Course Tour

The round begins as the first hole unfurls below you, your opening tee shot falling against the backdrop of the coastal Santa Lucia Mountains. Welcome to The Preserve.

Behind the name: Peter Stocker was one of the club’s founders with a specific focus on the golf. The “Stocker Cup” tournament, a mid-amateur event drawing great players from across the country, is contested each year at The Preserve in his honor.

The first of the par threes is played from an elevated tee to a boldly contoured green guarded by a severe false front — a harbinger of things to come.

Behind the name: This hole is named in tribute to cameraman Brian Blodgett, who tragically passed away during the Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match played between Fred Couples and Mark Calcavecchia at The Preserve in 2002.

Be sure to greet the ducks in residence as your trail hike continues beyond the only true water hazard you’ll encounter in your round. It’s beginning to feel like this is your own private golf retreat, shared only by your immediate playing companions and the surrounding wildlife.

Behind the name: The third is named for the pair of mallards usually in residence on the only true water hazard on the course.

This double dogleg par five offers strategy and options in spades, and in the late afternoon regularly features a gallery of a dozen or more deer relaxing on the periphery.

Behind the name: The overall shape of the hole resembles a deer leg, and afternoon rounds are often highlighted by the presence of multiple deer lazily spectating along the fairway.

Snack up at the understated comfort station before ascending this uphill par four, a stark contrast to the downhill nature of the first few holes. Bobcats may often be seen as they prowl the native areas to the left.

Behind the name: This hole is played entirely uphill to one of the highest points on the golf course, setting up the gentle downhill routing of the next two holes as players make their way to the central bowl.

The views on this inland par three offer an inspiring distraction from the task at hand, and a peak to your left reveals the central bowl you’ll be navigating for the middle portion of your round.

Behind the name: As the course design entered the final stages of routing, the story goes that this was a “must-have” hole for Tom Fazio, taking advantage of the dramatic backdrop and green naturally set into the bench along the hillside.

Every great course needs at least one great short par four, and this one is all about options. A play up the left side will demonstrate your savvy as the tee shot ball bounds forward and beyond the menacing fairway bunker — a great example of the dynamic nature of the golf experience here.

Behind the name: The “middle six” of the course reside in the vast, open savannah first revealed here, and a variety of wildlife may often be seen lounging in the flora.

This beautiful par five is set along the base of a ridge upon which the occasional mountain lion may be spotted as she surveys the savannah below. Some attention also paid to the game at hand will provide a great birdie opportunity.

Behind the name: Historically, the top of the ridgeline has provided the occasional mountain lion sighting as they quietly stalk the savannah below for any easy prey deemed worthy of leaving their perch.

Turning again toward the majestic mountain backdrop, this par four completes the opening nine holes in the heart of the central valley. A vast open area to the right is a sanctuary for countless fauna frequently on the move.

Behind the name: Our state flower, the California Poppy, may be found in abundance throughout The Preserve, and is often present alongside the periphery of this hole as the winter rains give way to spring.

The seventh offered up the first strong short par four, and the tenth adds another flavor as you complete your peninsular walk around the savanna. The large oak framing the left side is reminiscent of the one at the start of your round, and the devilish green is often the scene of tragedy and triumph.

Behind the name: In 1879, author Robert Louis Stevenson’s life was saved when a goat rancher in the area provided him refuge in his nearby cabin on the property that would become the Santa Lucia Preserve. Stevenson had gone inland to escape the persistent marine layer along the coast.

The redwood grove at the base of the mountain serves both as your target off the tee and a reminder of the light lunch awaiting you after completion of this stunningly picturesque par four.

Behind the name: Before starting to head home on the 12th hole, visitors should be sure to visit the redwood grove “cathedral” a few hundred yards down the road to experience the aura of standing among some of the world’s oldest and most awe-inspiring living things. Many members enjoy lunch in this unique, spiritual setting before continuing their rounds.

As we begin our lengthy return to the clubhouse, pause to enjoy the tranquil sounds of the seasonal steelhead stream to the right. We are in no rush to return home.

Behind the name: In the winter months, steelhead trout work their way up the adjacent San Clemente Creek to spawn, and the waters frequently run late into the spring.

A dramatic carry over the canyon offers an opportunity to be bold, and the double dog-leg par five slowly climbs back uphill as we return to the woodlands. An iconic oak guards the right side nearing the green, and beyond it lies a swath of native grasses where more curious creatures lazily spectate your round.

Behind the name: There are over 100 miles of hiking trails at The Santa Lucia Preserve, and the golf course itself was routed as a nature trail. The 13th returns the player to the woodlands for the finishing stretch, and “sendero” is Spanish for “trail.”

This par three is set against a backdrop of two spectacular sycamores and framed by oaks along either side. A choir of birds provide a friendly and frequent greeting.

Behind the name: Most players will avoid the overhanging oak on the left by aiming at one of the two prominent sycamore trees behind the green and shaping the tee shot toward the flagstick.

This brute of a par four is redeemed by its beauty, with the ghost of a long-fallen oak serving as your target off the tee. We continue to wind our way up the valley to a green set into a natural amphitheater.

Behind the name: Tom Gray and David Howerton, two of the founding partners, had to shoo a bull away while on one of their scouting sojourns in developing The Santa Lucia Preserve, which had long been a working cattle ranch. Cattle still play a prominent role today, as their grazing in open lands assists us in fuel management to prevent wildfires.

The shortest of the par threes is surrounded by a collection of bunkers wrapping their way around the back and front-left portions of the massive yet deceptive green. The ocean breeze is back and asks for an extra measure of consideration before choosing a club.

Behind the name: A bottle of whiskey is hidden in the stone wall at the top of the back tee stairway to fortify walkers for the home stretch - and perhaps to provide some comfort to injuries sustained on the previous hole.

This bunkerless par five is draped over a ridge on one of the highest points of the property, with sweeping vistas to the west revealing the clubhouse and central bowl of The Preserve in the distance. A putting contest from 100 yards is not out of the question for the final approach to this green.

Behind the name: Sandy Tatum played an integral role in routing the golf course with architect Mike Poellot, and insisted this par five be without bunkers, the only hole on the course without at least one.

Concluding this golf hike requires one more bold strike across the canyon stretched out before you. The sight of the welcoming clubhouse promises a post-round beverage, bite to eat, and stories of another unforgettable round we are so fortunate to enjoy.

Behind the name: During the early routing phase of the design, Tom Watson, a longtime friend and collaborator of Sandy Tatum, made the suggestion that the 18th be set in this location to take advantage of the dramatic tee shot and natural amphitheater of the green setting.