San Diego County Golf Course Reviews
La Costa Resort and Spa
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La Costa Resort and Spa North (Champions) Course Overview: Former host of the Accenture Match play championship, that
tournament routing featured the majority of its holes from the North course,
for good reason. While the first 6 holes
are fairly mundane, the course employs water hazards on 9 of the last 12 holes
to supplement the small, well-bunkered greens and provide an excellent test of
golf. Redesigned in 2011 (and renamed to the Champions course) to improve drainage and also create a more "native" feel, the updated course is certainly tighter and more difficult than previously. The LPGA now stops by on a yearly basis to play this good track. The most memorable holes are reviewed below:
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La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 2: Not a particularly long or difficult par five, there is OB left but plenty of room right on the first or second shots. The switch then occurs with the lake on the right starting about 100 yards from the green, where left is obviously preferred. The green is elevated, small and surrounded by bunkers to repel the long shot of the big hitter.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 8: The first true taste of unavoidably dangerous water arrives with the tee shot on this par 3. The player must hit the ball long enough to clear the water, no matter how far left or right (within reason) they venture.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 9: This dogleg right features a big water hazard on the right that must be steered clear of or cleared with a very big drive. The more of the watery corner that is successfully cutoff, the shorter the approach to the elevated and tiered green behind a large bunker.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 10: This dogleg right par five turns right around a series of trees and bunkers. The perfect drive over those will allow a chance for a big hitter to go for the green in two, but the water hazard left may wreak havoc with an errant shot. The green is angled to accept a draw and/or short iron much better than a fade or long shot, so the safer, three shot approach may be warranted.

La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 11 (left): Possibly the most daunting tee shot of the day features a water hazard definitely in play from the tee, with bunkers lurking left as well, so accuracy is a must on this medium length par 4. The water comes into play on the approach, but is really only a big factor for a front pin as middle or back pins should make it easier to keep the ball dry, except for a badly mishit shot.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 13 (below): This dogleg right begs the player to fly the left edge of the water to shorten the approach to the very small and sloping green. However, the longer the attempted tee shot, the more in play the bunkers through the fairway to the left become as well.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 13 (below): This dogleg right begs the player to fly the left edge of the water to shorten the approach to the very small and sloping green. However, the longer the attempted tee shot, the more in play the bunkers through the fairway to the left become as well.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 14: Into the prevailing wind, this long par 4 is a beast. Not only is it close to 450 yards, but there is a creek that starts on the left the fairway and diagonally crosses it. This leaves the hazard in play for any well struck drive to the left edge of the fairway. Thus, the long driver really only has the right side of the fairway to aim for. To make matters more difficult, the green is small and has a large bunker front left.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 15: The most dramatic single change on the Champions course for a single hole is the redesigned 15th. Still a short par four, the old North hole had a forced layup and a second over the water to a green with a severe tier, and I think most pros hated the hole, and I wasn't fond of it. Now, the tees have been moved right and the green left so now the golfer can layup and have a pretty good shot at par or the monster hitter can try to drive the green, with the main problem being the lake to the left and behind the green.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 16: The final one-shotter of the day features a very shallow green with bunkers all over the place. Thus, the premium is put on distance control, especially with water lurking short and left. This is not made easier knowing that half the hotel guests might be watching you from right behind.
La Costa Resort, North Course Hole 18: The other hole with a very dramatic change on the Champions course from its former North course feel is the finishing hole. Once a grip it and rip it type hole with only a small creek about 75 yards from the green to worry about, this is now a tough finishing hole with water pretty much left and/or right all the way until that same creek. So, the approach to the green is similar, but getting there takes more care.