In Photos: Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, California

The scintillating Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad California is widely considered one of the top resort courses in America. The Arnold Palmer design annually hosts the LPGA’s best with the Kia Classic as well as being the permanent home of TaylorMade Golf’s Performance Lab.

Aviara Golf Club, which was named by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine as one of the best resort golf courses in America, and the No.1 golf resort in San Diego according to the readers of Condé Nast Traveler, overlooks the beautiful Batiquitos Lagoon ecological reserve and is the only San Diego golf course designed by Arnold Palmer. Aviara features a memorable par-72 coastal layout that stretches 7,007 yards and is uniquely sculpted through rolling hillsides, native wildflowers and plenty of bunker and water challenges.

Here’s a photo tour from our recent visit:

Short and picturesque par-3. The 3rd hole has a creek running on both sides of the green to lake a below.

Winding uphill par-5 5th hole boasts some of the most intriguing bunkering on the course. I was fortunate to birdie this hole on the day I played 🙂 Great hole.

Closer look at the green and the impressive bunkers at 5

Off the tee on the downhill par-4 7th.

Fabulous green site of the par-4 7th. Bunkers front and back protect a skinny green.

The 8th is a downhill reachable par-5, but the green is well protected by water and sand. Players laying up need to keep right or be faced with a down/side hill lie. This hole is great fun.

After the turn the par-5 tenth is a great opportunity for birdie if you can avoid trouble off the tee. Water left, fairway falls off to bunker right. Good risk/reward hole. We witnessed a red-tailed hawk killing its’ prey just off the fairway. Surreal.

10th hole from the fairway at Aviara Golf Club

Better look at the green from the 10th fairway.

Beautiful, but straight forward par-3 11th hole at Aviara.

The beautiful downhill par-3 14th hole, one of a collection of fine par threes at Aviara.

18th hole at Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, California

Great example of Arnold Palmer’s bunkering at the closing hole at Aviara Golf Club

Overlooking the Aviara Golf Club as it lines the Batiquitos Lagoon off the Pacific Ocean in Carlsbad, California.

Closer look at the 18th green – Aviara Golf Club

: 18th green – Aviara Golf Club

: Short and picturesque par-3. The 3rd hole has a creek running on both sides of the green to lake a below.

: Closer look at the green and the impressive bunkers at 5

: Winding uphill par-5 5th hole boasts some of the most intriguing bunkering on the course. I was fortunate to birdie this hole on the day I played 🙂 Great hole.

: Fabulous green site of the par-4 7th. Bunkers front and back protect a skinny green.

: Off the tee on the downhill par-4 7th.

: The 8th is a downhill reachable par-5, but the green is well protected by water and sand. Players laying up need to keep right or be faced with a down/side hill lie. This hole is great fun.

: View to the green from the 10th fairway.

: The par-5 tenth is a great opportunity for birdie if you can avoid trouble off the tee. Water left, fairway falls off to bunker right. Good risk/reward hole.