Torrey South: What changes did Rees Jones make?

[Evan_Green]

I never got to see Torrey South before Rees Jones did his work on it. I am wondering exactly what changes he made to the course?

If I had to guess I would say he lengthened the course, added some bunkers, made the bunkers tougher and made the greens larger and more sloping. Am I correct in this guess? What else was done?

Thanks

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

$3.3 million redesign

Added length to the course with 10 new tees including the 9th  (540 yards to 613 yards), the 15th (390 to 477), and 18th  (515 to 571). The South now measures 7,607 yards from the tips (7000 yards before Rees-toration).

Relocated and deepened bunkers

Rebuilt and recontoured greens

Relocated 4 putting surfaces, moving the third, fourth and 14th greens closer to the cliffs.

[Philippe Binette]

Making a dumb blonde, a dummer blonde (see the confidential guide...)

[Craig Van Egmond]

Read an article the other day about the city of San Diego being so broke that it may have to sell off its beloved Torrey Pines.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

For a better description Evan, and as someone that has played both of the courses many times......

The greens were all basically raised-up about two feet or more in some places. To do this, he excavated these huge pits near the greens for material to do so, (or so it would seem) creating what I feel is some bunkering that is totally out of character of the original Bell Jr.-mode, which Rees actually claimed he was honoring during the remodel. Are the greens better? No. They are not, they are tougher, but not better then the subtle slopes which used to be actually quite fun to putt, even with green speeds at 7 or 8 on the stimp, which the old ones used to get sometimes because of excess play.

However, Rees did create a much better golf hole at the 14th. There is no doubt about it and he is to be commended there, but the next question is, does it undue what he did on the 13th, which was one of the more interesting par 5's on the South Course. The "terraced" bunkering is totally in tune with Rees design style, which of course justifiably doesn't receive much praise from this website, and looks about as much in place to the nature of Torrey Pines as a Dunkin' Donuts would be at the entrance to Magnolia Lane.

Other bunkers on the course are just as bizarre, one looking like Rees was channeling the spirit of my late dear friend Desmond Muirhead, wanting to construct a bunker shape in the form of a mechanical shamrock. (@ the front of the green on #8)

All in all, the entire procedure of making the course into US Open course has been somewhat taxing to all involved--poor turf conditions throughout; thick rough grass which has added to the pace of play which was already bad before Rees got there.

[Pete Lavallee]

Here's an article about the poor public access to Torrey from todays San Diego Union Tribune:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/golf/20051201-9999-1s1torrey.html

Seems the City Attorney Mike Aguirre has been a very busy guy lately. As well as indicting former City Golf Manager Jim Allen on 3 felony counts of misappropreation of funds (carrying a possible 6 year prison term) he's been trying to bail out a City Government that has slipped to the lowest level imagineable. Nice to see he has an interest in the welfare of the public golfer; who by the way has been bent over the table since the redesign in order to try and augment the City's coffers ($40 verse $100 green fees for resident verse nonresident rates).

[Pete Lavallee]

For a better description Evan, and as someone that has played both of the courses many times......

Tommy,

Please tell me you haven't been sneaking down to play Torrey and not asking me to join you.  

Evan,

My suspicion is that Tommy has played the original layouts many times but has only toured the redsigned South Course.

The truth is that the Ree's redesign pays more tribute to Seth Raynor that Billy Bell Jr. The course now contains 18 double plateau greens; even Seth knew that one per course was enough. Tommy's quite right that the greens were all raised up by 3-4 feet in the front, the result being that all the green side bunkers are well below the putting surface. As a bone to the municipal golfer Ree's left the entrance to every green but the shortest par 3 (#8, 165 yards) unbunkered. However trying to run the ball onto the green through soggy kikuyu is a daunting challange for even skilled golfers. From the white (6880 yards) or blue (7220 yards) tees the course is really no longer than it was before the redesign; the public is never allowed to from the black tournament tees (7600 yards); even in the City Amateur Championship.

The former City Golf Manager did nothing to try to improve the horrible conditions of the redesigned greens. The new Manager has taken an aggresive stance to remove the excessive thatch that kept the greens rolling around a 5 on the Stimpmeter. Turf conditions through the green are frankly no different than from before the redesign. We have a mixture of the original bermuda, the invasive kikuyu and the annual rye overseed. The City has not overseeded this year, to see if they can keep a thicker stand of kikuyu for June when the Open will roll around. Normally the rye oversed is just about dead at that time of year, but because of the overcast conditions in the mornings of May and June the warm season grasses have not yet begun to grow. The rough is only long for the period around the Buick Invitational; it's not that bad during the rest of ther year.

The bottom line is that if you are not a 4 or better you'll get the face of your 3 wood white hot during a round there. Not many average golfers have the ability to hit the right third of ther green with a longer club than Tour Pros will using, which leads to a long day. Luckily the City realizes this and sends golfers out in 10 minute intervals vice the 7 minute used for the North, which does lead to rounds which can be finished in 4.5 hours.