Tom Paul/Tommy;
Since I think it was me who originally raised the comparison between Rustic and The Old Course, let me try to explain where I believe the similarities lie;
I'm not sure that it's any particular hole, but more the theme and atmosphere of the course in general, particularly the following features;
* Althought not a true "out and back" routing, in most places the course is two holes wide, and each nine has the distinct feeling of completing a loop.
* The fairways are enormously wide, with just the natural contour and man-made bunkering providing relief.
* The "blending" of adjacent fairways on a number of holes into one wide, playable expanse of short grass.
* There are almost no trees on the property, with an openness that provides visual expanses both along the length of the course as well as across to golfers on adjoining holes.
* Greens are similarly low-profile, deceptively shaped, generally large, and just use the existing terrain and significant undulations to create challenge . In other words, like the Old Course, they seem to just flow out of the fairway and are simply mowed shorter.
* Short green to tee walks, with no real severe elevation changes.
* Fairway sand hazards are mostly all located "within" the fairway widths, including some smack dab in the center.
* Multiple options for lines of attack on nearly every hole.
* Many holes require challenging hazards to create a preferred angle for the subsequent shot.
* Dependent on hole location, approaches from the less than ideal spot are often semi-blind or minimally very awkward.
* Many holes require some carry over broken ground to reach the fairway, which sometimes can obscure or deceive the proper line from the tee.
* The low-lying native bushes and scrub which line many holes along only one side of the fairway have the same general look as gorse.
* The course benefits from ocean breezes, which often shift direction in sort of a whirlpool effect in the canyon.
* Water is not used as a hazard.
* Bunkers are deep, rugged, and penal.
* Even the fence that aligns the property is similarly spare and rustic, and plays an OB role on the par five 13th that is similar to 14 at TOC. It also comes into play on the first three holes.
* A wide variety of hole lengths, including some very short par fours with severe greens.
* The emphasis on creating playability for the ground game, as well as the variety of recovery possibiities (including some very intense ones) around the greens.
* Non-obvious strategies abound on many holes, and there is a variability in the design that would make each hole play wholly differently due to day-to-day factors such as wind direction, hole location, and the courage of the individual.