Coto de Caza is a census-designated place and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California. The population was 14,866 at the 2010 census.The CDP is a suburban planned community of about 4,000 homes and one of Orange County's oldest and most expensive master-planned communities. The project began in 1968, when it was envisioned as a hunting lodge, now the Lodge at Coto de Caza, and the community was completed in 2003. Coto de Caza also includes Los Ranchos Estates, a 355-acre rural community of 75 large custom homes. Los Ranchos Estates is a separate private community behind the gates of Coto de Caza and has its own homeowner's association.Clubs, sports and recreationCurrently, there are two 18-hole golf courses and two clubhouses, one considered the "Historic Club" and the other, the "New Club". The Historic Club, officially named Coto Valley Country Club, was once home to tennis guru and teacher Vic Braden during the 1980s. It was also a popular watering hole for local actor and cowboy, John Wayne. He entertained many of his famous Hollywood friends at Coto Valley Country Club. It was purchased in 2015 by local resident and popular event planner, Kenney Paul Hrabik. It was given a complete make over and is now a very popular wedding venue and sports and swim club. It has continued to embrace its rich equestrian history and historic charm it has always been known for. It was also the original home location for the Coto de Caza Youth Swim Team, known as the Swordfish. The New Club, officially named the Coto De Caza Golf & Racquet Club, harbors the facilities of both golf courses and adjacent ten tennis courts. Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club finished construction of the new Spa & Sports Club building in April 2008. After the construction upgrade, the facility now houses a new fitness center with state-of-the-art StarTrac exercise equipment, a full-service spa, a snack bar with Starbucks coffee, and the Michael Chang Tennis Hall of Fame and Member Lounge. The golf courses are both of Robert Trent Jones Jr. design. The North course was rated one the most difficult golf course in all of Orange County. Specifically holding honors with the notorious dog-leg right 1st Hole.
