Bayonet and Black Horse were built by the US Army for the soldiers of Fort Ord, on the hills above Seaside at the north end of the Monterey Peninsula. After the base closed, the City of Seaside bought the courses in January 1997, and both are now open to the public under Troon management. They are the longest and among the toughest tests on the peninsula, yet cost a fraction of the Pebble Beach courses 15 minutes away. Bayonet is tight and penal; Black Horse is a little more open and has the better views over Monterey Bay. Playing both in a day is the plan the club itself promotes.
Bayonet & Black Horse green fees and tee times.
Public tee times are sold on the Troon booking site linked from the rates page, or by phone on 831-899-7271, and open 120 days in advance. Prices are dynamic, so they rise and fall with demand and the time of day; check a few slots before you commit. The 36-hole special is the simplest deal for visitors. Buy it in the online store first, wait for the five-digit confirmation number by email, then call the golf shop to book both rounds. NCGA members and pass holders use separate booking pages. Groups larger than eight cannot use the special and should ask the golf shop about tournament rates.
INDICATIVE GREEN FEE · CHECKED NOVEMBER 2026From US$275
36-hole special: two 18-hole rounds with cart, warm-up balls and 20% off golf-shop apparel, valid to 31 December 2026. Single-round green fees are dynamically priced and not published.
36-hole special, per player
US$275
Junior, walking
US$50
Junior, riding
US$75
Prices change by season and booking route, so confirm the current rate with the operator. Official rates ↗
The courses at Bayonet & Black Horse.
Bayonet Course (1954)
Par 72 and 7,104 yards, with narrow corridors and steep, penal bunkers; the club calls it one of the hardest courses on the Monterey Peninsula. Holes 11 to 15, known as Combat Corner, are a run of sharp doglegs shaped around McClure’s slice, broken up by a 226-yard uphill par 3. Accuracy from the tee matters more here than length.
Black Horse Course (1964)
Par 72 and 7,024 yards, rated 73.7 with a slope of 141 from the back tees. Fescue frames the fairways, the bunkers have ragged, serrated edges, and the course looks out over Monterey Bay more often than Bayonet does. The par-3 15th faces straight towards the water and is the hole most visitors remember.
The round, in perspective.
General Robert B. McClure, commanding officer of Fort Ord, laid out Bayonet in 1954 and named it after the 7th Infantry, the Bayonet Division. He was a left-handed golfer who fought a severe slice, and the course bends to suit him. Black Horse followed in 1964, designed by General Edwin Carnes; it takes its name from the 11th Cavalry Regiment, stationed at the Presidio of Monterey from 1919 to 1940. Both courses have since been lengthened to just over 7,000 yards, and both play as par 72s: Bayonet is rated 74.8 with a slope of 139, Black Horse 73.7 and 141. The clubhouse address, 1 McClure Way, keeps the general’s name.
Know before you go.
Booking window
120 days ahead
Pricing
Dynamic; changes with demand
Pace of play
4 hours 30 minutes target
36-hole special
Groups of 8 or fewer; same day or two consecutive days
Juniors
Must be 16 with a licence to drive a cart
Make the trip work.
The 36-hole special can be played in one day or split over two consecutive days. The club’s terms say the two rounds are split into a morning round and an afternoon round, so book an early start. The package must be used by 31 December 2026. Allow four and a half hours a round, the club’s target. Many golfers play Bayonet first while fresh and keep Black Horse, with its bay views, for the afternoon.
Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is about five miles south, a 15-minute drive. The entrance is at 1 McClure Way in Seaside, just inland from Highway 1. San Jose (SJC) is about 65 miles north, roughly 75 minutes by car. Downtown Monterey and Cannery Row are ten minutes away, and the Pebble Beach gates about 15.
The club’s stay-and-play partner is the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa, about ten minutes away, with rooms overlooking its own golf course. The package covers 36 holes per golfer with half a cart, for one to five nights, and the club replies within 24 hours to requests sent through its website. Seaside and neighbouring Marina have cheaper chain hotels near Highway 1, while Monterey’s waterfront hotels around Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf suit groups who want dinner within walking distance.
Make a trip of it.
Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill in the Del Monte Forest are 15 to 20 minutes away, and Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz is about 40 minutes north. Off the course, Fort Ord Dunes State Park, just across Highway 1, opens the old army beach and dunes to walkers, and the Fort Ord National Monument, inland, has a large network of trails for hiking and mountain biking on the former training grounds.
Find your season.
Seaside sits at the sunnier, northern end of the peninsula, but summer mornings are still often foggy and afternoons breezy. September and October are usually the calmest, clearest months. The courses are open all year, with winter rain the main interruption and the lowest dynamic prices. The McClure Cup is scheduled to be played here in 2027.
Yes. Both courses are fully public, managed by Troon, and you do not need to stay anywhere to play. Tee times open 120 days ahead online or by phone on 831-899-7271.
How much does it cost to play Bayonet and Black Horse?
Single rounds are dynamically priced, so the fee depends on the day and time and is shown when you search. The 36-hole special, two rounds with cart, costs US$275 per player and is valid until 31 December 2026.
Which is harder, Bayonet or Black Horse?
The club describes Bayonet as one of the most difficult tests on the Monterey Peninsula because of its narrow corridors, steep bunkers and the doglegs of Combat Corner. Black Horse is slightly shorter, with more open views but a slope rating of 141 from the back tees.
Why are the courses called Bayonet and Black Horse?
Both were built at Fort Ord. Bayonet honours the 7th Infantry, known as the Bayonet Division, and Black Horse honours the 11th Cavalry Regiment, which was based at the Presidio of Monterey between 1919 and 1940.
Last checked 11 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
