Torrey Pines Review!

I’m back from a week in Southern California and the South Course was everything I had hoped it would be. It was beautifully kept, but also incredibly challenging and even more so given the conditions. Hail, sustained 35 mph winds with 50 mph gusts, and sunshine, we really got the full Torrey Pines experience. When I say “we,” I mean my wife actually came along. She took some great pictures and videos of the round and I am happy to share some with you all here.

Now this is a lengthy post because playing Torrey was definitely a bucket list item of mine and is by far the most historic course I have played. Below is a plaque from the first tee documenting Tiger’s US Open victory in 2008 (yes, its a little glossy – the weather was WILD to begin the round).

Shockingly, through nerves and 30 mph winds, I put my first tee shot in the fairway at 1. I was about 220 yards from the green – yes, into that wind. I managed to hit a 3 hybrid about 50 yards short of the green. That’s when it all broke loose. Check this out – https://youtube.com/shorts/3UMK-048bJY?feature=share. Wind, rain, hail fell down on us for the next 15-20 minutes, including the rest of the hole and the tee shot on the second. This even included a delay on the second tee as we tried to gather our bearings! It came to a point where we just had to step up and rip it on 2. I pulled it slightly left of the fairway, but did find it in the wet rough. The wedge approach finished just off the back of the green. I was able to get my chip near the hole. Yet, my poor putting was a common theme throughout the day. I doubled this hole due to losses in SG putting.

We stepped up to the famous third hole par 3 with wind hard off the right and into us. I went with pitching wedge and the wind really took it. The distance was perfect but ended left of the green. Luckily, not down the hill to where you see some of the pros when they miss it BAD. Again, I managed to chip up but ended up three putting for double (I blame the putting green being closed due to weather before we teed off).

The fourth hole is where I started to really settle into the round. I started to remember the two swing thoughts I wanted to bring into the round – staying balanced and clearing through my left heel. Having simple, easy swing thoughts really helps you block out all the noise that you have playing golf. It is INCREDIBLY easy to get wrapped up in your own head, I have been there before. Golf is more mental stress than physical stress.

The fourth runs along the coast and I busted a little cut into the fairway. Against the wind, I then held up a 6 iron draw landing just right of the green on the hill. It funneled down to about a 15 foot birdie putt. I came up about one revolution short and had a stress free par.

My first birdie came on the 9th hole par 5. It was at this point that I was feeling pretty comfortable with my driver and the wind direction, so I unleashed 305 yard draw, clearing the bunkers and landing in the middle of the fairway. My approach was pulled left of the cart path on a hill near the 6th tee. The only play I had was a flop shot over the greenside bunker, so I just fully committed and landed it about 5 feet from the hole then sank the putt for a bird! The 10th was the same story as the 9th, but my wedge landed on the longer side of the green so I had a safe two putt. Check out the link below for what both of those drives looked like – https://youtu.be/y-eMpjvlvV8.

Jumping to the 13th hole par 5 (the one you see on TV that goes down and up like a roller coaster), we were able to tee it up on the other side of the ravine with the wind at our backs. I left my tee shot out to the right a little bit, ending up in the rough. I then put my 5 iron approach into the first greenside bunker on the left, which left me with a massive uphill bunker shot. I hit probably one of the best bunker shots of my life. The uphill circumstances and the distance to the green made it challenging. I landed it to about 20 feet, then two putted for par.

I wanted to quickly wrap this post up going down the 18th hole. The iconic 18th is where Jon Rahm won his first Tour victory on a winding eagle putt in 2017 and where he sealed the deal at the 2021 US Open. Ending the round, I pulled my tee shot slightly to the left (being cart path only, this was a trek). A perfect 5 iron layup to about 110 yards left me with a smooth wedge into the 18th green. If you know Torrey Pines, you know about the lake that guards the green and the severe false front on the front of the green. So, I clubbed up. Into the wind, I thought I hit a perfect ball to the back of the green and it would spin on down like Rahm’s putt. Nope. It landed 6 feet left and pin high, usually something I would be ecstatic about. This one? Rolled off the green and into the drink. AGHAST. I did manage to chip the next shot to tap in range to save the bogey, but I was ready to walk out of there with another bird. Ended up shooting a 94 (36 putts, yikes!), but only lost two balls. Given the conditions and the elements that I could control (decision making, emotions), I was more than happy with how the round played out.

Overall, it was a great bucket list trip for myself and I was happy that my wife was able to experience it with me (and also be the go-to photographer). Torrey Pines lived up to all my expectations. If you have a shot to get out there and play, I heavily recommend it. I initially thought there may be parts of the course that were waterlogged (it rained three days in a row and also the day of the tee time), but it drained magnificently. You already know I left out of there with a Torrey Pines shirt and flag, which I hope to have a nice collection when my golf “career” is up. I do have a YouTube channel up and running now (https://www.youtube.com/@rjrgolfs), where I hope to add videos of more courses and swings – but for now, please enjoy the rest of the photography that we tried to capture on our trip.