CordeValle an undervalued gem in California's heartland

It's 11 p.m. on a clear April night in the middle of California. The stars beam like Christmas lights overhead, and the full moon plots its course across the rich black sky. I'm sitting with a few pals around a warming fire pit at CordeValle, sipping 15-year-old single malt Scotch, puffing a fine Dominican stogie and talking golf. These are the moments when you sigh and think, "Life doesn't get much better than this."

View of No. 6 at CordeValle

Earlier in the day, we had played the resort's 18 holes, walking with caddies. The course at CordeValle is a very satisfying Robert Trent Jones II design that meanders through California's golden, oak-studded foothills just 30 minutes south of San Jose and 45 minutes north of the Monterey Peninsula. This is the heartland of California, where agriculture is still king and the glitz and glam of the Golden State's big cities hold no sway. Gilroy's annual Garlic Festival is held nearby, as is Castroville's Artichoke Festival.

Charming and beautiful, by all means yes; but why situate a luxury resort out here? Now operated by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, CordeValle first opened as an exclusive golf club, with members making the short drive from San Jose, where executives of flourishing hi-tech companies demanded more and better country clubs than were available in the late 1990s. An intimate, elegant lodge was built to facilitate member needs and guests.

Today, the 28 bungalows (700 square feet, $545-$795/night), five hillside villas (1,100 square feet, $850-$1,050/night) and three four-bedroom fairway homes (3,100 square feet, $2,300-$4,100/night) are operated as a hotel. But the unique thing about CordeValle is that every guest is treated as a prized club member, with full access to all clubhouse and resort facilities when they are in-house, making a stay here a special treat.

As can be surmised from the room rates, Rosewood proffers the highest levels of personalized service and product quality, from the front desk staff to the golf course experience to the spa and restaurants ... a very genial young gentleman even kept a close eye on us at the fire pit to make sure our cigars were lit and our Scotches did not run dry until we were ready to stroll to our bungalows near midnight.

The golf course -- opened in 1999 -- is a masterwork of grace, playing through the heart of the 1,700-acre quintessentially California property. You can play at a leisurely pace, with the land dictating the direction of play.

CordeValle bungalow

The holes are simply straightforward and don't scream with drama, nor do they extract too great a toll on wayward play. Sure, there are some creeks and ravines errant balls will fly into. And -- as I found out up close and personally -- there's an abundance of bunkering guarding the fairway landing areas and greens. But every shot is in front of you, and the strategy required on each hole is clear. Play smart, listen to your caddie, keep the ball beneath the hole, and your nighttime conversation will include some bragging.

NO. 6 is bordered by 85 acres of grapes and Clos LaChance winery. As our group teed off, one of the caddies made a call. By the time we got to the green of this uphill par-5, some winery representatives were there to greet us with a glass of their signature Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. After golf, we returned to the tasting room to sample some 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon -- highly recommended -- and other varietals from this on-property winery.

With many fine golf resorts in California from which to choose -- Pebble Beach, The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and Four Seasons Aviara among them -- CordeValle does not get the mention or respect it richly deserves. On the other hand, when you're sitting around the fire pit at night sipping Islay single malt and discussing the best places few people have ever played, CordeValle will be at the top of the list.

Life doesn't get much better than this.

CordeValle website.