Inside the courses: Torrey Pines -- North and South

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Condon/PGA TOUR

The stunning Pacific Ocean backdrop is one thing that makes Torrey Pines special.

Jan. 22, 2012

The TOUR heads to the sunny La Jolla beaches this week for the Farmers Insurance Open this week. Learn more about the two courses.

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	44 (including 2012)
Course ranking	Ranked 11 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2011
Yardage history	7,021 yards (1968-1993)
	7,000 (1994-1995, 1998-1999)
	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

Course record

Player
Tiger Woods

Year
1999

Round
3rd

Finish
1

Holes-in-one

Player	Hole	Year
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

2011 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. 2011: 0 eagles, 26 birdies, 189 pars, 91 bogeys, 7 double bogeys, 0 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. 2011: 8 eagles, 144 birdies, 134 pars, 22 bogeys, 4 double bogeys and 0 others.

Torrey Pines - South Course			2011 rankings		Last 26 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Average score	Rank	Average score	Rank
1	4	450	4.093	10	4.217	4
2	4	389	4.038	11	3.928	14
3	3	200	3.022	13	3.051	11
4	4	488	4.109	9	4.248	3
5	4	454	4.22	2	4.072	9
6	5	560	4.594	18	4.657	18
7	4	462	4.182	5	4.285	1
8	3	176	3.038	11	2.965	13
9	5	614	4.805	15	4.717	16
10	4	416	3.994	14	3.981	12
11	3	221	3.217	3	3.139	5
12	4	504	4.252	1	4.283	2
13	5	614	4.786	17	4.722	15
14	4	437	4.144	7	4.079	8
15	4	478	4.195	4	4.090	7
16	3	223	3.141	8	3.121	6
17	4	442	4.169	6	4.066	10
18	5	570	4.792	16	4.658	17

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 2012)
Course ranking	Ranked 38 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2011
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

Course record

Player
Mark Brooks
Brandt Snedeker

Year
1990
2007

Round
2nd
1st

Finish
T19
3

Holes in one

There have been four aces recorded on the North Course at Torrey Pines

Player	Hole	Year
Darren Clarke	3	2003
Dick Mast	3	1998
Larry Rinker	3	1992
Gary Koch	12	1988

2011 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	The par-4 492-yard 11th The most difficult par 4 on the back side at Torrey Pines North. Off the tee, left is canyonland, right is a bunker. It's a slight dogleg left and the change in elevation is not that noticeable on your approach. The green has no mysteries. Like most Torrey Pines golf course's greens, it slopes from back to front and to the ocean (left). If you miss your approach, make it short or left of the green. 2011: 0 eagles, 8 birdies, 101 pars, 42 bogeys, 3 double bogeys, 0 others.
Easiest hole
	The par-5 516-yard 18th A nice finishing hole because you can score anything between a 3 and a 6 here. Off the tee favor the left side, but not too much so you don't get caught in either of the two (invisible off the tee) fairway bunkers. 2011: 6 eagles, 72 birdies, 65 pars, 11 bogeys, 0 double bogeys and 0 others.

Torrey Pines - North Course			2011 rankings		Last 26 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Average score	Rank	Average score	Rank
1	5	519	4.597	17	4.634	15
2	4	329	3.727	14	3.806	14
3	3	184	2.961	11	2.900	11
4	4	434	4.032	8	4.010	8
5	4	411	4.039	7	4.006	9
6	3	212	3.071	5	3.168	2
7	4	399	4.175	3	4.111	3
8	4	436	3.968	10	4.013	7
9	5	547	4.714	15	4.540	17
10	4	417	4.11	4	3.994	10
11	4	492	4.26	1	4.179	1
12	3	214	3.214	2	3.060	5
13	4	471	4.045	6	4.079	4
14	5	526	4.688	16	4.573	16
15	4	397	3.87	13	3.889	12
16	4	392	3.955	12	3.856	13
17	3	171	3.032	8	3.024	6
18	5	516	4.526	18	4.480	18

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.

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
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