There won’t be any hot dog or beer for me at the turn today. Instead, my back nine at the Havens Country Club will be fueled by the contents of a small lunch bag: a gluten-free chicken Caesar wrap (with no Caesar dressing), an apple, and a flourless chocolate cookie, all of which will be counted toward my 2,500 calories for the day.

I am here, in San Diego’s North County, for a three-day wellness program at the revered Cal-a-Vie Health Spa (above). Set on 400 acres of chaparral hills, about seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, Cal-a-Vie is a European-inspired retreat where guests—many of them repeat visitors—come to get healthy. Depending on the person, that can mean anything from shedding a few pounds or recovering from an injury to the simple act of recalibrating in an undeniably stress-free environment.

Unlike some of its European counterparts, Cal-a-Vie is not a strict boot camp. A casual California attitude pervades the tranquil grounds, where you’re never too far from a burbling fountain or a relaxing nook with views of lavender-covered hills. Within this sanctuary, a team of practitioners and planners helps guests create customized schedules that can be as hard-core or low-key as they choose. There’s no need to give up caffeine or flush out all your toxins; you pick the wellness path you want to follow—and then do your best to follow it.

The many offerings at Cal-a-Vie include a revolving roster of fitness sessions, morning hikes, massages, consultations, therapies, and cooking classes. Calories are also burned through competitive sport, most frequently on the resort’s pickleball and tennis courts. Not as commonly incorporated into routines is Cal-a-Vie’s most unexpected amenity: an 18-hole private golf course reserved for members and resort guests.

The Havens Country Club is next door to Cal-a-Vie and is owned by the same Houston-based family, who are also building a winery and private community across the street. The golf course plays along both sides of a seasonal creek lined with old sycamores that bend, bow, and twist from one bank to the other. Rocky, brush-covered hills rise on either side of the canyon, where the lack of fellow golfers contributes to a Zen-like environment. It’s the kind of place where you might forget to mark your score, too pleasantly relaxed, or perhaps too hungry, to notice or care.

Upon finishing my round at the Havens, I find a driver from Cal-a-Vie waiting for me by the pro shop. He casually suggests I go upstairs to the newly renovated clubhouse restaurant for a beer and a bite to eat. As tempting as the proposition sounds, I stay the course, heading back to the resort for an afternoon Pilates class and a precisely prepared dinner.

California Combo
Cal-a-Vie Health Spa isn’t the state’s only wellness retreat to pair well-being and golf. Set on a former private estate in Rancho Mirage, Sensei Porcupine Creek features a full slate of wellness programs, an 18-hole golf course in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, and a clubhouse menu designed by chefs at the resort’s Nobu restaurant.