Omni La Costa Champions Course Review
Introduction
The Omni La Costa Resort sits in Carlsbad California, just north of San Diego. It has two courses, the Champions course and the Legends course. We opted to just play the Champions course due to time constraints and the fact that it used to host the PGA tournament of champions tournament for 30 years.
The Champions course is an out and in layout, with a turn house after the 9th hole, but you won’t see the clubhouse at the turn. Stretching 7172 yards, it is no short course. It has a rating of 75.1 with a slope of 140.
Course Conditions
The conditions were very good at Omni La Costa. I personally enjoyed the greens. They were some of the best on the trip. For winter, the fairways were good for not over seeding. There were some rough spots, but every one of those were in the rough or areas you really shouldn’t be hitting a ball.
The course Marshal
If you have read my top 5 course pet peeves, then you know how I feel about marshals. I have to say, the marshal here was undoubtedly the best I have ever seen. The other players in the group never noticed him until I started to point him out.
We first encountered him on the second hole as he helped us look for a ball. Still not sure how we didn’t find it. Anyways, I started seeing him off in the distant, able to watch multiple holes at a time. We had a slower group in front of us that let us play through at the turn. Not sure if this was because of the marshal or not.
I have never seen one that could keep tabs on everyone without ever really seeing him. He was not the standard marshal rolling down the cart path, annoying you from time to time. Props to this guy! I would have found out his name but we never talked to him again after the second hole!
Pro Shop at Omni La Costa
The pro shop is located in the lower level. You can take the stairs straight ahead when you walk in the building. A decent sized pro shop with a good selection of items, but nothing fancy here. They do have golfboards and scooters, but unfortunately for us, it was cart path only. We opted just to stick with the cart.
Driving Range and Practice Area
The driving range is decent in size, but relatively small for housing two courses. If you bomb your drive over 300, you won’t have enough room to hit your driver. Couldn’t imagine trying to warm up in the morning with a full tee sheet. There is a good chipping area with two bunkers. The putting green is also large. They also had a swing robot while we were there. Not sure if this is permanent or temporary.
The Front 9 at Omni La Costa Champions
Hole 1 is a straight forward par 4, and one of the shortest on the course. Avoid the trees left with your drive. Any long hitters may want to hit a fairway wood off the tee. The green is elevated so avoid the bunkers left. Long is better than right here.
Hole 2 is a par 5 that will take 3 shots for 99% of players. Avoid the bunkers with your tee shot that straddle the fairway. Land your lay up well short of the bunkers on the left to have a full wedge in. The green is surronded by bunkers so you will need to hit this green. Only good misses are between the bunkers so make sure to aim for the middle of the green.
Hole 3 is a nice little par 3. Plays just slightly up hill. Just right is the really only good miss. There is 4 bunkers surrounding this green as well. Middle of the green is just fine.
Hole 4 is a par 4 that turns a little left. aim for the far fairway bunker on the right, making sure to keep short of it. Long is not good here on your approach. If anything, just short left between the bunkers is the best miss. Hitting the fairway is very important on this hole.
Hole 5 is a tough par 4. Longer hitters can fly the traps on the left. This will leave you with an easy wedge into the hole. You can avoid all trouble and lay up in front of the bunkers, leaving yourself with only 150 yards or so out. On your approach, 4 bunker once again guard each corner of the green. With 4 bunkers guarding each corner, this is yet another green you will need to hit. Short is the best option for a miss.
Hole 6 is a par 5 that snakes around the corner to the left. It’s slightly possible you can get there if you are a long hitter. But for us amateurs, we will need three shots to get there. Take your tee shot down the right side of the fairway. Anything left will have issues turning the corner. Lay up well short of the large bunker in the middle of the fairway, keeping your line just right of it. With your approach, short on either side of the front bunker are your two best misses.
Hole 7 is a fun, downhill par 4. Most players will be able to fly the bunker on the left with no issues, leaving them an easy wedge into the hole. On yor approach, anything short, just right of the bunker is fine. This is a hole you can score on so take advantage of it.
Hole 8 is a par 3 with water on the front, and a large bunker behind it. Left is the obvious bail out. It plays decently long at 200 yards, so not the easiest hole.
Hole 9 is a par 4 that actually will turn you back towards the club house. This is ranked the toughest par 4 on the front for a reason. You will need to avoid the water right and the bunkers long left to stay in the fairway. Thankfully, the approach is much easier. With only one bunker in the front, everywhere else is OK to miss. Just don’t be long and hit the cart path behind the green.
The Back 9 at Omni La Costa Champions
Hole 10 starts off with a fun par 5. With a slightly downhill tee shot, you will need to avoid bunkers right and a small one left. With water running all the way down the left hand side and in front of the green, it’s best to lay up here unless you can bomb it. You will need to keep your lay up well short of the fairway bunker on the right. There aren’t any bunkers around this green, but be careful of going long, it slopes pretty good off the back.
Hole 11 is a par 4 that is the most picturesque hole on the course in my opinion. With water running down the right, and bunker left, you will need to hit a good tee shot. You don’t have to hit a driver as it’s not an overly long hole. There is enough room behind the green for a short miss. Just make sure you avoid the water right and the bunker short left.
Hole 12 is a very long par for at 244 yards. Luckily enough for us, there is plenty of room right. Avoid going left into the bunkers or OB.
Hole 13 is a dog leg right par 4. It plays longer than it looks on the card. Keep your tee shot down the middle or left. Your ball will roll a bit to the right in the fairway. This will be your toughest approach yet. There is a bunker along the back and front left, with water short right. Long right is the only decent miss, but will bring water into play for any mishit. You need to aim for the left middle of the green.
Hole 14 can be a bear of a par 4. There is a creek that runs diagonal across the fairway, starting on the left and getting further as it goes right. You will need to take your drive down the right side to avoid the creek left. Big time hitter may be able to clear the creek down the left side. The front right is unguarded, and the best spot for a miss. Don’t be long because the bunker in the back is no fun.
Hole 15 is a short par 4. Take a lower club off the tee to avoid the fairway bunkers. This will still give you a full wedge into the hole. Only about 22 yards is needed off the tee. A lake is behind this hole, so being long is not an option. With 3 bunkers in the front, the middle of the green is just fine. Just make sure you put it in the fairway off the tee.
Hole 16 is a beautiful par 3 over water. The bail out is right, but look out for the large bunker over there. At only 170 yards it is the shortest par 3 on the course.
Hole 17 is the last par 4 on the course. It is no slouch either, playing at 471 yards. Take your tee shot down the left side to avoid the large fairway bunker on the right. There is plenty of room behind the green here. Long is definitely better than short into the bunkers.
Hole 18 is a finishing par 5 with two forced carries. The first forced carry is off the tee. Hitting the left side is better than going into the drink on the right. I preferred to pay up past the water, just in case I pulled it left. This is a bit trickier than it sounds because you will likely bring in the creek. On your final approach, there is plenty of room left, but this will leave you with a very uphill chip.
Conclusion
The Omni La Costa Resort Champions course was a lot of fun. No two holes seemed the same, which was enjoyable. The conditions were great, and better than we had read reviews on. Service was good. Overall a great experience and would like to come back here and play the legends course.
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