Designed by renowned course architect Doug Carrick and opened in 2010, The Ridge Course at Predator Ridge has quickly made a name for itself as one of the top courses in Canada. Located in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, often referred to as Canada’s Napa Valley, the course plays 7,123 yards from the tips and is defined by its beautiful natural topography, majestic views of Lake Okanagan and long, scenic fairways. With a rating of 73.8, the layout provides a good challenge for low-handicappers, but is very playable for recreational golfers, as well. The property features 36 holes of championship golf as well as a world-class resort that includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, gourmet restaurant and a network of trails for hiking and biking. Visit predatorridge.com.

Americans are attracted to water. It’s one of the reasons both coasts are so populated and why many residences and vacation homes are by rivers, lakes or an ocean.

Developers and golf course architects obviously know this, which explains why some of the most enchanting layouts in the country have the Pacific Ocean in view. From mild to wild, the ocean’s waves along the California coast can be both hypnotizing and exhilarating, not to mention a great excuse for distraction if your score isn’t as low as expected.

So grab your clubs, cap and sunscreen and take a trip as we gaze at just a few of the ocean-kissed options that bring a new meaning to the phrase surf and turf.

Photo credit: Courtesy Sandpiper

Sandpiper Golf Club

Location: Santa Barbara.

Year Opened: 1972.

Course designer: William F. Bell.

Par/Yardage: Par 72, 7,068 yards.

Notable: Measuring over 7,000 yards, with a championship rating of 74.5, Sandpiper has challenged the abilities of PGA and LPGA tour players alike, playing host to several professional tournaments, including The PGA Tour Tournament Players Series, The LPGA Tour Santa Barbara Women’s Open and the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School.

Quotable: “Sandpiper Golf Club is an inspiring combination of challenge and beauty as championship golf brings you to the edge of the Pacific Ocean. With breathtaking ocean and mountain views from every hole, Sandpiper is truly a memorable experience.” – D.J. Limardi, PGA General Manager

Photo Courtesy Trump National

Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles

Location: Rancho Palos Verdes.

Year opened: Originally opened in 1999 as Ocean Trails Golf Club; reopened in 2006 as Trump National.

Course designer: Pete Dye and Donald Trump.

Par/Yardage: Par 71, 7,242 yards.

Notable: Trump National is documented as the most expensive golf course ever built, having had roughly $250 million spent on its completion to date.

Quotable: “What makes Trump National the most spectacular golf course in America is our 100 percent panoramic ocean views from every hole on the golf course. The ocean views paired with our fabulous course conditions and challenging layout truly separates our facility from all other ocean courses in world.” – Joe Lewis, head golf professional

Photo courtesy Blake Marvin

Half Moon Bay Golf Links

Location: Half Moon Bay.

Year opened: Old Course: 1973; Ocean Course: 1997.

Course designer: Old Course: Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane; Ocean Course: Arthur Hills.

Par/Yardage: Old Course: Par 72, 7,003 yards; Ocean Course: Par 72, 6,649 yards.

Notable: The17th hole is one of the most spectacular in the country and especially daring because it forces golfers to flirt with disaster on the cliffs that line the west perimeter.

Quotable: “What separates Half Moon Bay Golf Links is that we are a true links course in that we have an outward nine and an inward nine that play firm and fast – the way links golf was intended to be played.” – Bill Troyanoski, General Manager

Photo courtesy Torrey Pines Golf Shop

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Location: La Jolla.

Year opened: 1957.

Course designer: William F. Bell; South Course redesigned by Rees Jones in 2001.

Par/Yardage: South Course: Par 72, 7,628 yards; North Course: Par 72, 7,061 yards.

Notable: Torrey Pines hosted one of the most memorable U.S. Opens in history in 2008 when a hobbling Tiger Woods held off the field in regulation and Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff.

Quotable: “When our patrons walk the fairways of Torrey Pines and approach the tee box at No. 3 South or No. 6 North and view for the first time the cliffs and shoreline on a summer sunset, they feel that moment. It’s hard to explain but the problems of life are immediately suspended.” – Lew Milburn, golf course manager

Photo courtesy Pelican Hill

Pelican Hill Golf Club

Location: Newport Coast.

Year opened: South Course: 1991; North Course: 1993.

Course designer: Tom Fazio.

Par/Yardage: South Course: Par 70, 6,580 yards; North Course: Par 71, 6,945 yards.

Notable: Fazio, designer of both courses at Pelican Hill, has more courses ranked in the top 100 than any other architect.

Quotable: “Panoramic ocean views guide many of the Ocean North Course’s tee and approach shots. The Ocean South Course is a flow of contrasts from brush gardens framed by sage and eucalyptus trees to greens bordered by deep chasms. Several holes permit 270-degree views of the Pacific.” – Steve Friedlander, vice president of golf at Pelican Hill

© Joann Dost; Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Golf Links®, Pebble Beach Resorts®, and their respective underlying distinctive images are trademarks, service marks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Location: Pebble Beach.

Year opened: 1919.

Course designer: Jack Neville and Douglas Grant.

Par/Yardage: Par 72, 6,828 yards.

Notable: The course that has hosted U.S. Opens is considered one of the best in the world. Pebble Beach has attracted a long list of prestigious guests, including Salvador Dali, Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, Sir Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby.

Quotable: “If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach. I’ve loved this course from the first time I saw it. It’s possibly the best in the world.” – Jack Nicklaus, 18-time major champion

Pacific Grove Golf Links

Location: Pacific Grove.

Year Opened: 1932.

Course Designer: Front nine: H. Chandler Egan; back nine: Jack Nevill.

Par/Yardage: Par 70, 5,727 yards.

Notable: Every hole of the back nine provides beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean as well as Point Pinos Lighthouse.

Quotable: “I believe what sets us apart is location and value. Playing our links-style back nine on the Monterey Peninsula for less than $50 is a nice draw.” – Joe Riekena, head PGA golf professional

Photo courtesy Bodega Harbour

The New Links at Bodega Harbour

Location: Bodega Bay

Year Opened: 1978

Course Designer:  Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Par/Yardage: Par 70, 6,290 yards

Notable: Nearly 100 bunkers were reconstructed and all 18 greens were resurfaced with bentgrass as part of a renovation project that started in 2007.

Quotable: “Although The Links at Bodega Harbour can be a challenging round, each shot you take changes your view of the ocean. If your game fails you, simply look up and enjoy the view.” – Amanda Vineyard, Director of Sales and Marketing

By ALEX SMOLINSKI

The phrase “links like” gets tossed around a lot even though it’s nearly impossible to replicate unless you’re in Scotland and the sea is nearby. Cal Olson, however, has designed a pretty neat version of such a layout in Lake Elsinore, where the town’s namesake lake is a good substitute for one of the key ingredients of a links course. The stunning layout with views of the Ortega Mountains and Cleveland National Forest fits into the landscape with its natural mounding, rolling terrain and three miles of Scottish-style burns. Odd-shaped bunkers also abound, and there are enough twists and turns to challenge all golfers while stoking their senses and imagination, which, if you close your eyes, could involve a trip to the British Isles. Visit linksatsummerly.com.

The Lake Course at San Francisco’s Olympic Club is recognized as one of the country’s top layouts today and of all time. That’s because of the venue’s history and the private club’s ability to upgrade. The Olympic Club hosted U.S. Opens in 1955, 1966, 1987 and 1998 and will do so again in June. The Lake Course has changed significantly since the ’98 U.S. Open, when Lee Janzen finished at even-par 280 to beat Payne Stewart by a stroke. A renovation project lengthened and widened the course a bit, with many trees and overgrown brush removed. The course will measure 7,145 yards for the pros in June, substantially longer than its 6,797 yards 13 years ago. Some of the extra yardage is at the par-5 16th hole, which can be lengthened to 662 yards if the USGA is feeling overly diabolical. The Olympic Club also has two other layouts – the Ocean Course, with four holes along bluffs above the Pacific Ocean, and the nine-hole, par-27 Cliffs Course that is perhaps the most scenic venue of the three. Tickets for the U.S. Open, which will be held June 11-17, are available at usga.org.

With more than 200 golf courses in the Valley of the Sun, it’s tough to stand out, but the Raven at Verrado in Buckeye, about 30 miles west of Phoenix, elevates itself in a number of ways. Situated at the foot of the White Tank Mountains, the course, designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman, has open fairways and often tight approaches that lead to large greens with enough undulation to grab the attention of the best short-game players. At a muscular 7,258 yards from the back tees, the Raven at Verrado can be a massive test, but three other sets of tees make it manageable for all skill levels. Fought and Lehman did a good job incorporating the region’s natural beauty and desert environment into the layout, with desert flora, rugged landscape features and wildlife in sight from all angles. Many holes also play up into the mountains, where the elevation changes allow for some exceptional background views. Visit ravenatverrado.com.

Lost Canyons Golf Club presents a pair of beautiful, exacting tests where smart play can pay off.

By Eli Miller

There is perhaps no better combination of calm and chaos at a Southern California golf facility than Simi Valley’s Lost Canyons Golf Club.

As one of the only 36-hole daily-fee venues in the Los Angeles area, Lost Canyons distinguishes itself with two challenging 18-hole layouts co-designed by Fred Couples and Pete Dye, who is widely regarded as one of the most decorated and demanding golf course architects ever. It’s set amidst the statuesque Santa Susana Mountains and part of an amazingly tranquil environment that’s shielded from freeways and the denser metropolitan area.

A relaxed aura permeates throughout the facility, which includes a full-turf practice range, spacious pro shop and cozy dining space in the Oak Tree Room. And while the two layouts present certain challenges in the form of intimidating tee shots, plentiful bunkering and quick, wavy greens, that aura remains once on the course to help players stay calm and composed for an entire round.

Last month, I teed it up with a few friends on the Sky Course from the 6,740-yard gold markers. Although I was quickly reminded I am indeed not one of the most skilled golfers out there, I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance and found myself thirsting for a return trip — provided I keep my game warm during the winter months and employ a smarter strategy on the course.

SAFETY FIRST

Early on, the 545-yard, par-5 fourth hole presents an interesting test. Initial challenge off the tee includes a large oak tree guarding the left side of the fairway and a deep bunker on the right. Then, the fairway doglegs sharply to the right around a large hill, making the last 150 yards of the hole invisible off the tee. Like other par 5s on Sky — especially Nos. 12 and 14 — hitting driver isn’t mandatory since reaching the green in two shots is a pipe dream for most. Take a fairway wood or hybrid and keep the ball in play. Otherwise, you’re making yourself more vulnerable with unnecessary risk.

SHORT HOLES, BIG GREENS

The Sky Course at Lost Canyons boasts a stellar collection of par-3 tests, each of which is framed by majestic mountain views. And while three of the four short holes play close to 200 yards from the gold tees, their expansive, undulating green complexes present more demand. A tee shot to the center of the putting surface is still the prudent play, but since the pins are usually set on green edges, a two-putt is not a sure thing.

The 17th hole, my choice for most scenic on the course, presents a birdie chance if the flag is set in front of the segmented green — it’s listed at 160 yards on the scorecard but plays about 130 yards when the pin is short. If the pin is set on the precarious perch at the far-back-left corner of the green, good luck.

SOAK IN THE SCENERY

The intricate, bumpy faces on the Santa Susana Mountains and the flowing grasses covering them are truly sights to behold. Don’t just admire them for their beauty — putts break away from the mountains, so when you’re reading the greens, be sure to factor them in when determining your line.

To make a tee time at Lost Canyons Golf Club, call (805) 522-4653 or visit lostcanyons.com and facebook.com/lostcanyons.

CasaBlanca

By: Joel Beers

For most of its history, the Nevada city of Mesquite was little more than a dusty spot on Interstate 15. People were more likely to drive through it as opposed to it.
That is no longer the case.

Today, the highly regarded golf destination features a sprawling resort as well as 10 courses either in Mesquite or nearby, including some of the most praised in the state and even the country. Some are incredibly challenging, while others offer more standard resort-style layouts ideal for golfers of all skill levels. One thing you can expect from any Mesquite-area golf course is stunning views. Whether the courses are located high atop cliffs, nested in valleys or alongside riverbeds, scenic beauty abounds.

There are also some fine accommodations.

The CasaBlanca Resort is located about 45 minutes northwest of Las Vegas near the Utah border. Nestled alongside the gorgeous Virgin River, the resort includes two golf courses, a casino, a spa and a 450-room hotel featuring newly remodeled rooms. It’s ideal for stays of one night to multiple nights — all at prices far more economical than resorts in that other Nevada city.

The resort features two 18-hole tracks, the CasaBlanca Golf Club and the Palms Golf Club. Of the two, the Cal Olson-designed CasaBlanca is the most player-friendly. Its sets of tees can accommodate any golfer’s skill level. From the back tees, labeled the Double Spades, the course plays to 7,011 yards. From the front tees, the Hearts, the course is a much more manageable 5,161 yards.

Palms Golf Club

Another friendly feature is that unlike other Mesquite-area courses, which require a lot of walking due to environmentally sensitive or rocky terrain, carts have access to most of CasaBlanca’s course. That comes in handy on days when the temperature soars above 100 degrees — as do the club’s air-conditioned golf carts.
The course also differs from most desert courses because it is built on and around the Virgin River wetlands. As opposed to a typical desert course that has lots of palm trees and red sand between holes, CasaBlanca is a true oasis of green.

The Palms Golf Club was Mesquite’s first track. It includes a gently rolling front nine and a back nine that winds through mountainous terrain, which requires pin-point precision from the tee. More than 200 palm trees adorn the property, which measures 6,804 yards from the back tees.

As an incentive to lure travelers, the CasaBlanca Resort is always bustling with special events. In late October, it will host the Re/Max Long Drive championships. There are events held year-round, ranging from the world championships of beer pong, BBQ and chili cook-offs, amateur boxing championships, jazz festivals and much more.

The resort features elegant fine dining at Katherine’s, 24-hour dining at the Fez coffee shop and buffets at Smorgasbord, including a Friday night seafood extravaganza, a Saturday night filet mignon spread and a Sunday champagne brunch. There’s also a Starbucks on the property.

The Spa and Salon at the resort offers a wide array of services ranging from massages and facials to its signature treatment, the CasaBlanca Desert Bliss, in which your body is exfoliated with a mineral-rich scrub and then replenished with an application of body butter.

With sand volleyball courts, outdoor tennis courts and a lagoon-style pool, there’s plenty to do during the day and, at night, free comedy shows are offered most Friday and Saturday nights and music and dancing are offered at the Skydome Lounge every night but Monday.

There’s the casino, which includes all the requisite gaming tables along with 750 slot and video poker machines and a sports book.

If golf, gaming and sipping a drink by a beautiful pool is only part of your vacation itinerary, CasaBlanca also has all the info you might need for taking advantage of the breathtaking array of natural, scenic wonders that are within a two-hour drive of Mesquite, including the wonders of Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah.

There are two other notable aspects to the resort. Since it’s located in a city of approximately 15,000 people, there is a refreshing lack of congestion and a more laid-back pace than resorts on the Vegas Strip. And then there’s the cost: In October, mid-day room rates are as low as $60 and even on a Friday night they peak at just $140.

The resort offers a golf and spa package for $79, Sunday through Thursday. The package includes one night in a deluxe tower room and your choice of one round of golf, one 50-minute massage or your choice of two 25-minute spa treatments including a body wrap, facial or massage. For more information on the resort, visit, www.casablancaresort.com.

Here’s a look at some of the other options for golf in the region:

Oasis Golf Club

Oasis - Palmer Course

Oasis - Canyons Course

At 6,408 yards, the par-71 Canyons Course is one of the most user-friendly tracks in the region, but a number of risk-reward holes can make it as tough as you’d like. For more information, visit www.theoasisgolfclub.com.

Falcon Ridge Golf Club
This 6,546-yard track rests high on the cliffs that tower above Mesquite. Though it’s not the longest course, dramatic elevation changes, slick multi-tiered greens, and a very challenging design more than compensate. For more information, visit www.golffalcon.com.

Falcon Ridge Golf Course

Conestoga Golf Club
The newest Mesquite-area course, this Gary Panks-designed track, managed by Troon Golf, opened in 2010. It’s one of the most scenic in the area as it winds through rugged desert canyons. It’s 7,232 yards from the tips and made the short-list of best Nevada Courses in two national golf publication rankings in 2011. For more information, visit www.conestogagolf.com.

The Chase Golf Club at Coyote Springs
This Jack Nicklaus Signature design is an absolute bear from the tips, which measure 7,471 yards. Eleven lakes come into play and mountains surround its valley setting. It also features one of the largest practice areas in the Southwest, including 100,000-square-feet of tee area and a 10,000-square-foot practice putting green. For more information, visit www.coyotesprings.com.

Wolf Creek at Paradise Canyon
Opened in 2000, this Dennis C. Rider course measures 7,018 yards from the tips. It routinely makes the list of top public courses in the country and was recently ranked the third most difficult course in America by the USGA. Sixteen of its holes feature elevated tees and forced carries abound. For more information, visit www.golfwolfcreek.com.

Coral Canyon Golf Course
Though actually located in Southwest Utah, this Keith Foster-designed gem is only a short car drive from Mesquite. It measures 7,029 yards from the tips and, as the name implies, explodes with color. It also offers views of both Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. For more information, visit www.coralcanyongolf.com.

Sand Hollow Resort
Also located in Southwest Utah, this facility features 27 holes designed by John Fought. The 7,315-yard Championship Course has earned best public course nods in Utah the past two years. There is also a nine-hole links-style course. For more information, visit www.sandhollowresort.com.

Ranked California’s Top Golf Resort by Condé Nast Traveler readers, Pelican Hill boasts 36 Fazio-designed ocean-view holes. Golf Digest ranks both 18-hole courses, the Ocean North and Ocean South, as two of America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses in 2011/2012.

Pelican Hill Golf Club® offers a luxurious 44,000-square-foot clubhouse, the acclaimed Pelican Grill and Lounge, an Italian coffee bar, a golf shop, and an intelligently designed, full-service practice facility conveniently located right outside the clubhouse door, with an expansive driving range, a complete practice tee and tour-event Nike Platinum One balls.

Pelican Hill Golf Academy offers monthly clinics, private lessons and special programs, led by Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Teachers in America” Glenn Deck.

Two new fall golf packages are available September 5 through December 30.

The “Guys’ Golf Getaway” features two nights in a spacious Villa with personal butler service, one golf round with forecaddie, dinner at Pelican Grill and Haircuts & Hot Lather Shaves in The Spa’s Barber Chair, and starts at $1,450.

Also available is the Golf Academy “Total Tune-up” Package, which includes two nights in a Bungalow Guest Room, with one private 45-minute Golf Academy lesson and a 2.5-hour nine-hole playing lesson starting at $1,685.

For more information, visit www.pelicanhill.com

Escena Golf Club

Old School New

The Escena Golf Club has reopened – in Palm Springs

One thing you don’t see are new golf courses opening in Palm Springs. While Palm Desert, Indio and the other outlying desert communities continue to add courses, Palm Springs is … well, it’s pretty much full. That’s why the opening (or in this case reopening) of something new in the chic desert town makes you turn your head. And when it’s a course of the quality of the Escena Golf Club … it’s a bonus.

Escena reopened in November of 2009 with new owners and experienced management bringing quality to a daily-fee, top-notch Nicklaus Design golf course. In addition, there’s a new 16,000-square-foot clubhouse that is mid-century modern – a design that reeks with old-school Palm Springs heritage. The design makes you think you might encounter the ghosts of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin sharing laughs and martinis at the clubhouse bar.

As for the course … well, it’s 7173 yards of quality, with four sets of tees to accommodate any level of golfer. From the forward tees it measures in at 5503 yards with a rating of 72.1 and a slope of 127. From the tips it plays the full 7173 yards with a rating of 74.2 and a slope of 130. And there’s the middle and championship tees that fall between the other two. The bottom line: If you’re a high handicapper, you’ll enjoy your round. If you’re a scratch golfer, you’ll be challenged. There’s something for everybody.

“For golfers it’s like the welcoming home of a long-lost friend,” said Mark Tansey, president of Sunrise Golf Company, the managers of Escena. He added, “Escena Golf Club marks a return to what made desert golf great. The course stretches to almost 7200 yards from the tips and offers a quality test of golf for the most skilled players. But thanks to four sets of tees and generous fairways, it is also among the most playable for golfers of any skill level. And every hole offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.”

The course has changed a bit from the original with the addition of rounded stone on the rock walls and bridges that reflect “golf’s classic era.” There are also some 50,000 new plants that have been added – most of which are identical to those found in Palm Springs’ distinctive 1960s landscaping.

The new course is a boon to the city of Palm Springs. Unlike nearby Palm Desert, most of the resort hotels in Palm Springs don’t have on-site golf courses – thus, Escena offers up a wonderful golf course that those hotels can send their guests to.

Escena Golf Club is also different from a lot of the other courses in the area in that it is affordable. A regular in-season (December 26 to April 11) rate is $88 mid-week and $98 on the weekends. Off-season (April 12 to May 24) is $59 mid-week and just $69 on the weekend, and if you can brave the heat of summer (May 25 to September 12) you can play Escena mid-week for just $35 with the fee going to $40 on the weekend. Further savings can be had for joining the Escena Club. No matter how you slice it (no pun intended), Escena is a desert bargain.

The Escena Golf Club
760/778-2737
www.escenagolf.com

JULY 2009 HOT TOPICS

Destination Hotels & Resorts Open Terranea Resort in Southern California

Occupying 102 acres of irreplaceable coastline just 20 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport, the luxurious Terranea Resort opened to the public on June 12 adding to the distinctive collection of properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection. Ten years and $480 million in the making, Terranea (terra-NAY-a)is the crowning achievement of Los Angeles-based owner/developer Lowe Enterprises and is managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts. It has been decades since Marineland of the Pacific, located where Terranea now sits, brought visitors to this secluded peninsula.

Terranea Resort is a 360-room Hotel and luxurious collection of residential bungalows, casitas and villas. The property also features The Links at Terranea, a challenging 9-hole par 3 golf course, and The Spa at Terranea with 25 treatment rooms, three ocean view pools and a collection of eight distinctive restaurants, bars and lounges. Other Resort amenities include a children’s center with interactive programs and several miles of scenic bluff-top trails that connect miles of off-property coastal trails. A secluded beach cove also adds to the unique experiences at Terranea Resort. For more information visit http://www.terranea.com or call 866-802-8000. For a video overview of Terranea, please visit: http://www.terranea.com/palos-verdes-videos.php.