La Costa (Champions)

The Club at La Costa in Carlsbad, thirty miles north of San Diego, has been soothing the nerves and tightening the tummies of harried executives, overvexed celebrities, and ageless matrons since 1965. The ingredients for relaxation at this sumptuous decompression chamber are as appealing as one of its spa cuisine entrées: two fine golf courses, a composite of which was played when the Tournament of Champions was played here for thirty years before moving to Hawaii in 1999.

Bordered on three sides by haystack-shaped hills studded with expensive homes, La Costa’s 400-acre spread is centred on its golf courses, the most significant sections of each were designed by Dick Wilson, with later additions and modifications by Joe Lee. There is little to choose between them. Each is an excellent, beautifully conditioned layout with enough water and sand in play to keep the most skilful players alert.

The above passage is an edited extract from Golf Resorts of the World – The best places to stay and play by Brian McCallan.

La Costa also hosted the inaugural WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in 1999 and this event was held at the resort for seven out of eight years before moving to Arizona in 2007. The LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic tournament was also played here in 2010 and 2012.

In more recent times, the layout has been renovated by Damian Pascuzzo, along with Steve Pate and Jeff Brauer.