Pauma: Indian word meaning "place where there is water".
The Sound of Silence...a rare sound of silence...the first thing that impressed me while approaching the first tee was the the incredible, peaceful, pure silence that surrounded the course.
In a matter of seconds I realized what a unique location is Pauma Valley, the "Shan-Gri-La" of California.
Visiting Pauma Valley is like a time travel to the past. It is an hidden gem Mother Nature wanted to protect from the urban world.
Located just 50 miles from downtown San Diego and less than 20 miles from Temecula, apparently everything seems to be much further away.
Avocado and citrus groves, meadows with orange groves, farms and horse ranches, Mount Palomar, the beauty of the Cleveland National Forest mountains and an Old California atmosphere surround this magic and special location that has been home to Indians for centuries.
A mystic place which saw the development of a peaceful and quite community over the years, becoming home to one of the most exclusive and finest private country clubs in America.
The location started to attract wealthy people and Hollywood celebrities, and by the end of the 1950s the construction of a new golf course began. The idea of the investors was to have an outstanding golf facility and having a "world famous golf course architect" was imperative. Legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr, one of the best all time golf architects, was brought in, and with the help of architect Ted Robinson, the 18 holes project took shape. Less then two year later Pauma Valley Golf Course opened its gates with the former John Wayne's private Ranch House serving as the temporary clubhouse. The actual 14th hole was the 1st hole of the layout. It was November 1960.
The course is a marvelous par 71 designed in a classic Robert Trent Jones Sr. style.
Here he developed his design philosophy "each hole should be a hard par and easy bogey", and Pauma Valley is the result. An enjoyable, challenging and demanding (74.6/134) layout for all level of golfers which gently runs for 7,077 yds across this magnificent community, featuring rolling tree-lined fairways, elevation changes, large and undulating greens and more then 100 bunkers strategically placed in the landing areas and around the greens.
Pauma Valley is known by many Pga Tour Pros to have the best greens in the West Coast, often compared to Augusta's greens for their consistence and speed, and it's not hard to meet with player like Phil Mickelson practicing here.
The front nine holes of the golf course moves clockwise from the clubhouse playing more difficult then its flat layout presents, featuring a magnificent par five opening hole and several long par fours. Back nine route is completely different, more various with elevation changes, wider fairways and a collection of nine unforgettable holes.
The Mr. Robert Trent Jones Sr. masterpiece perfectly fits into the landscape with great and picturesque views of the surrounding mountains from most of the holes, transmitting to the golfer all the emotions and the mystic spirit of Pauma Valley.
The course has been ranked for years in the top 100 Golf Digest's and top 10 in California.
It has hosted SCGA Senior Amateur and Mid Amateur Championships and USGA Amateur Sectional Qualifying, and been venue of memorable moments made by memorable golfers like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player during their series of show Shell's Wonderful World of Golf filmed here 1964.
After more then fifty years since its gates opened to golfers for the first time, Pauma Valley Country Club is becoming an historic layout in Southern California, an exclusive hideaway surrounded by a serene and peaceful community which is attracting members and guest from all over the World. An "Heaven on Earth" that can also be even easily reached by plane landing at its private airport, an opportunity that just a few private golf courses may offers around the globe.
A Country Club where history and traditions of the game are fundamental values and where it has been a true honor and privilege for me to be a guest for day.
PS
A special mention to the white wine Orange Blossom I tasted during my lunch at The Grill Room, the elegant restaurant of PVCC.
A great local Chardonnay produced by The Orangewood Vineyards, a small terraced hillside vineyards, the only vineyards in Pauma Valley, which produce a limited amount of wine entirely by hand with fabulous and superb results.
Very good shave, excellent very sharp blades, braun 3070cc light to handle and battery life is very good. I have this and a new Braun I purchased a couple of months earlier. I travel a lot so I need two in case one needs to be charged and I am on the run.
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