Pasatiempo

[John Mayhugh]

When I stood on the tee on 3 I joked about hitting in the far left bunker.  Sure enough, that's where I hit it.  Should have mentioned the left fringe instead.

That's a fantastic hole, especially in match play.  I wouldn't change a thing other than possibly having it later in the round.  Making a quad on the third hole would really deflate you in stroke play.

Mr. Elvins said it very well.

[Kalen Braley]

Just another part of my 101 learning, but it is interesting to see how Dr. Mack throws some very short and tempting holes at you where one can score well.  And then turns arounds and says "try this one on for size, and see what you can do with it"

Jon did mention that for as severe as the property is on the front 9, it really was utilized expertly to fit some good golf holes in.

Does anyone know of any books on Pasa that show the original pics, layout, and have discussion about it?  I suspect a hole like #6 played and looked differently and was a superior version to what is there now.

[Kyle Henderson]

This has to be one of the most severe, ridiculous, tough, unfair pin positions in golf.  I loved it. 

Point of interest, the pictured pin position was from Friday, not from Sunday when most of us played @ Pasa.  The Sunday pin was up front.

Mr. Elvins pulled his tee shot left of the greenside bunkers and just a few feet short of the white tee box for #4. From that side-hill lie, he hit a flop shot that landed between the bunker and the left fringe and trickled to a couple of feet from which he tapped in for par. It was beautiful.

Thus I shall reiterate the following sentiment: 14 handicap my ass. 

Nice one Dave!

[David_Elvins]

Lets keep the discussion to architecture, Kyle.  There has been enough man love on this thread already.

[David Stamm]

This has to be one of the most severe, ridiculous, tough, unfair pin positions in golf.  I loved it. 

Point of interest, the pictured pin position was from Friday, not from Sunday when most of us played @ Pasa.  The Sunday pin was up front.

Mr. Elvins pulled his tee shot left of the greenside bunkers and just a few feet short of the white tee box for #4. From that side-hill lie, he hit a flop shot that landed between the bunker and the left fringe and trickled to a couple of feet from which he tapped in for par. It was beautiful.

Thus I shall reiterate the following sentiment: 14 handicap my ass. 

Nice one Dave!

He's here a few weeks and he's hitting flop shots? Jeez!

Kyle, when I played with him at Rustic a few weeks ago he tried a similar shot on the 6th from the right slope. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either. He turns to me and says, "That's the first time I've tried that kind of shot. We don't hit that down under."

[David Stamm]

Man, I guy compliments his fellow golfers and everyone assumes wedding bells are ringing? 


The first time I played 3 I hit it within a foot and tapped in. It's been a journey ever since. Sunday I hit one of the few semi decent shots I hit all day (or all weekend for that matter) by hitting a cut hybrid. It just hit the fringe and rolled back down. Tried to get too cute with my chip and it came down even further. 3rd try and it hangs on the fringe just short of the green. 2 putt and a 5. I walked away loving the hole even more.

[Bob Jenkins]

#3 Pasa is too easy. Just grab a driver and rip the heck out of it. That's what John K told me to do and it worked. Missed my 6 ft. putt, however. If John had not told me what to hit, I would have hit a fairway wood and I would still be there, chipping over and back that green. Those who have played with me know how I chip and pitch!

Bob J

[Bill_McBride]

This has to be one of the most severe, ridiculous, tough, unfair pin positions in golf.  I loved it. 

That front right corner is where young Mr. Wall got his lesson(s) in dealing with a false front and pin right behind the ridge.

 

[Tim Bert]

I thought #3 (and the course, for that matter) was perfect for my game from the middle tees.  I'm not a big hitter like all these fabled guys that we are discussing on this thread.  Driver from the tee gave me the right mix of hybrids, mid-irons, and short irons into the greens.

Though the green flag blends in with the trees, if you look closely you can see the pin where we played it Saturday.  The front left greenside bunker was perfectly puttable.  A real treat!

[David Stamm]

I'm glad everyone is diving in and analyzing this hole. This is what this site is all about.

How do the other par 3's compare to 3? Were there some that were liked more? Less? And what were your reasons?



 

[J_ Crisham]

David, I thought that the downhill par 3,#8? was a very nice hole -brutal pin location. I thought the par 3's were great at Pasa but at MPCC they were world class.  3 at Pasa may have been the hardest in my opinion.

[David Stamm]

David, I thought that the downhill par 3,#8? was a very nice hole -brutal pin location. I thought the par 3's were great at Pasa but at MPCC they were world class.  3 at Pasa may have been the hardest in my opinion.

Jack, I would agree with you about the Shores par 3's. What a set! How they compare to Pasas'? I'm not sure. I'd have to think about that one. My initial thought would be that MPCC's are better.

8 has a one of the coolest greens around. It seems anywhere on that green is brutal, some just more than others!

[Tim Bert]

The par 3s at both Pasa and MPCC Shore are tough to beat.  It is hard to believe both of these courses have five par 3s and all of them are so good.  The only other course I can think of off the top of my head that pulls off more than four par 3s in world class fashion is Pacific Dunes.

It helped that we had some of the best pin locations possible for 3, 5, 8, 15, and 18 at Pasa. 

[David_Elvins]

David, I thought that the downhill par 3,#8? was a very nice hole -brutal pin location. I thought the par 3's were great at Pasa but at MPCC they were world class.  3 at Pasa may have been the hardest in my opinion.

Jack, I would agree with you about the Shores par 3's. What a set! How they compare to Pasas'? I'm not sure. I'd have to think about that one. My initial thought would be that MPCC's are better.

8 has a one of the coolest greens around. It seems anywhere on that green is brutal, some just more than others!

This really should be a seperate thread.  What a great collection of Par 3s.  

I would give the edge to Pasa based on 3P being better than 9S in the long par 3 category and 15P being better than 2S in the short par 3 category.  

And whilst I really liked the 3 par 3s on the front nine at MPCC I think I would need a few more rounds on the back nine 3s to decide whether the playing charecteristics matched the effort put into the aesthetics.  

[Tony Petersen]

I've-got-nuthin/I-give-up/wussy-swing...

The perfect definition of my game the entire weekend... Oh well, the company was great, the weather was perfect, the golf was incredibile... Now, what was that about a bus, a keggar and strippers? 

Thanks again, guys. And Jordan, I am so impressed with your recall on Pasa from 1 play... Seriously, do you take notes or is this strictly "stream of consciousness" kind of mojo?

[Jon Spaulding]

#3 is long, uphill, narrow which balances out well with the other 3's, especially on the front. I have always found it interesting that perhaps the toughest shot Mac asks you to hit all day is so early in the round. The right side is absolute death. It normally beats me up but I have always thought highly of it.

I sure miss #1 as a 5-par .

[David Ober]

I know you guys were playing match play, but what kind of scores were posted at Pasa?

[ed_getka]

Lets keep the discussion to architecture, Kyle.  There has been enough man love on this thread already.

Have fun at Barnbougle funny guy.

[Tim Bert]

Restored and in all her glory...   

[John Mayhugh]

Those are great, Tim.  Makes wish I was  back there right now.

[Scott Szabo]

[/quote]

If one can carry that hill then yes, Pasa is too short of a course in any sort of dry conditions.  So for Jon, it plays better a little wetter. I get that.  I am also a poet and I know it.

I just refuse to believe that a fine Santa Clara man like Jon would be so selfish as to advocate changing the conditions solely because they don't work so well for him, denying fun and pleasure for the rest of the golf world.   He is after all not Jon Kavanaugh.


[/quote]

Ya know, Huck, I was starting to feel a bit sorry for you for all the chewing you get from Kavanaugh.  But maybe you invite some of it with your comments 

[Scott Szabo]

This has to be one of the most severe, ridiculous, tough, unfair pin positions in golf.  I loved it. 

That front right corner is where young Mr. Wall got his lesson(s) in dealing with a false front and pin right behind the ridge.

 

Gents,

I've never been to Pasatiempo, but have seen quite a few pictures.  #3 is of particular interest to me, as it seems to be to all of you.  The short bunker - how far short of the green is that?  It looks to be yards short and doesn't appear to come into play.  Am I correct or sadly mistaken?

Scott

[Mike Benham]

The hole plays 214 yard from the back tee uphill, the cross bunkers are perhaps 75 yards short of the green.

There is fairway cut around the bunkers so that there is a less than aerial path from the tee.

[Scott Szabo]

Is there any particular reason for the cross bunkers?  They seem to be so far short of the green that they would only be in play for the "not so skilled" golfer.

Certainly not picking on Pasatiempo by any means, just asking.

[Mike Benham]

I suggest finding one of the threads on the Pasatiempo restoration project, to return to the original features of the good doctor.  Or check their website.

There is also a cross bunker on 4, that must be carried to reach the fairway and does come into play.