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Bayonet Black Horse – Bayonet Course

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If any course in North America deserves the honor of five full stars for being beautiful and challenging, it would be Bayonet Course of the Bayonet-Black Horse Golf Club. That, and its sibling course, the Black Horse. The course has, since 1954, hosted several US Presidents and even more foreign dignitaries. For these heads of the state to bring the nation’s most important guests for a game here, there must be something so special about this golf vacation destination. And for it to last more than half a century and still rank among the best in California, there’s not a reason not to believe there is indeed something so extraordinary about it.

General Robert McClure originally designed the course. Gen. McClure’s design was characterized by fairways lined with cypresses and oaks and a stunning view of the Monterey Peninsula. It was beautiful in its old form, it was ethereal in its recent overhaul – under the skillful hands of no less than Gene Bates. The renovated Bayonet Course of the Bayonet-Black Horse Golf Club now features more challenging hole placement, more trees, and a wider, more breathtaking view of the Monterey Bay. And of course, the signature Gene Bates sand bunkers that might as well add the sixth star to the course’s many merits. The guests must simply expect nothing less than the best from their golf vacations here.

The 18-hole, par-72 Bayonet Course of the Bayonet-Black Horse Golf Club has five sets of tees, measuring 7,104 yards from the longest tees. If the quality of this golf course has fascinated and impressed heads of states over the years, it should not be any different for golf trips of true blue golf aficionados. And happy and satisfied golfers are bigger than any honor for any golf trip.

Spyglass Hill Golf Club

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Commonly known as “The Glass”, Spyglass Hill Golf Club was named after the classic novel “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson because local legends has it that the author gathered ideas for the book from the area. The surrounding seas and tropical plants are just as exactly as they were described in the book so fans of the book will surely enjoy the place. With its classic vibe, this will take guests on a golfers’ haven of sorts. The treasure hunt for the best golf course golf vacation destination ends here.

Robert Trent Jones Sr. created a treasure of its own by designing Spyglass Hill Golf Club. Debuted in 1966, the club features 6,953 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The first five holes meander through the sandy dunes, challenging the players to pick wisely the safest path. The holes of The Glass were later named after the places and characters from Treasure Island. The first hole is called Treasure Island that doglegs almost ninety degrees to the left. Named Blind Pew, the par-4, 370-yard fourth hole is Jones’ favorite. Having a golf vacation here is like meeting the characters of “Treasure Island”, so fans of the novel will surely enjoy their stay here and be challenged by its tough holes.

Boasting a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 147, Spyglass Hill Golf Club is rated as one of the toughest courses in the world. Golf Digest has ranked this golf vacation destination fifth on its list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses”. These recognitions show that The Glass is not only a mirror of the “Treasure Island” novel, but the course is the treasure itself.

The Links at Spanish Bay Golf Club

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Andy Warhol definitely knew what he was talking about when he said “One’s Company, Two is a Crowd, Three is a Party”. Looking at the Links at Spanish Bay Golf Club, the three geniuses Robert Trent Jones Sr, Tom Watson and Sandy Tatum must have had a fabulous time creating one of the best golf vacation destinations in America. They brought together what golf was truly about when it started half a millennium ago in the sandy links of Scotland.

The Links at Spanish Bay Golf Club was intended to mirror Scottish links golf right at Pebble Beach, and there is not an iota of doubt: IT DELIVERED. It may take two to tango but it took three of the greatest minds in golf to bring an authentic Scottish golf vacation right in sunny California. The three creators of the Links have made the rugged coastline of Monterey and its sandy seaside links a perfect replica of Scottish golfing. Golfers have to battle the constant blowing of the wind, the hole placement, and even the breathtakingly magical view of the Pacific Ocean for these elements perfectly mesh with each other to make games as exciting as they are beautiful.

The most Scottish, perhaps, about the Links at Spanish Bay Golf Club, is found not at the links, not at the holes, nor anywhere on this par-72, 6,821 Scottish golf trip treat at daytime, but only at SUNDOWN. A bagpiper, yes a real one, closes the golf course at the end of the day EVERYDAY. Right from the opening of the course, down to the closing, there is much reason to believe that the three designers were having such a jolly good time creating the Links, it reflects on the happy moods of every one of its guests.

Encinitas Ranch Golf Course

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Encinitas Ranch Golf Course in San Diego is literally a dream come true. Its course designer, the renowned Cary Bickler, has in his youth dreamed of building a golf course in the rocky outcrops of Encinitas with an overlooking view of the Pacific Ocean. That was the time when he was but a budding golf course architect, starting on his career. 27 years later, he found himself creating the design for his dream golf vacation destination. And today, countless golfers are living the dream of playing in a course that has all the beautiful things other courses could only think of having.

 The 18-hole, par-72 Encinitas Ranch Golf Course stretches to 6,812 yards from the longest tees on dramatic San Diego terrain. The challenge it offers is a combination of the course’s natural setting and Bickler’s genius. The course opens up fairly gently, with generous and forgiving fairways on the front nine but sets the challenge on crescendo beginning with the tenth hole. The back nine requires more accurate shots and better judgment on choice of steel to be gotten over with rather pleasantly. The two lakes that make an appearance on four holes and the interesting changes in elevation don’t make the course any easier. But golf vacations here are nowhere near being a nightmare.

The surrounding scenery – yes, including the stunning Pacific Ocean view, plus the 6,000 square foot, complete clubhouse make Encinitas Ranch Golf Course awesome from every angle. Every golf trip hereabouts is as good as a dream; only better because they are real.

Pebble Beach Golf Links

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The Pebble Beach Golf Links is the golf course embodiment of legendary, classic, and yes, beautiful. This is that one golf vacation destination that everybody who knew golf in America knew; others, even better, they know this place by heart.

1919 may be a long time ago and could easily have taken its toll on the Pebble Beach Golf. But the last 92 years has only made the golf vacation paradise even better. Countless golf legends have graced its greens, and it would be of any golfer’s honor to walk the same paths and shoot to the same holes. Designers Jack Neville and Douglas Grant have utilized the course’s being located on a rugged coastline. A number of holes play on the ocean; others highlight the wide open ocean vistas, cliffside fairways and the sloping greens. Golfers may find it hard to stop themselves from having goosebumps; this is history in itself. If the greens could talk, they would have told of a thousand stories that no historian could have told better.

 The course is just too splendid for words and for any accolade that they would not be able to suffice. Pebble Beach Golf Links is the only public golf course that has been named the No. 1 Golf Course in America by Golf Digest. The award came in 2001, proof of its timelessness. It is also considered the Number 1 Public Golf Course in America. No wonder the golf trip haven is a favorite host of the most prestigious tournaments in America, including the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and the US Open Championships that it has hosted five times – running six, on its 100th anniversary in 2019. When that time comes, nothing could be expected of it but only the best.

 

The Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club

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Take a golf trip that is both challenging and inspiring. Playing at The Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club will challenge the golfers with its strategically-placed bunkers and demanding holes, as well as inspire them with its beautifully manicured layout. After each hole, they will certainly testify that the course is worth the play, giving them a rewarding feeling once they finish the game.

This David Rainville par-70 course features 6,531 yards of golf from the blue tees. The Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club boasts of its scenic layout that winds through acres of green wetlands with spectacular mountain scenery. This golf vacation destination also offers rolling fairways that mesh peacefully with the surrounding wildlife preserves, grape vineyards, and sparkling lakes. Water is abundant so chances are, they will get in golfers’ ways and nerves more often than not. In addition, this club consists of different back and front nines – the back nine owned by the city of Escondido while the front nine by San Diego City. The club’s characteristics speak to a golf experience as versatile as its environment and as vibrant as nature.

The Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club also offers the guests with a fully stocked pro shop, restaurant and bar, and a lighted practice area that features a driving range with target greens and putting green. With its features and amenities, as well as its challenging yet inspiring golf ambiance, this course has all the qualities that golfers look for in a golf trip.

The Riverwalk Golf Club

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People say that almost everything that is “classic” is beautiful and unforgettable – movies, music, arts – because this is how legends are born. The Riverwalk Golf Club is steeped in a rich tradition of golf legends past. It is a classic golf vacation destination that offers a quiet oasis from the hustle and bustle of the urban world. This club is a great place to spend an epic golf adventure with its rolling fairways, well-maintained bentgrass greens, and spectacular waterfalls.

The location of The Riverwalk Golf Club was once a flat and barren marshland. Formerly known as the Stardust Country Club, golf architects Ted Robinson, Sr. and his son transformed the place into a magnificent golf vacation destination in 1998 by using more than half a million cubic yards of soil, while maintaining its wetlands flora and wildlife preserve. This golf club is both beautiful and challenging with the San Diego River playing a prominent role in the layout. Water comes into play in the thirteenth of the twenty-seven holes. Lakes and waterfalls surround the green of the signature hole.

The club entertained numerous golf legends while hosting the 50s and 60s PGA tour. Offering a classic golf experience across three 9-hole courses, a golf vacation at The Riverwalk Golf Club promises a fun and memorable day of golf complete with its clubhouse, pro shop, bar and restaurant, driving range, putting green, and golf instruction. This ensures that every need of the guests are met. A truly classic golf destination, this club offers the golfers a memorable experience with its superb features and amenities. Like the classic “Romeo and Juliet” love story, “Titanic” movie, or the famous “I Will Always Love You” song of Whitney Houston, the golf experience here will last forever.

Eagle Crest Golf Club

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Many golfers look for a golf vacation destination that has gorgeous surroundings and an even better layout that could test their skill. And Eagle Crest Golf Club offers just that. Located just minutes away from the Wild Animal Park in Escondido, this club is a golfer’s paradise. It has all the ingredients for a memorable round of golf – thick rough, tight fairways, and plush greens set in a stunning desert ambiance. Integrating waterfalls, wildflowers, and eight lakes into a challenging and dramatic layout, this golf club is an actual nature and wildlife preserve that winds through an isolated valley.

Opened in 1992, Eagle Crest Golf Club has been offering Championship-Quality golf to both local residents and visitors. It is created by master architect David Rainville for players of all skill levels. It offers a series of holes that are unique and unforgettable, requiring a full range of shot-making abilities – its signature hole, the par-5 sixth is the most difficult. The fairways are always in great shape and the fast greens are incredibly smooth – meticulously maintained to complement the nature preserve and numerous flowers that wind through this peaceful paradise. The spectacular setting that abounds in natural beauty and demanding holes helped the club garner a three and a half star rating from Golf Digest. A golf vacation spent here will give the players a memorable experience from all angles.

As the course continues to undergo renovations, the playing conditions are quickly enhancing along with its challenges. The addition and redesign of new and existing sand traps have improved the beauty and main challenge of the course. Having a golf trip to Eagle Crest Golf Club will fill the dreams of every golfer to play in a heavenly paradise because of its aesthetic appeal and great challenge that it offers.

Twin Oaks Golf Club

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A beautiful and challenging course makes for a memorable golf trip. If these two characteristics are achieved at the same course, guests should be on the lookout for something big in their game. Twin Oaks Golf Club possesses these attributes – from its stunning environment up to its tough holes.

Twin Oaks Golf Club is a very fun and interesting course to play – with its protected wildlife habitat, great layout, fast greens, elevation changes, and plenty of water challenges on some of its holes. A golf trip to this 18-hole championship course will bring great challenge but fair track for golfers of different skill levels. It may get very tight so golfers should be careful on their swings. But once they hit nicely, they will start to appreciate things more. High on the hill, the Garden Room, banquet venue, the Stixx Café that offers variety of delicious foods and beverages for breakfast and lunch, and full service Golf Shop overlook the golf course. Guests need not look anywhere else in the area for other vacation facilities; they got it right here. These features and amenities make it one of the finest golf courses in San Diego, and among the most highly favored by golfers – local and visiting alike.

This challenging yet beautiful Twin Oaks Golf Club was opened in 1993. It is always in fine condition – the greens and fairways are always in good shape. So no matter what the season is, golfers will surely enjoy the game. A golf vacation here will let the visitors experience both beauty and challenge at the same time.

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Aviara Golf Club

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A round of golf at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Aviara Golf Club gives the feeling of playing through a botanical garden. The club has an unparalleled beauty – with its variety and abundance of local vegetation. It was developed around the natural topography of three valleys and a lagoon. Officially opened in 1991, almost a decade was spent in completing the golf course due to the ecological fragility of the lagoon with sensitive San Diego environmental issues. It was meticulously developed to make sure that the wetlands were preserved. A golf trip to this San Diego golf course will give guests a certain inexplicable connection with nature.

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Aviara Golf Club features 7,007 yards of golf that is shaped around native wildflowers, rolling hillsides, and lots of bunkers and water hazards. Spending a golf vacation in this 18-hole, par-72 course stimulates the senses of the players with the vibrant flowers and plants that surround it. The front nine holes are tight and meander through the canyons. On the other hand, the back nine is more open and this means that it is more exposed to the wind. So players must have the ability to easily shift their playing style in the half part of the game.

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Aviara Golf Club is the only San Diego golf course that is designed by Arnold Palmer. It was named one of the best resort golf courses in America by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. It was also recognized by Conde Nast Traveler as the number one golf resort in Southern California. These recognitions are proofs of the greatness of its nature-like layout. A golf vacation at this club gives the players a relaxing experience because of its garden-themed environment.