A Guide to Lompoc’s Amazing Golf Courses

By Jordan Fuller

The City of Art & Flowers (and wine!) may not seem like the best place for a round of golf. Its name suggests more of a cultural hub, but don’t be fooled. 

Lompoc may only have 2 golf courses in total, but golf enthusiasts will enjoy the experience on both, not only for the gameplay but also for the beautiful weather! 

We’ve compiled an overview of the two excellent golf courses in Lompoc, CA for your comparison. If you haven’t played either of them yet, this may help you decide which to play first, as well as give you a bit of insight into how you might go about playing your game when you get there! 

The Mission Club 

Holes: 18 

Yardage: 6,546 yards 

Practice: Driving range, chipping green, putting green 

Attire: Appropriate golf attire and soft spikes 

The first thing you need to know about the Mission Golf Club is that it’s a private facility. Generally, this means that you either need to be a member to play, or you need to be invited by a member to play a round. 

However, although Mission calls themselves a private club, they do allow non-members to come and enjoy the facilities every day of the week. Golfers of all levels can enjoy a round here, with 4 sets of tees that offer fair play for everyone. 

This championship golf course is set throughout rolling hills and near an air force base, which affords it some wide-open space around the course. 

Although the course is suitable for players of all levels, you do need to be careful of some of the sneaky features of the course. 

For starters, the wind can wreak havoc on your shots on multiple holes, so you’ll need to take each hole as it comes and be strategic with each and every shot. 

Secondly, the greens are deceivingly sloped and undulating. No matter how strong your drive is, you’ll need a great short game to master this course!

The good news is that there’s a range of training aids, a driving range, a chipping green, and a putting green for you to brush up on your green game before playing your round. 

The signature hole is the 10th, which features a stunning oak tree in the middle of the fairway, making it beautiful and challenging! 

La Purisima Golf Course

Holes: 18 

Yardage: 7,105 yards 

Practice: Driving range, bunker practice, chipping green, putting green, golf academy 

Attire: Appropriate golf attire and soft spikes 

The public is welcome at La Purisima Golf Club, although you should book in advance if you want to secure a specific tee time. 

Designed over undulating terrain, it makes the golf challenging but the walk is beautiful. Majestic trees surround the course and it’s truly out of the way of the city scenery. 

First-timers on the course may find it tough, thanks to a variety of blind shots, sometimes unexpected undulations, a few severe doglegs, and elevated tees and greens. Even mid-handicappers will face a challenge, but it’s worth the play. 

Playing carefully will give you the best chance of success as someone new to the course. Once you’ve played a few rounds here, you’ll have a better knowledge of the quirks of the course, which should help your score to improve. 

It’s not an easy course by any means, so come prepared for a challenge! You’ll be delighted to know, though, that La Purisima offers the best practice facility in the area. It consists of your regular driving range, chipping green, and putting green, but also offers bunker practice and has a full Golf Academy on site. 

Conclusion 

Lompoc may only have 2 golf courses, but whether you’re visiting or a local looking for somewhere to get in a good round, those 2 are worth a play. 

Mission is a stunner and the fairway-splitting tree on the signature 10th hole is an experience in itself, and something you really don’t see often on a golf course. La Purisima is definitely the more challenging of the two courses, but it’s just as beautiful. 

Either way, both courses deserve a round, whatever your skill level is. If you’re in the area and you’re a golfer, don’t miss playing a round at these two excellent golf courses in Lompoc, CA! 

About the Author

Jordan Fuller is a golfer who’s played on courses all over the US and worldwide. When he’s not mentoring young golfers or working on his own swing, he’s researching and writing articles for his own website, Golf Influence.