Sandpiper Golf Club

Story by Mike Miller

Photos by Logan Hall/Sideways 8 Creative
Looking for a fun, challenging, and 
picturesque golf outing this spring?

 If you are, we suggest that you consider the 
Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara. 
The championship golf course at Sandpiper has been rated by Golf Digest in the top twenty-five public golf courses in California and top 100 public courses in the country. 
It was designed by William F. Bell and opened in 1972. Measuring more than 7,000 yards, with a championship rating of 75.1, Sandpiper has challenged the abilities 
of the PGA and LPGA players alike, playing host to 
several professional tournaments.

In addition to the special golf course, the staff 
at Sandpiper are first-class and want you to have an enjoyable experience. Despite being a public track, you get the private course feel from the entire staff.

On this early spring morning, I played the course with my regular golfing buddy, Tom. We are both around eight handicaps and play from the gold tees which come in at about 6,650 yards. “This is without a doubt one of my favorite courses,” said Tom. “It’s a challenge but if I get on a roll, it’s possible to shoot a low score. The greens are faster than most places I play, but I like fast greens, so that’s a positive in my book.”

The course was in terrific condition and benefitted from some recent rains, which made everything green and lush and brought the rough up to higher than normal levels. One cautionary point: the course will play much differently during the spring and early summer months when the lush vegetation is at its peak. A slight miss can result in a lost ball and penalty strokes, but the same shot a few months later will be just fine. It adds to the fun of the course in my opinion, but golfers do need to adjust their strategy.

Also, don’t let the practice green get in your head. It is slippery and runs towards the ocean, so missing a five-footer can result in your ball rolling 50 feet past the hole. Some newcomers walk to the first tee shaking their heads and never get the flat stick going during their round because they lost confidence on the practice green. While the greens are fast at Sandpiper, they are not nearly as fast as the practice green.

Lastly, I always walk this course. It is manageable and quite pleasant, with the exception of one climb on the back nine which is short but steep. 
If you truly want to enjoy the beauty of Sandpiper, put on your best walking golf shoes and bring your pushcart — you won’t be sorry.

Enjoy the course and its breathtaking views. Here is my scouting report for the world-famous Sandpiper Golf  Course.

• Hole 1   –   Sandpiper offers you an opportunity to card a red number right out of the gate, with a manageable par five. Reaching this green in regulation shouldn’t be a challenge for most golfers, but there is plenty of danger with bunkers that protect the green. Like most greens on this course, Hole 1 can offer some complicated reads, so take your time when putting.
• Hole 2   –   Hopefully you got off to a good start on the first hole, because the second is the No. 1 handicap hole. The 440-yard par four doesn’t look imposing, but a wayward tee shot can cost you. There is a bank of trees on your left and nothing but headaches on your right, so focus on hitting the fairway on this one. Your second shot will likely be on uneven ground, which is what gets me nearly every time. The green is not overly complicated. Par is a very good score on this hole; I usually take my five and smile as I do it.
• Hole 3   –   The third offers you a good look at a birdie. If you can get off the tee well, you should have an easy iron shot into the green. There is sand on the right, and that pesky bank of trees from the second hole line the left side of the fairway. The third hole is about the time newcomers to Sandpiper start to realize that it pays to keep your ball below the hole when putting. Going long on No. 3 can be costly because you’ll have a slippery downhill putt, which can quickly turn your birdie opportunity into a double bogey.
• Hole 4   –   You get your first crack at a par three on the fourth hole, but this isn’t the time to relax. No. 4 usually plays around 210 yards, and the greenside bunkers can quickly add a stroke or two if you are not careful. Avoid going long, because a chip from the back of the green will be hard to stop, unless you have a Phil Mickelson-like short game.
• Hole 5   –   Golfers will get their first view of the ocean on this long, uphill par five. Pay attention to trees that line the tee box, because it’s not hard to clip a branch — which will turn this relatively straight-forward hole into an adventure. This green is gettable in two if you are handy with a fairway wood. When the cabbage isn’t in a lush state, you can miss either left or right and still be ok, but come springtime, you’d be wise to keep it in the fairway.
• Hole 6   –   Hole six parallels the Pacific Ocean and is a fun par three that usually plays about 165 yards from the gold tees. If you can avoid the bunkers and keep the ball below the hole on your tee shot, you should be able to card an easy par. But, if you go long and have to chip off the back of the green, you could easily be looking at a bogey or worse.
• Hole 7   –   The seventh hole at Sandpiper is a fun hole that offers long hitters a chance to cut the corner of a dogleg left layout. Golfers are suckered into trying to take that shortcut but will have to navigate a couple of fairway bunkers in the process. Miss left off the tee, and you’ll have to work your second shot through a maze of trees. The safe play is just to the right of the fairway bunkers, which will leave you a short iron shot into the green. Putting on seven can be a challenge depending on the pin placement, but this is normally a great opportunity to card a birdie.
• Hole 8   –   Standing on the tee box, there doesn’t seem to be much to hole eight, but I’ve seen many a round go sideways here. A miss to the right will make a preacher cuss and there is danger littered along the lefthand side of the hole. 
But, if you keep everything on the fairway, a par or better should be the expectation.
The green is sloped, which can result in some sweeping putts or 
long uphill/downhill putts.
• Hole 9   –   
As you near the turn,
 you definitely want to finish the front nine on a high note. On the ninth, I fancy the lefthand side because on the right, there is a single tree that hangs over the fairway. I have hit that tree more times than I care to remember, so staying to the left is always a priority.

The turn is a great opportunity to grab a quick snack or a cold beverage. The Sandpiper staff is always super friendly, and despite not having a signature bar or restaurant, I can usually satisfy just about any craving I have at the turn. The Sandpiper Grill does offer some delicious offerings, but it is a relatively simple menu.

• Hole 10   –   The 10th hole at Sandpiper kicks off my favorite stretch of the course. The key to this hole is a solid tee shot. From the gold tees, a shot right over the large tree on your left will allow your ball to funnel right to the front of the green. Going too far left makes the hole infinitely harder, so avoid that at all costs. The green on No. 10 is small and has a narrow upper shelf, so if you are saving a great approach shot, now is the time to break it out. Make sure you take a moment to admire the beauty of Sandpiper when you are standing on this green.
• Hole 11   –   The beautiful views continue on the par-three 11th. This downhill hole offers bunkers on both sides and a large green, which would make it seem like a relatively easy hole. However, the wind comes right off the ocean and can be hard to read, depending on the day. It’s tempting to club up to account for the wind, but be wary of going long, or right, because a penalty stroke is waiting.
• Hole 12   –   No. 12 boasts one of the best tee boxes in the country. On this hole, I like to take a driver right over the trees, which allows you to cut the corner and — if you are successful — you’ll have a short pitching wedge in. The safe play is staying in the fairway to the left, but going over the trees is often far too tempting for the adventurous golfer.
• Hole 13   –   I have a love/hate relationship with the 13th hole. This par five is a challenge and can turn into a big number if you are not careful. Long hitters can try to get over the deep ravine in two, but for most people it’s a driver and then a lay-up shot just before the end of the fairway. Your third shot is a challenging one because you need to get over the ravine, navigate the deep bunkers, and then land on the smallish green. The hole parallels the ocean, so wind will come into play when approaching the green. My best advice here is to avoid taking any unnecessary chances, especially if you are looking to record a low round.
• Hole 14   –   Hole 14 also runs along the Pacific. If your tee shot is long, straight and up the right side, you’ll be in good shape. But, too far right and your ball becomes a souvenir for someone walking on the beach; too far left, you’ll be hitting out of the unfriendly rough. The bunkers surrounding the green are a challenge and getting up and down can be a chore. Bogey is a good score on this hole for me.
• Hole 15   –   This par five sweeps right, and when the thick vegetation is dormant, cutting the corner is an option. But, this time of the year, you’ll be challenged to find your ball, let alone get a club on it. I find this hole a good way to make up for the lost stroke on 14. Hitting the green in regulation is usually not too much of a challenge.

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• Hole 16   –   Sixteen offers another opportunity for a red number. You’ll be rewarded by hitting the fairway and a solid iron shot into the green will give you a chance at birdie or a two-putt par. Avoid going long on your second shot, but aside from that, what you see is what you get on this hole.
• Hole 17   –   Standing on the tee box, it is obvious that you don’t want to miss right on this hole. The right play is a drive that gets over the gully and up to the flat part of the fairway. From there, the approach shot is manageable, but this green can be a challenge. I also find the wind to be a test on this hole, so if I miss, it’s usually short because I didn’t account for the extra bit of wind on this part of the course.
• Hole 18   –   You get to finish your round with a fun par three over water. This hole usually plays about 170 yards, and the green is harder to read than a boring book. If you are too far left, there is a collection zone that will surely leave you with a long, difficult putt. If you go deep, your putt is downhill and will frequently roll off the green. Your best bet here is to go right at the pin and hope for the best outcome, which for the exact same shot could be a five-foot putt or a 95-foot putt depending on the day.

The Sandpiper Golf Club is a fantastic experience. The course is a challenge but plays fair and the views are second to none.

Sandpiper Golf Club is located at 7925 Hollister Ave, Goleta. 
For more information or to make your online tee time, visit sandpipergolf.com or call (805) 968-1541.