Golf Courses: Torrey Pines

1.5 weeks ago while watching the Farmers Insurance Open it dawned on me.  Torrey Pines is DEFINITELY worthy of a Frogger Killer Course ranking.  After all, not only have several fantastic historical PGA events happened there, it also happens to be an awesome MUNICIPAL/PUBLIC facility.  It's a pair of courses you can actually play, though you may need to camp overnight in the parking lot to get a good tee time. Location Location Location Torrey Pines is located on a fantastic piece of property, the coastal bluffs of the Torrey Pines Mesa in La Jolla, California.  The area is about a 20 minute drive from downtown San Diego.  The Pacific Ocean views off the cliffs of the Torrey Pines Mesa are fantastic, and there are almost always para-gliders floating in the background as can bee seen in the first photo. North Course The par-72 North Course is the easier and less famous of the two courses at Torrey.  Many holes on the North course have unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean.   The course designer for the North (and South) course is William Bell.  The North course measures out at 6,647 yards with a course rating of 72.1 and slope of 129. Holes feature slight doglegs and no crazy shots or hidden hazards.  Hit the ball straight off the tee and there's a shot at a low score. South Course The South course is the more famous course of the two, being the primary course for the Buick Open and now the Farmers. The South, also designed by William Bell, was redesigned in 2001 by Rees Jones.  The par-72 measures at a massive 7,643 yards from the tips.  Course slope is an astounding 143 while the rating is off the charts (literally) at 78.1. Most notably, the South course was the host course to perhaps the most famous US Open in history.  In the 2008 US Open, Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate in a sudden death playoff which followed the fifth (playoff) round. It was later discovered that Woods had played that Open with two fractures in his leg and a damaged knee which required surgery. Facilities The local amenities, pro shop, practice areas, restaurants and lodging at Torrey Pines are second to none.  The pro shop at the course was recently named as one of Golf World's 100 best golf shops. Contact (800) 985-4653 http://www.torreypinesgolfcourse.com