Maderas GC Celebrates a Quarter Century in San Diego County

San Diego, California, has a lot going for it. Beach weather year-round, a preponderance of craft breweries, excellent hotels and recreational opportunities and some of the country’s most acclaimed public-access golf courses.

That latter list may be led by Torrey Pines, the San Diego muni where the PGA Tour has teed it up annually since 1952 and the site of several U.S. Open championships, including one of the most memorable of all time, when Tiger Woods won on a broken leg in 2008.

But Maderas GC, which opened in 1999, is a very close second. A 30-minute drive from downtown San Diego in Poway, its collection of accolades includes “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” from Golf Digest, No. 4 top courses in California by Golf Advisor, “Best Courses You Can Play in Each State” by Golfweek and several others. It is also certified by The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, which supports an abundant wildlife population.

MILLER TIME

Designed by Robert Muir Graves with World Golf Hall of Famer Johnny Miller, Maderas GC’s winding layout is both challenging and exhilarating, leading through rocky terrain with dramatic elevation changes. There are homes in sight, but none so close as to make fairways feel crowded. Rolling, boulder-strewn hills, typical of inland San Diego County, provide a scenic backdrop for play, while lakes and wander streams add to both the aesthetics and strategy. Risk-reward shots are prevalent for experienced players, while seven sets of tee boxes provide an enjoyable round for golfers of all capabilities.

Uri Feldman, president of Sunroad Holding Corporation, the course’s ownership group since it opened 25 years ago, says it was Miller who added some of the layout’s signature qualities.

Feldman quotes Miller as saying when the course opened: “Most courses you play these days are driver/short iron all day; at Maderas you have to think your way through and use every club in the bag.”

“Instead of playing Maderas tee to green,” Feldman says, “you really need to think the other way around, from green to tee. You need to think about where you place the ball in the fairway in order to get close to pin positions on the contoured greens.”

It was also Miller who reversed the direction of play on holes 14, 15 and16, creating a trio of holes that fit perfectly into a box canyon on the west side of the course, considered by many players to be the best sequence on the layout.

LENGTH IS HELPFUL, BUT STRATEGY IS THE KEY TO A GOOD ROUND AT MADERAS GC.

“From a design standpoint, the golf course is the same as it was 25 years ago when it opened,” said General Manager Patrick Galloway, PGA. “It’s a challenge, but a fair challenge. Regular players love it, and it’s stood the test of time. Plus, it’s in as good a shape as it’s ever been, thanks to the efforts of our Director of Agronomy, Paul Brown. It’s one of the areas we are most proud of.”

Though Maderas has opted not to host major tournament play —they’ve been approached about it — the course did host the 2018 Cal State Open and has acted as a U.S. Open qualifying site.

MEMBER FOR A DAY

Maderas’s “member-for-a-day” experience extends beyond its award-winning golf course. The recently renovated restaurant, The Grille, has become destination dining. Open for breakfast and lunch, The Grille is an ideal after-round stop, offering salads, sandwiches and wraps, along with some Mexican-inspired creations (the blackened mahi tacos are a must) and a tempting selection of San Diego-based craft beers.

“We rotate several local beers on tap,” said Galloway. “We do everything we can to support the local breweries.” Two nights a week special wine dinners are offered and always popular.

Weddings are so important that Maderas has a weddings and catering specialist on staff , and a newly opened bridal suite upstairs in the clubhouse to allow the bride-to-be and her party a comfortable and relaxing space to get ready for the big day.

As far as venues for the wedding ceremony itself, there are several to select from both indoors and out, with popular options including Sunset Rock (seating for up to 100) and the Del Lago Garden and Ballroom(which can seat up to 220).

According to Feldman, the club hosts 50-plus weddings each year, along with banquets and other community supporting events. The Poway High School golf team plays at Maderas.

“It’s 25 years and then forever,” Feldman says. “We’re a proud part of the Poway community and we’re here for the long haul.”

If your home base is in the San Diego region, Maderas GC may already be on your regular schedule. For everyone else, it’s a journey well worth making.