DESTINATION GUIDES

San Diego is
the total package

By Brendan McEvoy,
Contributing Editor

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (July 16, 2004) -- Southern California is rich with golf history and unique playing destinations, but San Diego has the most for your buck with the total vacation package.

Whether on a family vacation, romantic getaway or a trip with the Sunday foursome, the city and its surroundings have plenty of lodging options and activities to match the needs of the group.

• California golf course reviews • Palm Springs golf course guide • California golf courses

For top flight golf, Torrey Pines in La Jolla is a city-owned and operated course, but this isn't the run-of-the-mill municipal tract. The two 18s have hosted the PGA Tour's Buick Invitational since 1968. After Rees Jones' recent muscular redesign (7,607 yards and new bunkers), Torrey Pines South Course will host the 2008 U.S. Open.

The South Course features seven holes with Pacific Ocean views. Jones also moved some of the putting surfaces closer to the bluffs and ravines that dissect the rugged terrain, adding to the aesthetics. Hang-gliders often drift over the cliffs and beaches near the par-3 third hole.

Residents play this course for a shockingly-low fee of only $12. But the rates increase more than 10 fold for visitors. It is, however, worth every penny. After all, this is where Phil Mickelson grew up and honed his short game. Since the Jones redesign, Mickelson said it was one of the hardest and longest courses he's ever played.

La Costa Resort and Spa in nearby Carlsbad is another big-time tournament setting. La Costa hosts the Accenture Match Play Championships (Feb. 24 to March 2) and once was home to the PGA Tour Tournament of Champions. The regalia of Dick Wilson's 36-hole design is rivaled only by the resort's world-class spa.

Barona Creek Golf Club at the Barona Valley Ranch is San Diego's other posh golf resort. The two 18-hole courses are located in the arid foothills east of the city. The gently rolling terrain is far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The relaxing silence and the undisturbed landscape earned this club the right to bill itself a "Course of Nature." The courses are complemented by a 400-room resort hotel and casino.

Wedged between the high-end resorts and the municipal tracts are a bevy of solid daily-fee venues. Since it's overhaul in 1996, Balboa Park Municpal Golf Course is one of a few quality courses that can be played for under $40. Aviara Golf Club is an Arnold Palmer design that overlooks Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad. A few years ago, it made Golf Magazine's "Top 10 You Can Play" list. Tom Fazio took a great natural site and added his own dramatic touch to Meadows Del Mar. For a punishing test of golf, Carlton Oaks in Santee is home to what the locals say the area's toughest course, especially since Perry Dye's redesign. Bay views are plentiful at Coronado Municipal Golf Course, just 10 minutes from downtown San Diego. And in Escondido, Reidy Creek is the one of the world's best par-3 courses.

Off the links, the revitalized downtown section of San Diego called, "The Gaslamp Quarter," is similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans with bars and restaurants. The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 4000 animals, and its not far from Shamu and company at SeaWorld. Disneyland is 70 miles north in the Los Angeles area.

Aside from high-profile golf events, San Diego has hosted the Super Bowl. Qualcom Stadium is home to the NFL's Chargers and Major League Baseball's Padres.

With all the nightlife, professional sporting events, scenic beaches and world-class restaurants and spas, San Diego has everything for adventuresome golfers and their families.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.

Course Reviews

• Harding Park falls short of its renovated hype, but still a worthwhile San Fran play
• Still hard to beat the show-stopping finish at La Costa North
• On the Road to San Diego: Fantastic Golf in America's Finest City
• Torrey Pines Golf Course: Still San Diego's Crown Jewel
• San Diego's Eagle Crest Golf Club is a Golfer's Paradise
• Carlton Oaks Country Club: A Great San Diego County Value
• No better place to spend the holidays than San Diego
• Buick Invitational: Tiger Brings His Show to San Diego Woods heavy favorite to move his winning streak to seven
• By Any Name, Buick Invitational Has a Sweet History
• Barona Creek: Lean and mean layout means new leader in San Diego
• Torrey Pines: Muscled-up South Course showcase for golf's big boys
• Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon
• Lake San Marcos Executive Course
• Lake San Marcos Country Club
• La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad
• Eagle Crest Golf Club in Escondido
• The Meadows Del Mar Golf Course

Feature

• No Gas: Forget the over-hyped downtown Gaslamp, La Jolla stands as the best base for a satisfying San Diego golf trip
• Looking for a few good Californian duffers! Attracting Golden State retirees becoming a fixation in the golf industry
• On the hunt for the best greens in San Diego
• Best places to play in and around San Diego for less than $100
• Mickelson Returns Home for Buick Invitational
• Super Bowl, super holes
• San Diego's Buick Invitational in California
• La Costa hosts golf's version of March Madness
• On the road in California: Central Coast sprouting with wineries, affordable golf
• Barona Valley Ranch reopens, is running strong