With its idyllic weather and 93 golf courses in every conceivable setting - from mountains to desert to ocean - it's no wonder Golf Digest once named San Diego one of the top 50 golf destinations in the world.  With its majestic mountains, rolling foothills, sparkling lakes and expansive desert, it's no surprise that San Diego's East County is a hidden treasure in the region's golf offerings just waiting to be discovered.

Following is a sampling of several of East County's world-class golf courses that duffers can enjoy throughout the year:

The Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino in Lakeside is home to the Barona Creek Golf Club. Native grasses, oak trees, streambeds and colossal rock formations set the tone for this 18-hole, 7,393-yard championship course, designed by internationally acclaimed golf course architect Gary Roger Baird.  The course includes over 100 bunkers, strategically placed natural obstacles and five tee choices, making it a rewarding course for players of all skill levels.  This year, Barona was ranked "4th Best Course You Can Play in California," "5th Best Casino Course in the Country" and "11th Best Tour Course in the Country" by Golfweek, and was a stop on the PGA's Nationwide Tour in 2007 and 2010.  www.barona.com

Located in Santee, Carlton Oaks Country Club features a challenging 7,225-yard Pete Dye-designed course with meandering creeks, full-grown trees, strategic undulation and peninsula tie greens.  Five sets of tees allow golfers of all skill levels to take advantage of San Diego's only Dye-designed course featuring long fairways and deep pot bunkers.  www.carltonoaksgolf.com

Golf Digest once named Mt. Woodson Golf Club as one of the "most beautiful and unique courses in California," citing its hilly terrain, superb conditions and panoramic views.  The steep changes in elevation throughout the course also help define the special character of Mt. Woodson, where aptly-named holes such as "Drop Off," "The Chute," "Tree Tops" and "The Plunge" capture the challenging nature and fun of this course  www.mtwoodson.com

Steele Canyon Golf Club in Jamul features three distinct and exciting 9-hole Gary Player-designed courses for every skill level.  Boasting Golf Digest's 4-1/2 Star Award, the courses provide breathtaking views and the most extreme course elevation changes in Southern California.  The rugged Canyon Nine features breathtaking elevations; the Ranch Nine winds through fields surrounding a working ranch, and the Meadow Nine stretches along a pastoral valley with beautiful woodlands, streams and native wildlife.  www.steelecanyon.com

Spread over 435 acres, the golf courses at the Sycuan Resort and Casino in El Cajon provide a challenge for golfers of all skill levels, with a choice of three 18-hole courses: two championship courses and one executive course.  The courses' natural terrain includes small ponds, sycamore, oak and cottonwood tree-lined fairways, rock formations, and the Sweetwater River which provide challenging hazards.  www.sycuanresort.com

Nestled in the desert town of Borrego Springs between the Anza-Borrego Desert and the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, Borrego Springs Resort & Country Club offers an exceptional golfing experience. Three 9-hole courses - The Palms, Desert Willow and Mesquite - offer golfers of all levels undulating fairways, vast bunkers and five lakes. The courses' lush landscaping incorporates the vast desert wilderness with several hundred mature date palms, providingbreathtaking views at every turn. www.borregospringsresort.com

Situated in the heart of the Anza-Borrego Desert and surrounded by the towering Santa Rosa, San Ysidro and Vallecito Mountains, RoadRunner Golf Course in Borrego Springs is a beautiful and challenging 18-hole, par-3 course offering excellent opportunities for golfers of all skill levels.  The fairways are lined with 40 varieties of mature domestic and exotic trees, complementing the panoramic views of thedesert.  www.roadrunnerclub.com/golf

Happy happens in San Diego's East County. For more information on East County and the entire San Diego region, visit the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau's website, www.sandiego.org or call (619) 236-1212.  In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, located along the Embarcadero at the corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive in downtown; the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla, or the California Welcome Center, located at the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine.