The renewed, renamed Champions golf course at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad embodies SoCal cool
CARLSBAD, Calif. -- A redesign has revived the Champions Course at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
Whether the work completed in 2011 leads to a return of the PGA Tour remains to be seen, but the changes on the old North Course have certainly upgraded the experience for members and resort guests.
Architect Steve Pate, winner of the 1988 Tournament of Champions at La Costa, and design partner Damian Pascuzzo, with help from consultant Jeff Brauer, built four new holes, reshaped the new bentgrass greens, renovated and repositioned bunkers and capped off the fairways with 3,000 truckloads of sand to encourage better drainage.
Many tees and greens were elevated for strategic and aesthetic purposes. Eliminating 30 acres of turf and adding several water hazards enhanced a more natural look. The course's four-hole finish, starting at no. 15 with a drivable par 4 and ending with a risk-reward par 5 at no. 18, was designed with "swings in the leaderboard" in mind. The historic tournament venue has hosted more than 35 PGA Tour events and the LPGA Tour's inaugural Kia Classic in 2010.