San Clemente Golf Courses Offer Perfect Sunday Drive

Golfing, like skiing, is a rich man's sport. Or so I thought until I found myself putting in front of a local golf club -- ocean sparkling in the distance, whir of carts driving by, and coffee still warm in my belly.

"How can this be free??" I thought to myself, as I focused on keeping my arms straight and aligning my feet.

Golf can be a gaudy sport -- How many clubs do you have? What kind? What brand? Do you own a cart? Are you properly dressed and cleated? Where did you learn? Are you a member? Have you eaten the ahi tartar down at the club?

But I have some news for you: ANYONE can enjoy the benefits and beauty of a golf course on a quiet morning or warm evening without breaking the bank, and I highly recommend it.

It all started when some friends invited my husband Jordi to play golf with them on Saturday.

"But you don't play golf," I pointed out.

He figured he could borrow a club and whack some balls without prior lessons, and deciding to forgo his flip-flops in lieu of shoes at the last moment, he was out the door.

Once my spy to the Promised Land returned, he told me tales of rolling green hills flowing with milk and honey -- or more specifically how one could putt for free in front of the restaurant, and drive for cheap, enjoying the spectacular views so many Orange County courses provide.

Throw in a breakfast or happy hour and we had ourselves a date. Plus he assured me that this pertained to just about any golf course there is.

After dropping a Hamilton at Play It Again Sports for a couple of used clubs and balls, we set about researching the menus for clubs near our house. We most certainly wouldn't want to show up and not eat!

We decided on the San Clemente Municipal Golf Course, located at the South end of town, just a few miles from us. Situated in the middle of a neighborhood, the atmosphere is not too exclusive or intimidating and they even have a restaurant that advertises in the local paper.

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We sat on the patio overlooking the greens, warm under a heat lamp in the quiet misty morning. We had breakfast and coffee and read the paper, and then went out front to try out our new clubs and balls. We putted about for awhile and Jordi gave me my first lesson. It was really fun to have a reason to hang out in the beautiful morning, the sun warming our backs as we purposefully practiced.

A couple weeks later, we went for another golf adventure. This time we were on a bike ride, and decided to stop by the golf course for some driving and a drink. They have clubs for borrowing and a basket of balls costs $6. We then found a spot on the line-up and practiced schwacking the balls into the netherworld. Once our basket of balls was out, we sat by the fire-pits at the outdoor patio. Jordi ordered a beer and I got an iced tea. Drinks and driving set us back about $15, and provided fun, mellow outdoor entertainment on a beautiful spring day.

I'd like to explore some different golf courses and check out all the different views and menus they come with, while practicing my form and aim. My favorite aspect of golf, or in our case putting and driving, is that it gives us an excuse to be social, outside, and affordably "fancy", all in the same swing. Southern California has some of the best weather in world --  so get off the internet and go for a midweek putt or a 'Sunday drive'!