San Diego Swing

An insider’s guide to golf and more.

As San Diegans, we see you, our Arizona friends. Or “Zonies,” as we’re wont to call you. (No offense intended.) June rolls around and the pilgrimage begins on Interstate 8 West as you escape your scorching temperatures for our beaches, parks, zoo, amusement parks and blissfully cool nights. With that said, a San Diego native would like to offer some recommendations for a few favorite golf experiences and pair them with suggestions for fun that might be a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the effort. Kind of like driving 350 miles to get to the beach.

Torrey Pines Golf Course

The Golf: The pedigrees of the cliffside North and South courses speak for themselves — 57 years of hosting PGA Tour events and two U.S. Opens. Of course, that makes it extremely tough to get a tee time. But not impossible. There is the 90-day advance reservation system, though it’s not cheap at $50 per player, on top of hefty green fees. The other option is walking up on the day of play, and you’d be surprised how well this can work. Singles are all but guaranteed to get on if you show up early enough, and twosomes have a chance, though the wait could be long. One more thing: Unless the South is an absolute bucket list item for you, choose the North. It’s more fun, playable and the views are just as spectacular.

Off-Course: Yes, it looks terrifying, those paragliders floating high above the beach near the Torrey Pines courses. In reality, if you can get over the idea of running to jump off a cliff to get in the air, it’s truly magical. The joy of soaring above such gorgeous scenery will rank up there with anything you’ve ever done. Promise.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club

The Golf: Tucked in the hills of Ramona, Mt. Woodson is something of a hidden gem and like no other course in Southern California. The holes on the shortish track shift like a rollercoaster through massive boulders and oak trees, and in a one-of-a-kind feature, there’s a winding wooden bridge between the second and third holes that is right out of an Indiana Jones movie. Enjoy the ride!

Off-Course: Twenty-five miles east of Mt. Woodson is San Diego’s most wellknown mountain town, Julian. Established in the 1870s during the gold rush, Julian is a yearround attraction for its quaint main street, many unique shops and, most notably, it’s apple pie. People drive for hours to eat one piece.

Aviara Golf Club

The Golf: For a high-end playing experience on the north coast, Carlsbad’s Aviara is tough to beat. The Arnold Palmer design is notable for the variety of its visuals, and those encompass both the golf test and foliage beautiful enough to belong in a botanical garden.

Off-Course: Not far from screaming riders on Legoland’s rollercoasters is the area’s most underrated attraction: the

Museum of Making Music. It’s small, but packed with displays about instruments we all know and others that look and feel like musical unicorns. The most fun comes in getting to try some of the pieces.

Balboa Park Golf Course

The Golf: Hundreds of planes flying every day into San Diego’s airport zoom directly over the Balboa Park layout, but most out-of-towners don’t even realize it’s there. Put it on the must-play list, because the reasonably priced, century-old layout is a strong and sometimes quirky test that offers fantastic, elevated views of the downtown skyline.

Off-Course: A stroll through the main promenade at Balboa Park is always a relaxing treat, and we offer a couple of recommendations: the nature in the freshly renovated Botanical Building, and the technology in the Fleet Science Center, where there are dozens of cool experiences for adults and kids.

Coronado Golf Course

The Golf: For our money (and it’s relatively inexpensive), this is the quintessential San Diego round, with views of the Coronado Bridge, San Diego skyline, Hotel del Coronado and yachts anchored in the bay. Give us a round at Coronado and beers on the patio afterward, and we couldn’t be happier.

Off-Course: The best way to see the island is on bike; rent those at the Coronado Landing, where there’s shopping, dining and the ferry dock. Not to mention wonderous views of the skyline. From there, peddle through picturesque neighborhood streets across the island and make a stop at the Hotel del Coronado to laze by the beach and people watch.

Singing Hills Golf Club

The Golf: If you’re itching to tee it up as soon as you cross the state line, we highly recommend the 36 holes at Singing Hills in east El Cajon. One of the area’s most beloved and historic facilities, Singing Hills is managed meticulously by the Sycuan Tribe and features two championship tracks of equal quality.

Off-Course: Among the many Indian casino/hotel offerings in the area, Sycuan Casino Resort is one of the finest, and it’s right down the street from the golf courses. There is most of what you’d want in a Las Vegas stay — gambling, fine dining and a hotel with all the luxuries.