Mesa Verde Country Club

Sitting inland from the Pacific in Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde occupies a landscape that splits the difference between coastal Southern California mildness and the drier, sun-baked character of the county's interior. The light here is reliably brilliant, the air warm and still more often than not — conditions that might encourage complacency right up until the moment the course punishes it. A slope of 132 on a layout stretching past 6,800 yards tells you something about the demand for precise, strategic ball-striking. Scoring well requires more than good weather and a smooth swing.

As a private members-only club, Mesa Verde offers a quieter, more curated version of the Southern California golf experience — unhurried rounds, manicured conditions, and the ease that comes with familiar ground. For guests fortunate enough to play as someone's companion, it's a glimpse into a world Orange County keeps largely to itself.