The golf course at Northstar California fits the mold of many ski resort golf courses you will find. There are some serious elevation changes, some severe doglegs, and some tricky greens. The front nine is an open, links-style set up which is forgiving off the tee. The back nine tightens up dramatically, taking you into forest and calling for more precision. For first timers, your golf cart GPS is vital to playing the back nine effectively.

The signature hole at Northstar California is the downhill par-3 16th. After traversing the large staircase to get to the tee box, you get to look down at a green so far below your feet you don’t think your ball is ever going to come down once it is struck. It is a great hole, but I will admit not the hole that I remember most. While on the 17th green, I noticed a large dark mass moving slowly along the 18th hole tee box. It was the first live bear I had ever encountered on a golf course. After (quickly) getting to our carts, we determined there were no cubs around. Our new friend made his way across a small stream and turned back to watch us tee off on the hole from a safe distance. A very memorable round indeed!