|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holing Up in Carlsbadby Dina GanMy golf clubs had been gathering dust in the basement for more than a year until this past spring when, inspired by Yani Tseng's victory at the LPGA Championship, I decided to take my Ping G2s out of hibernation. I signed up for a lesson from the PGA professional at my local golf store. Within 15 minutes, he showed me the proper way to hold a golf club and taught me a simple weight-shifting drill that completely changed the way I swing. After another lesson and dozens of practice sessions at the driving range, I was anxious to try out my skill makeover. 
What better place to go than Carlsbad, CA, the "capital of golf" and home to the top two golf club makers, Callaway and TaylorMade. The weather is perfect for golf there: sunny and mid-70s almost all year-round, thanks to the coastal marine layer that drifts in to keep evenings cool and burns away by mid-morning. "If we can't retire in Hawaii," I announced to my husband, "I want to retire here. We can wear matching track suits and live on a golf course." He was thrilled, mostly about the idea of living on a golf course.
We played our first Carlsbad round at La Costa Resort and Spa, an historic course which has hosted several major golf tournaments. Opened in 1965, La Costa was once the California playground of the Rat Pack and other celebrities. Today, it attracts vacationing couples and families to its luxurious facilities amid Spanish Mission-style architecture. Guests can relax at the spa, undergo "feng shui" beauty treatments at the acclaimed Yamaguchi salon, or partake in an ayurvedic program at The Chopra Center, which has its flagship location at La Costa.
The morning of our round, my husband and I had brunch at the resort's Legends Bistro. We were seated outside, overlooking the 18th hole of the North Course. But we lingered a little too long at the view and had no time to stretch or warm up at the practice range before our noon tee time. As a result, I swung a little too hard on the first hole and strained a muscle in my forearm. Despite my literal handicap, I managed to enjoy the next four hours by virtue of the sheer pleasure of being outside on a perfect day, walking on well-kept fairways in the footsteps of champions. Granite plaques are erected at each tee, highlighting the history that's been made there. The plaque at the 16th hole commemorates Tiger Woods' famous sudden-death victory, when he drove his tee shot to within two inches of the hole and birdied to win the 1997 Mercedes Championship. It is clear why La Costa's two courses are championship-caliber: ample sand bunkerage and deceptively scenic water hazards adorn each hole. The ladies tees offered little advantage to me, since they were set no more than about 10 feet away from the back tees. Not surprisingly, I double-, triple-, and even quadruple-bogeyed my way through the course, managing a single bogey on just one hole and par on none. At the 14th hole, I stopped counting strokes after several attempts to get my ball over a winding creek were met with repeated denial. On the 18th hole, I plonked my ball right into the stream that guards the putting green. I took the penalty stroke, then dropped my ball and chipped it up to within 3 feet of the hole. The people who happened to be watching from the Legends Bistro terrace must have thought it was a great shot. Little did they know it had already taken me 6 strokes to get there. 
But at least I made it through a full 18 holes for the first time in my life. Tired and achy, I retreated to the spa for La Costa's signature Spanish Herbal Body Rub, which began with an invigorating full-body exfoliation. Using ground rosemary, sage, and fresh lavender buds steeped in olive oil, the massage therapist sloughed my skin to butter smoothness. This was followed by a cozy heated body wrap and a scalp massage that felt so relaxing I dozed off within minutes. My therapist woke me so I could rinse off, and then continued my pampering with a long, much-needed massage. Golf followed by spa: definitely the way to go.
After a day of rest, I couldn't wait to get back on the green. This time, my husband and I played at the Aviara Golf Club of the Four Seasons Resort. Opened in 1991, Aviara has one 18-hole course inspired by the natural landscape of the nearby Batiquitos Lagoon. From the moment I stepped onto the practice range, I felt transported. I reached into my bag of rental clubs, which was a shiny, new set of Callaway Big Berthas, pulled out a hybrid 5-iron, and hit a ball. The club felt light as a feather and the head could have been coated in teflon, the way it repelled the ball into the lush landscape of soft grassy mounds and brightly colored target flags. 
At tee time, the starter showed us how to work the GPS system on the golf carts, told us which holes were the most picturesque, and gave us the rundown on how to approach playing the course. He called it a "gotcha" course, meaning that its undulating hills and unique layouts will fool even the most experienced player. As soon as we arrived at the first tee box, I understood what he meant. The fairway had more peaks than the Chocolate Hills of the Philippines. Fortunately, the ladies tees were set far ahead of the back tees, giving me at least a psychological advantage. Unlike at La Costa, there were no forced carries; I had tee shots that were politely set to the side or in front of any intimidating water hazards. Not that it helped me much. On the 6th hole, I felt more like I was playing pinball than golf. I kept hitting my ball uphill into fairway mounds and suffered more rollbacks than a Wal-Mart sale.
While the Aviara resort course is rated as easier than the La Costa North Course, I actually scored two strokes higher at Aviara. My consolation was the gorgeous scenery. Natural eye candy was everywhere, from succulent plants to well-sculpted waterfalls. The landscaping design provided a complete sense of privacy at each hole. It felt like we had the entire course to ourselves. This is what golf heaven must be like.
Like most Four Seasons resorts, the Aviara has terrific service. Where else would the player's assistant drive around in a golf cart and hand out Tootsie Pops? Lighthearted touches like this remind me that while golf is challenging, it is also supposed to be fun. No matter how badly I play, it's a great excuse to spend the day outdoors. And there's something empowering about focusing all your energy on moving around such a small object in a playing field that is comparatively as large as the universe. When you think about it, it's something of a miracle to hit the ball at all. |
|
|
|
We would like to hear from you! If you have any comments or questions, please send an e-mail to: writeus@jademagazine.com or click here Write Us!
Reproduction of material from any jademagazine.com pages without written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. © Dina Gan. All rights reserved. DISCLAIMER |