[Peter_Herreid]

For your weekend viewing pleasure...

This is a short video with a few scenes from a recent visit to Pasatiempo.  If you don't like the narration, just turn off your sound

Please note, the new sodded tee on #1, and some of the now-completed bunker work...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV5dnq4eQpk

[Bob Jenkins]

Peter,

I would love to have a look but when logging onto YouTube it says it is a private video and I have to accept a friend's request. Not sure how to do that.

Bob Jenkins

[Kalen Braley]

Peter.

Greeat video.  Looks like they are adding a new back tee after all to nuetralize all those big bombers off the tee?  Or perhaps have it play as a par 4 from there for the tip tees, and a par 5 from there with the whites?

If so that would make 4 par 5's on one 9.  Is that unprecedented?

Kalen

[Jon Spaulding]

Very cool; Is that a new tee or are they just bringing back the old tee? I was told once that they would use it on occasion in the good ol' days for the Western and the Women's Am but never confirmed this with anyone. When up at the restaurant you could certainly see what looked to be a tee.

KB; the original design had four par 5's on the front: 1, 2, 6, and 9. On the back, 10, 11, 13.

[Kalen Braley]

Jon,

Your very correct indeed, and I knew that...massive brain fart on my part!!

Is there any other course built that called for 7 or more par 5's in its original inception?

And that new John Daly course in Cali doesn't count... 

[Jon Spaulding]

Smells like a question for a separate thread. I'm not aware of anything with 7 par 5's....but my travels/research are both incredibly limited as compared with others on this site. If someone's memorized the Wexler books...that would be a quick start to finding an answer.

[Jed Peters]

Very cool; Is that a new tee or are they just bringing back the old tee? I was told once that they would use it on occasion in the good ol' days for the Western and the Women's Am but never confirmed this with anyone. When up at the restaurant you could certainly see what looked to be a tee.

KB; the original design had four par 5's on the front: 1, 2, 6, and 9. On the back, 10, 11, 13.

It is not the "old" tee, but rather one that was done (I believe) in the 50s or 60s....Rob Chesnut would have to verify for us.

The "old" tee is more south--hitting over the current practice tee and driving range...having the "old" tee rebuilt would eliminate the driving range, the trees down the left, etc. etc.

[Tom_Doak]

Just for the record, the new tee on #1 was NOT our idea.  It's brand new because we declined to build it.  I wish we could put the original tee back on #1 -- I think the hole aimed straight at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula! -- but they don't want to sacrifice the practice range.

[rchesnut]

Just to clarify, this isn't a new tee, nor is it original.  It's a tee that the club has used from time to time for special events, and I think your picture shows the preparations for the invitational there.  The location (hitting over a walkway) isn't appropriate for everyday use, it's simply an occasional tee (once or twice a year) that the club can use to lengthen the first hole...it still plays as a par 4 there. 

Tom was absolutely correct in his decision not to build a tee there...the place to build it is further southeast, I think, into the hill where the original tee stood.  Unfortunately, to restore the tee, we'd need to eliminate or move the existing driving range.  The club's membership does not want to lose its practice facility, and they aren't making any more land in the neighborhood, so at least for the time being, the first hole won't be restored.  But I hope one day that the club will restore it, it's could be a spectacular first hole again. 

[Lou_Duran]

Rob,

Where is this tee exactly to the southeast?  Down by the chipping green? or is it just east of the putting green?  Is it a matter of taking down the netting on the practice tee?  Could the range be left alone and just require a shot over the corner?  As a par 4 starting hole, does it really need to be more challenging?

[rchesnut]

The original tee is up above the putting green, in the hillside just below Hollins House.  It's over quite a bit away from the existing pro shot, more in line with the existing chipping area.  It's not simply a matter of taking the net down, the fairway would cut across the back half of the range, a dogleg left...the driving range and a restored #1 could not coexist.   The trees would all come out down the left side too. 

As for whether it needs to be more challenging, I'm not really that concerned about whether a restored #1 would be a par 4 or 5...I don't that issue was that important to MacKenzie.  The reason to do it would be to restore the hole to the way that MacKenzie intended it to play, and to restore the terrific open vista of the course and the bay from the first tee.   It's already a pretty good hole, though, which makes the restoration less urgent from the members' perspective, particularly if it means eliminating the driving range. 

[Mike Benham]

And contrary to poplar belief (or legend), the first hole is not a bowling alley ...

[mike_beene]

One is so spectacular.I didn't realize it had been changed. Is it true that the range used to play down the hill instead of back up? (I have to be very careful practicing on an uphill range...bad things creep in.)

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