Torrey Pines & Golfweek's Ranking Of 2018 PGA Tour Courses

Mt. St. Geoff needs to let out his first plume after a few days of walking the glorious property that is Torrey Pines, a stunning landscape sadly inhabited by architecture that grows worse by the year. As so many courses refine their architecture, setup and spend to create a more sustainable facility, this place is bucking all trends despite the eco-friendly attitude in this swell part of the world.

Seeing the courses so well-maintained in recent years after so many years of struggle actually adds to the frustration. Knowing that the turf-management expertise is wasted on such uninspired architecture at least has more golfers asking why can't this place reflect the magnificence of its location.

I'll write a few more thoughts on that after I go watch some golf, but in the meantime I was pleased to see the Golfweek America's Best panel's ranking of 2018 PGA Tour courses not celebrating the work carried out here in recent years.  Check out the list.

23. Torrey Pines (South) – La Jolla, Calif. – 1957 – William F. Bell – 6.79

Farmers Insurance Open: This William F. Bell design, renovated by Rees Jones in 2001, is the highest-rated municipal course on Tour’s regular schedule.

41. Torrey Pines (North) – La Jolla, Calif. – 1957 – William F. Bell, Tom Weiskopf – 6.19

Farmers Insurance Open: In 2016 renovation, Weiskopf flipped nines to put the most scenic holes on the back side, and widened fairways and greens.

Comments

[digsouth]

The tracks are yawners for the most part; too bad given the great location, and the topography begging for a plow, and a redeaux. *dig*

[FC]

#23 seems too low. I'd put Torrey in the top 15.

[Dale]

I agree the golf courses could be so much better given the property and general topography. But I don't think TP South is THAT bad. Holes 3, 6, 8, and 11 through 17 are pretty interesting holes, IMHO. And the scenery as Geoff points out is spectacular, which shouldn't be discounted. The problems are the thick, hack out rough and the other holes that are so boring they leave you thinking the whole track is more boring than it ought to be. I haven't played North after Weiskopf's redesign yet, but what I've read and seen in pictures doesn't get me too excited. If all goes to plan, I will play it a couple times in February and see for myself.

It's really a shame given the money spent for the Open Doctor to ruin South and for Weiskopf to give the North essentially a facelift, they could have done so much more.

[Hardy Greaves]

Geoff, would you completely change the routing to make a better golf course?

Or is it just cosmetic changes that you think Torrey needs?

[Soro B]

We're prone to hyperbole, but I can't think of a worse design feature, from an aesthetic viewpoint, than the pond in front of 18. Man-made ponds belong in Florida not along the Pacific.

[Soro B]

Wait, the Golfweek list was prepared by "raters" and not Tour players? Lame.

[jerseychris]

Isn't the first course Rees jones near ruined. Try Equinox in VT. it was my favorite course in the world until he got to it.

[Long Knocker]

Rees Jones is the worst big name architect in the world. Just mundane simplistic monotonous hole after hole. How this guy continues to get jobs is beyond me.

[Greg B.]

I've never understood the raving over Torrey Pines. Aside from the scenery and resultant views, it always struck me as a pretty ordinary Tour venue. From the standpoint of the quality of the holes, I am reminded of Firestone G&CC for some reason. Maybe that's just how it comes across on TV.

[GinGHIN]

Torrey is what people who have never played a great course think is a great course because they’ve seen it on TV. It is not great. It is a really good muni with spectacular views.