La Costa Championship Review

For 30 years La Costa played host of the Mercedes Championship, with so many of the titans of golf playing in Oceanside, Nicklaus, Woods, etc. Mercedes has moved on but the course is still as challenging and picturesque as ever. The course was recently renovated to remove turf and four holes were redesigned so I was eager to play the refreshed track.

The frontside is a pretty straightforward affair with the course laying out the holes before you while challenging you with bunkers aplenty.

The key to this course is that if you miss, miss on the correct side. You leave yourself short-sided on these holes you are in for a long day.

The backside is where the fun really picks up. There is a bunch of water on this course, streams, lakes a plenty.

The quality is apparent at La Costa. The tee boxes, fairways and greens are all in great shape. The backside particularly gives the golfer a challenge from tee to green (especially the 18th when the wind is blowing).

There is just something missing with this course, something I can't put my finger on. There are a lot of "good" holes but very few of "great" ones (11th hole excluded, one of my favorite anywhere). The routing is predictable and the staff was friendly but aloof which seems to translate to the course. Really good course, really great pedigree but leaves you wanting wanting the front side to be just as good as the back side.

For more information about La Costa, check out this link: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego-la-costa/golf/champions-course