FEATURE
Southern California's roads well traveled
By David R. Holland,
Senior Writer
TEMECULA, Calif. (Oct. 1, 2003) -- Life on the road from San Diego to today's wine country of the Temecula Valley, was thought to be somewhat harrowing back in the 1880s in a stage coach bouncing on the ruts of Old Stage Road.
Today's journey on I-15 takes one near Poway, where the Old Stage Road ventures by Maderas Golf Club, and one is reminded of those were prosperous times when families made a living on farms, planting orchards, vineyards and raising grain.
The trip to San Diego had to be an adventure of a lifetime and the Old Stage Road is still chronicled with historic markers. Still visible in the hills to the north of Poway, the stagecoach roach and the grade to the south can still be seen.
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Venture some 123 years later. I-15 is a constant hum of vehicles in heavily populated Southern California and the immigration check point just before you enter Temecula tells you life is different in the 21st Century.
When Chris Wilczynski, Senior Design Associate for Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates, arrived to start work on CrossCreek Golf Club, in the nearby countryside, and passed through that immigration checkpoint, he knew he was a long way from home.
"When we finally got to the site where the golf course was to be built, we immediately found a recently used camp site under a large oak tree just to the right of what is now the 11th green. For me being from a small town in Michigan it was pretty interesting hearing the stories about how immigrants traveled through the site in search of a better life, but actually seeing one of their camps with beds and clothes, and the remains of their meal from the night before made their struggles more of a reality," Wilczynski recalled.
On a another trip to the site the crew found a burned out stolen car in the middle of the fourth fairway. "The car had been stolen within a day of us finding it because it was still smoking," he said.
CrossCreek Golf Club and Maderas Golf Club are two must-plays in the beautiful countryside, riddled with round boulders and rugged hillsides north of the San Diego metropolitan area.
Here's a closer look:
CrossCreek Golf Club in Temecula
Meet
Bobby Jones in knickers wearing argyle socks, speaking to you with a
Georgia drawl. Or maybe you will be greeted by a young man, with slicked-back
hair and two-tone shoes. "Hi, I'm Walter Hagen, welcome to CrossCreek."
These player's assistants will even give you a speech about their life
and accomplishments on the golf course.
The nostalgic theme of CrossCreek certainly gets your attention and so will this demanding, old-style golf course designed by Arthur Hills and Wilczynski. Opened in May 2001, this par-71, 6,833-yard layout has some crowned greens and false fronts that will tease, tantalize and terrorize you. And then there are the greens that are small and tilted toward wooded Sycamore Creek. Bunkers are sometimes deep with flat bottoms.
Void of houses for now, the first five holes border Sycamore Creek, then the land opens up into meadow, rolling terrain. You climb on the back nine, dealing with some rugged barrancas, and getting vistas of nearby citrus groves and farms growing avocados.
Each hole, too, has a name and a famous quote from one of the legends of golf. You will need to be inspired by an olden-day saying, especially on No. 18 if the wind has kicked up from the Pacific Ocean some 20 miles to the east.
Play 450 yards uphill, the 18th has so much trouble right, you might be happy with a smothered hook. The barranca right is dark and heavily wooded. When you come in sight of the green you see a drop of 50 feet to an amphitheater surrounded by ancient oaks, gnarly fingers reaching out to swat down any wayward approach.
At the end of the day you will appreciate the GPS or you will be tuckered out if you walked, maybe not physically, but mentally -- and you might be well-read from all the words of golf wisdom located throughout the layout.
Maderas Golf Club in Poway
Designed
by Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves and managed by Troon Golf, Maderas
Golf Club opened in January 2000. The Old Coach Road, which leads to
the club entrance, was that pathway followed by the stagecoach running
between Ramona and San Diego in the late 1800s.
Paying attention and course management is imperative at Maderas, a par 72 measuring 7,118 yards from the back tees. Sycamore Creek meanders through the course affecting vision on four holes, and lakes come into play on three other holes. Some fairways slant demanding placement on the high sides, bunkers have deep faces and more than 170 oak trees and 40 acres of native wildflowers make any wild drives an adventure.
On one hole you might find yourself on a tee-box perch on a rocky cliff with a forced carry and on others the forced carry might be over the creek or one of five waterfalls on the approach to the green.
Elevation
changes are subtle causing some indecision and a mis-club or mis-hit
could put you in a deep bunker. The course begins with the easier holes,
including the 583-yard par five, but you finish the day with five tough
ones. No. 9, a 382-yarder, is a target test a drive of not more than
290. The approach is over water to a green bordered by the lake right,
and big bunkers in back.
After your round on this award-winning course enjoy the Italian-Style Villa clubhouse that features a bar and The Grille restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The food is superb.
Where to play
CrossCreek Golf Club
43860 Glen Meadows Rd.
Temecula, CA 92590
(909) 506-3402
crosscreekgolfclub.com
Maderas Golf Club
17750 Old Coach Road
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 451-8100
maderasgolf.com
Where to stay near Maderas
Radisson
Suite Hotel in Rancho Bernardo is located in the heart of San Diego's
scenic north county, within 10 minutes you'll find upscale shopping
at North County Fair Mall, four wineries, more than 15 challenging golf
courses, and the world-famous Wild Animal Park.
It's also only 25 minutes from San Diego, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Legoland and miles of picturesque beaches. Tickets to many attractions are available at the hotel.
Radisson Suite Hotel Rancho Bernardo
11520 W. Bernardo Court
Rancho Bernardo, CA 92127
(858) 451-6600
radisson.com
Where to stay near CrossCreek
The Pechanga Resort and Casino has 522 rooms and suites overlooking the historic Temecula wine country, and is a place that embodies the spirit of a western resort community. Pechanga, with numerous dining options, is relaxed luxury and brand-new just minutes from I-15. While staying a Pechanga you are also just an hour's drive from the Pacific Ocean and the many attractions of San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles.
Pechanga Resort & Casino
45000 Pechanga Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592
(909) 693-1819
(888)-PECHANGA
pechanga.com
David R. Holland is an award-winning senior writer for TravelGolf.com, three-time winner of Forbes Magazine's Best of the Web Award. Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
