Tag Archives: golf vacation destination

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.

The Crossings at Carlsbad

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There are many things that make a golf course beautiful. But there are two essential things that course designers strive to achieve in creating an ideal golf vacation destination: great layout and an even better scenery. If they have come up with a layout that is both interesting and challenging, all the while capturing the best views their course locations could offer, they know they have done a great job. The Crossings at Carlsbad in San Diego is an example.

Located perfectly, the Crossings at Carlsbad has both accessibility and stunning views. It is only a good half hour drive from downtown San Diego and about a mile from the Pacific ocean. But the good things about this golf vacation hotspot do not end there. The challenging and unique canyon terrain and the risk-reward game give golfers a good test of skills. The course also serves as a haven not only for the lovers of the sport but of the natural wildlife found in the area as well. As much as the management maintains the course conditions to a world-class quality, it also works to keep nature at its best. The Greg Nash design that stretches to 6,835 yards has all of its 18-holes sitting on a thousand acres of perfection from man’s collaboration with nature.

The Crossings at Carlsbad, unsurprisingly, is a favorite among golfers for golf trips and golf publications for awards. It has the highest ranking among the San Diego courses, and was voted by GOLF Magazine readers as among the Top 10 Courses You Can Play. That, among many others of course. Needless to say, the course is beyond ideal, it even borders on perfect.

Maderas Golf Club

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Zagat Survey is one of the biggest and most reputable ranking institution in the United States. When Zagat ranks it top, there is no reason not to believe that it indeed is the top. On another note, San Diego is home to some of the best golf courses in the country. Now, imagine the best among some of the best – what Zagat ranks highest among all of San Diego county’s roster of top caliber golf courses. This is the Maderas Golf Club. Now imagine what it feels like taking a golf vacation here.

The Maderas Golf Club has consistently ranked top in Zagat Survey since 2003. It has also never left the Top Courses lists of such huge golfing publications as Golf Digest as well as San Diego Magazine. Apart from that, golfers seek out this golf vacation destination that is gently tucked amid rolling hills and forests. Proof that there is something so special about it as golfers hungry for a quality game work hard to find this precious gem. The course is characterized by well-placed bunkers, stunning water hazards of three lakes and five waterfalls, a dramatic terrain, and 40 full acres of wildflower. All these combine to make the course as difficult as it is beautiful.

Course designers, Robert Muir Graves and Johnny Miller, worked their way to bring out the best layout in one of San Diego’s best locations for a golf trip haven. On top of all its beautiful characteristics, it also has complete amenities – from its Italian-style clubhouse to the state-of the-art practice greens. The Maderas Golf Club is by far the most popular course in the San Diego county, and is undoubtedly the best among the rest, as Zagat survey and almost every golfer have proven.

Temecula Creek Inn Golf Club

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The thing people look forward to the most about golf vacations is to have as much golf as they want to, however way they please. These occasions do not happen everyday and they must be perfect. Some golf resorts deliver. Some do not. But true to San Diego’s reputation of being a golfing haven, golfers are assured they will find that perfect course that will let them live out their dream golf getaways. This is what the Temecula Creek Inn Golf Club promises – AND DELIVERS.

The golf vacation destination is made of three nine-hole courses that are as varied from each other as they are as beautiful. The Temecula Creek Inn Golf Club features a variety of views and terrain characteristics that make the nines a combination of challenging and stunning. The Creek nine boasts of a traditional layout while the Oak nine is of sweeping mountain views. The Stonehouse nine, on the other hand, is best known for its highly dramatic elevation changes. Playing a short round in one of the courses, or playing a combination of two will definitely be the kind of golfing experience that could only be described as incomparable.

These qualities of the Temecula Creek Inn Golf Club have made quite an impression that Golf Digest’s Places to Play has ranked it with four stars. And who would not? Apart from three one-of-a-kind golfing experience it offers, it also has the most complete amenities for golf trips – from lodging to clubhouse to practice greens to just about everything else. The entire facility spells VACATION in bold; it makes it easy to figure out why this is a choice destination for when golfers want to be who and what they want to be.

Rancho Bernardo West Course

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San Diego is, undoubtedly, home to many of California’s best golf courses. Its idyllic weather and scenic views make the perfect elements for golfing. Golfers are not the least bit surprised to find the best courses designed by the biggest names in the industry. Among San Diego’s most prized classic courses that never fail to amaze golfers is the Rancho Bernardo West Course. It does not take a genius to tell that golf vacations here are nothing but world-class and of championship caliber.

The Rancho Bernardo West Course is a classic course of traditional course layout that debuted in 1962. It has recently gone through a major renovation to keep it up to date and accommodate the new age golfers, but a lot of its original features are kept – hence the timeless feel to it. This golf vacation destination is characterized by meandering streams, fairways lined by large eucalyptus trees, and water features that play on ten of its 18 holes. It is a par-72 course that stretches to 6,631 yards from the longest tees.

Despite its being relatively older than the other courses in San Diego, the Rancho Bernardo West Course proves that time has only made it better. It holds a AAA Diamond rating as a resort. Its other amenities are also ranked as some of the best in the area; for one, its restaurant, El Bizcocho, has been ranked among the highest by no less than Zagat survey. It is also a favorite host of PGA and LPGA tours. Looking at this golf trip paradise, it is safe to say that it has raised the bar high for the newer San Diego courses. No wonder the newer ones are trying hard to be better versions of this classic.

Cross Creek Golf Course

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There can be many beautiful golf courses. But there can only be a few ones that offer a golfing experience untarnished by the presence of homes and the noise of the freeway. And fewer ones, still, offer a true wilderness golfing experience without being miles awat from civilization. Among these “fewer ones” is the Cross Creek Golf Course in Temecula. There’s nothing here for golfers to enjoy but golf and nature. And the golf vacation destination is just minutes off the highway. How they managed to keep it as secluded without necessarily being remote is a secret they would probably want to keep to themselves.

The Cross Creek Golf Course is like a world of its own. It is surrounded by groves of sycamores and age-old oaks and the wide wilderness. Golfers really need not be surprised if a coyote shows up; they are pretty much a commonplace around here. The Arthur Hills design was perfectly inserted into the natural setting that even natural wildlife could not tell there were some changes. This course treats the golfers on a golf vacation characterized by dramatic elevation changes, holes that play through natural creeks, and the sights and sounds of the great outdoors.

Despite its being located in the “outbacks”, golfers need not worry about amenities. The 18-hole par-71 course, that stretches to 6,940 yards, is complete with everything a golfer would need on a golf trip: a fully-stocked pro-shop, an excellent clubhouse that serves great meals, a good practice range and putting greens – not to mention 4 ½ stars from Golf Digest. A golfer needs to bring are good ball-striking skills, wise choice of tees, a sense of golfing adventure, and himself. Because nothing stands between the him and the Cross Creek Golf Course. Absolutely nothing.

Sycuan Resort – Oak Glen Course

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To be surrounded by some of the most beautiful sights and still be able to stand out as amongst the more beautiful ones is a difficult feat. But it was all too easily achieved by the Oak Glen Course of the Sycuan Resort. Being in San Diego does not make it any easy for this golf vacation destination to stand out, considering the hundreds of other stunning and more expensive golf resorts in the area. Being surrounded by a majestic panorama of hills does not help either. But this course, remodeled in the late 1980s by Ted Robertson and Dave Fleming is simply too incredible, no golfer would ever miss it even if the world hides it among an ocean of jewels.

The 18-hole par-72 course is part of a grand 54-hole golf resort facility considered among the top favorites for golf vacations in the golf course-laden area. The Oak Glen Course of the Sycuan Resort is divided on two 9-hole loops, each nine bearing an attitude of its own, and collectively brings some of the most beautiful views and most challenging layouts in the San Diego golfing scene. It is a rather flat course and it is only in specific tees could the elevation changes be felt; its fairways are lined by huge oaks, pines and eucalyptus trees. The true challenge of this course comes where the Sweetwater River makes its appearance, along with other ponds. They give a true meaning to the word “hazard” in this course.

With its stunning surroundings and challenging layout, not to mention the impeccable conditioning, the Oak Glen Course of the Sycuan Resort blends too perfectly with its already beautiful location. It is a testament that golf trips so epic could still happen.

Sycuan Resort – Willow Glen Course

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Art conservatives are usually wary of remakes. At best, the reaction is just plain scornful. At worst, they border on the outrageous. Many conservatives of golf design must have crossed their fingers when Ted Robinson and Dave Fleming handled the renovation of the William Bell design in what is now known as the Willow Glen Course of the Sycuan Resort in San Diego. But from the looks of it, the golf vacation destination looks rather pleasant that even the tightest of conservatives would be beckoned to agree and enjoy a round or two.

The Willow Course of the Sycuan Resort is part of a grand, 54-hole facility. The course is surrounded by a good helping of oaks, pines, eucalyptus and plane trees, and is secluded mostly from the rest of the course by a range of hills. This makes for rounds of golf that are serene at most, peaceful at best. In perfect contrast to the calm surroundings, golfers would have to battle inner turmoils from the rather difficult course layout. Playing on several holes, the Sweetwater River puts its own name in vain and gives golfers something to be bitter about along with several ponds on the course. The strategically placed bunkers and elevation changes also play their roles in making it hard to decide whether this course is easy or not. The bottomline is, it has the capacity to bring EPIC into every golf vacation.

It must have been difficult for old school artists to see the classic being remodeled. Good thing the Willow Course of the Sycuan Resort does not fall short of the glory days of its predecessor. The golf trip haven is every bit as amazing as the original, and conservatives need only give it a shot and they are surely in love.

Pala Mesa Resort

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San Diego is among California’s top tourist hubs. Like the rest of the state, San Diego enjoys an almost-year round sunny weather and stunning landscapes that could only be found here. One of the things that tourists go to San Diego for is golf. A truly ideal golf vacation destination, SD has plenty of choices for lovers of the sport. One of its most celebrated courses is the Pala Mesa Resort Golf Course.

The resort course, which stretches on just 6,502 yards from the longest tees, is a massive structure for its size – more for the challenge and scenery than anything else. The Pala Mesa Resort Golf Course is characterized by several huge oaks, sycamores and elms. It is also a firework of greens and floral hues as it is heavily sprinkled with flowers of different colors making it one of the most beautiful courses in San Diego. Golf vacations here are well described as “challenging, beautiful, and peaceful”, a collective testament of the countless golfers made happy by the course. It is a perfect contrast of calmness in the surroundings, and a raging war of decisions in the psyche of golfers trying to get past the all the 18-holes with a neat scorecard.

The par-72 Pala Mesa Resort Golf Course has not only been praised by tourists who have had more than they bargained for for a golf trip. Golf Digest has given it an elusive 4 and a half-star rating while the PGA Professionals named it as among the Top 10 Courses in the San Diego County. It is in establishments like these that the natural splendor of San Diego is well beyond highlighted; it makes it outstanding – a tough feat in a state laden with some of the most beautiful cities in the world.

 

 

Virginia Beach National Golf Club

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Of the many golf courses of Virginia Beach, there is one that many claim to be the favorite of the locals. Any course in Virginia Beach may find it hard to stand out because all the courses here stand at par with each other. Deciding which one is the best is difficult, but to ask which is the most loved is a different story. The answer rolls off of the locals’ tongues easily: Virginia Beach National Golf Club. And they would not think twice about sharing it with golfers looking for a golf vacation destination.

The 18-hole par-72 course could not be counted out next to its more expensive neighbors. As much as the other courses are created by the industry’s greats, Virginia Beach National Golf Club is a product of the combined genius of Pete Dye and Golf Hall of Famer Curtis Strange. It features natural grasses, waste areas, rolling fairways and tour-quality greens. The course stretches to more than 7,200 yards with five sets of tees to accommodate players of any skill level. And just as much as the locals have made this their personal favorite, it has also become the golf vacation favorite for many golfers.

As the Virginia Beach National Golf Club continues to earn a following from golf trip regulars, it has long since been earning the respect of countless tour champions. It has been hosting the Virginia Open of the Nationwide Tours and undoubtedly has broken as many hearts both of the champions and the aspiring champions alike. The excellent quality of the course and the fact that it bears the name of Virginia Beach may simply be that one huge reason why it is so well loved. Or maybe it’s just too charming that even non-locals fall in love with it all too easily.