Birnam Wood Golf Club

The dramatic elevation changes through Santa Barbara's foothills create a mountain golf experience that's surprisingly accessible to the public, with several holes playing across deep canyons that demand precise carry shots. The routing makes brilliant use of the natural ravines and oak-studded slopes, particularly on the back nine where you'll find yourself hitting blind approach shots to greens perched on ridgetops. This is target golf at its most scenic, where a well-struck 7-iron can feel like conquest and a mishit becomes expensive quickly.