunes "The Old Course" opened to the public for play on January 1, 2006 and is the first 18-hole golf course constructed within Woodlands Village, the largest master-planned community in California’s Central Coast. Located in the southern end of San Luis Obispo County in Nipomo, the par-71 championship design introduces extraordinary links-style golf to central California’s scenic wine country.

Surrounded by windswept dunes, coastal vistas and amber-colored hillsides, Monarch Dunes represents the handiwork of El Dorado Hills-based architect Damian V. Pascuzzo and PGA TOUR Professional Steve Pate of Pascuzzo and Pate Design.

GOLF Magazine recognized The Old Course at Monarch Dunes among the “Top 10 New Courses You Can Play” in its January 2007 issue. The Damian Pascuzzo design was the only California-based course to make the magazine’s annual list, which features the 10 best new public-access courses that debuted in 2006. Monarch Dunes was also honored by Golf Inc. magazine as a finalist for the publication’s “Development of the Year” awards in the daily-fee category. Additionally, Fairways + Greens magazine named Monarch Dunes as the “Best New Course in the West” and ranked the course No.19 on its list of the “Top 36 Non-Resort Courses in the West.

Most recently, Golf Digest ranked Monarch Dunes third among “America’s Best New Courses” in their January 2008 issue, the only California-based course to make the magazine’s annual list, which features the 10 best new public-access courses.

In August of 2008, Monarch Dunes opened our 12 hole, par 3 Challenge Course. At 1,750 yards The Challenge offers 5,000 square feet of tee space and has four sets of tee markers for players to choose from. The very large undulating greens are the most memorable part of The Challenge. Rarely found on modern courses, these 8,000 square foot greens present players with ridges and swales that may change the green 3-4 feet in elevation.