This cult-classic golf course ripped my coronary heart out — however I nonetheless liked it

It was 3:28 p.m. on a Thursday with sundown coming at 4:42, so I ran as much as the seventh tee, positioned my peg within the floor and ripped a pitching wedge on the center of the inexperienced on the par-3 inexperienced.

The ball seemingly landed excellent of the opening, kicked left and disappeared. All of a sudden, the fixed drone from the freeway only a few hundred toes away was interrupted with, “Did that go in?”

“Yeah, that went in!”

“I believe that went in, Jacky-boy!”

I began laughing as I let my 5 enjoying companions, all colleagues right here at GOLF and our 8AM Golf household, persuade me I had simply made my second-ever hole-in-one as we rushed to get in as many holes earlier than darkish.

However — spoiler alert! — the ball hadn’t gone in. Once I arrived on the inexperienced, I found that my ball was 15 toes past the pin, hidden by contours. Nonetheless, that second encapsulated the magic of Goat Hill Park, and late-afternoon golf (late afternoon for this time of 12 months, anyway) with nice associates.

In 2024, I used to be fortunate sufficient to cross off three from my bucket record in The Nation Membership in Brookline, Mass.; Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course in South Carolina; and Cabot Highland’s Fortress Stuart within the Scottish Highlands. Scotland’s Royal Dornoch and Nairn, and frequent journeys round Philadelphia Cricket Membership’s Wissahickon course, rounded out my dance card.

These programs dot GOLF’s lists of High 100 U.S. and High 100 World programs.

But when we’re speaking about probably the most enjoyable I had on a golf course this 12 months, I’d nominate two rounds chasing the solar at Goat Hill Park, a beloved and legendary muni in Southern California that value me $80 whole. There’s a purpose a lot of our workers have come away raving about Goat Hill.

Should you’re unfamiliar, “The Goat” was initially a regulation nine-holer, the primary course in San Diego County on a wildly undulating plateau in now-golf-crazy Oceanside, proper subsequent to Interstate 5. Within the Nineties, the course was redesigned into its present 18-hole, short-course kind, however the place took a downturn within the early 2000s.

In 2014, a bunch of locals efficiently fought again in opposition to the redevelopment of the land, and a brand new administration workforce led by John Ashworth reworked the 4,500-yard design into the gem it’s right now.

Today, the course isn’t in excellent form — the tees have brown spots, the tough is mild and a few of the cart paths are cracked — however the greens are clean and true and fairways well-maintained. It’s an unimaginable worth for a $25 strolling charge.

How a golf course was constructed on this web site is mystifying. The 75-acre parcel has unimaginable views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding mountains, however the terrain has you go up, down and round large undulations of earth. Many locals stroll, some with furry companions at their facet, however usually with lighter luggage and fewer than 14 golf equipment, a becoming option to play the quick course. Which isn’t to say you received’t want all 14 golf equipment.

The perfect a part of Goat Hill is the chilliness vibe: golfers, canines, vary goers, music listeners, beer drinkers all coexisting with not a care on the planet. There’s not a lot of a gown code, apart from shirt, footwear, and so forth. You wouldn’t need one both for a spot whose motto is “World Class / Working Class.” Should you’re on the lookout for a course to identify Tour professionals training in road garments, that is it.

We performed as a sixsome and had been informed solely to verify we saved up, which we did.

There are even shorter tees for teenagers referred to as the “Child Goat.” Wish to play frisbee golf as an alternative? They’ve that, too.

Each afternoons-into-evenings we performed the course, the parking zone was packed effectively after sundown. Taking part in simply after 2:30 p.m. earned us a twilight fee of simply $35 and sufficient time to zip round 16 holes.

Additionally, simply because the holes are quick, doesn’t make them any much less difficult. The second inexperienced performs to a inexperienced perched above you and over a chasm. Miss quick, your ball funnels down some 60 toes and 60 yards away. Miss too far left and also you would possibly end up within the bowl of the sixteenth inexperienced.

Holes that may appear drivable, just like the par-4 4th, require a 270-yard compelled carry over one other chasm, or face one other lengthy uphill pitch to a blind inexperienced.

You have to hit pictures at Goat Hill Park, however you don’t have to. There are not any water hazards and it’s tough to lose a ball.

However you may simply lose your self within the expertise.