Four Seasons Resort Aviara is located in Carlsbad, California, just 30 minutes north of San Diego on the Southern California coast. Situated on a plateau overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon wildlife preserve and the Pacific Ocean, the resort is the company’s first ocean-view golf and tennis resort on the U.S.
The Resort
Four Seasons Resort Aviara is located in Carlsbad, California, just 30 minutes north of San Diego on the Southern California coast. Situated on a plateau overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon wildlife preserve and the Pacific Ocean, the resort is the company’s first ocean-view golf and tennis resort on the U.S. mainland. It is five minutes from Carlsbad McClellan Palomar Airport and 30 minutes from San Diego International Airport
at Lindbergh Field. Set on 200 beautifully landscaped acres, Four Seasons Resort Aviara is surrounded by gardens, fairways, Spanish colonial architecture of Aviara® private residences and Batiquitos Lagoon. The 329-room luxury resort also includes the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara with 132 Vacation Ownership villas. The Resort commands a view that encompasses much of the Arnold Palmer-designed championship golf course as well as the lagoon and Pacific Ocean.
The AAA Four-Diamond Vivace restaurant is the Resort’s signature restaurant. Italian for “alive,” Vivace features innovative, Italian cuisine in elegant yet contemporary surroundings. The well-balanced wine list features eclectic Italian, American and French wines of the finest quality and vintage.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the lush surroundings and golf course, and a fireplace adds to the restaurant’s cozy ambience. Venetian plaster walls faux-finished in burnt orange are complimented by rich wood paneling and stone tiled floors. Patterned after a Versace dress, the carpet is a deep eggplant purple with light green accents. Tables are appointed with an eclectic array of accessories including elegant Italian flatware, unusual china, colorful stemmed crystal ware and hand blown glass votives. Open nightly for dinner, Vivace seats 112 guests indoors and 28 “al fresco” on the terrace. An intimate, private dining room seats up to 12 guests.
The Course
Designed by Arnold Palmer, the 18-hole championship course is sculpted around the natural topography of three valleys. The 7,007-yard, 72 par course is the only Arnold Palmer-designed course in the San Diego area.
Adjacent to Batiquitos Lagoon, which is home to more than 130 species of shorebirds, waterfowl and a variety of natural vegetation, it took nearly a decade to develop this course because of ecological concerns. The designers and builders took care to preserve these environmentally important wetlands. For example, the course uses recycled water for 95% of its irrigation needs. Native wildflowers grow to the edge of the
expansive fairways and greens; and cascading waterfalls and streams are among the water hazards positioned as visual extensions of the lagoon.
The course is complemented by golf facilities that include a practice driving range; putting and pitching greens, an industry-leading GPS system on all golf carts, and a 32,000 square-foot Spanish colonial clubhouse. The clubhouse features men’s and women’s locker facilities, The Argyle restaurant and lounge, and an award-winning golf shop.
Four Seasons Resort Aviara is also home to Kip Puterbaugh’s Aviara Golf Academy, which holds one, two-and three-day golf schools. Puterbaugh was again ranked as a Top 100 golf instructor and Top 25 U.S. golf school for 2007 by Golf Digest Magazine. The Golf Academy set the bar even higher in July of 2005, with the opening of the TaylorMade Performance Lab; a state-of-the-art club-fitting system previously available only to tour pros at the TaylorMade headquarters in Carlsbad, CA. During a two-hour session, guests adorn an electronic sensor body suit and take several swings in front of the nine camera system. A statistical analysis is composed for each guest, identifying the perfect set of golf clubs for their swing. A custom set of TaylorMade clubs is made available for purchase and can even be delivered to the guest’s room within 24 hours. In addition to the award-winning Golf Shop, the course was rated the 2007 #1 golf resort in Southern California according to the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. Green fees are $205 per round Monday through Thursday and $225 per round Friday through Sunday.
While the 3rd hole par three is officially considered the signature hole, it is the 18th hole that players will remember as one of the most difficult finishing holes they will ever face. Starting with the tee shot, the player faces a demanding drive that requires distance and precision. The 443yd 18th hole sits close to the banks of Batiquitos lagoon and points directly into the prevailing sea breeze that comes unabated from the ocean, just a mile away. Typically winds average 12-15 miles an hour, making the hole play more like 480yds when there is wind. A player must fit their drive between the lake on the right and a bunker and out of bounds on the left. The fairway slopes gently toward the water hazard on the right. A right-hander’s slice can easily get caught in the wind and find its way to a watery grave. The further left you place your tee shot on the fairway the better. What awaits your approach to the green is a narrow putting surface surrounded by water, bunkers, and out of bounds all down the left side of the hole and only a few yards from the bunkers and cart path that attract any slightly off-center shot. This approach would grab a players attention even in perfectly still conditions. But add the prevailing sea breeze and your last full swing of the round to post a good score and you have the ultimate test of a golfer’s mental and physical ability. From the left side of the fairway, the green opens up a bit to provide a wider landing area than a shot from the right side. A shot hit from this position with a slight draw will help penetrate the wind and hold its direction. The smart play is at the center of the green and underneath the hole. A par on the 18th at Aviara will usually win the press, the skin carryovers, or the match play finals of the San Diego Chapter PGA which has held its annual event there numerous times over the last 10 years.
Estate Showcase
As you enter this exquisite 3500sqft Mediterranean style home, the first thing you notice are the spectacular ten foot tall, hand carved, solid wood doors with iron work inlays. The entire downstairs has 18 inch diagonal tumbled travertine floors with mosaic inlays and custom 7 1/2 inch stain grade base boards. A travertine staircase with custom wrought iron railings seems to go on forever. The huge 19′ x 14′ dining room with designer lighting, 12′ ceilings, and three tier crown molding provide the perfect setting for entertaining large groups. Four sets of Pella brand sliding doors lead to an entertainer’s backyard complete with outdoor BBQ, fireplace, pool, spa, and custom fountain. The great room is wired for surround sound and boasts an amazing wall to wall, solid wood, built-in entertainment center with plenty of storage. The 21′ x 14′ kitchen has top-of-the-line Kitchen Aid and Subzero appliances, designer lighting and slab-granite
countertops with full backsplash. In addition, a raised eat-in bar counter as well as a sitting area with a one of a kind travertine and stone fireplace creates the perfect backdrop for socializing with the chef. The executive office has beautiful custom cherry wood cabinetry and doubles as a large 1st floor bedroom with full bath across the hall. In addition to a private toilet room, the master bathroom is appointed with beautiful inlaid mosaics, travertine flooring, custom designer built-ins, huge mirrors, and a large walk-in closet. A large balcony awaits off the master bedroom with custom wrought iron railing and offers sweeping views. Three additional upstairs bedrooms share a hallway computer nook and include two more bathrooms. One as a jack and jill with dual sinks. Enjoy the Aviara Four Seasons Resort and Golf Course designed by Arnold Palmer just blocks away, great schools, incredible beaches, and beautiful hiking trails around Batiquitos Lagoon. This is coastal living at its finest! Home Currently listed for sale by Patrick Brown, Associate Broker, Villa Sotheby’s International Realty, Del Mar, CA. Look for next month’s article when we feature another of San Diego County’s luxury golf communities.