Torrey Pines - South Course
A U.S. Open course on municipal land - the best value in championship golf.
The Course
William P. Bell designed Torrey Pines in 1957 on city-owned coastal land - a public course with a billionaire's view. Rees Jones rebuilt it for the 2008 U.S. Open, where Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff on a broken leg.
The course hosted the U.S. Open again in 2021 (Jon Rahm's win) and the annual Farmers Insurance Open. It remains that rare thing: a genuine major-championship test that any member of the public can play.
The North Course, also on site, is shorter, friendlier, and cheaper - an ideal pairing for a 36-hole day.
Signature Holes
Hole 3 - Par 3, 200 yards
Downhill over a canyon to a cliff-edge green. The postcard.
Hole 18 - Par 5, 570 yards
Reachable in two for the brave, with the glider port and ocean as backdrop.
Designer
William P. Bell (1957), Rees Jones redesign (2001)
Practical Info
Non-resident green fees are around $252 weekdays - book exactly when the reservation window opens, as slots vanish. San Diego residents with a city card pay dramatically less, which stings but is fair. Play early for calm conditions; the marine layer usually burns off by 10.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Green fee from | $252 |
| Fee notes | Non-resident weekday rate. San Diego residents pay far less. |
| Location | San Diego, California |
| Par / Yardage | 72 / 7802 yards |
| Slope / Rating | 148 / 78.2 |
Worth it?
The best value in this entire top 10. A U.S. Open course, on a cliff, over the Pacific, for $252. It will not be the most exclusive-feeling round of your life, but it might be the smartest.