Pasatiempo -- Love the course. Hate 16.

[David Ober]

Here's my scorecard from the one day Stocker Cup qualifier:

4
4
4
4
3
6
4
4
5
38

4
5
3
5
5
3
9
4
2
40

78

76 was in a playoff. 30ish guys for just 3 spots. Wanted to slit my wrists once I saw the scores come in. Figured the number would be 73 or 74. Tried to save par from the hazard left on 16, and disaster ensued.

Seriously, though, Pasatiempo is an absolutely amazing course. I've never played a course before where every single hole has something special to offer in the way of playability and challenge. The greens were rolled and very fast, and at Pasatiempo, that means putting is ... ahem ... interesting.

What makes Pasatiempo so special? The amount of thought that has to go into each and every shot, both from the tee, and into the greens. And the fun is just getting started once you are on (or anywhere near) the amazing greens. Without question they are the most interesting, difficult, and challenging greens I have ever putted. I managed to get around with only one 3-putt on number 8. The pin was back right and I hit what I thought was a great shot. My ball ended up rolling to the very front of the green, and up and down was nearly impossible. I thought about hitting LW from the green, but decided against it. In retrospect, I should have.


Will post more on the course later. Now that I've played it three times, I feel like I'm starting to understand it a bit better....

[Bill_McBride]

Bogey is always a great score on 16.   

[Joel_Stewart]

I'll assume the pin was on the top level on #16?   

You have to be in the fairway and hit a really good/precise 2nd shot.

Mackenzie said it was the best par 4 he ever built.

[David Ober]

I'll assume the pin was on the top level on #16?   

You have to be in the fairway and hit a really good/precise 2nd shot.

Mackenzie said it was the best par 4 he ever built.

Middle tier. I hit it into the hazard on my tee shot, then it got interesting....

[David Ober]

16 is why I love tournament golf. You gotta count 'em all!

Like Jones said (paraphrasing): "There is golf, and there is tournament golf, and they are not remotely the same thing."

[Jim Hoak]

What were your thoughts on 11?  It's been criticized on here, but I love it.

[David Ober]

What were your thoughts on 11?  It's been criticized on here, but I love it.

11? Criticized? Are you kidding me???

It's a fantastic hole. Diabolical and difficult, but fantastic. Now would it be even better if the trees in the hazard were cut down considerably? Yes, but that doesn't mean it's not a great hole as is.

[Mark Provenzano]

My ball ended up rolling to the very front of the green, and up and down was nearly impossible. I thought about hitting LW from the green, but decided against it. In retrospect, I should have.

They actually put this in the local rules: "Use of any club, other than a putter, on the green surface, is prohibited." Though no penalty is specified. The Y-shaped green on 13 is the one that usually gets me--pin back right, my shot back left, no easy way to get there. 3 putts is no gimme. Almost better off putting off the green intentionally to play a wedge.

[Ron Csigo]

Does the hole require driver off the tee considering it plays 387 yards?  I realize that the farther back you are, the more difficult the second shot becomes especially since it's a downhill lie.  I'm guessing 3-wood probably puts a wedge in your hand for the ecoond shot.  

[David Ober]

Does the hole require driver off the tee considering it plays 387 yards?  I realize that the farther back you are, the more difficult the second shot becomes especially since it's a downhill lie.  I'm guessing 3-wood probably puts a wedge in your hand for the ecoond shot.  

Tournament-level players will hit anywhere from 3-iron to driver on that hole, depending on their length off the tee. I'm a 260-280 hitter, so I hit bunt driver there. I just overcooked it and pulled it left. The hole sets up horribly for me, as my preferred tee shot is a low fade, and the hole begs for a high draw....

[Patrick Kiser]

David,

When the greens get too fast at Pasa, the 16th can definitely get Mickey Mouse.  I think it's an unfortunate weakness actually.

Bummer ... so close yet so far, but it sounds like you gave it your best and you can't ask for more.

[Bob_Huntley]

My ball ended up rolling to the very front of the green, and up and down was nearly impossible. I thought about hitting LW from the green, but decided against it. In retrospect, I should have.

They actually put this in the local rules: "Use of any club, other than a putter, on the green surface, is prohibited." Though no penalty is specified. The Y-shaped green on 13 is the one that usually gets me--pin back right, my shot back left, no easy way to get there. 3 putts is no gimme. Almost better off putting off the green intentionally to play a wedge.

Quite frankly the prohibition is absurd. Riviera's par three 6th hole has a bunker in the middle of the green. I was on the wrong side of the bunker and wedged up to the hole and saved par. It was not in tournament play but we did have a bet on the match. No architect or Greens Chairman, no matter how prominent or revered, should dictate what club to use on such an unorthodox hole.

 Bob

[cary lichtenstein]

I have a great story about 16. My wife and I went to Pebble with another couple and Pastempo was to be our last course on the way back to SF Airport. My buddy liked to bet it up, but I preferred to keep it friendly, so I limited the action to $100 per day, no presses, match play.

So he is having fits with his swing all week and win $100 every day for 6 or 7 straight days. He is hitting these little snipe hooks that drive bomb to the ground. So on the last day, I close him out on 15 at P. So on the 16th tee he says, you got to let me press, so feeling guilty, I say ok and he hooks it into the creek. He reaches into his pocket, takes out another ball and presses again. Smae result.

He goes to his bag, and ditto balls 3 and 4 with more presses. He goes back to his bag and ditto balls 5,6 and 7. Now his wife is getting angry, I'm standing on the side of the tee staying out of his way, I'm up another $700, and he's out of balls...So, he goes into his wife's bag and tries to get some of her balls. She's nows screaming at him, I'm laughing so hard that my sides are splitting and I'm holding it all in facing the other way. My wife is now on my ass, making it my fault, as only a wife can do.

To make a long story short, the wives win and we drive off in silence. Kinda puts a damper on the drive to SF and the flight home

[David Kelly]

I have a great story about 16. My wife and I went to Pebble with another couple and Pastempo was to be our last course on the way back to SF Airport. My buddy liked to bet it up, but I preferred to keep it friendly, so I limited the action to $100 per day, no presses, match play.

So he is having fits with his swing all week and win $100 every day for 6 or 7 straight days. He is hitting these little snipe hooks that drive bomb to the ground. So on the last day, I close him out on 15 at P. So on the 16th tee he says, you got to let me press, so feeling guilty, I say ok and he hooks it into the creek. He reaches into his pocket, takes out another ball and presses again. Smae result.

He goes to his bag, and ditto balls 3 and 4 with more presses. He goes back to his bag and ditto balls 5,6 and 7. Now his wife is getting angry, I'm standing on the side of the tee staying out of his way, I'm up another $700, and he's out of balls...So, he goes into his wife's bag and tries to get some of her balls. She's nows screaming at him, I'm laughing so hard that my sides are splitting and I'm holding it all in facing the other way. My wife is now on my ass, making it my fault, as only a wife can do.

To make a long story short, the wives win and we drive off in silence. Kinda puts a damper on the drive to SF and the flight home

I take it that there was nobody playing behind you.

[astavrides]

Well, look on the bright side. At least you did it on a cool hole. I once destroyed a very nice round by eight-putting #17 for a 10 and a smooth 80.  What kind of sh1t-ass story is an eight-putt on #17?  I'd have killed for it to have happened on #5 or 11 or 16...    

how would seve have explained how he 8 putted on 17?

[Brett_Morrissy]

I loved Pasatiempo, and 16 was the highlight for me, incredible hole, not a flat lie to be had on the entire fairway, and the approach shot is one of the most exciting I have experienced.

On the pin location sheet I received last year, there were NO pin positions (apart from the tiniest spot about 18 yards on and hard rhs) at all except for the back plateau that I guess is about 18-20 yards deep, I would assume everything short of that comes back of the front - some 30 + yards. magnificent.

[Sean Leary]

I like 16 but I like some other holes out there more. Wonder if MacK hadn't said that whether it would get as much ink?

[astavrides]

On the pin location sheet I received last year, there were NO pin positions (apart from the tiniest spot about 18 yards on and hard rhs) at all except for the back plateau that I guess is about 18-20 yards deep, I would assume everything short of that comes back of the front - some 30 + yards. magnificent.

I would call it unfair. not magnificent.

[Nick Asbrock]

Favorite course I have ever played. Greens can get frightning when they are above 11 on stimpmeter- gets hard to be aggressive on puts.

[Mark Provenzano]

I loved Pasatiempo, and 16 was the highlight for me, incredible hole, not a flat lie to be had on the entire fairway, and the approach shot is one of the most exciting I have experienced.

On the pin location sheet I received last year, there were NO pin positions (apart from the tiniest spot about 18 yards on and hard rhs) at all except for the back plateau that I guess is about 18-20 yards deep, I would assume everything short of that comes back of the front - some 30 + yards. magnificent.

Last time I played there the pin was mid-tier, far left--not far from the bunker. One player in our group hit it to within two feet, and it stayed up nicely. It had been rainy that week, not sure you could use that spot if they were ultra-fast.

[Kalen Braley]

16 green at Pasa.

Best.  Green.  Ever.   Absolutely love it!