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 Think Santa Barbara, the home of Fred Couples, some great golf courses and some of the best scenery on the West Coast. Add some opulent seaside resorts, affordable hotels and motels, and an eclectic range of nightlife, restaurants, wineries and other recreational and cultural amenities, and the short trip to Santa Barbara is perfect for a quick golf getaway, romantic rendezvous or family gathering. Here’s a look at some of the finest spots in the region: Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort 1054 Alisal Road, Solvang (805) 688-6411 • www.alisal.com Ranch Course — Par: 72. Yardage: 6,551 yards from the tips. Rating: 72.0. Green fees: $100 to walk, $116 with cart. River Course — Par: 72. Yardage: 6,830 yards from the tips. Rating: 73.1. Green fees: $50, Monday-Friday (cart $30 extra); $60, Saturday-Sunday (cart $30 extra). Senior and twilight rates: $39. Two courses, one designed by Billy Bell that opened in 1955 and the other designed by the Halsey/Daray Design Group, which opened in 1991, and a hotel on a 10,000-acre working cattle ranch make this property one of Southern California’s great golf getaways. Birds and other wildlife are abundant on each track, and the Alisal Creek runs through the property and offers great views of the Santa Ynez Valley. “The Ranch Course is 50 years old and is tighter, a little shorter and has a little more character, while the River Course is a more open, links-style bump- and-run course,” said assistant professional Robert Scarpati. The Ranch Course is only open to resort guests, while the River Course is open to the public. Rancho San Marcos Golf Club 4600 Highway 154, Santa Barbara (877) 776-1804 www.rsm1804.com Par: 72. Yardage: 6,817 from the tips. Rating: 73.2. Green fees, with cart and all-day range use: $65, Monday-Thursday; $85 Friday-Sunday. History — including a preserved stagecoach trail that runs along the 17th hole — and natural beauty imbue this Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed track on the site of Rancho San Marcos, founded in 1804. The course, which opened in 1998, is 12 miles from downtown Santa Barbara and offers spectacular views of the Santa Ynez River Valley and Lake Cachuma. “We’ve got a little bit of everything,” said general manager Tom Endy. “We’re a valley course so some of the holes are flat, but we also have some hilly portions and doglegs. We’re not the longest course but you need some precision because of our greens, which I think are our best feature. They’re bent grass and big but with a lot of undulation and they roll very smooth and true.” Sandpiper Golf Club 7925 Hollister Ave., Goleta (805) 968-1541 www.sandpipergolf.com Par: 72. Yardage: 7,068 from the tips. Rating: 73.9. Green fees, with cart: $126, Monday-Thursday; $146, Friday-Sunday. Often ranked among the top 50 courses in the country, this William F. Bell-designed seaside course opened in 1974. It has hosted numerous professional events, including the final stage of PGA Tour qualifying, so it has plenty of bite from the back tees, which measure more than 7,000 yards. Ocean and mountain views are found on each hole and, while mid- to high-handicappers should have a great time playing the course, “we don’t recommend they play from the tips,” said head professional Steve Vaquera. “The course looks milder than it is and since we’re on the coastline and have improved our bunkers and rough, the back tees can give even low-handicappers a challenge. But everyone has a great time playing here because it is so beautiful.” Glen Annie Golf Club 405 Glen Annie Road, Goleta (805) 968-6400 www.glenanniegolf.com Par: 71. Yardage: 6,420 yards from the tips. Rating: 71.2. Green fees (cart $11 extra): $59, Monday-Thursday; $74, Friday-Sunday. More affordable than some of its neighbors, this Damian Pascuzzo and Robert Muir Graves course still offers ocean views and challenge, thanks to its tough rough and coastal winds. The difficulty is offset by its manageable length: 6,420 yards from the tips. “We’re not a terribly long course but our holes are quite challenging,” said pro shop employee John Colomb. “We’ve got decent-sized fairways but we like to keep the rough high, so if you get in there it’s a deterrent.” The front nine is flat but every hole on the back nine has elevation changes. La Purisima Golf Course 3455 State Highway 246, Lompoc (805) 735-8395 www.lapurisimagolf.com Par: 72. Yardage: 7,105 yards from the tips. Rating: 75.6. Green fees with cart: $70, Monday-Thursday; $85, Friday-Sunday. Walking is $15 less. This gem of a course 35 miles north of Santa Barbara could be the crowning achievement of Robert Muir Graves’ design career. It’s annually lauded by national and state rankings and is one of the most enjoyable walks of any golf course. Six sets of tees make the course playable for all levels, but the course’s rolling terrain, coastal breezes, water features and challenging layout make for a strong test from the tips, which is why it hosted the finals of the 1996 PGA Tour Qualifying School. The last four holes play into the prevailing wind. “Our greens have a lot of undulation and when you combine the length of some of the holes with strategic tree placement on shorter holes along with the coastal breezes it can be a challenge, but that’s why there’s four sets of tees so not every golfer feels overwhelmed,” said club professional Perry Hallmeyer. n |
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