Carlton Oaks Golf Course: The Perfect Setting for Golf Classic 2026

When we picked Carlton Oaks Golf Course as the home of Golf Classic 2026, it wasn't a hard decision. Tucked into the rolling hills of Santee just 20 minutes from downtown San Diego, Carlton Oaks is one of those courses that earns its reputation the old-fashioned way — by being genuinely great to play.

Here's why we think it's the perfect place to spend a Friday with the trades community.

A Course With Real History

Golf has been played at Carlton Oaks since 1958, but the course you'll walk on April 24th is the product of a full renovation completed in 1989 by Perry Dye, son of the legendary Pete Dye, one of the most celebrated golf course designers in history. Pete Dye received the World Golf Hall of Fame lifetime achievement award in 2008, and his firm, Dye Designs, has built a worldwide reputation for courses that are challenging, visually stunning, and always fun to play. Carlton Oaks is the only Dye-designed course in all of San Diego — so when you tee it up here, you're playing somewhere genuinely one of a kind.

Built for Every Level of Golfer

One of the things that makes Carlton Oaks such a smart choice for an event like ours is that it genuinely works for everyone. The course offers six sets of tees ranging from 5,039 yards all the way up to 7,410 yards — which means a casual weekend golfer and a seasoned low-handicapper can go out together and both have a great time. Nobody gets left behind, and nobody gets bored.

The layout takes full advantage of the natural river-valley setting, weaving through a meandering creek, mature trees, and sparkling lakes that make every hole feel like its own experience. Classic Dye touches are everywhere — pot bunkers, railroad ties, and peninsula greens that keep you thinking from the first tee to the last putt.

Where Phil Mickelson Got His Start

Here's a fun fact worth mentioning at the turn: Phil Mickelson played Carlton Oaks growing up and used the course to sharpen the skills that eventually made him one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. We're not promising you'll leave with a major championship, but you'll be playing the same fairways as one of golf's all-time greats — and that's not nothing.

More Than Just the Course

Carlton Oaks backs up the main event with a full practice facility — an all-grass driving range with private instructional areas, a putting green, and a chipping green that was fully rebuilt in 2013 with a pristine bent grass surface. If you want to warm up properly before the shotgun start, you'll have everything you need.

Easy to Get To, Hard to Leave

Carlton Oaks sits at 9200 Inwood Dr in Santee, about 20 minutes from downtown San Diego and close to some of the city's most well-known attractions — the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Balboa Park, and the Midway Museum. If you're making a day of it with family or out-of-town guests, the location couldn't be more convenient.

Join Us April 24th

Golf Classic 2026 tees off Friday, April 24th with registration at 7 AM and a shotgun start at 8 AM. Every ticket includes a full round with cart, breakfast, lunch, a drink ticket, post-golf snacks, and a raffle ticket. Want to upgrade? VIP Foursomes come loaded with a fully-stocked cooler, 4 full raffle sheets, and 4 extra drink tickets.

Foursomes are going fast. Grab yours at phccsd.org/golf-classic-2026 before they're gone.