By Teresa Mariani

Photo by Teresa Mariani
	Golfers enjoy a sunny morning on the first tee at the Avila Beach Reort Golf Course, just steps from the course driving range.

While some things have changed pretty radically in Avila Beach over the last few years, some things - thankfully - have remained much the same. The Avila Beach Resort and Golf Course, for one.

The pro course with its rolling greens, bayside tees, and views of the Pacific Ocean is still as beautiful as it always has been. In fact, it's hard to believe the resort and golf course is now 32 years old. Everyone should look this good at 32.

Situated just across San Luis Bay Drive and San Luis Creek from the town and beach, the Avila Beach Resort and Golf Course rolls gently back to the oak-covered Irish Hills. The par 71, 6500-acre championship course hosts several tournaments every year, and draws thousands of golfers.

"We get golfers from all over," said Linda Renfrow, Director of Special Events at the resort. "They come from Canada. Europe. We get a lot from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Valley - Bakersfield, Fresno." The course is a favorite with Central Coast golfers as well.

None seem to mind the dress rules, which lean more towards Tiger Woods duds than Adam Sandler golf styles popular with college students. Playing at the Avila Beach Golf Resort requires the proper attire: collared shirts are mandatory, and no tank-tops or cut-offs are allowed.

Photo by Teresa Mariani
The first tee at the Avila Beach Resort Golf Course

The course draws players of all ages, though - from twentysomething newlyweds tackling the tees together, or old buddies who have somehow become granddads (or grandmas) but still get together over a game of golf.

A stroll around the course makes it easy to see why. The front nine links flow through the oak lined valleys at the base of the Irish Hills. The back nine are laid out along the tidal estuary where San Luis Creek meets San Luis Bay at Avila Beach.

It makes for some wonderful views during play. "We've got panoramic views of Avila Beach, the Avila Valley, and the Pacific Ocean," Renfrow says.

The views draw more than avid golfers. Mulligan's Bar & Grill, the resort restaurant, is located between the ninth and tenth tees. It's open for breakfast, lunch and informal dinner, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The dining room and patio at Mulligan's faces San Luis Creek, Avila Beach, and the ocean; on a sunny day you couldn't ask for a prettier view to go along with your Trevino Burger or Oriental Chicken Salad.

The beauty of the resort has also made it a favorite place for weddings, proms, concerts, and other special events.

The extensive emerald green lawn between Mulligan's and San Luis Creek is the setting for about 40 weddings a year, Renfrow says. The resort's yellow and white pavilion tents can be set up on the greensward to accommodate up to 1,000 guests, complete with a parquet dance floor.

Photo by Teresa Mariani
	The Clubhouse and Mulligan's Bar and Grill at the Avila Beach Resort and Golf Course offer relaxing beach views.

Sunset wedding receptions with festivities carried out under sparkling lights as night falls are a common summer sight at the resort. Guests at Mulligan's enjoying dinner on a warm May weekend evening are also frequently treated to the sight of tuxedoed teen-age boys escorting girls in formal gowns to Senior Proms beneath the pavilion tents.

The Resort is also hosting more and more concerts on the green every year. Summer at the Resort kicks off with the Blues & Beer festival Memorial Day Weekend, and the San Luis Obispo Symphony's 'Pops by the Sea' concert in August has grown into a popular local favorite.

In between, the Avila Beach Golf Resort hosts a variety of blues and pop concerts. "We started out with three a year, and now we're having four or five," Renfrow explains. "We've had the Doobie Brothers, Elvin Bishop, John Lee Hooker, Los Lobos, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne - a lot of people."

The Avila Beach Resort and Golf Course web page (www.avilabeachresort.com/) posts concert dates and information regularly; or you can get them by calling the resort at 805-595-4000. Or Click Here to check out the Avila Beach Entertainment & Events Calendar.

If You Go: The Inn at Avila Beach is a perfect place to stay if you're looking for a getaway golf weekend. The Inn offers special Avila Beach Golf Resort weekend packages. Click Here to read more about them.

If you're not a golfer but you happen to be married to one (or dating one) there's still plenty to do at the resort. The Bob Jones City to Sea bike trail runs through the resort from San Luis Bay Drive all the way to Ontario Road. It's perfect for a flat, gentle bike ride, walk, jog, or rollerblading session. Click Here to read about the bike trail.

Non-golfers can also enjoy sunning, swimming and surfing at Avila Beach, or book ocean fishing or whale watching cruises out of nearby Port San Luis. Click Here to read about fishing and whale watching cruises.

The resort does offer a pro shop, driving range and putting green. Call the resort at 805-595-4000 for tee times and reservations.

- Writer Teresa Mariani enjoys concerts on the green at the Avila Beach Golf Resort.

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