La Costa: Rat Pack Revival

It takes an architect of immense skill to take a better-than-average golf course and transform it into something that commands respect from world-class players and still be enjoyed by resort golfers.

The North Course at La Costa, nestled in the hills north of San Diego, has hosted its share of prestigious events since opening in 1965. Most notably it was the site of the Mercedes Championship (now the Tournament of Champions) – between 1969 and 1998. It was always considered a good test without setting anyone’s world alight or reaching ‘bucket-list’ status.

But following its most recent renovation it is now seen in a completely different light.

Gil Hanse was chosen to update the course late in 2020 and have it ready in time for last spring’s NCAA Championships. The project was beset with wet winter weather in 2022/2023 causing power outages, evacuations, and extensive property damage throughout southern California. “It’s so hard to complain about rain there because they need so much of it,” Hanse says. “But it definitely created a timing issue for us.”

Hanse’s first job had been to locate old photos of the resort and the course Wilson built to see how it blended into its surroundings. “Our goal was to try and create a course that was fun and interesting for resort guests, provide a challenging exam for the country’s best college players through the set-up options we created, and restore a connection to the Southern California landscape,” he says.

He and his design partner Jim Wagner, and their Caveman Construction team, pulled off a remarkable job. The extended 7,538-yard layout, previously called the Champions Course, played extremely firm and fast and provided a great deal of excitement for the NCAA golf championships last spring. The last team to qualify for the match play portion of the event (in the men’s tournament) shot a collective 25-over-par, and the medalist, Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai, came in at just three-under 285 for the four-stroke play rounds.

The Auburn Tigers won its first-ever national golf title there, beating the Florida State Seminoles by three matches to two. Stanford won the women’s championship, claiming its third title since 2015, beating UCLA 3-2 in the final.

Auburn’s coach Nick Clinard left La Costa a big fan. “It tested every part of your game which is exactly what you want for a national championship,” he says.

The NCAA was also impressed and awarded a two-year contract extension, meaning it will host the championships through 2028.

“Our first impression was ‘wow’, this place is outstanding,” Clinard says. “It was a great test. And, because of how firm it was, the players really had to manage their games and execute their shots with great precision.”

Coloradans who visit won’t be met with quite the same demands as there are six sets of tees ranging from 4,502 yards to 7,500 (the neighboring South Course, formerly the Legends, measures 4,904 yards to 6,996), and it’s unlikely the course will play quite as firm as it did lastMay.

Walk-up green fees are no longer offered. “You must be staying on property or be a member to access the North Course,” says Dustin Irwin, the Club Director. “Our focus is to do a lower volume of rounds, which helps us ensure our course conditions are always excellent, and adds value to our members and resort guests.”

The new North Course has been open to guests for six months now and its reputation has improved dramatically. The volume of play is down as planned, but Irwin says he is constantly on the phone, fielding calls from golfers wanting to give it a shot.

The 400-acre, Spanish Mission-style property saw other changes ahead of its 60th birthday. In 2021, the resort’s lobby, bar, meeting spaces, and Costa De La Luna ballroom were refreshed, and last spring a multi-million dollar project brought changes to over 500 guest rooms and the 43,000 square foot spa where the likes of Richard Nixon, Johnny Carson, Jackie Kennedy, and Frank Sinatra were once pampered.

The days when famous politicians and TV personalities frequented La Costa may be considered its heyday, but Dustin Irwin believes it’s peaking again.

“With the renovations to guestrooms, the spa, meeting space, practice facilities, and Gil Hanse’s amazing work on the North Course,” he says, “we really are bringing La Costa back to its glory days.”