MAR BELLA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (1989)

 

ORANGE COUNTY REGION

Members only r 18 hole

30800 Golf Club Drive, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Tel: (949) 248-8590

 

Designed by Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf. This private, residential course is mostly hilly and features some bold bunkering. Keep the ball in play if you want to score well. The downhill 18th is a dramatic finishing hole. From Irvine (about 20 miles south to the course): Take the San Diego Freeway (I-405) south to I-5 and go south to the Ortega Highway (Highway 74) east. Take the first left on Rancho Viejo. The club is on the right.

 

MARE ISLAND GOLF CLUB (2000)

 

NORTH COAST REGION

Public - 18 hole - cost: $28 - $48

1800 Club Drivel Mare Island, Vallejo, CA 94592

Tel: (707) 562-4653

 

Designed by Robin Nelson (addition). This is a magnificent target golf course with small greens, plenty of trees, some water, and sloping fairways. If you can't hit a downhill, uphill, or side-hill lie, you will be in for a long day. Mare Island possesses some of the best views the Bay Area has to offer. A former military course, nine new holes have been intermixed with the original nine that date back to 1892. From San Francisco (about 35 miles northeast to the course): Take I-80 east, exit at Tennessee Street in Vallejo, and head west. This will dead-end at the Mare Island Causeway. Go west. At the blue and white bridge, go to the guard gate, where the guard gives further directions. This is truly an undiscovered gem. The new nine has been incorporated to make a phenomenal golf course. Up until a few months ago, this course was only played by locals, but now Mare Island must be considered a top-notch destination course.