La Costa (Champions) - California - USA

Did not like it, my takeaway boring and expensive with lots of bunkers. Also, even though Southern Cal is desert, there was a lot more water than i expected. Good example on the par 5 2nd, it sneaks up on you on the right. The par 5 6th has 8 bunkers, fortunately, I only visited 3 of them. I would say the par 3 8th is long but there is a longer one. All carry over H2O be smart, middle of the green. The par 4 415 yard 9th dogleg right, you tee off out of a chute, carry H2O right. Don't cut too much or you end up in the water but don't go too straight or you will end up in a bunker. Really? The 10th is a par 5 dogleg right, be wary of the left, water all the way down that side after it doglegs. The 12th is just a grab you by the throat 244 yard par 3. This is benign compared to 14, a 493 yard par 4 that is bisected twice by a stream. The 8th is almost 600 yards, carry over water, but be careful as there is water left and right of the landing area.

Save your $$$

I have played La Costa Champions several times as I am local to San Diego. La Costa has hosted PGA, LPGA, and Senior Tour events; so a good historical pedigree.

Champions is a very challenging course; mostly because large and strategically placed bunkering. You will be in sand a lot during the day from both off the tee or greenside. Conditioning is always stellar. Great practice area. And the resort facilities are top-notch.

The 'body of work' from an architecture perspective is very good - a good tournament course. The primary negative is that the holes blend together; too similar.

La Costa is rich in history, having been the site of the Mercedes Championship for many years with golfing great like Jack and Tiger winning the tourney. The course recently underwent major renovations including turf removal and a redesign of four of the holes.

The conditioning of the course was excellent. Greens rolled true, fairways in great shape and the rough was penal but playable. The routing of the course also makes sense with the terrain. For the most part you playing up and back on a valley floor that is hemmed in by houses and hillsides (a little too hemmed in by houses for my taste). There are many water features on the course, several holes play across a stream and there are beautiful lakes framing the back nine holes.

It was a very pleasant day of golf on a good golf course but I just can't call it great. The streams and lakes are beautiful but there is a sameness forced by the topography that starts to creep into the holes and the mostly flat terrain doesn't help matters. The 11th hole is boffo and the back side really is something but you end up wishing the front side and the topography were different or more engaging.

Really enjoyed the course and while parts of it are great, the resulting sum of its parts are good not great.