San Diego Courses?

[QUACKSMACKER]

I'm headed to San Diego(Miramar) in a few weeks and I am gonna have a lot of time to get some rounds in . Just wondering what courses I should play? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Should be in San Diego for about 10 days. Also and suggestions on travel cases?

[khale]

Coronado Golf Course-ocean view and cheap. $35 on the weekend for everyone. About 30 minutes from Miramar. Just walk on as a single. Call before you come to make sure they don't have a tournament going on.
http://www.golfcoronado.com/

Torrey Pines golf course, might be too expensive if you are a visitor. 5 minutes from Miramar. The South is long, 7100 yards from the blue tees, the North course is 6600 from the blue tees. Very easy to get on if you are a single.
http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-rec...es/index.shtml
http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-rec...ons/fees.shtml

The Sea n Air golf course. If military, you will get a discount. This course is on the Coronado Island. You have to get inside the base.
http://seanairgc.org/

[PiustheDrGolf]

Since you are not a resident of San Diego county, playing Torrey Pines will cost you. Then, why not Maderas, Aviara, or La Costa? Other my favorites are Balboa, Mt. Woodson, Cross Creek (Temecula), and Redhawk (Temecula).

[sacm3bill]

Mt. Woodson has always been my favorite course (not just in SD, but out of all the courses I've played) - fun, challenging, dramatic layout, gorgeous views, quiet, reasonably priced, great staff.

[khale]

Aviara $235

Maderas $210 La Costa $205 Unless your income is above $300K, you can't afford these courses.

  PiustheDrGolf said:

Since you are not a resident of San Diego county, playing Torrey Pines will cost you. Then, why not Maderas, Aviara, or La Costa? Other my favorites are Balboa, Mt. Woodson, Cross Creek (Temecula), and Redhawk (Temecula).

[PiustheDrGolf]

Well.. when I lived in San Diego, I couldn't afford to play there. But after I became a VA resident, I do go back to San Diego at least once a year. Then, my fees for Torrey was 140ish. For recent years, I played Maderas and La Costa at less than $140 on after 1 or so. Be seen for who seek. :)

[soloredd]

  khale said:

Aviara $235

BS. I don't make $300K and we did a trip of La Costa, Torrey Pines South, and The Crossings. The issue that comes up is are these prices you WANT to pay for a round of golf? For me, it didn't matter, I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the trip.

The Crossings is a great course, in my opinion, and hardly gets mentioned. It is in Carlsbad, a few miles north of La Costa. Very fun, no parallel fairways and great views.

[shank-a-roo]

  soloredd said:

The Crossings is a great course, in my opinion, and hardly gets mentioned. It is in Carlsbad, a few miles north of La Costa. Very fun, no parallel fairways and great views.

I was wanting to play a round at The Crossings when we stayed in Carlsbad a couple weeks ago but I guess they were Aerating. I was so bummed! We used to go on vacation to Carlsbad every year and I was looking forward to playing there because of what I had read on this site. I ended up playing at Fallbrook Golf Club up just out of Oceanside and it was a lot of fun, great course and the other 3 I got paired with were a lot of fun!

[max power]

  soloredd said:

The Crossings is a great course, in my opinion, and hardly gets mentioned. It is in Carlsbad, a few miles north of La Costa. Very fun, no parallel fairways and great views.

The Crossings is my favorite in the area that I've played. That means it's also relatively affordable-use golfnow and you should get a round from $50-$70.

[PiustheDrGolf]

Thanks for the info for The Crossings. I will definitely play there next time when I visit my parents. So many good courses there are, not like here in N. VA.

[dzdncfsd]

I would also toss a vote in for the crossings. Beautiful course and shouldn't have a problem getting on for 50.00 with a cart.

[relentlesswhitey]

I just thought you all should know that The Crossings is one of the most expensive golf courses in the state (77 MILLION to build). Not saying anything but I did win a tournament out there last weekend. :) Course is sorta weird though, couple of stupid holes, and if you hit it long and erratic, you may be in for quite a high score... Course is beautiful though but I don't think its top-5 in the area.. Coronado is a great buy for anyone, a great course at a nice price.. Torrey is my home course, and its absolutely stunning. Period. But most of you have to pay our sucker rate, which is insane if you don't live in the city. Hope you all enjoy America's Finest City!!! Cheers

[Clambake]

If you want to play Maderas (and I highly recommend it), ask nicely if they'll extend the resident's rate to you. Or say that you're considering their Advantage club (which gets you 1/2 off) and ask if you can try out the course at that rate. They're pretty reasonable and their business has been down with the economy, so I bet if you just state that you've heard so much about it and really want to play there but just can't justify it at their normal rack rate I'll bet you'll be surprised.

I haven't played La Costa in awhile, but some friends who do play it regularly have indicated the conditioning isn't very good right now and they feel it is overpriced considering. Aviara a half mile away has some good rates on GolfNow.com, about 1/3 off; that course is always nicely conditioned and is a lovely setting.

And although others here have touted the Crossings, nearly all my coworker friends and I don't care much for it (probably about 20 of us have played it), and the unanimous opinion is that it is a choppy, not very well routed, very noisy (it borders a very busy street, right under the airport, with buzzing powerlines crossing the whole course), has miles and miles of concrete cart paths that go all over the place, and has very tricked up greens. To me the greens were designed by someone who doesn't actually play golf but heard that multilevel greens are good and offer variety, but they really don't seem to fit with how the holes should be strategically played. The course isn't a cow pasture or anything, but it just isn't as nice as it makes itself out to be.

And I echo the positive comments on Coronado. It would be a fairly slow round, but the views along the bay are worth it.

[clg82]

Great suggestions guys keep them coming!

[Chas]

Agree about Mt. Woodson, just a gorgeous track with spectacular views in all directions. Lots of elevation changes make it quite a challenge, for me at least. Not cheap but worth it IMO.

If time is short and you're interested in an executive course not far from downtown (north of Mission Bay area, easy access from I-5), try Telcolote Canyon.
http://www.golfsd.com/tecolote.html
It isn't long but it's pretty tight, with some small, well-protected greens. Real target golf. Good value for money (city owned), and it's a beautiful track - like playing in a nature park. I left a lot of balls on that course while learning the game but enjoyed every minute.

How could I have lived here all these years and not played Coronado? I haven't played The Crossings either but fly light planes out of Palomar airport right next door and know the layout well. They spent a fortune on that course and you have to wonder if it's worth the fee. Those greens are something else (see Clambake's post). But I'm glad it's there - if the engine in the old beater dies on the climbout from 24 there's somewhere other than a shopping mall or housing development to make the forced landing. Don't let any of this put you off though ....

[max power]

  Chas said:

Agree about Mt. Woodson, just a gorgeous track with spectacular views in all directions. Lots of elevation changes make it quite a challenge, for me at least. Not cheap but worth it IMO.

Coronado has nice views and it's pretty cheap-but it's not a spectacular golf course, and it is

slow . So go if you get a chance, but don't beat yourself up.

[Chas]

Thanks for the warning. I'll put up with slow for something new and different - I need to branch out a bit. Maderas is the one I really want to play - everyone who's played it speaks volumes - but I'm such a cheapskate. Maybe I'll go with Clambake's suggestion and try to sweet-talk my way in. A similar strategy did get me a couple rounds at a certain other pricey local course.

Of course Torrey is A#1 and I play it when I can but I've got the little piece of plastic that comes with paying our outrageous taxes. It's the least they can do.

[mjtoal]

I have played in SD quite a few times. My favourite is Maderas. I think Torrey is terribly over-rated, the pace of play is hideous and the conditioning is often poor. Did I mention the pace of play? Bring a flashlight if you don't have a morning tee time.

I also like Steele Canyon, Meadows del Mar (aka The Grand del Mar). Singing Hills is OK, Aviara is very nicely conditioned but only OK. Salt Creek is also decent enough.