Visalia Country Club

Visalia Country Club is a private, member-owned golf club located in Visalia, California. Established in 1922, the club has operated continuously for more than a century and remains one of the longest-standing private clubs in Central California. The club is owned and governed by its membership and access is limited to members and their invited guests.

The club’s primary amenity is its 18-hole golf course, supported by a full suite of practice facilities that include a driving range, putting greens, and short-game areas. In addition to golf, Visalia Country Club maintains a full-service clubhouse that includes dining and bar service for members and guests. The clubhouse also supports banquet and private event functions, which may be hosted by members or through member sponsorship.

Visalia Country Club has played a long-standing role in the social and civic life of Visalia and Tulare County. Over its history, the club has hosted tournaments, social gatherings, and community events while maintaining its status as a private, non-advertising, member-focused organization. Membership has traditionally included individuals and families with ties to the local business and professional community.

The Visalia Country Club golf course is an 18-hole, par-72 layout measuring 6,668 yards from the championship tees. The course is known for its relatively flat terrain, mature tree coverage, and strategic use of water and bunkering rather than elevation changes. Oak and pine trees line many of the fairways, influencing shot selection and shaping play throughout the round.

Greens are medium in size and have historically been noted for their smooth and fast playing conditions. Bunkering is present both around greens and along fairways, with an average of four to five bunkers per hole. Water hazards come into play on six holes, primarily in the form of ponds tied to the historic Jennings Ditch system that once supplied irrigation water to the property. Portions of the original ditch remain visible on the course, including along the right side of the ninth fairway and near the closing holes. The signature hole is the par-3 16th, which measures approximately 150 yards and requires a tee shot over water to a green framed by trees and bunkers. The hole is one of the most recognizable on the property and is frequently referenced by members and visitors alike.

Historically, the course has hosted professional tournament play. From 1962 through 1965, Visalia Country Club was the site of the Visalia Open on the LPGA Tour. The event featured many of the leading women golfers of the era, including Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls, Kathy Whitworth, Patty Berg, and Judy Rankin. The tournament was discontinued when LPGA prize fund requirements increased beyond what the membership chose to support. Several holes on today’s course trace their origins to the club’s earliest layout. Holes 11, 12, and 13 are remnants of the original three-hole course constructed in the early 1920s, making them among the oldest continuously played holes in the region. Over time, the course expanded incrementally, reaching its full 18-hole configuration by 1952. Together, these elements give the Visalia Country Club golf course a strong historical identity, rooted in early California golf while remaining fully functional as a private member course today.

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