Cover Story
Golden Golf
Troon’s California portfolio includes treasures from the desert to the sea to the wine grapes of Napa Valley.
By George Fuller
California’s reputation as “The Golden State” is well-deserved, with residents and visitors from around the globe coming to visit Big Sur, Hollywood, famed wine appelations, glorious beaches, and attractions too numerous to name. It’s also a golden golf destination.
Several of the best golf courses in the world are in California, including Pebble Beach and Cypress Point. Troon’s California portfolio is likewise golden, from San Diego and the Coachella Valley in the southern half of the state to the Bay Area and Napa Valley in the north.
Nowhere in the world has such a diverse landscape for the game as does California. You’ll find Troon courses that touch the Pacific Ocean, encompass pure desert scenery, roll through gentle inland foothills, and play adjacent to acres and acres of prime wine grapes.
Our cover story this issue takes a closer look at many of the very best courses in Troon’s California lineup of more than 40 facilities. You’ll see familiar names and discover exciting new destinations as well. Next time you find yourself looking to tee it up in California, we hope this guide will help you in your search for an outstanding experience.
WINE COUNTRY
Visitors flock to the Napa and Sonoma regions of California — just north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge — to sample some of the best wines in the world. Indeed, there are more than 1,700 wineries scattered throughout the area, many with tasting rooms where favorite vintages can be purchased. Napa is also where you’ll find Silverado Resort, (above) home to 36 championship holes of golf and host of the PGA TOUR’s Procore Championship.
The tournament is played on the North Course, updated in 2010 by PGA TOUR Hall-of-Famer Johnny Miller. The iconic layout features tree-lined fairways, water crossings, and deep bunkers that require accurate approaches. The par-72 layout measures 7,123 yards during tournament week.
The South Course provides a hillier test than its sibling thanks to numerous elevation changes. In fact, the character, playing conditions, and creativity of the South Course make it a favorite of guests and members.
In addition to superb golf, resort guests enjoy a dazzling array of amenities. Dining is a special experience, starting at The Grill, where fresh, seasonal ingredients and fresh preparation concepts merge with an expansive local wine list to make every meal memorable. And don’t miss trying one off Silverado’s renowned burger dogs (yes, it’s what you’re imagining) or a Forno Pizza from The Market.
The resort’s spa offers all the relaxation options you can imagine, including a lap pool, sauna, steam room, massage treatments, skin care, and a café. Tennis programs take place on nine tennis courts and three pickleball courts.
In nearby Santa Rosa, the Nicklaus Signature Design at Mayacama Golf Club is among the state’s best private clubs. Of the 200 courses that carry his name, this is among Nicklaus’s finest. Here, deep green fairways snake through golden valleys and past oak-studded hills. How can you play this exclusive beauty? Book a stay at The Ruse, an 11-room inn located in an historic building in Healdsburg, where luxury accommodations, proximity to renowned wineries, and playing privileges at Mayacama Golf Club add up to an unbeatable package.
If gaming is on your list of fun things to do, consider Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks (an hour north of Napa Valley), where in addition to all the expected casino options, guests and visitors can play the delightful Yocha Dehe Golf Club. Consistently ranked among the state’s best public-access courses — including being named among “Golfweek’s Best” in 2024 — the course is renowned for its manicured fairways, serene setting, and attentive service.
COASTAL PLEASURES
On the Monterey Peninsula, not far from the cozy confines of Pebble Beach, are two well-respected courses on the former military base at Fort Ord, Bayonet and Black Horse. Always in great condition with the Monterey Bay as the scenic backdrop to many holes, the fairways are lined with mature pine, cypress, and oak trees. A 2007 renovation of Bayonet by Gene Bates reordered the holes and created a new ninth hole, giving these iconic courses a new energy and fan base.
In Dana Point, Monarch Beach Golf Links (above) opens with two holes overlooked by the palatial Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, and then takes a sharp left under the Pacific Coast Highway and delivers players to the edge of the Pacific Ocean for holes three and four. It’s one of the classic opening sequences in California golf.
The back nine ambles into a sunny valley behind the resort, offering a trio of memorable par-3s, two of which — Nos. 13 and 15 — require accuracy due to the presence of water. The home hole emerges behind the clubhouse, its putting surface wrapped behind a lake 400 yards from the tee box. A strong challenge for those whose match is still in question, No. 18 can seal the deal … or let the deal slip away in a watery grave.
The resort celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024, winning a “Distinguished Golf Destination” award from Boardroom Magazine and a “Platinum Award” from the Association of Golf Merchandisers, adding to its long list of accolades over the years.
“What’s special about Monarch is that it truly captures the essence of coastal Orange County: a love of being outside, athletic, and sporty, but also laid-back,” said PGA Director of Player Development and Marketing Jackie Riegle. “It’s such a perfect balance for the guest who likes the finer things in life, but who also might hit some shots while barefoot and wants music playing during a round.”
The posh, 400-room resort with recently refreshed guestrooms and suites looks out from its bluff-top location to the azure Pacific Ocean. Guests are privy to some of the best dining options in California, led by Bourbon Steak Orange County, a Michael Mina restaurant, which is annually ranked among the very best restaurants in Orange County.
“Monarch Beach is really the best of all worlds,” said General Manager Eric Lohman. “It’s a one-of-a-kind resort situated on one of the most captivating coastlines in the world, with a golf course to match. That adds up to an unbeatable golf experience.”
Aviara Golf Club at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad delivers a fun, colorful round of Arnold Palmer-designed golf with abundant water in the form of lakes and streams. Dotted with colorful native wildflowers and backdropped by views of the Pacific Ocean, the hilly layout can be both a challenge and a delight. An excellent clubhouse restaurant conceived by celebrity chef Richard Blais, Ember & Rye, is the perfect spot to enjoy a drink and a meal after a round.
The Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego is situated on 400 acres of pristine coastal canyon just minutes from the Pacific Ocean. Here, resort guests find true balance at a state-of-the-art spa, dine at the Michelin-three-starred Addison, or challenge themselves on the fairways of a private 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed golf course. The Grand Golf Club stands apart as one of the very few Tom Fazio designs on the West Coast. The course plays astride deep arroyos and across dramatic elevations with remarkable ocean views. Your round concludes with a stunning par-four that plays over a stream to a waterfall finish.
DESERT DREAMS
The greater Palm Springs area boasts more than 100 golf courses — one of the greatest concentrations of golf in the world — ranging from exclusive, highly private clubs to residential tracks to resort and daily fee layouts. Many of the best golf designers of the past half-century are represented with courses, making the Coachella Valley a true golf paradise.
Of those that are publicly accessible, Classic Club (above) in Palm Desert is at the top of the “must-play” list. The Arnold Palmer Signature design and former co-host of the PGA Tour’s annual American Express desert stop, the course celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 and shows no signs of slowing down. One major reason? The facility continues to maintain a private club feel.
“It’s about bringing that expectation for the guest,” said General Manager Greg Rubino. “Classic Club has long been considered one of the top public courses in an area with a lot of great golf options. But here, it really is about creating a ‘member for a day’ experience.”
Owned by the philanthropic H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, the course hosts thousands of charitable events a year, both on the golf course and in the elegant, 63,000-square-foot, Tuscan-inspired clubhouse.
Praised for its groomed fairways and agronomic excellence, the golf course was named GreensKeeper.org winner for “Best Playing Conditions in Southern California” in 2022, an award well deserved. Players enjoy the abundance of flora and mature trees that grace the layout, along with numerous lakes that provide a “desert oasis” ambiance.
The clubhouse restaurant, Bellatrix, is a destination unto itself, drawing local residents as well as players coming off a round. Serving lunch and dinner, the menus range from well-prepared lunch classics including salads, sandwiches, and burgers to creative takes on locally grown produce, such as the bacon-wrapped, bleu-cheese-stuffed Medjool dates. The dinner menu features several preparations of fresh fish, port-braised short ribs, and inspired preparations of meat dishes.
Indian Wells Golf Resort has upped its game several times over the past two decades, and today has evolved into one of the state’s most-beloved golf destinations. The first big changes took place in 2006 and 2007 when the two popular resort tracks were completely redesigned and reopened as the Celebrity Course (Clive Clark design) and the Players Course (John Fought design).
Both received immediate rave reviews by both the media and players alike, with awards and accolades coming in bunches. They are about as different as siblings can be, with the Celebrity Course being more sporty and colorful, with lots of water features, plantings, and abundant trees; while the Players Course, as the name implies, can give better players a run for their money with resistance to scoring coming in the form of length — the course tops out at over 7,300 yards — angles of play, and sculpted bunkering reminiscent of classic-era design.
Both courses, it should be mentioned, offer multiple tees, making the courses fun and approachable for all players regardless of skill level. Add in awesome views of the surrounding mountains and the golf experience at Indian Wells is hard to beat.
The culinary experience at the expansive golf clubhouse is the most recent evolution, with celebrity chef Richard Blais having opened Kestrel (https://www.kestrel.kitchen/) in the space long occupied by Vue Grill & Bar. Perched on the second floor of the clubhouse, the new restaurant reveals an airy, earth-toned dining room and bar with soaring views of mountain peaks, verdant fairways, and multi-hued sunsets. An outdoor terrace, complete with open-air bar and table seating, is the perfect setting to enjoy the region’s culinary style and natural allure.
Open for lunch and dinner, guests are treated to creative takes on clubhouse food, such as baby back ribs with tamarind date barbecue sauce, an ahi tuna sandwich with wasabi aioli, or a “caught yesterday” catch of the day. A Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night “feast” offers prime rib and all the fixins’ (add Maine lobster for an additional $7!).
The four surrounding hotels — Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa, the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Indian Wells Resort Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas — have all upgraded their offerings in recent years, with a wide choice of luxurious, family friendly accommodations, and amenities.
Another desert delight is Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa. The Pete Dye Resort Course, with its plush fairways and awesome mountain views, is in the best condition in years coming out of overseed and bunker renovation, and the resort itself delivers a wellness experience all can enjoy.
FAVES & RAVES
In the pastoral rolling hills northeast of Monterey Bay in Hollister is the idyllic San Juan Oaks Golf Club, which reopened for daily fee play at the end of 2024 after a two-and-a-half-year intensive course renovation. Gene Bates, designer of the original course in 1996, and PGA TOUR player and World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples were advisors on the renovation. The work involved regrassing the entire course, including tees and fairways with perennial ryegrass, and 007XL bentgrass on the greens. The San Juan Oaks master plan features a completely remodeled and expanded clubhouse with a pro shop, meeting and event spaces, event lawn, bocce ball courts, new dining opportunities, and residential opportunities by Shea Homes.
Maderas Golf Club, near San Diego in Poway, was designed by Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves. Opened in 1999, it boasts a winding layout that leads through rocky terrain with dramatic elevation changes. The rolling, boulder-strewn hills typical of inland San Diego County provided a scenic backdrop for play. Risk-reward shots are prevalent for experienced players, while five sets of tee boxes provide an enjoyable round for golfers of all capabilities. Its collection of accolades over the years includes “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” from Golf Digest, No. 4 top courses in California by Golf Advisor, “Best Courses You Can Play in Each State” by Golfweek, and many others.
The greater Los Angeles area boasts a surprising number of terrific public-access golf courses for a densely packed metropolis, with Pasadena’s Brookside Golf Club, a popular 36-hole municipal facility, near the top of the list. Located adjacent to the world-famous Rose Bowl in the shadows of the San Gabriel Mountains, Brookside features two in-demand daily fee layouts designed by famed golf architect William P. Bell. The layouts are relatively flat, with the challenge to scoring coming in the form of narrow fairways lined by mature trees, with several lakes and streams traversing the property. Players enjoy the competitive rates and scenic surroundings Brookside has to offer.
A bit further south in Tustin is Tustin Ranch Golf Club, a picturesque facility that features a signature Ted Robinson-designed golf course with water in play on many holes. The course has been named California Golf Course Owner’s Association “CGCOA Course of the Year” as well as having been consistently voted as a best “Orange County Golf Course and Driving Range” by readers of the Orange County Register. Golf Digest ranked the challenging Tustin Ranch Golf Club four-stars several years in a row. ■
