RANCHO SAN JOAQUIN GOLF COURSE

The rolling foothills of Orange County provide an unexpected canvas for this Ted Robinson design, where elevation changes of up to 60 feet create dramatic approach shots you won't find on most Southern California layouts. Water comes into play on seven holes, but it's the par-4 13th—where you're hitting a mid-iron over a canyon to a green perched 40 feet above the fairway—that separates pretenders from players. For public golf in Irvine, the conditioning rivals many private clubs, and the variety of lies and angles demands every club in your bag.