Olivas Links

Overview: Olivas Links is a public coastal course in Ventura, California, where open ground near the Santa Clara River and Ventura Harbor creates a links-style setting. William P. Bell’s earlier course history and Forrest Richardson’s 2007 redesign are reflected in broad fairways, sandy waste areas, native grasses, and greens that reward a running approach.

History: The Olivas site had become a drainage problem before Forrest Richardson and Associates were selected to redesign it. The 2007 work created the current links presentation while retaining the coastal plain and river-adjacent setting that make the course different from Ventura’s more enclosed parkland layouts.

Did You Know? Olivas Links sits between the Santa Clara River and Ventura Harbor. That position gives the course its open horizon and coastal wind exposure, while the sandy areas help the ground drain and keep the links character visible across the routing.