The Golf Club at Rancho California: the former SCGA course in Murrieta, rates and what to expect

The Golf Club at Rancho California is the former SCGA Golf Club in Murrieta: a public, hilly Robert Trent Jones Sr. course of 7,036 yards from the Black tees, rated 74.6. Prepaid GolfNow deals with a cart were seen from $41.99 to $81.99, and it sits about 11 minutes from Old Town Temecula.

The name trips people up. The course opened in 1971 as Murrieta Golf Club, the Southern California Golf Association bought it in 1994, and for years it ran as the SCGA Golf Club. Today it is branded The Golf Club at Rancho California. It is the best traditional layout in Murrieta, and it is a fair alternative to the resort rounds around Pechanga. Rates here were seen in November 2026 and change daily.

Quick facts

• Address: 39500 Robert Trent Jones Pkwy, Murrieta, CA 92563. Phone 951-677-7446.
• Layout: 18 holes, par 72, Robert Trent Jones Sr., opened 1971.
• Access: public, with online tee times on foreUP and GolfNow.
• Tees: Black 7,036 (74.6), Blue 6,702, Gold 5,915, Red 5,379.
• Deals seen: GolfNow prepaid with cart, about $41.99 to $81.99, Aug to Oct 2026 dates.
• Practice: driving range open daily from 7:00 am to 30 minutes before sunset, plus a short-game area and putting green.
• Drive from Old Town Temecula: about 11 minutes, 6.1 miles.

Is this the old SCGA Golf Club?

Yes. The access note in our record sums it up: the course opened in 1971 as Murrieta Golf Club, was bought by the SCGA in 1994 and run as the SCGA Golf Club, and now carries the Golf Club at Rancho California name. It is not a different course. The ownership today is not stated on the pages we read, so we do not name a current owner.

The Southern California Golf Association link is why you may find old directories listing it as a members' club. Today the official site sells tee times to anyone through foreUP, and GolfNow carries prepaid rounds. There is no hotel tie-in. The Golf Club at Rancho California is on our map, and the course guide has the full tee list.

What the course is like

Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed a hilly championship layout with elevated tees, and the course has hosted the California State Open. It plays to par 72. The par 5s run 497 to 598 yards, with the 13th the longest at 598, and the par 3s run 164 to 216 yards. The hardest hole by handicap is the 8th at 430 yards, and the 12th at 435 is second.

The ground matters here. The hole data shows large drops from tee to green on the 1st, 3rd and 5th, and a long climb to the green on the 18th. If you are walking, read the card: this is not a flat resort course. A cart is included on the GolfNow deals we saw.

That table has gaps because ratings and slopes were published for the tips only, and the slope was missing. One rating listing shows 74.4/138 for the course overall. With a rating above 74 at the tips, plan on this as a hard test from the Black tees and a very playable one from the Gold or Red. Google reviewers give the course 3.9 stars from 418 reviews.

Rates and booking

The official rate page was not read. What we have are GolfNow Hot Deals seen November 6, 2026 for August to October dates:

Hot Deals are prepaid and refundable only with 24 hours notice or more. A booking window is not published on the page read; the official site uses foreUP, so check the tee sheet for how far ahead it opens. Our Temecula tee times guide explains the booking systems across the valley.

How it compares

The Golf Club at Rancho California is a full-length, traditional layout with real elevation change. California Oaks is far shorter (5,199 yards) and cheaper. The Legends is closer to Old Town. See California Oaks and the Legends guide for the details on those two.

Where to stay for this course

It sits in Murrieta, and the nearest hotels in our data are chain properties. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Temecula is 7 minutes away (3.9 miles), and the Hampton Inn & Suites Murrieta Temecula and the Residence Inn by Marriott Temecula Murrieta are about 8 minutes (3.4 miles). That makes a Murrieta base good for a group that wants a value hotel and several rounds close to I-15. If you would rather be in wine country, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is 15 minutes away and Ponte Vineyard Inn is 14. Rates were not captured for any of them, so check at booking.

Read where to stay in Temecula for golf and cheap hotels for Temecula golf for the full comparison.

Combine it with other Murrieta rounds

Murrieta has a small cluster of courses. Besides this one, California Oaks is a short public course, and Bear Creek is a private Nicklaus club that visitors cannot book. Our Murrieta golf courses guide lays out the area, and the private golf clubs guide explains who can play Bear Creek.

For wider planning, the Temecula golf courses overview lists every course open to visitors, and the best time to golf in Temecula covers the seasons. If you are planning around price, the cheap golf in Temecula guide is a good next read.

Course guides with tees and booking notes: the Legends course guide, the California Oaks course guide.

Plan it on the map

Open the Temecula golf map to see the Golf Club at Rancho California in Murrieta, with drive times from Old Town and the hotels around it. The $49 plan lays out a day-by-day golf trip around your dates, and for a winter stay it can build a weekly rotation that mixes this course with the others.