EXCURSION: TORREY PINES SOUTH CAN BE A BEAUTIFUL BEAST.Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer SAN DIEGO San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. - Interested in getting a small taste of what U.S. Open The term U.S. Open is applied to "open" United States national championships in a particular sport, in which anybody, amateur or professional, American or non-American may compete. These include:
Right now, most of the new challenge is length, and it's plenty of challenge - 7,607 yards from the back black tees, which play to a men's rating of 78.1 and a slope of 143. Tough as that might sound, especially when you factor in the dependable wind that is so often part of the equation at this scenic oceanside layout on the cliffs north of La Jolla La Jolla (lə hoi`yə), on the Pacific Ocean, S Calif., an uninc. district within the confines of San Diego; founded 1869. The beautiful ocean beaches, in particular La Jolla shores and Black's Beach, and sea-washed caves attract visitors and , this year's version of Torrey Pines South might be a pussycat puss·y·cat n. 1. A cat. 2. Informal One who is regarded as easygoing, mild-mannered, or amiable. Noun 1. compared to what it will be like for the 2008 Open. By then, the sponsoring United States Golf Association The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. will have narrowed the fairways, raised the rough and slicked up greens already made considerably larger during a 2002 course-stretching redesign by Rees Jones Rees Jones (born September 16, 1941) is a noted golf course architect. He was born in Montclair, New Jersey the son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and the younger brother of golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Jr.. . The USGA USGA United States Golf Association USGA Uhren & Schmuck Gassner (Germany) USGA US Global Nanospace Inc. (stock symbol) USGA Undergraduate Student Government Association also will likely reduce a pair of par-5 holes to par-4s without appreciably reducing the distance. No. 18, now a 571-yard par-5 from the back tees, is expected to play about 500 as a par-4, with its infamous green-fronting pond posing a serious threat to reaching the putting surface in regulation. No. 6, now a 560-yard par-5, is another likely lengthy par-4 if the USGA sticks with its tendency to play its Opens at a par of 70. But South's length doesn't come into play only for those willing to tackle it from the tips. The blue tees are a hefty 7,227 yards, the whites play 6,885 yards and the greens - the shortest set of men's tees on the course - play at 6,542 yards. Those willing to take on South at its longest open their battle with a 452-yard par-4 that plays often into wind. They finish with the water-fronted 18th green that has sidetracked many title hopefuls in the PGA (1) (Professional Graphics Adapter) An early IBM PC display standard for 3D processing with 640x480x256 resolution. It was not widely used. (2) (Programmable Gate Array) See gate array and FPGA. Tour's annual Buick Invitational - most recently transplanted Englander Luke Donald. In contention to win in a foggy final round last February, the former NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association champion from Northwestern hit his third-shot approach nearly into the cup, only to have it bounce off the flagstick flag·stick n. A removable pole with a flag marking the placement of each hole on the putting greens of a golf course. and back into the pond. Other holes that will test your long-iron or fairway-wood ability are the 613-yard, par-5 ninth, the 483-yard, par-4 fourth, the 477-yard, par-4 15th and the 462-yard, par-4 seventh - which is rated toughest on the course. Such is the strength of South that the hole rated easiest is the 221-yard par-3 16th, which plays uphill and often into wind. But if South can be a beast, it also has plenty of beauty, with some of its prettiest holes running alongside or toward the Pacific Ocean. The 198-yard, downhill par-3 third - Torrey Pines' version of the seventh hole at Pebble Beach - affords a picturesque tee-box view of La Jolla. The 504-yard, par-4 12th - rated second-toughest on the course - has its green situated near an ocean-fronting cliff, where a trio of wind-whipped pine trees vie with constant hang-gliders as backdrops to approach shots. Keep those dramatic views in mind when you total up your scorecard after a round on South. It should help ease the pain. TORREY PINES SOUTH Destination: San Diego Vital stats: Par 72 with five sets of tees, including green tees rated for men and women. Men's black 7,607 yards, 78.1 rating, 143 slope; men's blue 7,227 yards, 76.1/139; men's white 6,885 yards, 74.3/136; men's green 6,542 yards, 72.5/133; women's green 6,542 yards, 79.2/138; women's red 5,542 yards, 73.5/128. --Rates: San Diego residents $40 weekdays, $45 weekends/holidays; Nonresidents $115 weekdays, $235 weekends/holidays. Cart fee $30. Walking allowed. Access: Open to public Phone: (858) 552-1784 Course architect: William P. Bell (redesign by Rees Jones) Course record: Greg Chalmers 63 Notable: Torrey Pines South will be the site of the 2008 U.S. Open. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Hang gliders and bent trees show wind can influence approach shots at Torrey Pines South, which will be the site of the 2008 U.S. Open. Dave Shelburne/Daily News Box: TORREY PINES SOUTH (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||

Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion