Entering a New Era of Country Club in North County

The resort formerly known as Morgan Run in Rancho Santa Fe is full-speed ahead to achieve its new look and identity with the first renovation revealed this month. The North Course’s nine holes debuted on March 13, and the response has been outstanding, according to Meriwether Companies partner David Likins, who we sat down with earlier this week. 

The county recently greenlit the $25 million plan for the property, originally built in 1965, located on Via de la Valle and Cancha de Golf. The endeavor includes a complete overhaul and rebrand of the 77-room hotel, club house, resort pool, tennis and pickleball courts, fitness facility, and golf course. 

The decidedly local design team behind La Valle Coastal Club is architect Hanna Gabriel Wells of Ocean Beach and GroundLevel Landscape Architecture with offices in Little Italy and Rancho Santa Fe. 

“We’re taking an interesting approach that’s very unique to North County,” says Likins.  “It’s a fun coastal casual opportunity to enjoy friends and family in a low-key environment, and that’s rare for a country club.” 

Rare indeed, especially considering the neighbors. What’s different? Wellness and technology are central to the La Valle Coastal Club fitness center, slated for construction in September with December completion. Expect diverse offerings: A Pilates studio, wellness pods with cold and hot plunges, a communal sauna, communal steam room, halo therapy, and an infrared facility. For the spa, there will be four treatment rooms with an aesthetician and a salon. 

The tennis and pickleball facilities will include a padel court, a hybrid racket game “that’s all the rage” and requires a semi-enclosed court. And the evolution continues with a Himalayan-style family putting green, offering a fresh approach to mini golf for both golfers and non-golfers. Meanwhile, the 27-hole course is being completed in three stages: the North is complete; the South course and practice facilities are under construction and will be revealed in May; the East course this summer. 

“We are touching all 200 acres of the property,” says Likins of the endeavor. 

The hotel and clubhouse are the centerpiece of the project — from the arrival experience to the new resort pool. Relaxed and refined, it will personify the casual sophistication for which North County has become known. It is slated to open in phases starting in early 2025. 

Meriwether Companies is a private real estate investment and development firm focused on resort master plan, hospitality, and commercial development. Previous projects have included the Griffin Club in Los Angeles, the Aspen Club, and Coral Mountain in La Quinta.

Stay tuned to Ranch & Coast Magazine for news and updates.