Built on land that was once the site of a Naval training facility, the Torrey Pines Golf Club has been one of the most popular public golf courses in San Diego. The golf course opened in 1957 and has been the site of an annual PGA Tour Event. This facility will host the US Open Championship in 2008. The golf course was redesigned in 2001 by Rees Jones and now plays to a long 7,607 yards. This is a dramatic distance considering the golf course is located near the coast and at sea level.

When the US Open is played at Torrey Pines in June of 2008, look for Tiger Woods to be the favorite. Most tournaments that Tiger Woods enters he is considered the favorite, but on this golf course he has a strangle hold. He has won four out of the last five PGA Tour events played here. The golf course certainly favors his game with long par-4s and the need for a good putting touch.

On the front nine the first big challenge is the par-4 4th hole. This hole measures 483 yards from the back tees and runs along the ocean on the left side of the hole. The hole is fairly straight-forward but requires a long, straight tee shot. There are bunkers on the right-hand side of the hole that will keep the player from reaching the green. The steep lips on these bunkers make hitting long irons out of them virtually impossible. The best place to aim off this tee is to favor the right side of the fairway.

After a good tee shot players will be left with a long to mid iron into this small green. The left side of the green is guarded by a large bunker and the right side has mounds that can kick the ball back toward the middle of the green. If the pin is located on the left side of the green you might need to aim to the right to make a par. This green has several tiers on it and three-putting can be a real possibility if you hit the wrong part of the green.

The hardest portion of this golf course starts on the back nine. Both of the par-3's on this side are over 220 yards and the longest par-4 on the golf course is on this side. The 12th hole measures 504 yards from the back tee and players will find this a very difficult hole to par. The tee shot will require a fade to give you the best angle into the green. There are bunkers on both sides of the fairway that need to be avoided. Not only is this hole long but it is very narrow from the tee. The tee shot must also weave its way around several trees that surround the teeing ground.

Be sure that your tee shot favors the left side of the fairway. If your ball is too far right your approach shot will be blocked out by the trees on the right-hand side. Players will be left with a long iron into a slightly elevated green. If your ball lands shots, chances are it will roll back down the slope on the front of the green. Bunkers also guard both sides of this green and with several tiers, you must be sure to check the pin position.

Torrey Pines is a golf course that requires the player to shape the ball around the golf course, which is a skill that is slowly starting disappear. The equipment has made ball striking that much easier and working the ball has become a thing of the past. Tiger Woods has the ability to play a wide variety of shots and that is why he has been such a dominating player on this golf course. Also his ability to move around the greens makes him a very formidable player on any golf course.

Torrey Pines has a unique system for getting tee times on the weekend, players will often line up starting at 6:00 pm on the previous night. Tee times start at 7:30 and are based on a first come first serve basis. If you want to play, you'd better arrive early and be prepared to stand in line. Torrey Pines Golf Club is already one of those must-play golf courses, but with the US Open being played there, it will only add to the status of this phenomenal golf course.

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