The stunning Pacific Ocean backdrop is one thing that makes Torrey Pines special.
Jan. 24, 2011
The TOUR heads to the sunny La Jolla beaches this week for the Farmers Insurance Open this week. Learn more about the two courses.
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| This week's Kodak Challenge hole |
HOLE: The par-5, 572-yard 18th at Torrey Pines - South
LAST YEAR: The 18th played to a stroke average of 4.508, with players recording 6 eagles, 159 birdies, 131 pars, 12 bogeys, 3 double bogeys, 0 others
DESCRIPTION: This par-5 hole used to pose a great risk-reward situation for the player. In the old times you could make any number here, from 3 to 7, or more. But now, going for the green in two shots is pretty much suicidal. Heavy bunkering on either side of the fairway will punish anything but a prefect drive. And even then, the undulations on the fairway may make it nearly impossible to strike with solid contact a fairway metal. "Devlin's Billabong" lurks farther ahead, in front of the green, threatening to gobble up whatever comes its way. A safe second shot, if you still decide to go for it, is to aim at the narrow passageway between the pond and the greenside bunker. From there, dry land, a birdie is still a possibility. (Click here for more) |
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TORREY PINES - SOUTH COURSE
| Fast facts |
| Course Superintendent |
Jon Maddern |
| Original architect |
William P. Bell, 1957 |
| Redesign |
Rees Jones, 2001 |
| Par value |
72 |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
43 (including 2010) |
| Course ranking |
Ranked 16 (out of 52) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2010 |
| Yardage history |
7,021 yards (1968-1993) |
| |
7,000 (1994-1995, 1998-1999) |
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7,055 (2000-2001) |
| |
7,568 (2002-present) |
| Grass |
Bermudagrass; perennial ryegrass (tees); Kikuyugrass (fairways); Poa annua (greens); Perennial ryegrass; kikuyugrass (rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter |
12 ft |
| Sand bunkers |
78 |
| Water hazards |
1 |
| Course tour |
Click here |
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| Course record |
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Player
Tiger Woods |
Year
1999 |
Round
3rd |
Finish
1 |
|
| Holes-in-one |
| Parker McLachlin |
3 |
2007 |
| Peter Lonard |
3 |
2005 |
| Jay Williamson |
3 |
2002 |
| Kelly Gibson |
8 |
1997 |
| Russell Beiersdorf |
3 |
1994 |
| Peter Persons |
8 |
1990 |
| Jodie Mudd |
11 |
1990 |
| John Mahaffey |
3 |
1989 |
| Mike Sullivan |
8 |
1987 |
| Ronnie Black |
8 |
1985 |
| Loren Roberts |
16 |
1984 |
| Pat McGowan |
3 |
1984 |
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| 2010 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
 |
The par-4 504-yard 12th Another monster par-4. Long and into the wind. Bunkers left and right off the tee, bunkers left and right of the green. You have to drive it long and straight, then have a very accurate long iron shot (or fairway metal) into a semi-elevated green. Just a slight miss on the approach and you'll have to blast out a deep bunker. More of a par four and a half than a par 4. Enjoy the soaring gliders and don't feel too bad if you walk away with a bogey here. Toughest hole at Torrey Pines South.
2010: 0 eagles, 13 birdies, 170 pars, 118 bogeys, 9 double bogeys, 1 others. |
| Easiest hole |
 |
The par-5 560-yard 6th Players can attack this converted par 4 by carrying the canyon on the right with a high draw. Otherwise, the prudent tee shot is down the left, avoiding five fairway bunkers. The difficulty on the second shot will be getting a long approach to land softly on a green.
2010: 6 eagles, 159 birdies, 131 pars, 12 bogeys, 3 double bogeys and 0 others. |
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| Torrey Pines - South Course |
2010 rankings | Last 25 years |
| 1 |
4 |
450 |
4.154 |
7 |
4.222 |
4 |
| 2 |
4 |
389 |
3.9 |
14 |
3.924 |
14 |
| 3 |
3 |
200 |
2.955 |
13 |
3.052 |
11 |
| 4 |
4 |
488 |
4.334 |
2 |
4.253 |
3 |
| 5 |
4 |
454 |
4.074 |
8 |
4.066 |
9 |
| 6 |
5 |
560 |
4.508 |
18 |
4.659 |
17 |
| 7 |
4 |
462 |
4.264 |
3 |
4.289 |
1 |
| 8 |
3 |
176 |
2.974 |
11 |
2.962 |
13 |
| 9 |
5 |
614 |
4.842 |
15 |
4.714 |
16 |
| 10 |
4 |
416 |
3.971 |
12 |
3.981 |
12 |
| 11 |
3 |
221 |
3.174 |
6 |
3.136 |
5 |
| 12 |
4 |
504 |
4.405 |
1 |
4.284 |
2 |
| 13 |
5 |
614 |
4.65 |
17 |
4.720 |
15 |
| 14 |
4 |
437 |
4.196 |
5 |
4.077 |
8 |
| 15 |
4 |
478 |
4.212 |
4 |
4.086 |
7 |
| 16 |
3 |
223 |
3.01 |
10 |
3.120 |
6 |
| 17 |
4 |
442 |
4.061 |
9 |
4.062 |
10 |
| 18 |
5 |
570 |
4.839 |
16 |
4.653 |
18 |
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TORREY PINES - NORTH COURSE
| Fast facts |
| Course Superintendent |
Wayne Carpenter |
| Original architect |
William P. Bell, 1957 |
| Course redesign: |
Harry & David Rainville, 1975 |
| Par value |
72 |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
43 (including 2010) |
| Course ranking |
Ranked 44 (out of 52) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2010 |
| Yardage history |
6,874 yards |
| Grass |
Bentgrass, bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass, Kikuyugrass, Poa annua (tees); Bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass, Kikuyugrass (fairways); bentgrass/Poa annua (greens); Perennial ryegrass, Kikuyugrass (rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter |
10.5 ft |
| Sand bunkers |
60 |
| Water hazards |
2 |
| Course tour |
Click here |
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| Course record |
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Player
Mark Brooks
Brandt Snedeker |
Year
1990
2007 |
Round
2nd
1st |
Finish
T19
3 |
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| Holes in one |
| There have been four aces recorded on the North Course at Torrey Pines |
| Darren Clarke |
3 |
2003 |
| Dick Mast |
3 |
1998 |
| Larry Rinker |
3 |
1992 |
| Gary Koch |
12 |
1988 |
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| 2010 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
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The par-3 208-yard 6th This one is a beauty. Your pre-shot routine should include taking a couple of pictures, particularly if the air is clean. There's a tremendous change in elevation here. It usually plays to about 145 yards from the "lower" back tees to the front. The "higher" back tees have a 206-yard marker, but due to the wind, it may play anywhere from 160 to 185 yards. This is a "wind" hole. The green slopes sharply from back to front AND to the right. A par here is a good score. Enjoy the view. This hole could be called the "Torrey Pines golf course signature hole".
2010: 0 eagles, 15 birdies, 98 pars, 37 bogeys, 6 double bogeys, 0 others. |
| Easiest hole |
 |
The par-5 519-yard 1st It's a nice starting hole: straight away, nothing to hide. Usually plays into the prevailing wind, but you may catch it downwind on some early morning occasions. If you are going to play it in 3 shots, use a 3-wood off the tee to miss the fairway bunkers on either side. Your second, or lay-up shot, is best if it's on the right side because the green not only slopes sharply from back to front, but also to the right. If you are trying for the green in two, missing it on the right side is better. Don't miss it long to avoid an early ulcer.
2010: 5 eagles, 74 birdies, 70 pars, 6 bogeys, 1 double bogey and 0 others. |
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| Torrey Pines - North Course |
2010 rankings | Last 25 years |
| 1 |
5 |
519 |
4.513 |
18 |
4.635 |
15 |
| 2 |
4 |
329 |
3.737 |
14 |
3.809 |
14 |
| 3 |
3 |
184 |
2.987 |
7 |
2.898 |
11 |
| 4 |
4 |
427 |
3.974 |
9 |
4.010 |
8 |
| 5 |
4 |
411 |
4.026 |
6 |
4.005 |
9 |
| 6 |
3 |
208 |
3.218 |
1 |
3.171 |
2 |
| 7 |
4 |
399 |
4.128 |
4 |
4.109 |
3 |
| 8 |
4 |
436 |
3.923 |
11 |
4.014 |
7 |
| 9 |
5 |
547 |
4.583 |
16 |
4.534 |
17 |
| 10 |
4 |
417 |
3.974 |
9 |
3.990 |
10 |
| 11 |
4 |
469 |
4.135 |
3 |
4.177 |
1 |
| 12 |
3 |
214 |
3.096 |
5 |
3.054 |
5 |
| 13 |
4 |
471 |
4.16 |
2 |
4.080 |
4 |
| 14 |
5 |
505 |
4.59 |
15 |
4.569 |
16 |
| 15 |
4 |
397 |
3.75 |
13 |
3.889 |
12 |
| 16 |
4 |
366 |
3.891 |
12 |
3.852 |
13 |
| 17 |
3 |
171 |
2.981 |
8 |
3.023 |
6 |
| 18 |
5 |
516 |
4.532 |
17 |
4.479 |
18 |
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| Course origins |
| Torrey Pines switched from bentgrass to Poa annua on the greens, Kikuyugrass fairways and a Kikuyugrass/ryegrass/Poa annua blend in the rough over the past four years. The par-5 sixth was converted to a par 4 by the USGA, and the U.S. Open was played as a par 71 on the South Course. Some fairways have been modified; a graduated rough is in place, and different teeing grounds can be used with the option of stretching the course to 7,643 yards. |
| In 2007, Course Superintendent Mark Woodward had new cart paths installed on the South Course, restricted power golf cars to those paths only and moved the last tee time up to 1 p.m. each day to reduce traffic on the turf from the 64,000 rounds played annually. The fourth hole, which runs alongside the cliffs overlooking the Pacific, was moved closer to the cliffs to bring the challenging crosswinds off the ocean more into play and the torrey pine trees, guarding the cliffs there, were transplanted to the other side of the fairway. Six of the tees were leveled and enlarged for the championship and the landing area on No. 18 was leveled as well. All the bunkers on the South Course were reshaped and restored, as 2,500 tons of sand were added. Five new bunkers have been added in the last year, and the 615-yard, par-5 13th has a new championship tee that carries 250 yards over a canyon. |
| Torrey Pines, located in La Jolla, Calif., is one of the nation's premier municipal golf facilities. It is bounded by mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Fog, rain and wind often sweep the seaside courses that were designed by William Bell Sr. in 1957. Prior to becoming golf courses, the land was Camp Callan, a naval training area. The torrey pine tree is indigenous to this area and to Santa Rosa Island. The tree is distinguished by having clusters of five needles. |
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| Tournament course history |
| Torrey Pines GC |
La Jolla, Calif. |
1968-present |
| Stardust CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1962-1963, 1965-1967 |
| Rancho Bernardo CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1964 |
| Mission Valley CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1955, 1957-1961 |
| Singing Hills GC |
El Cajon, Calif. |
1956 |
| Rancho Santa Fe GC |
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. |
1954 |
| San Diego CC |
San Diego, Calif. |
1952-1953 |
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