Where in the World Is Cori Brett?
March/April 2014
I’ve always been a fan of hidden gems, those places off the beaten path just waiting to be discovered. Maybe the #1 course in San Diego County wasn’t exactly undiscovered, but it was new to me. I had spent most of my time in San Diego hugging the seashore, and Maderas Golf Club lies in an inland valley. But when Golf Digest named Maderas to its prestigious list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” in 2013, I had to find out what was so special.
From San Diego, we drove north through rolling hills to finally arrive at Maderas, located in the little town of Poway. It’s part of an upscale development and was originally a private course when it opened in 1999. Maderas is tucked in a valley surrounded by the stunning San Jacinto mountain range. Rocky hillsides tumble down to fairways, and palatial homes with fantastic views overlook the scene.
I admired the gorgeous course laid out before me. It twisted and turned, rose and fell with the contours of the terrain, and I couldn’t wait to tackle the wild ride. Course designers Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves pulled out all the stops. It has canyons, dry washes, creeks, rocky outcroppings, ponds, lakes and waterfalls, and acres of wildflowers. Sloping fairways make for uneven lies and club selection dilemmas. And then there are the greens, some of the largest in San Diego County and undulating in harmony with the fairways. We loved it.
Maderas offers six tee boxes, three rated for women. Even the red tee at 4,967 yards was no pushover, with a slope of 69.9 and rating of 127. There were several forced carries. The course stretches to 7,167 yards. It’s definitely a better experience by playing from tees appropriate for your game. I was grateful for the advice of our forecaddie. Blind shots became less intimidating with course knowledge. On hole no. 6, the large oak guarding the green seemed like more of a hazard than it turned out to be. I like elevated tee boxes because it always seems like my drives go farther. There‘s no shortage of elevation changes and dramatic hillside views at Maderas, culminating with par-5 no. 18. www.maderasgolf.com
By the time we finished the round, I was feeling the temperature change, maybe 15 degrees warmer than the coast. We were offered a refreshing cold scented towel and a glass of homemade lemonade. I tucked away the recipe to take home. Maderas is a Troon-managed facility. We found it to have top-notch customer service and impeccable playing conditions. It still feels like the private club it once was.
Lunch on the clubhouse patio was a treat. The menu offers a great selection of salads and sandwiches. Highlights were the Blackened Ahi Dagwood and Fish Tacos with Ono. The patio overlooked the 8th and 9th holes, and we remembered how carefully we’d tried to avoid the water on those holes, with little success. The course is so well laid out that we didn’t really see other holes on the course, and its secluded setting made for a quiet round.
From Maderas it’s only a few miles to the Rancho Bernardo Inn, a golf resort with comfortable accommodations, dining, and a full-service spa. Maderas offers a North County Staycation package, which includes a round of golf at each course and two nights at the Inn. Perfect for folks like us, eager to experience more of north San Diego County golf. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up the beach.
“Escape with Cori” on assignment to exotic and fun golf destinations. First-hand impressions from an experienced golf travel writer and AWGA member. www.coribrett.com. Copyright Cori Brett 2013 – do not copy or cite in whole or in part without permission.
