La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, Calif.
North: 7,021 yards, par 72 / South: 7,004 yards, par 72
Green fees: $195-$205; 800-854-5000;
www.lacosta.com
SERVICE
The helpful staff has a
relaxed, So-Cal surfer
vibe. "No problem,"
the pro-shop attendant
assured us when we
called to say we were
running late. Bonus
points: no nagging
starter with a laundry
list of rules. Just pay,
grab your cart, and go!
PACE OF PLAY
Snag an afternoon tee
time, when both
courses are usually
wide open. On a
gorgeous Saturday
we saw only three
other groups, so we
played two balls, hit
practice shots and
otherwise enjoyed
our "private" course.
QUALITY
La Costa is a Dick
Wilson-Joe Lee track
that challenges on
every shot. Drought
conditions explained
some burned-out
fairway on both
courses (you'll play
nine holes from
each), but the greens
were ship-shape.
VALUE
After "free bar," the
two sweetest words in
the English language
are "twilight rate." At
$100 for guests and
$125 for walk-ins, the
post-1 p.m. discount
is a real steal. And
considering how open
the course could be,
it's fairway robbery.
VERDICT
$205 for weekend
walk-ins ($185 for
guests) isn't piggy-bank
money. But
as longtime host of
the Tournament
of Champions and
the Match Play, La
Costa is worth
crossing off your golf course bucket list.
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