La Purisima All holes posted

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

This is a Robert Muir Graves and Damian Pascuzzo design from 1986in Lompoc  that received a 5 in the Confidential Guide.  Over the years this course has been known as La Piranha due to its difficulty, especially after 11 AM when the prevailing 1-2 club wind occurs.  This is a very good course to play when doing the Sideways trips, since those wineries are in the neighborhood. The styling may be out of favor for some, but the greens are wonderfully contoured with lots of subtle internal contours, a few severely sloped greens, and some cleverly built corner pin locations.  Aside from 14 and 15, there is plenty of width which could be better used.  When playing this course, it is very hard not to imagine some tweaks that would have made this an 8 or 9--the land for greatness is there.

The 1st hole is a reachable par 5 of 542 to 510 yards


Going for the green in two involves a little blindness and some risk




The 2nd hole is a 90 degree dogleg left with a pond left that can be carried on its right with a 290 carry, but does not offer an advantage.

The green is divided by a big spine



The 3rd hole is a 158 to 130 yard par 3 with a green that is about 20 yards deep on the right.  The water is only in play for the front right pin.



The 4th hole is a 340 to 321 yard downhill and back uphill hole that is drivable before the wind by the really long hitters.





The 5th is an uphill par 4 of 433 to 400 yrds.  This green used to be more of a horseshoe, but sloppy green cutting has lost a lot of the right pin areas.




The 6th is an interesting par 5 of 566 to 527 yards.  Even in a decent wind, it is reachable by hitting a hook that flirts with the right trees and then takes a turbo bounce past the left bunker.  A push on this line might end up OB or in the trees.  The layup is determined by the trees which are from 90 to 75 yards from green center






The 7th is an extreme downhill and then uphill dogleg left par 4 of 427 to 360 yards




The 8th is a downhill dogleg left par in to the prevailing wind of 437 to 375 yards.  The lone oak defines the right edge of the fairway bunker. The further to the right the tee shot, the more directly into the wind, but too far left and the bunker awaits.


Without the fake mounding, this could be an awesome green complex


The 9th is a big drop par 3 of 227 to 175 yards

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

The 10th is a dogleg right par 4 of 465 to 400 yards.  The green is narrow but 46 yards deep.







The 11th is a downhill l90 degree dogleg right par 4 of 389 to 345 yards.  The right fairway bunker ends at 330 yards, but begins with a 220 yard carry from the back.  Difficult green to hit from distance, so cutting some of the bunker rewards a shorter approach.




The 12th is a downhill drive and then an uphill par 5 or 609 to 570 yards.  There is a shallow grassed wash from 80 to 70 yards from green center. 


This is a fairly severe green with great internal movement that is usually missed by the golfer because of the surrounding slopes that hide the green severity--above the hole results in a scary fast putt.



The 13th is a downhill par 3 of 169 to 145 yards. 





The 14 is an uphill par4 of 366 to 320 yards.  The right hazard is 240 yards from the back tee on a straight line.  This is a very tight hole, but balls avoiding the left trees will bounce down into the fairway, and an aggressive play over the left trees will be nearly greenside.





The 15th is a flat out terrible hole that could have been a great risk reward play. This par5 is 532 to 460 yards.  The fairway falls off severely at 235 yards.  Most high handicap players must lay up with a wedge, and then hit away from the green with a short iron for their 3rd, making this a 5 shot approach.  This is a very poorly placed principals nose bunker.








This is an extremely severe green that has very few pins


This is the beyond big miss of the course because this could have been a very awesome dramatic hole.  There is plenty of room to extend the fairway, and by placing the principals nose in a different location, the high handicapper could play left away from the trouble.

The 16th is actually the widest fairway on the course.  This hole is 436 to 350 yards with an uphill approach.





The 17th is a great version of the 12th at ANGC.  This hole does tend to get a wind swirl.  The hole plays from 167 to 140 yards.





The 18th is a par 4 of 410 to 350 yards.

[Tim Leahy]

There have been a lot of discussions on this site in the past about this course you can find with a search. I love it and may retire in that area.

[Scott Weersing]

This was my home and favorite course after Rustic Canyon when I lived in Ventura.

Looking at these photos there are several things that stand out and make it a great course:

1. No paved cart paths. It was great and I thought it was normal for a course not to have miles of paved cart paths.
2. Really challenging holes. Some of my favorites were No. 15, a challenging par 5 that you hit hybrid off the tee to have the best angle for your second shot. The green was also very difficult as it sloped from left to right.
3. A good variety of downhill/uphill holes. Holes like 7 and 8 that the drive went downhill and then closer you got to the green, it would be harder to see the flag.
4. I like a par 3 finish on number 9 because it is unusual. And I like how the tenth tee is close by too.
5. The wind. I loved playing no. 17 with a crosswind. It was a challenge to pick the right club.

The course was always in great shape because it does not get very much play and the mild temperatures help the greens too.

I wish it had a drivable par 4. No. 4 is a short one but no really drivable. I also wish that one of the par 5s was reachable in two but No 12 is one of my favorites where you have to play the left side to have the best angle into the green.

It looks like a course from the 80s but still holds up today.

[Jeremy Rudock]

15 might be the worst golf hole in SoCal.