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over 85 golf courses available in the San Diego marketplace, JC
Resort’s courses are perennially ranked in the Top Ten Best
Public Courses in San Diego.
JC Resorts was founded by James Colachis more
than thirty years ago. He acquired the Rancho Bernardo Inn, the
flagship of the company, upgraded the property significantly,
repositioned and made it profitable. This same methodology and
philosophy continues on today by JC Resorts.
The Rancho Bernardo Inn is set on 158 acres with
287 beautifully appointed guest rooms. Targeted as a group/corporate
hotel servicing the Fortune 500 and other larger corporations,
RBI has made their mark in the corporate market for their four
days to a week retreat programs. All of the resort’s amenities,
including the golf course, spa, tennis and restaurants are outstanding.
However, RBI is best known for its food and beverage and has the
number one Zagat rated restaurant in San Diego County, called
El Bizcocho.
 Temecula
Creek Inn, in Temecula, was recently renovated to include:
fifty more hotel rooms bringing the total to 130 rooms, a remodeled
golf shop, an enlarged golf plaza area and another 5,000 square
feet of banquet space has been added as well. There are three
championship nines or 27 holes with no homes on the golf course,
which is very unusual for Southern California. Back to nature
is the mantra. Being situated in wine country, there are countless
activities to do in addition to playing golf. There are the wineries,
hot air ballooning and many other great outdoor activities available
year round.
 JC
Resorts also owns both the Twin Oaks Golf
Course, a Ted Robinson design, in San Marcos and Oaks
North, which is a twenty-seven hole executive course
in San Diego, CA. Oaks North is a great track with a par 30 on
three different nines. It’s a fantastic way to get out and
play golf in less than three hours, especially on a Saturday or
Sunday. A typical round usually takes four and a half to five
hours to complete, and at Oaks North you can play in about half
the time. It’s a great experience for golfers of all abilities,
and is always in good shape. The Twin Oaks layout winds mostly
through wetland areas running through the center of the property.
It’s a fun and enjoyable golf course in a great location
nestled between the 5 and 15 Interstates, just off the 78 Freeway.
Twin Oaks is a favorite tournament venue, and with the addition
of the Stixx Cafe and the adjoining patio, up to 180 guests can
be accommodated.
JC Resorts also has two long-term management contracts with two
municipalities. One is Encinitas Ranch Golf Course,
located in Encinitas, and is widely considered as one of the most
successful golf courses built in the last decade. It’s a
great location, easily accessible off the Interstate 5, and the
majority of the holes have an ocean view. Though more of a links
style course, it’s a very playable golf course. There are
some really interesting and great holes making the round most
enjoyable - notably number 16 – a blind shot over a hill
with no forgiveness on the left flank- the ball disappears into
a large canyon. Tee times are at a premium, but are very reasonably
priced.
JC’s other course is Reidy Creek
Golf Course in Escondido, which opened in July 2002.
Cal Olson Architecture designed this unique golf course that Golfweek’s
James Achenbach calls the best 18-hole, par-3 layout I have ever
seen.” It definitely is not your typical par-three golf
course. It was designed with the intention of encouraging golfers
to use every club in their bag. It’s a great course whether
you’re a beginner or an advanced player who wants to work
on their short game. If you don’t hit a good shot, you will
be in a bunker or water hazard, or be left with a tricky shot.
So it’s a great place for all types of golfers to develop
their games.
JC Resort’s newest additions include The
Auld Course in the foothills of Mt. Miguel, which expanded
JC Golf into the South Bay. It's a beautiful, Scottish links-style
course bordered by acres of wetlands and a protected habitat reserve.
It was designed by PGA Tour veteran John Cook and golf course
architect, Cary Bickler.
JC Resorts also recently entered into a new contract
with Mt. Woodson Golf Club, which is well known
in the golf community for its unique, challenging layout that
is ideal for the straight shooter, but rather deadly for others.
Its dramatic elevations from hole to hole make Mt. Woodson an
entertaining venue to say the least. Tournament banquets and elegant
catering events may be hosted in the historic Mt. Woodson Castle
or one of two outdoor venues.
Arrowood Golf Course will be
the next addition to JC Golf. It is currently under construction
in coastal North County, and is scheduled to open in early 2005.
Service is of utmost importance to JC. It reflects
in their attitudes at every course and separates them from their
competition. In addition, JC’s courses are typically in
better shape than most of their competition, and they are always
striving to improve.
Part of JC Resorts recipe for success, particularly
in Southern California, is due to the fact that they have many
properties in close proximity to one another.
More importantly, JC Resorts can advertise in
the region and split the cost between the nine courses, rather
than just one, thus reducing their marketing costs by up to eighty
percent per golf course. They pass on the savings in the form
of reasonable greens fees.
JC Resorts offers the JC Players Card
program, which allows golfers to be in a region and feel like
they’re part of a club. If a golfer is going to play at
least five rounds, he can join one membership program for nine
unique courses for $329.00. Those who join the JC Players program
become a part of the JC family and continue to play JC courses.
Additionally, members get five free rounds of
golf at any of the courses, ten buckets of range balls, and discount
on merchandise and a 2 for 1 brunch at the Temecula Creek Inn.
Once they’ve used their five free rounds of golf, they can
play at the JC Players Card rate, which is up to a 48% discount
off the standard rates. The discount range is usually between
twenty to forty eight percent. Members also get guest passes allowing
friends or out of town guests to play at the JC Players rate as
well. This is appealing to many golfers, because they have the
opportunity to play nine unique courses, and can count on a great
product from all of them. It’s by far one of the best deals
in Southern California.
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional
Golf Teachers Association of America. He is also a member of the
Golf Writers Association of America and the California Golf Writers
Association and a Mediator for the golf industry. He is a contributing
writer to numerous national magazines. He can be reached at drlotz@cbsgolf.net.
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