I slept with the sliding glass door wide open.

Not exactly something I try at home in Bakersfield, Calif., even on the second floor.

Of course, back home I rarely feel the ocean air and never fall asleep to the sound of gentle waves outside my window ... unless I leave the television on by mistake. And that was my one and only night in Bodega Bay, Calif., a peaceful sleep on a soft bed wrapped in fluffy linens with nothing but the morning light to wake me.

When sunrise arrived in my stylish Bodega Bay Lodge room, I gazed out upon the Pacific Ocean, catching glimpses of the day’s activities — a round of golf on Bodega Harbour Golf Links, a clever little Robert Trent Jones Jr. course that surprises even the best golfers with both its seaside challenge and subtle trickery.

The weather was a victory in itself. Known for being a bit blustery and NorCal coastal cold, the sun was high in the clear sky and short sleeves were the order of the day, especially for those of us inland folk who had battled brutal summer heat for months and welcomed the cooler temperatures on this late-September morning. But the winds still played a factor — no shot at Bodega Harbour goes untouched by the breezes that figure into every swing, forcing players to master low, driving shots if they want to gain maximum distance while hitting their targets throughout.

Designed in phases (the original nine in 1978, the second nine added in 1987 and updates throughout completed in 2007), the course has that labor of love feel, the kind of character only found in smaller, out-of-the-way courses that travelers consider “hidden gems.” And with ocean views from both bluff and beach levels, Bodega on a beautiful day certainly warrants that status.

Nearly 100 bunkers were rebuilt during the renovations, and bentgrass replaced the old-school poa annua greens, resulting in surfaces that reward solid play with the short and flat sticks. The result is a course much closer to a modern-day version of how links-style golf should feel and 18 holes that now work together as a complete experience.

Bodega Harbour’s true charms are revealed on the quirky section known as “The Pit,” where the course dives into the marshland area alongside the beach for a walking-only stretch of two enjoyable short holes. No. 16 is a simple-it-seems little dogleg-left measuring only 303 yards from the tips — a 180-yard shot to the fat of the fairway and wedge to the green unless you’re brave and can judge the elements for a 3-wood or driver shot, all carry across the wetlands.

Next, prevailing winds at the 188-yard par-3 No. 17 will make your par feel like victory. After that, it’s back into your cart for the rousing 461-yard finish — and 19th Hole reflection on what 30 years of love and creativity can create. FG

BODEGA BAY LODGE
www.bodegabaylodge.com| 888.875.2250
Room rates $205-$450

BODEGA HARBOUR GOLF LINKS
www.bodegaharbourgolf.com| 877.99.LINKS
Rates $40-$60 call for summer rates
Yardage 4,801-6,290 | Resort tee rating 67.9/119