Prospector Sam: Torrey Pines Course Breakdown - 2021 US Open

Prospector Sam is back to breakdown the course of this week's US Open at Torrey Pines, with key holes, important skills and more!

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The US Open, Need I say more? Well, I’m a writer, so yes. One sentence wouldn’t really do it. But the US Open is pretty damn awesome, and it garners almost as much attention as the Masters. The self-proclaimed “toughest test in golf” gets its pick of the litter for courses across the country, and regularly returns to some of the top tracks to host its championship. Torrey Pines’ South Course is one of those return tracks, having hosted the event in 2008.

To be honest, this was an extremely disappointing choice (in my opinion) when it the USGA selected it. For one, it’s a regular tour stop since it hosts the Farmers Insurance Open every year, meaning players will know it and be well versed in how to beat it. On top of that, its really just not that spectacular of a course. Golf Digest, one of the most reputable sources for course review, ranks it at 198th in the country, and nothing aside from its location next to the ocean makes it all that interesting.

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So why are we playing here? Well, I think it boils down to two key factors. One is that the USGA loves to use public courses (Pebble, Pinehurst, Bethpage, Erin Hills), and Torrey comes in much higher when all of the private courses are stripped away. The notion of using public courses is cool and makes sense, because it’s a place the average golfer (with enough cash) can go and walk the same grounds as the best.

The problem is, there are a bunch of other public courses that would be worth a shot, and picking one that’s regularly played on the tour isn’t all that exciting. But Torrey is tried and tested for tournament play and set up, so it’s a comfortable selection that fits the needs of the traditional tournament layout. More significant, in my opinion, is what happened the only other time the US Open was hosted here. Tiger Woods drained a long birdie putt on 18 to tie Rocco Mediate, triggering the best playoff in golf (an 18-hole showdown), which ultimately crowned Woods as champ in a 19th hole sudden death playoff. Oh, and his leg was broken. The US open hasn’t had a tie since, and that week still resonates as one of the best Majors of all time (I remember where I was when I saw Woods hit that birdie putt on 18, if that tells you anything).

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So here we are, approaching a US Open at Torrey Pines. It will still be great, and there are enough storylines to draw in even the casual fan. Tiger will sadly not be there, but Phil Mickelson, winner of last month’s PGA Championship, will be back for another shot at the major that has long eluded him. The course will be tough and the rough will be long, as is the case with every US Open, but the cliffs of California will present a different challenge than the historic (i.e. boring) Winged Foot did last year. Hopefully we get some drama this time, since the first two majors of the year have been a bit lacking in that department.

General Overview of Torrey Pines

The first thing everyone will notice about the South Course is the landscape. The Pacific Ocean is always visible, and the land sits perched on an elevated plane that is surrounded by valleys that drop down to sea level. The course itself, however, doesn’t have all that much elevation change. The rises and falls in the land are more gradual, so there wont be any dramatic challenges on that front. The course as a whole is mostly open, but it’s spotted with trees in certain key locations to create problems for golfers who make bad mistakes.

Where are the real teeth of the course, you ask? Well, if we’re being honest, its your classic US Open test; long holes (the course can play up to 7800 yards) with narrow fairways and really deep rough. Miss the fairway, and you’ll be looking at something close to a 1-shot penalty, depending on how bad your lie is and how far from the pin you are. There are also a number of holes running along the side of those cliffs, which will create some lost ball concerns for badly missed shots and cause players to make defensive swings to avoid that penalty.

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The courses’ bunkering will also force players to choose the appropriate tee shot or smart approach, but that’s nothing particularly novel for professional golfers in terms of design. Torrey Pines also has a single pond, oddly placed before the green on the Par 5 18th, which creates great drama but doesn’t really fit with the other 17 holes or their design. Overall, as you can certainly tell by now, I’m just not much of a fan. It’s about as dull a US Open track as you could pick, without the excuse of being designed in the early 1900s. But somebody has to be crowned, and it’s not going to be easy (Woods and Mediate tied at -1 through 72 holes last time).

So here’s what I think you should look for in players if you’re looking for bets ⤵️

⛏️ Length. Preferably length with accuracy, but length is a must. As we saw last year, being able to hit it long is a huge advantage with this rough, because being closer and having to hack out is better than being longer and having to hack out.

⛏️ Bunker play is crucial. There are exactly zero holes on this course without a bunker, and most of the par 4s and 5s have fairway bunkers as well. As much as players will strategize to avoid them, everyone will end up with a few tricky sand shots. It might not be the biggest impact on scoring, but those 2 or 3 strokes gained or lost could be the difference

⛏️ Mental toughness is a must. Many players hate the US Open because it teeters on the line between challenging and just silly. While courses like Augusta will put you in bad situations when you make a mistake, something as small as missing the fairway by a yard could add a shot this week. Players that struggle with that strategic challenge will likely fail.

⛏️ Players who regularly play the Farmers Insurance Open will be at an advantage. Knowing how greens break and what sightlines to use will be an edge and shouldn’t be ignored. Past winners of that event get an extra star next to their name.

Key holes at Torrey Pines

Hole	Image (Shoutout to Torrey Pines for the embarrassingly bad quality)
Hole 1 – Par 4, 450 Yards White bread, vanilla, basic as basic can be. This hole is the epitome of what opening holes usually are and should look like. Its not too long, straight, and eases players into the round. Hit the fairway, hit the green, take a crack at birdie and walk away with a comfy par (if necessary). That’s all you should be doing here, and mistakes (like missing the fairway) will be a sign of bigger issues to come.
Hole 3 - Par 3, 200 Yards The hole isn’t quite as long as it reads because its downhill, but its still a bear. And long is a big no-no, because you end up falling off a ledge and leaving a near impossible up and down. This is the first major ball-striking test for players, and it could be a spot where you see a few crooked numbers. Navigating this hole near par on the week will be a boost.
Hole 6 – Par 5, 560 Yards Par 5s are going to be a huge deal this week. They will be the primary scoring opportunity, and walking away with par (or worse) will feel like a missed opportunity. This hole will be reachable in two for almost anyone who hits the fairway, and players will need to make sure they stay straight off the tee to have a good chance here
Hole 9 – Par 5, 614 Yards And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why length matters. Big hitters will be able to reach this green in two, shorter ones will not. There isn’t anything complex about this hole other than its distance, but being able to drive 330 will be the litmus test here. This hole is a scoring opportunity for the big boys, less so for the shorter hitters.
Hole 12 – Par 4, 504 Yards 500+ yard par 4s are never fun. This is no exception. Players will have, at a minimum, a mid iron into this well protected green and it will likely test every bit of skill they have. Much like hole 3, a par will always be a good score.
Hole 16 – Par 3, 227 Yards This hole is cool both because of its potential length and how dynamic it is. When playing from the tips, its just a bitch of a par 3 that’ll require accuracy with long irons. From the shorter tee, players will need less length but the new angle will bring the bunkers into play on shots missed even slightly short. Nearing the end of the course, this hole should bring some excitement and big moments.
Hole 18 - Par 5, 570 Yards The hole itself is a pretty cool one. A finishing par 5, that’s reachable but presents a massive risk with the pond in front. Ignoring the weird choice to make that the only water hazard on the course, it will certainly be an opportunity for drama on the 18th, just like we saw last time. Assuming the tournament is close, this challenge could present the ultimate exciting ending to the US Open.

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