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 Nestled in the rolling hillsides of northern San Diego County is Pauma Valley. Traveling the winding roads to a place 30 minutes east of Interstate 15, where the sunlight creates a radiant glow over the lush valley, one of golf’s great secrets can be found. The Rev. Billy Graham, a former resident of the area, was once asked what heaven looked like and he remarked that he hoped it looked a lot like Pauma Valley. In 1959, architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. was brought in to survey a majestic piece of land. After his first viewing, Jones was confident he could build a golf course worthy of a national tournament and he did, even if the logistics and demographics of the area have not yet fully cooperated. Featuring large undulating greens, classic runway tee boxes and a brilliant collection of long par 4s, varied par 3s, and par 5s replete with great risk-reward value, Pauma Valley Country Club opened to rave reviews in 1961. It evolved into a private club in 1966 and over the years has hosted its share of celebrities and industry leaders looking to escape to the tranquility of the valley. For years, the club was ranked by national publications as one of the top 10 layouts in the state and among the top 100 courses in the country, yet somewhere along the line, the golf community lost track of this gem. Arnold Palmer took such a liking to the club that he produced a television program in 1964 called “Challenge Golf” and used Pauma Valley as the stage for a match featuring himself, Gary Player, Mike Souchak and Jack Nicklaus. Ben Hogan was another frequent visitor to the valley. According to Stan Leonard, a PGA Tour contemporary of Hogan’s, the two would drive from Palm Springs and play 36 holes from the tips and drive back to the desert in the same day. Leonard has also stated that Hogan considered Augusta National and Pauma Valley to be the two finest courses in North America. The greatness of the layout is not lost on today’s stars such as Phil Mickelson, who recently has used Pauma Valley as a place to tune-up before facing similar challenges on the PGA Tour. Home sites line the course, but the design makes them feel like an integral part of the landscape. Members also have access to a private airstrip on the property. Membership information is available by calling (760) 742-3721 or visiting www.paumavalleycc.com. n |
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