Cypress Point Club (Pics)

[Jim Colton]

5th Hole - 491 Yards, Par 5
The 5th is my favorite par 5 on the course.  Drive out of a chute, with an aggressive right-to-left shot over/around the front bunker providing a chance to reach this uphill green in two.  This is one clear example where Mackenzie's camouflaging comes into play, as it is difficult to tell where the first set of bunkers end and the second set begins, despite the fact they are 50-60 yards apart.  Very cool.

[Kyle Henderson]

The 2nd hole offers just about everything I desire in a par 5. The tee offers nice views of the ocean and holes #1,12,13,14. The tee shot presents a splendid angle that justly rewards the player that bites off the corner and risks the severe penalty for missing left. A bunker then guards the right side of the lay-up area while the green is open in front for those able to thread the needle from ~240 yards.

The 3rd is another splendid example of how the combination of MacKenzie bunkers and putting contours ensure that every par 3 will be enjoyable (ditto Pasatiempo). The hole is short enough in comparison to the size of the green that one has visions of attacking different pins, even if hardly possess the skills to execute their fantasies.

The 4th hole is a bit of a sleeper. Few mention it, as it has ao many memorable sisters, but the strategic bunkering and back to front slope of the green ensure that the hole will offer a different test each time, particularly as the winds change.

The 5th hole sits on a lovely parcel of rolling terrain. As Jim mentions, the camouflaging aspect of the bunkers makes depth perception very difficult. Thank goodness for caddies and yardage books. I'd to harness a bit more power in my swing to try for the green in two, but an aggressive drive eases the task of laying up in an ideal position from which to shank one into the greenside bunkers...

The course is starting to gather momentum now... Eat your heart out Spyglass.

[George Freeman]

My goodness the bunkering on the 5th is AMAZING.  What a great looking golf hole.

Thanks for the pictures Jim!

[Wade Schueneman]

Thank you for sharing these.  They are great pictures.  I cannot wait to see your pictures of 8 and 9. 

By the way, I happened to see an old black and white photograph of the 9th green at CPC some time ago and it seemed to zig and zag way back into the very top of the dunes.  It was FANTASTIC!  I remember thinking that it made 7 at Crystal Downs seem tame.  Has anyone seen this picture?  When was the green changed? 

[Jim Colton]

6th Hole - 521 Yards, Par 5
The 6th hole is the start of a really cool part of the routing where holes play to, on and around a large dune that bisects the property.  The 6th plays downhill to the base of said dune.  A drive carrying the bunkers on the right side and moving right-to-left will likely get a nice bounce forward and leave an open shot to go for this inviting green in two.










7th Hole - 170 Yards, Par 3
Tees off from on top of the dune above the 6th green.  Well-protected green with severe back-to-front slope.  I missed the green long and left and hit what I thought was a nice recovery shot...until it rolled 10-15 yards off the front of the green.

[jonathan_becker]

Jim,

That's a great photo of the tee shot on 6 and how the fw looks tighter than it actually plays.  Past the bunker on the right the fw opens up close to 50 yards wide.  However, from your photo you can't see the width.  It looks like a lot of rough to me.

My guess would be that longer hitters don't need driver when it's downwind as the fw tapers in tremendously once you're getting 300 yards off the tee. Correct?

[Matthew Petersen]

what a great small target on that 7th hole! beautiful

[Mike Benham]

With 3 par 5s in the first 6 holes, the accomplished golfer should be at least 1 under, perhaps 2 under par, assuming your caddy hasn't screwed up on any of the reads.

[Sean Leary]

With 3 par 5s in the first 6 holes, the accomplished golfer should be at least 1 under, perhaps 2 under par, assuming your caddy hasn't screwed up on any of the reads.

Agreed completely. Couple of green light specials to that point.

[Jed Peters]

With 3 par 5s in the first 6 holes, the accomplished golfer should be at least 1 under, perhaps 2 under par, assuming your caddy hasn't screwed up on any of the reads.

I like to bogey the first four holes in a row, and then go even on the next 11 before I really shit the bed on 16.

Of course, Huckaby had me pull the 4 wood, so I blame him.

[Tom Huckaby]

Yeah, sorry Jed, I should have hit your shot better for you.

 

[Jed Peters]

Yeah, sorry Jed, I should have hit your shot better for you.

 

Totally.

[Jon Spaulding]

It should be noted that Huckaby was replaced as my caddy on the second hole; the inverse of the scene in Good Will Hunting. "It is your fault".....

That said, it is a common theme for Gaels to blame their misery on Broncos.

[Ron Csigo]

2nd Hole - 549 Yards, Par 5
A very cool par 5. One of those bite off as much as you can chew shots off the tee, carrying as much of the deep chasm as you can muster.    Bunkers pinch the fairway at just the spot most would be for a full wedge or 9I into the green.  As I recall, the green is one of the flatter ones on the course.  A good chance at birdie early in the round, assuming you cleared the gorge.

Jim, Kyle or anyone else who has played Cypress Point,

What is the ideal line off the tee box on hole #2?  For someone who can carry a driver 200 yards?  For someone who can carry a driver 250 yards?

[Jed Peters]

200, play down fairway.

250, play left over dune.

[Kyle Henderson]

Jim, Kyle or anyone else who has played Cypress Point,

What is the ideal line off the tee box on hole #2?  For someone who can carry a driver 200 yards?  For someone who can carry a driver 250 yards?

From the back tee (subtract 20 yards for members tee), the sandy patch found short & left is a 165 carry, while the leftmost prominent tree on the far side of the fairway is 235 yards away. Big bombers must shape one right to left or go directly over the sandy patch to have a reasonable chance of hitting the fairway at 280 +.

[Jim Colton]

8th Hole - Par 4, 369 Yards
One of my favorites.  A blind tee shot to a fairway running away from you.  One needs to play a left-to-right shot that hugs the corner of the dogleg to have the best angle into this well-guarded and multi-leveled green.












9th Hole - Par 4, 289 Yards
Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pics of this hole as Kyle's brickhouse of a body kept getting in the way.  Hopefully Kyle or somebody can share some better pictures.  This is a fantastic short par 4.  I'm assuming driver is not the play here as there's little margin for error, but playing it once, are you really going to lay up?  The fairway widens  from the 230-260 mark for those playing safe, providing a chip or half-wedge to this two-tiered green.  The last picture shows just how narrow and steeply sloped this green is.

[Sean Leary]

Is 9 green too severe, especially the top part? Older pictures and these seem to indicate a much bigger green footpad.

[Michael Taylor]

Jim,

Keep up the great job.

One question, what is the correct line and distance to hit it on 8?

Pup

[Jordan Wall]

Sean, I don't think so.  The play to a back pin is to hit an iron off the tee and hit a full wedge in there.  Shots from < 65 yards have almost no chance of stopping up there, especially downwind.  Some might say that is too hard and the top portion is too small, but I like the fact it makes you think from the tee, and rewards the correct play.  Just my opinion though.

I can't comment on the green sized compared to what it was originally, because I don't know.

Curious, where was the pin when you played, what did you hit off the tee and what did you make?  Did Benham play the hole differently?

[Jim Colton]

10th Hole - Par 5, 476 Yrds
The last of the four par 5's and probably the last good chance at birdie.  The right fairway bunker is perfectly placed at the corner of the dogleg.  Avoiding it leaves one with a green-light situation to go after this well-protected green in two.  This is probably my least favorite hole on the course -- it is a very good hole but is somewhat lacking relative to the spectacular holes immediately before and after it.








11th Hole - Par 4, 440 Yards
A long par 4 back to the base of the dune.  Again, well-placed fairway bunkers force the golfer to make a decision on the tee and commit to it.  It's about 280 to reach the bunkers, 320 to carry and only a couple of slivers of fairway to go around them.  Hitting 3-wood off the tee will leave a long approach to another well-protected and beautifully-bunkered green.  Love the dune as a backdrop.

[Sean Leary]

Sean, I don't think so.  The play to a back pin is to hit an iron off the tee and hit a full wedge in there.  Shots from < 65 yards have almost no chance of stopping up there, especially downwind.  Some might say that is too hard and the top portion is too small, but I like the fact it makes you think from the tee, and rewards the correct play.  Just my opinion though.

I can't comment on the green sized compared to what it was originally, because I don't know.

Curious, where was the pin when you played, what did you hit off the tee and what did you make?  Did Benham play the hole differently?

I basically didn't play the hole, as I hit my tee ball left and never found it. Pin was up top, and it was blowing REALLY hard downwind.

Benham hit an 11 wood I believe and had about 60 yards or so from the right side. With the wind blowing that hard it was impossible.

Also, I didn't "get " number 8, although I thought the green was great.  Need a few more playings, I think.  

[Scott Warren]

Jim and Kyle: Playing the first 6-8 holes, how much were you in the moment enjoying what was before you and how much of you was thinking about 13-17?

[Jordan Wall]

Sean, I don't think so.  The play to a back pin is to hit an iron off the tee and hit a full wedge in there.  Shots from < 65 yards have almost no chance of stopping up there, especially downwind.  Some might say that is too hard and the top portion is too small, but I like the fact it makes you think from the tee, and rewards the correct play.  Just my opinion though.

I can't comment on the green sized compared to what it was originally, because I don't know.

Curious, where was the pin when you played, what did you hit off the tee and what did you make?  Did Benham play the hole differently?

I basically didn't play the hole, as I hit my tee ball left and never found it. Pin was up top, and it was blowing REALLY hard downwind.

Benham hit an 11 wood I believe and had about 60 yards or so from the right side. With the wind blowing that hard it was impossible.

Also, I didn't "get " number 8, although i though the green was great.  Need a few more playings, I think. 

He hits his 11 wood that far??  Then again, that is only 160 yards from the Red markers..

Now that I think about it, if you have the length, getting on the upslope of the greenside bunker is a good play to the back pin as well.

At 8 you have to hug the dune to get the angle, and yes it is a great green, thats about all there is to get  

[Brian Noser]

Sean/Jordan,

Benham does hit a mean Heaven Wood.

My one play on 9 resulted in a blocked right 1 iron into the long junk. My great CPC caddy found it.  , I hacked it back into the fairway out of the junk to about 65 yards, hit it to 10 feet, back pin, made the putt, Maybe the Best Par of my life...

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