Golfers on vacation will find two interesting and challenging public golf courses - one with an airport landing strip running through the middle of it -available in Southern Humboldt for those who want to keep up with their game while they are away from home.

Benbow Valley Golf Course

Benbow Valley Golf Course and Resort, located two miles south of Garberville and just across Highway 101 from the Benbow Lake State Recreation Area, offers a nine-hole par 35 golf course that meanders through the hills surrounding the resort. The course, described by many as “very unforgiving,” has two sets of tees to allow players to play 18 holes. Guests of the Benbow RV resort have a special green fee that allows for unlimited play for the entire day.

In a country club setting, Benbow Golf Course provides a number of special golfing events that serve both the Southern Humboldt Community as well as travelers. There is a golf pro shop on the premises.

As an attraction to families, the resort has provided a junior golf course with its own set of tees and score card that enable a junior (or beginning) golfer to compete with the adult or more experienced golfer while keeping up the pace of the play.

Shelter

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Cove Golf Links

Over on the coast in Shelter Cove, some 26 miles west of Garberville via Redwood Drive through Redway and picking up Briceland-Thorn Road to the Cove, a links-style nine-hole, par 33 course (par 34 for the ladies) is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at 1555 Upper Pacific Drive.

The already challenging narrow fairways and heavily rolling greens are made even more intimidating by the Shelter Cove airstrip that bisects the course and a deep ravine over which the approach shot must travel to reach the green on hole 2.

Carts are available for rent. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (No reservations required). For more information please call 707-986-1464.