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While belonging to an exclusive country club is a privilege that only the wealthy can enjoy, it’s a privilege any golfer would love to have. Here are 10 we wouldn’t mind calling home. THE BRIDGES AT RANCHO SANTA FERancho Santa FeDesigner: Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Opened: 2000. Golf specs: Par 71, 6,916 yards. Set on 450 lushly vegetated acres complete with cavernous canyons that yawn several hundred feet below the course, The Bridges feels as much like Italy as San Diego County, complete with groves of olive trees, adjacent vineyards and citrus orchards. There’s a 36,000-square-foot Tuscany-themed clubhouse with wine loft and spa, luxuriant 10,000-square-foot sports center with state-of-the-art fitness area, swimming and massage. LOS ANGELES COUNTRY CLUBLos AngelesDesigner: George C. Thomas. Opened: 1921. Golf specs: The North Course is a par 71 measuring 6,909 yards; the South Course is a par 70 that plays 5,970 yards. No course in Southern California pops up on more “100 greatest courses in America” rankings from national golf magazines than the North Course. It is, by all accounts, one of the best in the country. Both courses are incredibly scenic, thanks to the nearly 100 years of growth the trees have enjoyed. It also has surprising elevation changes for a course in West Los Angeles. THE VINTAGE CLUBIndian WellsDesigner: Tom Fazio. Opened: Mountain Course, 1981; Desert Course, 1984. Golf specs: The Mountain is a par 72 measuring 7,066 yards. The Desert is a par 72 and plays 6,322 yards. Encompassing 712 acres, The Vintage Club is located 15 miles southeast of Palm Springs. It features a desert course that combines native flora with lakes and waterfalls, and a mountain course that is Scottish-links in style. There are five acres of lakes and waterfalls on the property, an 85,000-square-foot clubhouse inspired by ancient pyramids, a tennis center, a swim center, wine cellar and fine-dining restaurant. SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUBThousand OaksDesigner: Jack Nicklaus. Opened: 1989. Golf specs: Par 72, 7,025 yards. The course is located about 35 miles west of West Los Angeles and is part of a 1,900-acre gated community. It features several stunning canyons set against the Santa Monica Mountains. It has a 50,000-square-foot main clubhouse and 14,000-square-foot family-oriented second clubhouse, a wine cellar and fine dining restaurant, pub, two croquet courts, a wading pool, and numerous tennis courts. BEL-AIR COUNTRY CLUBLos AngelesDesigner: George C. Thomas. Opened: 1926. Course specs: Par 70, 6,754 yards. Los Angeles has no shortage of storied golf clubs. But Bel-Air is special even in that select company. The membership alone is reason to put it on the list, with names such as Ronald Reagan, Bing Crosby and Richard Nixon belonging in the past. Current members include Dennis Quaid, James Woods and Luke Wilson. BIG CANYON COUNTRY CLUBNewport BeachDesigner: Robert Muir Graves. Opened: 1971. Golf specs: Par 72, 6,876 yards. The name is a misnomer: there isn’t one big canyon on the course — there are several. It’s a mostly traditional layout with tree-lined fairways, excellent bunkering and plenty of water. The course is in the process of expanding and upgrading its 35-year-old clubhouse. THE MADISON CLUBLa QuintaDesigner: Tom Fazio. Opened: 2007. Golf specs: Par 72, 7,426 yards. Designer Tom Fazio moved more than 5 million pounds of dirt and imported some 125,000 shrubs and fully grown trees, some as high as 50 feet. From bagpipes and pianists serenading diners to comfort stations throughout the course, everything about this club seems designed to pamper its members. Even range balls are picked up by hand in order to lessen noise and unsightly blemishes on the driving range. A full-service clubhouse is currently under construction. SHADY CANYON COUNTRY CLUBIrvineDesigner: Tom Fazio. Opened: 2001. Golf specs: Par 71, 7,012 yards. Set on 300 acres overlooking the Shady Canyon Natural preserve in the San Joaquin Hills, this Fazio-designed jewel is part of a 400-home community, all of it surrounded by 16,000 acres of natural open space. There is a 53,000-square-foot clubhouse, a state-of-the-art 6,500-square-foot fitness center including personal training and exercise classes, junior Olympic-size pool, and a spa. RIVIERA COUNTRY CLUBLos AngelesDesigner: George C. Thomas. Opened: 1924. Golf specs: Par 72, 7,157 yards. It’s one of the most famous and well-respected courses in the world. And unlike some of the older L.A. clubs that openly discriminated against women and ethnic groups in the early days, Riviera has long had a reputation for welcoming anyone who can pay the initiation fee, including hollywood celebs that some stuffier clubs didn’t want to deal with. Membership aside, the course is one of the world’s most celebrated, as it has hosted the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, PGA Championship, and Nissan Open. THE QUARRY AT LA QUINTALa QuintaDesigner: Tom Fazio. Opened: 1994. Golf specs: Par 72, 7,083 yards. Plus, a Fazio-designed 10-hole short course opened in 2004. Generally acknowledged as one of the best of the renowned Fazio courses, the Quarry was named the 47th best course in America by Golf Digest in its most current rankings. It rests on 375 acres carved into a former sand quarry, and includes a river and stream flowing through it, along with numerous waterfalls. |
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