Sports

Top 50 San Diego Sports Sites Feature Many From North County

Recently, a list of the Top 50 sports sites in San Diego County was compiled by U-T San Diego. 

Topping the list was, of course, Qualcomm Stadium, home to the San Diego Chargers, and former home of the San Diego Padres, pre-Petco Park. 

North County was well represented in the list as well, with nine of the 50 sites, including these:

4) Torrey Pines Golf Course

OK, so it's not technically North County, but it's close. The seaside municipal golf course, built in 1952 on cliffs overlooking the Pacific, has seen many world-class golfers mark its greens over the years. But none of them has seen the success of Tiger Woods. Woods has won eight times here as a professional, including the most recent Farmers Insurance Open in January. 

His dramatic playoff over Rocco Mediate win at the 2008 U.S. Open is one of the most memorable moments in golf in the last decade. It was also the last time that Woods won a major title. 

6) Del Mar Racetrack

There's nothing like hitting the track in the summertime. Del Mar has become a popular spot for locals to hang, and it often has little to do with horse racing. With live music and "4 O'Clock Fridays," the track has become the place for people to hob nob and star watch. I guess not much has changed since the track opened in 1937.

From the paper:

"This is the 'Track That Bing Built,' as in crooner and actor Bing Crosby, who in 1937 convinced other Hollywood swells like Pat O’Brien to invest in a racetrack by the sea in Del Mar. Crosby’s tune, 'Where The Turf Meets The Surf,' has become the track’s anthem — it’s played every day after “The Star-Spangled Banner” and at the conclusion of racing."

11) La Costa Resort & Spa

A beautiful venue for golf and tennis fans alike, La Costa, too, has had its share of world-class athletes grace its courts and courses. Like at Torrey Pines, Woods has been dominant here, winning the 1997 Mercedes Open and the Accenture Match Play Championship three times at La Costa. 
In 2010, the course became the host of the LPGA Kia Classic, and hosted again last year.
On the tennis courts, Venus Williams has won the Southern California open at La Costa three times. The legendary Steffi Graf has also won at La Costa. 

16) Oceanside High School football field

Dominance is the only word that really fits when describing the football program at Oceanside High School. The Pirates have won 14 CIF San Diego Section titles, and made 21 championship game appearances since 1963. They also have an active streak of reaching at least the semifinals for 19 consecutive years. 

But it's not just prep football that makes Oceanside proud. The school has produced a bevy of pros. From the newspaper:

"Famous former players include a pair of NFL All-Pros in cornerback Willie Buchanon and linebacker Junior Seau.

In all, 14 former Pirates have reached the NFL after playing at Simcox Field. Besides Seau and Buchanon, there’s Sale Isaia, Joe Salavea, Roberto Wallace, Okland Salavea, Charles Dimry, David Toloumu, Bill Sandifer, C.R. Roberts, Pulu Poumele, William Buchanon (Willie’s son), Brian Schwenke (drafted in April) and Sam Brenner (signed as an undrafted free agent)."

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24) Trestles

Located 20 miles north of Oceanside (and officially owned by U.S. Military as part of Camp Pendleon) but still in San Diego County, Trestles is one of the most iconic surfing spots on the West Coast, if not in the world. 

The 2.2 mile stretch of surf was immortalized when mentioned in the Beach Boys' classic "Surfin' USA."

From the newspaper:
"Named after two train trestles that parallel the ocean, the breaks consist of Uppers, Middles, Church, the Point, Old Man's, Dog Patch and Lowers, the latter of which regularly hosts Association of Surfing Professionals competitions."
27) Carlsbad Raceway

Once an undeveloped drag strip in the hills of Carlsbad, all that exists of the Carlsbad Raceway is the name, and countless memories. Speedsters and their super-charged rides would gather from all over for a chance to put the pedal down on the iconic raceway, or crank the throttle in its maze of hills and jumps.

From the newspaper:

"Now its spot is held by the Carlsbad Raceway Business Park, a strip of nondescript buildings on sacred ground to longtime San Diego racing enthusiasts. Many of them were there for the Carlsbad Raceway opener in 1964, when dragster Danny Ongais hit 200 mph in a semifinal race."

28) Encinitas YMCA Skate Park

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The longest serving skate park in the county, the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA skate park is frequented by novices and pros alike, most notably Tony Hawk, who can be seen at the park on occasion. 

Featuring a 13 1/2-foot vert ramp, the park has attracted skaters from all over the world since opening in 1990. And that includes some of the biggest action sports stars in the sport like Shaun White, Danny Way, Bucky Lasek, Andy MacDonald,  Bob Burnquist, and 13-year-old X Games gold medalist Tom Schaar.

From the newspaper: 

“When skating was at its deadest point, they were the one to actually test having a skate park,” Hawk, 45, said. “No one else was doing it because skating wasn’t popular enough or there was too much insurance drama.

“This was the only place to skate ramps, and it became the epicenter of skate parks. From the mid-’90s to 2000, all of the vert action was happening here.”

37) Callaway Factory

Callaway, one of the leading brands in all of golf, is headquartered in Carlsbad and is always on the cutting edge. From creating a more aerodynamic golf ball, to offering the first driver with an oversized head – The Big Bertha – pros from all over the globe, and amateurs as well, swear by the beloved company. 

From the newspaper:

"Callaway was the heart and soul of a company which continues to improve players' games through technological breakthroughs, many which are tested at the Callaway Performance Center.

While the stable of Callaway pros stretch from Arnold Palmer to Phil Mickelson, it's the average players, or weekend hackers, that likely benefit most from Callaway's products."

47) Carlsbad 5K

The course is only 3.1 miles, but the lore and legacy of the Carlsbad 5K, held annually every spring, stretches much farther. The wildly popular road race, which starts downtown and travels along Pacific Coast Highway, is billed as "The Fastest 5K in the World."

With 16 world records being broken at the race since its inception in 1987, few can argue with that. Kenyan Sammy Kipketer set the last record for the mens' race in 2000, with a time of 12:59.5.

From the newspaper:

"What distinguishes the Carlsbad 5000 is the course (flat) and the crowds (huge). The amateurs plod along in seven age-group divisions in the morning, then stick around (the beer garden is a popular spot) for a dose of inspiration and humility with the elite race at noon."



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