SOUTHLAND FOCUS

A weekly look at golf courses open to the public in Southern California

ENCINITAS RANCH GOLF COURSE

Address: 1275 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas.

Phone: (760) 944-1936.

Green fees: $28-$43 for residents of Encinitas, $35-$50 for non-residents.

Tee times: One week in advance.

The facility: After Cary Bickler graduated from San Diego State and began a career as a golf course architect, he lived in Encinitas and dreamed of building a course on the Paul Ecke flower ranch, one of the world’s largest poinsettia fields. Three years ago, the city of Encinitas obtained the property and hired Bickler to fulfill his dream of nearly 30 years ago. The result is another gem for public golfers in north San Diego County, with a practice range with 30 tees and 20 more for instruction.

The good: Built high on a mesa overlooking the Pacific Ocean, each tee offers a spectacular panorama of the coastline. With five sets of tees ranging from 6,821 yards from the tips to a friendly 4,673 yards, Encinitas Ranch has enough variety for low handicappers as well as hackers. There are only two water holes on the 183 acres, unless you count the 7 million gallons in a tank beneath the driving range.

The bad: What is now a wide-open area about 15 minutes north of Torrey Pines will soon be crowded with houses and a shopping center, part of an 850-acre master planned community.

The score: Bickler said he wanted a “coastal sea ranch theme” and that’s what it is. After a front nine that sits atop the mesa, the back nine is more dramatic, with sand dunes, sandstone bluffs and a cliff alongside the 16th green.

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Overall course rating: 3 balls.

* One ball: No-frills golf.

** Two balls: Worth an occasional round.

*** Three balls: Like shooting four strokes under your handicap.

**** Four balls: Where the golf gods play.

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Hole Back Tees Middle Tees Par Front Tees 1 434 407 4 357 2 532 487 5 440 3 159 130 3 110 4 398 370 4 333 5 450 375 4 347 6 373 320 4 255 7 353 320 42825 8 185 160 3 130 9 495 470 5 390 Out 3,349 3,043 36 2,693 10 385 347 4 297 11 158 140 3 122 12 522 495 5 459 13 337 285 4 245 14 370 344 4 314 15 154 139 3 120 16 355 336 4 315 17 401 330 4 290 18 490 470 5 430 In 3,172 2,886 36 2,592 Total 6,521 5,929 72 5,285

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Rating/Slope: Black--71.0/124, Middle--68.4/118, Front--73.7/128