[Evan Fleisher]

Without a doubt, it is the reclaimed green surfaces.  The view of the 16th green from the fairway is truly amazing and this being my second round at Pasatiempo in the past 4 weeks, I would say a good portion of the hole locations have been in the reclaimed area.

Another vote the same as Mike's...reclaimed green surfaces were outstanding.

[Evan Fleisher]

I'll pick two that haven't been mentioned yet.  11 used to be flawed by the green complex -- the old green offered only front pin positions with a backboard across the middle, and was generally just too severe to manage in the back.   The restoration put back 2 bunkers to the right of the green (offering hope for a pushed approach shot), leveled the green out a bit, and created a lot of interesting pin positions...hats off to Tom and Jim for turning a very difficult, steep area into an outstanding green.  It's my favorite hole on the course now.

The other is 17.  Pre-restoration, the hole didn't have a lot to offer, it was a pretty straightforward uphill tee shot to a narrow green.  The restoration eliminated the greenside bunkers entirely, and reclaimed the back third of the green from rough and trees.  The result is a green that's nearly 60 yards long, with the barranca now coming into play both right and long.  A back right pin position is downright scary, as approach shots from the left side of the fairway have to respect the steep hill and barranca to the right of the narrow green.  17 can now hold its own with the rest of the back nine. 

Rob,

Just goes to show you that a hole can be bunkerless and still be a shit-kicker!

[Bill_McBride]

I thought Pasa was much more fun to play with the 8-9 stimps we played than a few years ago at 10+.  The downhill putts were still lightning fast but at least you had a chance.

My favorite restoration features were the expanded 16th green and the front bunkers on 18.  Wow!

[Tony_Chapman]

Hope you guys are having fun out there. I always love to put my Pasa story on each thread that comes up.

I was fortunate enough to play "pre-restoration" in 2002. I birdied the 6th, had a putt for par on every other green on the golf course and fashioned an 86. Lovely place and wonderful fun.

[Robert_Ball]

The feature not yet mentioned that I enjoyed was the beautifully restored fairway bunker on #4.  Although not in play for most players, it got my heart racing and it was exhilarating to watch my tee shot fly over it.  And it visually broke up the wall-to-wall green look that was in place before the restore.


By the way, did any other KP participants arrive home Monday to find the latest edition of Links Magazine in their mailbox with the Classic Course feature on.......Pasatiempo?!?!

[Tom Huckaby]

Great stuff re 16 here, gents.

Mike, if the greens were 9 or less Saturday - very believable given what Rob described was going on, post-aeration - then you all caught them at their best, and ought to be thankful.  More speedy than that does lead to absurdity or lack of pins, neither of which is a good outcome to me.

Rob, of course you would know best.  It just does warm my heart that some of the powers that be are hearing my pleas.     I too think Pasa is PERFECT at less than the fastest those greens can get.

John K. - sorry to miss you as well.  As for the pin on Saturday that you saw, of course that couldn't be done at 10-11 speed at which they can get those greens, and seem to have them too often for my own personal liking.  But that does illustrate how cool that green CAN be.  Here's hoping those at Pasa understand this.

TH

[Reef Wilson]

Ditto on 16. I love that it's possible you could come just sort of it getting on the top tier and still have the ball come all the way off the front of the green. Of course, that's easy to say until it actually happens to me.

You love that?

I find it absurd.

I've always liked the absurd I guess.

You are right about the speed. If they get much faster than Sunday, then it would quickly go from "likable absurd" to "that- f&%$@ng-green-just-unfairly-ruined-a-decent-round absurd."

Tom,

The pin on 16 on Saturday, the day before, was on the second tier, but way left, only four paces from the edge.  It's a high spot of the second tier,  but the green starts falling away as you go past the pin towards the left edge.  It was possible to trickle it down from the top tier and two putt, and it was possible to two putt from the middle tier also, but in each case, a good first putt was required.

It would have been foolish to aim at the pin, since a pulled shot would have ended up over the road.

I think this is a new recovered pin location.  I don't remember ever seeing it there.

The pin was in that spot when I played it pre-restoration. It is mighty devilish and looks even more so post restoration.

Based on what Rob says and my recall of it on Sunday, I would love to see that middle right position sometime.  I think that with the left middle you might at least be able to stop the ball from most parts of the green, even the top tier, but based on a little test after we putted out I don't think it is possible to stop the ball in the middle right from the top tier (maybe you could try to run it through the right fringe or try to trickle it down the rough collar). I think you would have to avoid the top tier at all costs with the middle right pin.

I would concur that the front part of the green does look pinnable, but yes woe unto him who misses long and tries to put back down to it.

My test on Sunday had a ball rolling from almost on the top tier rolled just a few inches into the rough at the front edge, but it could not roll off into the bunker as I feared seeing it from the fairway.

From the right side of the fairway you can see much more of the back tier and the green just looks absolutely enormous, even more than in John's picture.

I should be back at Pasa within the next couple months, hopefully with a less crowded course to experiment a bit as I am now even more intrigued. I'll certainly report back what I find if nobody else ends up doing so.

So far I have played this hole pretty well, so I am probably due for an attitude adjustment which this hole is certainly capable of delivering with even a slight error.

Reef

[Pete Lavallee]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the tree thinning on the front nine; #7 hardly elicits a sense of claustraphobia anymore. While approaching the 5th green we were greeted by a fellow gca'er who had driven to the far side of that green. He had a chance to play to the 4th green from there, try that 5 years ago; he did to hit one on the green from there.  I'm sure a few more could come out and the safety factor wouldn't be compromised. Now that the job is fully completed will they be nominated for the restoration of ther Year award?

[J_ Crisham]

Shivas, I still want my ball back

[Jon Spaulding]

Too many to mention.....but I would choose the 17th green if forced to pick a singular feature. It adds a level of intrigue and distance control that was not present before. The spine on the rear of the green and the new pinnable areas are sublime.

I am also very fond of the work done on the 2nd green & approach. A great 2nd shot to that hole where one can choose either the Kirk unified theory from the right or the Benham bomb & gouge .

[Tom Huckaby]

Ditto on 16. I love that it's possible you could come just sort of it getting on the top tier and still have the ball come all the way off the front of the green. Of course, that's easy to say until it actually happens to me.

You love that?

I find it absurd.

I've always liked the absurd I guess.

You are right about the speed. If they get much faster than Sunday, then it would quickly go from "likable absurd" to "that- f&%$@ng-green-just-unfairly-ruined-a-decent-round absurd."

Tom,

The pin on 16 on Saturday, the day before, was on the second tier, but way left, only four paces from the edge.  It's a high spot of the second tier,  but the green starts falling away as you go past the pin towards the left edge.  It was possible to trickle it down from the top tier and two putt, and it was possible to two putt from the middle tier also, but in each case, a good first putt was required.

It would have been foolish to aim at the pin, since a pulled shot would have ended up over the road.

I think this is a new recovered pin location.  I don't remember ever seeing it there.

The pin was in that spot when I played it pre-restoration. It is mighty devilish and looks even more so post restoration.

Based on what Rob says and my recall of it on Sunday, I would love to see that middle right position sometime.  I think that with the left middle you might at least be able to stop the ball from most parts of the green, even the top tier, but based on a little test after we putted out I don't think it is possible to stop the ball in the middle right from the top tier (maybe you could try to run it through the right fringe or try to trickle it down the rough collar). I think you would have to avoid the top tier at all costs with the middle right pin.

I would concur that the front part of the green does look pinnable, but yes woe unto him who misses long and tries to put back down to it.

My test on Sunday had a ball rolling from almost on the top tier rolled just a few inches into the rough at the front edge, but it could not roll off into the bunker as I feared seeing it from the fairway.

From the right side of the fairway you can see much more of the back tier and the green just looks absolutely enormous, even more than in John's picture.

I should be back at Pasa within the next couple months, hopefully with a less crowded course to experiment a bit as I am now even more intrigued. I'll certainly report back what I find if nobody else ends up doing so.

So far I have played this hole pretty well, so I am probably due for an attitude adjustment which this hole is certainly capable of delivering with even a slight error.

Reef

Reef - I've gleaned from off-line discussions that this past weekend the greens were not at their quickest, due to post-aeration issues.  Consider yourself lucky - that's when Pasa plays at it's absolute BEST.  So yes, as you all saw it, 16 green is very cool.  But do imagine a foot or so faster (as it likely would be if you went back this weekend), and my "absurd" comments likely make more sense.

BTW the tree thinning and removal left of 16 is indeed very very cool... but what I am waiting for is complete tree removal between 11 and 12.  They've thinned there too, and it is an improvement.  But delete ALL of the trees in the barranca and both holes are improved... giving a tee shot over the barranca going left choice on each.  Of course it can't be done due to our litigious society, but dare to dream.

TH

[Kyle Henderson]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the tree thinning on the front nine; #7 hardly elicits a sense of claustraphobia anymore. While approaching the 5th green we were greeted by a fellow gca'er who had driven to the far side of that green. He had a chance to play to the 4th green from there, try that 5 years ago; he did to hit one on the green from there.  I'm sure a few more could come out and the safety factor wouldn't be compromised. Now that the job is fully completed will they be nominated for the restoration of ther Year award?

That approach shot was one of my very few highlights this weekend, "shot-wise." Naturally, after my miraculous recovery to 15 feet left/pin-high, I found my opponent had hit his approach 10 inches past the cup!

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

While I didn't get a chance to play with the KP crew (next year... I swear!!!!), one of my favorite features would be the new tee on #6.  Very cool new angle to the hole

[Tom Huckaby]

While I didn't get a chance to play with the KP crew (next year... I swear!!!!), one of my favorite features would be the new tee on #6.  Very cool new angle to the hole

Fully agreed!  That changes that hole a lot, all for the better, I think.  Good call.

[Kyle Henderson]

The glorious 18th with restored fronting bunkers.

The honorable Misters Mayhugh, Lavallee, Dodd, and Ball provide scale for their marvelous surroundings.

[Kyle Henderson]

Cross bunker on # 4...

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