I'm ranking the top 15 places you can play in North County. I kept private clubs off the list, and geographically, I tried to shoot for anywhere between Mission Valley and the county line, somewhere between or within a few miles of the 5 and 15 freeways.
This is simply my own list with my own criteria of where I enjoy playing. Feel free to disagree.
#5 - Encinitas Ranch
A sentimental favorite because it's about 3 minutes from my house, but this is always a fun course to play. Locals call it "Easy Ranch" because it's not exactly the toughest track in town, but there's nothing wrong with posting a decent number every now and then. Oh, and don't confuse "easy" with "boring." Ocean breezes, some spectacular views (the approach shot on the par-4 7th hole is one of the most unique visuals in San Diego golf), and a good variety of holes. The back nine will give you just enough challenge to make that 78 feel like you earned it.
#4 - Maderas
Maderas is a fun place to bring out-of-town guests for one of the best modern courses in San Diego. A tough but fair test of golf. You'll earn your score, good or bad. Also a good place to find pro athletes on off days or during the offseason. I played a memorable round there with Randy Jones and Steve Stone. MLB pitchers tend to be good golfers, too. Something about repeating motions 70-90 times I'd imagine. LaDainian Tomlinson used to live in a huge house overlooking the back nine. We once interviewed him there on our Channel 10 Monday Night Live show (when the San Diego Chargers and MNF on ABC were still things that existed).
#3 - Torrey Pines North Course
I know some of the locals in the Torrey Pines men's club weren't happy with the recent redesign to make Torrey North a tougher challenge, but the changes turned out great, in my opinion. The pros used to eat the North alive during their Thursday/Friday round at the Farmers Insurance Open, but it's become a much sterner test of golf, and seems to improve each year as the upgrades continue to take root. The par-3 15th and par-4 16th holes along the Pacific are unforgettable and one of the only places I don't mind waiting around to hit a tee shot (and you will wait). Just a couple of weaker holes coming in on the front prevent the North from matching its more esteemed brother.
#2 - Aviara Golf Club
My choice for San Diego's top resort course, you'll find Aviara attached to the Park Hyatt along the Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad. This is a luxurious golf experience, with all the bells and whistles. Cascading waterfalls, colorful flora, tricky shots over glistening ponds, and a championship-worthy finishing hole are just some of the details that make a round at Aviara memorable. Home of the LPGA's annual Kia Classic and the Kip Puterbaugh Golf Academy, Aviara is a complete golf destination for visitors and a more-than-worthy choice for #2 on my list.
#1 - Torrey Pines South Course
You were expecting the Rancho Carlsbad par-3 course? I'm not reinventing the game, here. The USGA doesn't bring it's crown jewel to just any cow pasture. The South course is the site of Tiger Woods' spectacular U.S. Open playoff win over Rocco Mediate in 2008, and will host again in 2021, while continuing to be San Diego's annual PGA Tour stop for the Farmers Insurance Open. As you'd expect, the course is long and the rough is thick. The views are spectacular and the greens can be tricky. My personal favorite holes include the par-3 3rd with a tee shot headed straight toward the Pacific Ocean and La Jolla Cove, the shorter but always diabolical par-4 14th with the treacherous canyon behind the green, and the famous 18th, where it's easy to picture the grandstands surrounding Devlin's Billabong even when the TV cameras are long gone. It's hard to believe that in a town that can't figure out how to build a stadium or arena or keep an NFL team, we have one of the finest (if not THE finest) municipal golf courses in the world.