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72 2 0 1 7 T R A V E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A ROBERT KAUFMAN Swing Away Diverse geography tees up a bounty of options for fairways and greens BY ROBERT KAUFMAN With California's diverse landscapes including mountains, valleys, forests, coast- line and desert, Mother Nature has provided a canvas for fairways and greens to position the Golden State as one of the most attrac- tive golf destinations on the planet. Taking advantage of these geological assets includes a who's-who of golf course architects, from old-school designers like Alister MacKenzie and A.W. Tillinghast to modern-day shapers such as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and Tom Fazio who have crafted challenges to suit every golfer's taste and budget. Today, there are more than 600 public courses scattered throughout California ranging from iconic masterpieces like Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Pacific coast to hidden gems such as Greenhorn Creek in the Gold Country. Depending upon skill level and preferred environment, here are some notable nuggets that will help unlock a golf experience of a lifetime. OCEAN COURSES Pebble Beach Golf Links Located along the storied Monterey Penin- sula, there are few golf thrills like teeing-up for the first time on Pebble Beach Golf Links, ranked No. 1 on Golf Digest's "America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses" (2013/14). At the Jack Neville/ Douglas Grant design (1919), golfers can feel the presence of the game's biggest legends that have competed in the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and five U.S. Open Championships. Jack Nicklaus said, "If I only had one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach." pebblebeach.com GOLF ACROSS THE STATE California is one of the world's top golf destinations, and no maXer which region you choose, you'll find a course to suit your game, whether it's in the mountains at Sierra Star GC at Mammoth Lakes, above, in the Gold Country at Greenhorn Creek GC at Angels Camp, or Desert Willow (Firecliff GC) in Palm Desert. GOLF