Golf Course Scouting Report: Torrey Pines (South)

This week on the PGA TOUR brings the Farmers Insurance Open and one of the most difficult golf courses on the TOUR schedule. Host of two U.S. Opens, the South Course at Torrey Pines is an absolute monster.

This colossal course also boasts incredible views on the high cliffs of La Jolla, just north of San Diego. Designed in 1957 by William Bell, the South Course comes from an era that is often thought to produce long and difficult but boring golf courses. Torrey Pines overcomes any lack of architectural nuance with sheer brute strength and visual drama.

Overall: 8.20 - The Torrey Pines South Course is a brutally difficult golf course with punishing length and spectacular ocean vistas.

Memorable Holes: 8.0

Some holes at Torrey Pines South, particularly some par fours, may blur together; however, there are also a number of holes that are simply stunning. The 201-yard par-three third immediately comes to mind, turning dramatically downhill off the tee to a green that sits on a precipice overlooking a ravine and the Pacific Ocean. The subsequent par-four fourth also hugs the staggering cliffs of Black's Beach. Probably one of the more overlooked holes on the South Course is the 437-yard par-four 14th; this gem bends gently around the ravine on the left to a shallow infinity green that leads right up to the edge of the ravine.

Interest: 7.0

The intrigue of the South Course is solid overall, and again, the best holes are truly world-class. The par-five 13th is a magnificent hole; this 621-yard monster begins with a tee shot over the ravine to a fairway angled diagonally from right to left. The real fun begins on the second shot; the green is about level with the golfer, but the fairway plunges down into a valley before climbing steeply back up to the putting surface. Any player who comes up short going for the green in two will either find an array of deep and difficult bunkers or will roll back down the massive hill before coming to rest about 60 yards short and 50 feet below the green.

Par Threes: 8.0

As already mentioned, the third hole takes the cake when it comes to par threes at Torrey Pines; however, there are other less dramatic but extremely difficult short holes on the South Course. The 177-yard eighth sports a shallow two-tiered green with a large bunker guarding the front. The 225-yard 11th is extremely difficult, playing downhill to a green with a significantly raised section in the back left. Finally, the beautiful 16th has two teeing areas: One of them is located out to the left at roughly 185 yards, playing over the ravine and approaching the green from an angle. The "main" tee box attacks the green straight on up the runway of fairway leading to the putting surface.

Difficulty: 9.5

As I discuss on my podcast, Linksworms, the South Course is defined by its toughness, and above all, its length. At 7,765 yards, this giant is the longest course on the PGA TOUR. There is no shortage of testing long par threes and fours, but one of the more unique aspects of the South Course's challenge is the set of par fives. Other than the 564-yard sixth, the three-shot holes are not very scoreable compared to what is typically seen on TOUR. Two of them, the ninth and the 13th, are over 600 yards long. The former is possibly the straightest golf hole in the world and startlingly narrow. The latter is an incredible hole that plays down into a valley and back up to the green. Both require work to come away with birdie.

Finish: 8.5

Torrey Pines finishes very well and has a lot of major championship history. The aforementioned 16th is a difficult par three with a gorgeous view of the cliffs and the Pacific Ocean beyond the green. The 443-yard 17th is a tricky par four with a very tight tee shot as the ravine encroaches on the left and bunkers lurk down the right. The elevated green is guarded tightly by bunkers at the front and slopes steeply from back to front. Lastly, the 570-yard par-five 18th is yet another extremely straight and narrow hole. The putting surface is guarded by an enormous bunker on either side and a beautiful glassy pond just short. This green was the site of one of the most clutch and famous shots in the history of golf when Tiger Woods rolled in a 12-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole of the 2008 U.S. Open to force an 18-hole playoff which he won the next day.

For the criteria used to determine these ratings, please click here.