Torrey Pines Golf Course still a San Diego round worth remembering
Released on = May 17, 2007, 11:58 am
Press Release Author = GolfPublisher Syndications
Industry = Media
Press Release Summary = Squirrels, trees and views make a memorable round at Torrey Pines. Golf course reviews at WorldGolf.com
Press Release Body = By Chris Baldwin, Senior Writer, Golf Publisher Syndications
Some say it\'s overrated, but you still want to play TV star Torrey Pines Golf Course. From dramatic ocean views to monster trees and scrounging squirrels, this famed San Diego-area muni will leave you with plenty of memories.
LA JOLLA, Calif. - The squirrels attack Daren Bowles\' golf bag almost on cue. They scrounge around, get in a few pockets. And for probably the first time all day on Torrey Pines Golf Course, Bowles feels like a pro.
After all, Torrey Pines\' infamously fearless squirrels always go for Tiger Woods\' bag too.
\"The squirrels burrowing in your bag definitely adds to the atmosphere,\" Bowles said, laughing. \"I don\'t know what they were looking for in my bag. I had nothing.\"
Now he has some Torrey Pines memories.
This municipal jewel on the seaside cliffs near San Diego is known for many things: dramatic ocean views, PGA Tour events, busting muni stereotypes. With the U.S. Open coming next year, even its tee-time policy has gained national attention.
Still, many golfers who actually play Torrey Pines bring up the squirrels first.
If, like Bowles, you play the North course, the animals show real theatrical flair. They don\'t just pop out on any old hole. They come out on Nos. 5, 6 and 7 - the holes on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific, where golfers are most likely to be distracted.
On No. 6, a par 3 that runs toward the ocean, a mountain lion could pounce on your golf bag and you might not notice.
It\'s easy to get lost in Torrey Pines. There are going to be things that surprise you though. Forget the bright green you see on TV when the PGA players are here. Torrey Pines isn\'t in bad shape, but the conditions are more muni than resort course. There are patches of light brown in the fairways, and your lies aren\'t going to be perfect.
Indeed, one of Torrey Pines\' little secrets is that in the slow build-up to the 2008 Open, the North course is often in better shape than the South, site of the upcoming major. The South is a course in transition, getting a USGA makeover.
It makes no difference to a lot of average golfers; many enjoy the North more anyway.
\"If you\'re a low-90s-to-mid-80s player, the South will eat you up,\" said local Hal Hartley, who plays here weekly. \"I think the North course is actually more enjoyable for most of us average golfers.\"
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May 16, 2007 Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.
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