The Golf Course Nerd

Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club

Chief Golf Nerd — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 10:55:38 GMT

Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club was the original venue for Bing Crosby’s annual clambake, the tournament which evolved into the AT&T Pro-Am tournament now held at Pebble Beach. After several lukewarm renovation attempts, the club hired David McLay-Kidd in 2021 to renovate the course. McLay-Kidd kept the original Max Behr routing and focused on restoring features to deliver some clever changes to enhance the course’s aesthetic and better utilize the natural terrain to accentuate the course’s original challenges

Founded: 1929
Location: Rancho Santa Fe, California
Photos Taken: July 2025

Par 72, 7,090 Yards
140 Slope, 75.2 Rating
Course Record: Unknown

Original Architect: Max Behr (1929)
Renovation Architect(s): Harry Rainville (1973); Perry Dye (1991); David Fleming (2002); David McLay-Kidd (2021)

Notable Championships Played:
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (fka Crosby Clambake) (1937-1942)
U.S. Junior Amateur (2006)
California Amateur (2010)
SCGA Amateur (2000, 2014)
SCGA Mid-Amateur (2012)
San Diego Open (1954)

Hole 1: Par 4, 380 Yards

San Diego County has plenty of overrated and lipstick-on-a-pig courses geared towards ignorant tourists who don’t know any better and corporate folks grifting rounds on the company credit card. The region is surprisingly devoid of courses with true architectural merit. While Rancho Santa Fe still can’t compete with other great courses in California, it is arguably the best course in the San Diego area. After a proper renovation by David McLay-Kidd starting in 2021, the course now utilizes the natural terrain to create real and subtle challenges unlike its neighboring peer courses with forced and superficial aesthetics

The 1st hole tee shot from the back tee — The ideal tee shot gets as close to the fairway bunker on the right for the best angle into the green. The hole looks innocuous but the challenge of the hole reveals itself as you get closer to the green

McLay-Kidd added these decoration bunkers in the 2021 renovation to give the course a more rugged and natural look. These types of bunkers can also be found on the 4th and 5th holes later on

The 1st hole fairway seems simple from the tee, but actually slopes from right-to-left and loose tee shots can veer to the left providing a less favorable angle

The ideal strategy is to get as close to this fairway bunker to get the best angle into the green — the first risk for reward choice at Rancho Santa Fe

While not visible from the tee, there is a significant swale in between the fairway bunker and the green. Any shot that comes up short can roll 40 feet below the green surface! This hole can be devilish and McLay-Kidd did a masterful job disguising the danger from the tee

The 1st hole approach from 100 yards away — Don’t come up short. Even balls that hit the green and spin back can come down the steep bank fronting the green

The 1st hole green viewed from the front

The left green side bunker of the 1st hole — Gone are the sharp clover edges of the post-WWII bunkering style that became pervasive at Rancho Santa Fe during some uninspiring and poorly executed renovations

The 1st hole green viewed from the back left — McLay-Kidd made significant use of closely mown areas around the greens during the renovation

The 1st hole green viewed from the left

The 1st hole green viewed from behind

Hole 2: Par 4, 453 Yards

The 2nd hole at Rancho Santa Fe is one of the beefy par-4 holes on the course. You need to golf your ball to play well here as it is a difficult course

The 2nd hole tee shot from the back tee — A solid and accurate tee ball is required on this demanding hole. What makes the tee shot tricky is the fairway is offset to the left. The hole is testing a player’s ability to pick and commit to a line

Out-of-bounds guards the left side of this hole and there is a large fairway bunker on the right. The typical miss is blocking a tee shot out to the right and everything banks down from there towards the dry wash

The dry wash with its small creek cuts throughout the front nine at Rancho Santa Fe

The 2nd hole fairway is plenty wide but doesn’t look so from the tee

Out-of-bounds sneaks up on the left side of the 2nd hole fairway

The right fairway bunker of the 2nd hole — 252 yards to reach from the back tee and 277 yards to fully clear

The view of the 2nd hole approach from the end of the right fairway bunker

For tee shots blocked out to the right, the slope just left of the 2nd hole fairway is fairly steep and will kick balls down towards the wash area

The 2nd hole approach from 150 yards away — The green is fairly simple and surrounded by sharp falloffs. Mis-struck and misjudged shots will veer off the green

The 2nd hole approach from 50 yards away — The dip in front of the green comes into view as you walk towards the green. While players can run up shots, they need to be properly weighted shots to get up the slope

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front

The left green side bunker of the 2nd hole

The 2nd hole green viewed from the left

The 2nd hole green viewed from the back right — The greens at Rancho Santa Fe are the fastest and purest poa annua greens in San Diego County

Another vantage point showing the closely mown falloffs around the 2nd hole green

The 2nd hole green viewed from behind

Hole 3: Par 3, 190 Yards

The 3rd hole still has the same overall look from previous iterations and McLay-Kidd made minimal cosmetic changes on this hole along with selective tree clearing

The 3rd hole tee shot from the back tee plays this hole at 190 yards to a well-protected green. The water near the green doesn’t really come into play unless a player chunks a tee shot into it

Walking up towards the 3rd hole green

There is an opening on the front left of the 3rd hole green that allows for approach shots to be run up

The left green side bunker of the 3rd hole

The two right green side bunkers of the 3rd hole usually get the most action

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back right — Players need to be weary of going over the green as the back slope behind the green can kick balls further into a wash area

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back left

The 3rd hole green viewed from behind — This green has some interesting subtle movement to it to make putting difficult. Solid and prudent play will usually earn a par on this hole

Hole 4: Par 5, 617 Yards

Rancho Santa Fe has some massively long par-5 holes, with two par-5 holes on the course over 600 yards from the tips. The 4th hole — 617 yards from the back tee — is the longest hole on the course and feels longer as it climbs uphill

The 4th hole tee shot from the back tee. Historical records claim this hole used to have a more pronounced slope in the fairway that would only accept certain well-struck tee shots to hold the fairway. The slope today isn’t as severe, but can still kick drives towards the left and dangerously close to the out-of-bounds fence. The ideal drive is to carve a cut into the fairway to let it bounce softly

Walking up to the 4th hole fairway from the tee boxes. This hole is minimalist and you won’t see any fairway bunkers until getting closer towards the green

For longer elite players, there is a swale further up the right side of the fairway that can veer shots into the rough. The 4th hole fairway can feel like a balance beam and the landing area is narrower than it first appears. To have this kind of subtle challenge on a par-5 hole is thoughtful design from McLay-Kidd

As a player climbs the hill, the first view of the 4th hole green appears

The first fairway bunker of the 4th hole is 70 yards from the green

The 4th hole approach from 50 yards — For elite players going for the green in two, this green falls off along its sides so you have to be thoughtful of your distance control and leave

The 4th hole green viewed from the front — the green has a triangular shape with a subtle shelves along its back right and back left to place hole locations

The 4th hole green viewed from the middle left shows some of the subtleties in the green complex

The right green side bunker of the 4th hole green

A perspective of the shot from inside the right green side bunker of the 4th hole

The 4th hole green viewed from the left — This is a slippery green where a players needs to be mindful at all times where to leave the ball or else risk watching their balls wander off to undesirable places

The back of the 4th hole green is where many balls slide off when players are attempting to reach the green in two shots. Missing it with the third shot is an unforced pilot error

The collection area behind the 4th hole green is not an easy place to recover from

Another vantage point of the recovery shot from the back of the 4th hole green

The 4th hole green viewed from the left

One of the homes behind the 4th hole green. Rancho Santa Fe is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in America, with a median home sale price around $5 million. To become a member at the club, you must be a homeowner in the town of Rancho Santa Fe. The only other way to play the course without a member is to be a hotel guest at the nearby Rancho Santa Fe Inn

Hole 5: Par 4, 428 Yards

The 5th hole is the No. 1 handicap hole and where Rancho Santa Fe starts to show its wonderful character. This hole was marvelously re-crafted by McLay-Kidd to make it look and play better than before

The 5th hole tee shot from the back tee — Players need to find an angled fairway with trouble all along its right side. Line and distance is crucial on this drive

In the past, the 5th hole used to have a grove of palm trees guarding the right side of the fairway. They have since been removed. Only one eucalyptus tree remains guarding the right side of the fairway

McLay-Kidd made the 5th hole look more natural and instituted the rugged decoration bunkers similar to those found on the 1st hole

The ideal tee shot on the 5th hole is a gentle cut that needs to be threaded in between the eucalyptus tree on the right and the fairway bunker on the left

A closer look at the rugged decoration bunkers dotting the right side of the 5th hole. They are very shallow and usually hard packed

The 5th hole fairway as it meanders up and and over

The right side of the 5th hole fairway is marked as a red-staked hazard area

The lone eucalyptus tree guarding the corner of the dogleg on the 5th hole. This lone tree affects play more than it should

The rugged nature of the 5th hole continues all the way towards the green

The left fairway bunker of the 5th hole — 253 yards to reach from the back tee and 267 yards to fully clear. Trying to fit the tee shot in between this bunker and the eucalyptus tree on the right is tighter than it seems

A closer look at the left fairway bunker of the 5th hole — McLay-Kidd shaped the edges to look more rugged, old, and natural. Previous iterations of bunker shaping at Rancho Santa Fe had sharp edges typical of the post-WWII style of bunkers

The 5th hole approach from 150 yards away — The green is set right along the edge of a dry wash area that is still marked as red-staked hazard area

The 5th hole approach from 100 yards away

McLay-Kidd gives players a bailout area to the left of this green, but the next shot is a precarious one trying to pitch onto a green that runs fast towards the right edge of the green. You have to pick your poison here

The 5th hole green viewed from the front

The 5th hole green viewed from the back right — This hole location is one of the tougher ones on the green and a sucker pin. The putt is super fast towards it from the middle of the green. Missing the approach right of this pin will bounce into the wash area

Balls that miss right of this 5th hole green will bounce into the wash area and leave an unpredictable lie

A hard packed lie to this tight pin is not what the doctor ordered in order to make par on this 5th hole

A wide angle view of the 5th hole green from the right

The 5th hole green viewed from the back left — A solid hole and one of San Diego’s best par-4 holes. Much better than the previous version

Hole 6: Par 4, 435 Yards

The 6th hole is another solid par-4 hole requiring another threaded drive to get a clear shot into the green

The 6th hole tee shot from the back tee — The tee box is placed up high with a skinny overhanging eucalyptus tree on the left framing the tee shot corridor

The 6th hole tee shot was tightened recently with the newly planted tree inside the right center of the fairway

The 6th hole tee shot from the middle tees

Trouble awaits all along the right for missed tee shots on the 6th hole

This tall and imposing eucalyptus tree on the left of the 6th hole fairway can come into play as well. It is 182 yards from the back tee and can bat down pulled tee shots

A closer look at the newly planted tree in the right center of the 6th hole fairway. The tree is 255 yards from the back tee. Since the canopy of the tree is low to the ground, a player needs to avoid getting too close to it

A look back towards the two trees that need to be avoided on the 6th hole tee shot

The 6th hole approach from 150 yards away — There is another bailout area left of the green and the left bunker seen is actually 30 yards short of the green

The left fairway bunker is properly disguised to look as if it is next to the green but is 30 yards short of the green

The 6th hole green viewed from the front

The right green side bunker of the 6th hole

The 6th hole green viewed from the left and the bailout area — Much like the 5th hole, bailing out left is a safe play but then leaves a fast and precarious pitch onto a green that slopes away

The 6th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 7: Par 3, 181 Yards

The 8th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is a tricky par-3 hole given its wide but extremely shallow green that requires some proper course management skills to score well on this hole

The primary tee box of the 8th hole — The tee shot is slightly downhill to a green with an extremely shallow target. Going directly at the pin requires a very precise shot. When conditions are hard and fast, aiming for the pin just isn’t possible

The green is sitting at an angle and more accessible from the left where correctly shaped shots can feed down further into the green without going directly at the pin

There is an alternate tee box just right of the 7th hole green that provides a more extreme angle into this 8th hole green where players have to really challenge the right green side bunker

Another view of the angle into the 8th hole green from the alternate tee box

The 8th hole green is widest and most accessible from the left, but the green shallows out significantly towards the right side

The right green side bunker of the 8th hole is a popular spot

The 8th hole green viewed from the right — The green has a bow tie shape

The 8th hole green viewed from the back left — This is the bailout area players can utilize to leave a long lag putt or a relatively straightforward chip shot

The 8th hole green view from behind — You can see how skinny the green gets toward the middle of it

The back green side bunker of the 8th hole is another popular landing spot for those trying to challenge the pin

A player’s view from the back green side bunker of the 8th hole

The 8th hole green viewed from the back right — If an approach shot has the right shape, it can feed down towards the right side of the green

The 8th hole green viewed from the right

The 8th hole green viewed from the back right — the collection of par-3 holes at Rancho Santa Fe are great with lots of variety and plenty of difficulty

Hole 8: Par 5, 534 Yards

The 8th hole is another great case study of what McLay-Kidd did to beautify and simplify this par-5 hole which used to be more cluttered with trees and sloppy looking with the uninspiring bunkering scheme. This is now a very attractive hole

The 8th hole tee shot from the back tee requires a strong hit into an inviting fairway if a player wants to reach this green in two shots

The 8th hole tee shot from the middle tees

The first fairway bunker on the left is 250 yards from the back tee to reach and 271 yards to fully clear. If the tee shot is missed wide right, there is some trouble over there with the creek winding in that area along with some native areas

The right fairway bunker is 321 yards to reach from the back tee

Once in the 8th hole fairway, the approach is to a green nestled up the hill about 30 feet above the fairway

The layup area for the 8th hole fairway is a bit awkward as it will still leave an uphill shot to a green that cannot be seen from the fairway. Might as well go for it in two

The left fairway bunker is about 26 yards short of the 8th hole green

The 8th hole green viewed from the front

The right green side bunker of the 8th hole

The view of the 8th hole green which can barely be seen from this right green side bunker

The 8th hole green viewed from the left — This green is one of the more straightforward greens on the course

The back left green side bunker of the 8th hole

The 8th hole green viewed from the back left

The 8th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 9: Par 4, 369 Yards

The 9th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is a sleepy hole to finish the front nine with fairly minimal difficulty

The 9th hole tee shot from the back tee — the fairway is generous in size and modern elite players will try to blast it down as far as possible

The 9th hole fairway gradually moves downhill and sweeps gently towards the right

The 9th hole fairway has very little consequence. A player might get unlucky getting stuck behind a tree but misses from the tee usually have a shot to this green

The best angle into the 9th hole green is from the left side of the fairway

The 9th hole green is protected by two bunkers in the front

The left green side bunker of the 9th hole

The 9th hole green viewed from the front

The right green side bunker of the 9th hole

The primary defense of the 9th hole is the ridge that runs through the middle of the green that requires players to be on the right section depending on where the hole location is. Being out of position leaves some fast and interesting putts on this green

The 9th hole green viewed from behind — Not the best hole at Rancho Santa Fe, but more fun and tough holes are yet to come

Hole 10: Par 4, 293 Yards

When you see a short par-4 hole on the scorecard under 300 yards for a top course, there usually is a story behind the hole. In the case of Rancho Santa Fe, the story is the diabolical green up ahead

The 10th hole tee shot from the back tee is less than 300 yards so elite players will try to drive this green

The 10th hole fairway is quite generous for those laying up, but players will want to get as close to this green as possible. You’ll see why later

There are two fairway bunkers guarding the most ideal landing area off the tee

The first fairway bunker is 219 yards off the back tee, and the second bunker is 238 yards to fully clear

The 10th hole approach is to the smallest and wildest green at Rancho Santa Fe

The 10th hole green coming from the left side

The front green side bunker of the 10th hole — For players going for this green off the tee, a miss into this bunker is not a bad leave

The 10th hole green viewed from the front right — This green has some wicked slopes on it where balls will funnel off its edges. Players need to be precise with their wedges here or else risk looking foolish

Missing right of the 10th hole green leaves a precarious pitch shot to this green where players may end up going back and forth watching their balls mercilessly roll off the green

The 10th hole green from the left showcases the wild movement of this green — It is like a wavy potato chip

The 10th hole green also slides off along its left side and into a small swale

The 10th hole green viewed from back left — The back left right shelf is the flattest part of the green and a tiny area to hit into requiring disciplined precision

The 10th hole green viewed from behind — It should be easy, but can play hard!

Hole 11: Par 5, 461 Yards (Par 4 for Men’s Championships)

The 11th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is an interesting hole as it is listed as a par-5 hole at only 461 yards, but does play longer than it looks given its significant uphill climb. Given how far modern elite players hit the ball, USGA and SCGA qualifiers in the last few years have play this hole as a par-4 hole for those competitions making this hole quite a beast

The 11th hole tee shot from the back tee — Players can take it easy off the tee when it plays as a par-5 hole. When this hole plays as a par-4 hole, the tee shot becomes suddenly more difficult!

What makes this 11th hole tee shot awkward is the slope of the fairway going left-to-right so players are fighting the gravity of the slope. In addition, there are two bunkers guarding both sides of the fairway

The 11th hole is moving left-to-right, and the green is uphill and on the right. This hole always feels uncomfortable to a player

The left fairway bunker is 235 yards to reach from the back tee and 261 yards to fully clear

The right fairway bunker is more problematic for the elite players — It is 284 yards to reach from the back tee and 296 yards to fully clear

The 11th hole green is uphill approximately 40 feet from the fairway — It is well protected by bunkers and severe fall-offs

This right fairway bunker is 40 yards short of the 11th hole green

The 11th hole approach is to a wide but shallow green protected by three green side bunkers and a sharp fall off behind the green. The back of this green has a infinity edge look to it

The 11th hole green viewed from the front

The left green side bunker of the 11th hole

The 11th hole green viewed from the front right

The right green side bunker of the 11th hole — It is much better to miss this green short than it is to miss long

Approach shots to the 11th hole green that go long is the worst miss possible. Balls will bounce sharply off the steep bank and end up far below the green and potentially into serious trouble in the native areas

The 11th hole green viewed from the back right — This green has some interesting areas to tuck and hide hole locations

The 11th hole green viewed from the back left

The 11th hole green viewed from behind — A tough hole especially when it plays as a par-4 hole!

Hole 12: Par 4, 449 Yards

The 12th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is a fairly simple par-4 hole until you veer off course. There are some subtle ways this hole can bite players if they are not careful

The 12th hole tee shot from the back tee — The tee shot is significantly downhill (about 50 feet) to a flat fairway. It is really easy to fan one way right that will cause issues as there are trees on the right that can jail players

The small fairway bunker on the left is only 220 yards from the back tee so players routinely fly past it

The left fairway bunker rarely comes into play and serves more as an ornamental piece to frame the hole

The 12th hole approach from 150 yards away — the green is pushed up and protected by deep bunkers in the front and in the back. The green also falls off on the right. A properly struck shot is required to hold this green

The 12th hole approach from 100 yards away — For those aerially challenged, there is some room left of this green to allow for run-up shots

The front green side bunker of the 12th hole green is the primary defense — For elite players, it is the safest miss but other players fear it so much that they actually play the hole worse usually fanning shots to the right where the positioning is worse or ending up long into the back green side bunker

The 12th hole green viewed from the front left

The back green side bunker of the 12th hole is a tough place to recover from as the green slopes from back to front

Another look at this back green side bunker of the 12th hole

The view of the next shot from the back green side bunker of the 12th hole. When the hole location is on the back right, you’ll see many players see their shot roll off the green on its right side from this bunker

Missing right of the 12th hole green is the biggest mistake as the fall off is severe — It leaves a very delicate shot well below the green

A closer look at the fall off right of the 12th hole green

The 12th hole green viewed from behind — This is a sneaky tough hole

Hole 13: Par 4, 455 Yards

The 13th hole is the toughest par-4 hole on the back nine and provides players some interesting options off the tee

The 13th hole tee shot from the back tee provides aggressive elite players some interesting options. The traditional fairway is out towards the left of a small lake that cannot be seen from the tee box. On the right side of the small lake is another small fairway that players can try to challenge for a shorter approach with a better angle into this green. However, it is a very risky play

An aerial view provides highlights the options off the 13th hole tee — Going right is much more risky and daring, but there is a payoff for the risk with a much shorter approach and a better angle. A drive of at least 265 yards is needed to safely reach the right fairway

The left fairway of the 13th hole is more generous and the conservative play

While there is nothing wrong with going the traditional route off the 13th hole tee, the approach is from a less favorable angle. The farther you play away from the lake, the longer the approach shot will be. So challenging the lake off the tee is required if players want a shorter shot into the green

The small lake that guards the 13th hole tee shot

The 13th hole approach from the left fairway — the green is tricky to hit from here because it is a small and crowned green

One of three bridges on the 13th hole to traverse the small lake — This is the lowest part of the property and this specific area has had issues with flooding

Crossing over to the right side fairway on the 13th hole

A look towards the 13th hole green

The very risky right fairway of the 13th hole — A drive of 265 yards from the back tee is needed to reach this area. It is a small landing area too so there is no guarantee a player will hit this fairway

The reward for a successful drive to the right fairway is a significantly shorter approach and a direct and more favorable angle into this 13th hole green

Coming in from the left to the 13th hole green makes the lake come more into play

The final bridge to reach the 13th hole green

The 13th hole green viewed from the front right

There is a collection area right of the 13th hole green

The small lake that wraps around the 13th hole green

The 13th hole green viewed from the front left

The 13th hole green viewed from the right — There is no rough immediately surrounding this crowned green and it is sitting up so a well-struck shot is required to hold the green or else shots are susceptible to rolling off the green

Missing long on the 13th hole green is the worst miss and leaves the toughest recovery shot

The 13th hole green viewed from behind

One last look back at the 13th hole green from the 14th hole tee box

Hole 14: Par 3, 218 Yards

The 14th hole is the longest par-3 hole and a gut check hole to test long iron play

The 14th hole tee shot from the back tee

The middle tees of the 14th hole hasa different angle from the left

The left bunker is a well-disguised bunker that is actually 25 yards short of the 14th hole green. So the primary challenge is getting past that right green side bunker

As mentioned above, the left bunker is well short of the 14th hole green although it appears right next to it from the tee

The 14th hole green viewed from the front left

The large right green side bunker of the 14th hole

The 14th hole green viewed from the right — There is a small collection area right of this green that allows for manageable recovery shots

The 14th hole green viewed from the back right

The 14th hole green viewed from behind

One final look at the 14th hole

Hole 15: Par 4, 423 Yards

The 15th hole is a good hole at Rancho Santa Fe but also one of its weakest that echoes the general mediocrity of the other nearby San Diego courses

The 15th hole tee shot from the back tee — Players can give it a rip off the tee as this hole provides the most wide open corridor on the course

The 15th hole fairway gradually moves uphill towards the green

This creek in between the 15th and 12th holes is 40 yards from the right edge of the 15th hole fairway. This hole would be so much stronger if this creek was closer to the right edge of the 15th hole fairway

Off the 15th hole tee, players need to navigate past the left fairway bunker and a small tree on the right side. The tree is 280 yards from the back tee and getting behind it obscures the approach

The 15th hole fairway is plenty wide — Screwing up on this hole is hard to do

The left fairway bunker of the 15th hole is 270 yards from the back tee to reach and 294 yards to fully clear

It is quite easy to get caught up in the left fairway bunker

The 15th hole approach

The right green side bunker of the 15th hole

A player's perspective playing out of right green side bunker of the 15th hole

The 15th hole green viewed from the front left

The 15th hole green viewed from the left — There is plenty of room to miss here, but the recovery shot is not simple as the green slopes down to its right side

If players miss the 15th hole green long and right, the creek behind the green can come into play

The 15th hole green viewed from the front right

The 15th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 16: Par 4, 409 Yards

The 16th hole at Rancho Santa Fe may be its finest hole — It just fits so well into the natural landscape and is the closest hole to the original Max Behr design

The 16th hole tee shot from the back tee — It comes out of a small chute to a fairway that is angled and turning towards the left

The 16th hole tee shot is much tighter than it appears. The hillside to the right comes into play and there is the small creek closely guarding the left side

As players walk towards the 16th hole fairway, the creek begins to appear

The creek comes in quite close just left of the 16th hole fairway

Looking back at the creek from the fairway towards the tee

Players missing right of the 16th hole fairway have to be mindful of the hillside that is marked as a red-staked hazard area

The 16th hole approach from 150 yards away

An old photo of the 16th hole approach shortly after Rancho Santa Fe first opened in 1929. The bones of the original 16th hole still remain today

The 16th hole approach is deceptively difficult — The bunker appears as if it is next to the green but is actually a camouflage bunker 26 yards short of the green. The green is also closely guarded by the creek along its left and back side

The 16th hole approach from 100 yards away

As players get closer to the 16th hole green, they begin to realize the bunker is way short of the green

A closer look at this clever camouflage bunker 26 yards short of the 16th hole green

The 16th hole green viewed from the front — This is a small green with some tricky hole locations, especially the one shown on the back right

The 16th hole green viewed from the front left

Approach shots coming in too hot or too long can bounce off the left side of the 16th hole green and into the creek

The creek left of the 16th hole green is like a magnet — Players need to be cautious to avoid it on the approach shot

The 16th hole green viewed from the back right

The 16th hole green viewed from behind — This is one of San Diego County’s best par-4 holes that takes full advantage of the natural landscape

Hole 17: Par 3, 189 Yards

The 17th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is a much more interesting hole after McLay-Kidd got his hands on it during the 2021 renovation. The hole now plays more like a Redan hole requiring sharper shotmaking to play it properly

The 17th hole has multiple tee boxes to provide different angles and distances. This is the view from the back tee where the hole plays about 190 yards

Tee shots from the far left tee boxes provide the most stark angle into this green

The tee boxes on the right side of the 17th hole provide another interesting (and more forgiving) angle into this green

The approach into the 17th hole green from the front tee boxes

The 17th hole fairway wraps around providing a ramp to sling approach shots toward the green

The 17th hole green is a small target and severely canted from right-to-left

The 17th hole green from 50 yards away

The 17th hole green is further protected by two green side bunkers on the left side

The first green side bunker of the 17th hole

The triangular shaped 17th hole green has a severe pitch from back-to-front and from right-to-left

The second green side bunker of the 17th hole

A player’s perspective of playing out of the second green side bunker

The 17th hole green viewed from the back right — Shots can bounce onto the 17th hole green from the right for players clever enough to shape their shots

The 17th hole green viewed from the back left — A very slippery green to navigate!

Missing long on the 17th hole green leaves a very difficult recovery shot

The 17th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 18: Par 5, 606 Yards

The 18th hole at Rancho Santa Fe is a long finisher that provides a cathartic end

The 18th hole tee shot from the back tee plays this hole at 606 yards — The fairway is a bit difficult to pick out from this distance but it is towards the right. The back of the driving range can be seen on the left

Another look towards the 18th hole fairway nestled between the trees. It is a long and narrow fairway

The 18th hole is actually a double dogleg — The fairway is on a plateau before sweeping downwards toward the left and then bends back uphill towards the right

Once in the 18th hole fairway, players need to decide whether to lay up towards the left or to go for the green in two

A look back at the 18th hole fairway towards the tee shows the broad sweeping nature of this fairway

Another view of the 18th hole fairway from the left side

The 18th hole approach is to a long kidney-shaped green perched up high

The right fairway bunker is 41 yards from the front of the 18th hole green

The 18th hole green viewed from the front right — The green was much more traditional in the past with two fronting green side bunkers but McLay-Kidd made it more interesting with just one green side bunker but with fall-offs surrounding this long and narrow green

The left green side bunker of the 18th hole

The 18th hole green viewed from the front — it has a false front along with a back shelf on the back right

A closer look at the 18th hole green viewed from the front right

The 18th hole green viewed from the back right

The 18th hole green viewed from the right

The fall off along the left side of the green is steep. Not an easy place to play from

The 18th hole green viewed from the back left

One last look at the 18th hole green — Rancho Santa Fe is a solid and challenging test. It is much better now after the McLay-Kidd renovation. The course now has a more natural and rugged aesthetic to provide a distinct identity rather than the previous token presentation of the repetitive and uninspiring post-WWII design aesthetic that has been out of favor for years. Rancho Santa Fe is not the best course in California, but definitely the best one in the San Diego region. But the bar isn’t that high in the San Diego region!

One of the banquet halls at Rancho Santa Fe

The primary clubhouse at Rancho Santa Fe. Inside the clubhouse, you will see the champions wall dominated by a single name — Pat Duncan. He is the local legend at Rancho Santa Fe

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Merion Golf Club (East Course)

Chief Golf Nerd — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:10:17 GMT

Merion’s East Course is a phenomenal course with tons of variety and treacherous situations creating interesting questions to solve. The design subtleties of this historic course test skills and nerve on a tightly packed 115 acres of land. Merion has an unparalleled history as the club hosting the most USGA championships. Many iconic moments occurred on Merion’s grounds such as Bobby Jones completing the Grand Slam in 1930 and Ben Hogan using a one-iron to force a playoff to win the 1950 U.S. Open. The course was rejuvenated under Gil Hanse in 2019 with an eye towards the upcoming 2030 U.S. Open. The date was chosen to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bobby Jones’ Grand Slam accomplishment

Founded: 1896
Location: Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Photos Taken: August 2026

Par 70, 6,939 Yards
151 Slope, 75.1 Rating
Course Record: Lee Mackey Jr., Ben Crenshaw (64)

Original Architect(s): Hugh Wilson, William Flynn
Renovation Architect(s): Tom Fazio (1999), Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner (2019)

Notable Championships Played:
U.S. Open (1934, 1950, 1971, 1981, 2013, 2030 Planned)
U.S. Amateur (1916, 1924, 1930, 1966, 1989, 2005, 2026)
Walker Cup (2009)
U.S. Women’s Open (2034 Planned)
U.S. Women’s Amateur (1904, 1909, 1926, 1949)
Curtis Cup (1954, 2022)
U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur (1998)
World Amateur (1960)

Golf Digest — America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses:
Current Ranking (6th in 2026)
Highest Historical Ranking (5th in 2015)

“Acre for acre, [Merion] may be the best test of golf in the world”
— Jack Nicklaus

Hole 1: Par 4, 358 Yards

The 1st tee box at Merion has a special atmosphere as it is nestled right by the clubhouse. One of the reoccurring themes you will find at Merion is that the holes might look simple from an aerial view and from the scorecard, but they are much more complicated in real life and on the ground. The 1st hole fairway feels elusive as it sits at an awkward angle from the tee box

The 1st hole tee shot is about avoiding the mine field of well-placed bunkers surrounding the landing area. During the 2019 renovation, Gil Hanse brought in the right fairway bunkers closer to pinch the landing area. Being aggressive and reckless off the tee will likely find a bunker and create difficulties on this hole

The charming clubhouse at Merion also makes the 1st tee shot more heightened as members look over players teeing off from the outdoor patio. Many players feel tension and nervousness over their tee shots!

The 1st hole fairway — looks simple but only a well-struck tee shot will suffice. As described earlier, the fairway is a bit narrower than before

What makes hitting the 1st hole fairway more trickier is that it is sloping away from the direction players want to go. Loose tee shots tend to bound into the rough or into one of the seven fairway bunkers surrounding the fairway

This last fairway bunker of the 1st hole in the right rough is likely an insurance bunker to catch players trying to drive the green and failing to do so — It is 286 yards off the tee

The 1st hole fairway is a tricky one to hit. Merion kind of lulls players in thinking this course is easy but will bite back for those slightly off. The bites are vicious!

The 1st hole approach from 90 yards away — The hole sharply turns to the right to a well-protected green

The further you can get the ball down the fairway towards the corner of the dogleg provides you with a better angle into this 1st hole green

Coming into the 1st hole green from the right rough is really problematic as the angle to the green is narrow. Coming from the wrong angles at Merion will kill you all day and wear players out

The 1st hole green viewed from the front. This green can be tricky to putt, especially when coming from above the hole. Lots of mystified looks from players after they hit three putts on this green!

The large right green side bunker of the 1st hole

The 1st hole green viewed from the front left

The left green side bunker of the 1st hole

The back left corner of the 1st hole green

The center back green side bunker of the 1st hole

The 1st hole green viewed from behind

Merion utilizes its own proprietary wicker baskets instead of traditional flagsticks. They are significantly heftier than a traditional flagstick because they are made of aluminum rather than fiberglass. My only criticism of the Merion sticks is that they can be unforgiving when golf balls strike them leading to violent ricochets as they are more rigid. Watch what happened during the 2026 U.S. Amateur semifinal when a ball struck the stick

The original patent filed by William Flynn for the Merion wicker basket design. Some of the reasons to utilize the wicker basket sticks were to honor Scottish traditions, but also to hide the wind direction to make the round more of a challenging test. There are no yardages markers on any of the sprinkler heads at Merion, so the club has maintained an old school approach with regards to playing the course with limited aid

Here are samples of the some of the wicker baskets used over the years. At one point, a yellow color was used. Today, red wicket baskets signifies holes on the front nine, and orange for holes on the back nine

Hole 2: Par 5, 588 Yards

The 2nd hole at Merion is a par-5 hole that never seems to want to end. The hole climbs up the hill to a high plateau with plenty of danger along the way

The 2nd hole tee shot from the back tee — Players need to thread a fairly precise tee shot in between a series of bunkers on the left and the more high consequence right side where out-of-bounds looms

The 2nd hole tee shot from the member tees has a more direct angle to the fairway

A narrow stream is in front of 2nd hole fairway that hardly comes into play on the tee shot. The real danger is further up ahead

These four fairway bunkers on the left side of the 2nd hole fairway attract a lot of activity due to the fear of the out-of-bounds danger on the right side of the hole. Note Hanse added the last bunker with the island in it during the 2019 renovation

Hanse added a new bunker as the final one in the cluster during the 2019 renovation. This was to ensure the modern players stay honest given how far they hit it today

The 2nd hole runs parallel to Ardmore Avenue which also serves as the out-of-bounds line. It is perilously close to the 2nd hole fairway. Just ask Steve Stricker who unexplicably shanked a shot out of bounds during the final round of the 2013 U.S. Open, after hitting his tee shot out of bounds as well

This left fairway bunker is 180 yards from the green

The right fairway bunkers on the 2nd hole are 75 to 118 yards from the green

The 2nd hole approach is to a small green surrounded by five green side bunkers

The first left green side bunker is the most impressive in detail with its dot island and jagged edges

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front right, with the first right green side bunker visible

The second right green side bunker of the 2nd hole

Another vantage point of the second right green side bunker. This 2nd hole green is small and slippery as it is perched up high and exposed to the wind

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front left

The 2nd hole green viewed from the back left corner

Hole 3: Par 3, 219 Yards

The 3rd hole at Merion is the first par-3 hole and the first of some brutish par-3 holes on the course

The ultra back tee box for the 3rd hole makes this hole nearly unplayable at 266 yards. It was borderline Mickey Mouse golf during the 2013 U.S. Open and Hunter Mahan was a big fan of this hole with some pointed comments after his tee shot. While Mahan struggled, Adam Scott proved this hole can be played well

The 3rd hole tee shot from the member tees is more manageable, but the same principle applies for the shot required. There is no bailout on the 3rd hole

The 3rd hole green sits on its on plateau surrounded by steep falloffs and bunkers

Interestingly, the front green side bunker might be the best miss. Although the top of the wicker basket can be barely seen, it is an uphill shot that elite players can manage

The far left green side bunker of the 3rd hole — if you miss it in here, you might as well walk back to the clubhouse as it is set far from the green

The back green side bunker of the 3rd hole is a popular spot since many players looking to put more heft into their tee shots end up pulling it into this bunker

When coming in from 220+ yards away, it is really easy to pull your shot so long that your ball gets snagged into these trees leaving an unplayable lie. Ask Luke Donald who did just that during the 2013 U.S. Open

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front left — While there is no bailout, this green is fairly generous in size and the largest green on the course

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back right corner

There are two back green side bunkers on the 3rd hole — Rarely do you see players find them and they are more orientation bunkers to help frame the hole from the tee

The 3rd hole green is relatively benign once successfully reaching it. Leaving this hole with a par is well-earned

One last look at the 3rd hole

Hole 4: Par 5, 618 Yards

The 4th hole at Merion is the final par-5 hole on the course, and both par-5 holes at Merion are found on the front nine (the second hole being the first one). The psychology of having the par-5 holes (and scoring opportunities) early mentally wear on a player as they face nothing but par-4 and par-3 holes all the way in

The 4th hole tee shot from the back tee — The hole plays a big 618 yards from here and will play as a three-shot hole for nearly all elite players. There used to be two towering trees right behind those small trees along the 3rd hole green that framed the tee shot and required more a draw shot. Now the tee shot is less restrictive

When the tee is moved up one tee box, the hole plays 571 yards and you will see more elite players challenge the green in two. Phil Mickelson did just that successfully during the 2013 U.S. Open

A closer look at the right side directional bunker of the 4th hole — purely for ornamental reasons these days and to help frame the tee shot corridor

A closer look at the left side directional bunker of the 4th hole — This bunker can come into play as it is 252 yards from the back tee

The 4th hole fairway slopes from right to left

One of two fairway bunkers on the right of the 4th hole fairway — this one is 266 yards to reach from the back tee and 285 yards to clear

Once in the 4th hole fairway, the approach is obscured by the cross bunker on the left side of the fairway. Players daring to go for the green in two need to pick a precise line as there is plenty of danger just short of the green

The primary cross bunker of the 4th hole. Hanse restored the scotch brooms and long dune grasses within the bunker

Once past the cross bunker, the 4th hole fairway ski slopes down towards the green. The fairway actually bends slightly to the left of the green

Most players will layup down the fairway to leave a flip wedge into this green

The 4th hole approach from 100 yards away. When the pin is tucked into the corners, the approach can be challenging to get close

A look back at the 4th hole fairway as it ski slopes down towards the green

The danger with going for the 4th green in two is there is a small creek right in front of the green. That being said, it might be worth the risk given that if a player finds the creek in two shots, they can still get up-and-down for a par with a drop in the fairway and leaving a manageable pitch

A closer look at the small creek that guards the front of the 4th hole green

Another vantage point of the 4th hole green coming in from the left. The creek bends around the left end corner of the 4th hole fairway so players need to be mindful of that miss

The 4th hole green viewed from the front — the green has some movement and subtle shelving to it that makes it tricky to get a putt on the right level

The 4th hole green is surrounded by seven bunkers — this is the primary one left of the green

The back green side bunkers of the 4th hole — a really bad miss if you find yourself in these bunkers

Another vantage point of the 4th hole green

The clean look of the 4th hole fairway and green from behind the hole. Merion reminds me a bit of Riviera. Both are located on small parcels of land (Riviera is only 120 acres compared to Merion’s 115 acres). However, both course play and feel big because of their massive bunker complexes and demanding shot values

Hole 5: Par 4, 505 Yards

The 5th hole at Merion may be arguably one of the hardest par-4 holes in the world. An incredible demanding hole requiring disciplined shot execution of the highest order from tee to green

PGA Tour Stop: Colonial Country Club (2026 Charles Schwab Challenge)

Chief Golf Nerd — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:36:55 GMT

Colonial Country Club is a historic course colloquially dubbed “Hogan’s Alley” in honor of Ben Hogan who won the tournament five times. It is the longest-running venue on the PGA Tour and 2026 was the 80th playing of the tournament. Originally designed by John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell, the course underwent a renovation in 2023 led by Gil Hanse. Hanse restored aspects of the original design while taking some select liberties to change certain holes to fit the modern game. He also did it very fast — the renovation was done right after the end of the 2023 tournament and ready in time for the 2024 tournament

Founded: 1936
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Photos Taken: May 2026

Par 70, 7,289 Yards

137 Slope, 76.5 Rating

Course Record: 61 (Keith Clearwater, Lee Janzen, Greg Kraft, Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard, Chad Campbell, Kevin Na)

Original Architect(s): John Bredemus & Perry Maxwell
Restoration Architect(s): Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner

Notable Championships Played:
1941 U.S. Open
1975 Tournament Players Championship
1991 U.S. Women’s Open
PGA Tour Colonial Tournament (1946-Present)

Since Colonial is a relatively small site, the equipment trucks had to park outside the grounds in the nearby park. The staffers at each equipment truck usually pack up and leave on Wednesday and head to the next tournament site. The next tournament is the Memorial tournament which is just outside of Columbus, Ohio

A large statue of Ben Hogan is situated just outside the clubhouse steps — Hogan won the tournament five times (1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1959). Hence the reason why Colonial is known as “Hogan’s Alley”

Rickie Fowler takes time to sign autographs for the kids after his round — He always makes time for fan service. One of the reasons why he is so popular and beloved even though his game has been up and down the last few years. He’s been playing better lately with more consistent results

The 1st hole is a sidewinding par-5 hole playing 581 yards from the tips. The tee box is right up against the clubhouse and players are hitting downhill to a sweeping fairway. The 1st hole played as the easiest on the course all week, with a scoring average of 4.598 — the birdie to bogey ratio was 8 to 1

The 1st hole sweeps to the right before gradually climbing up hill towards the green

The approach to the 1st hole green. During the 2023 renovation, Gil Hanse softened the bunker edges. Before the renovation, the bunkers evolved to more sharply defined edges much like the Augusta-style and they were also deeper. You can see from this old flyover video how the bunkers used to look

This is an aerial view of Colonial before the 2023 renovation — You can see the more sharper and rounded look of the bunkers

The is an aerial view of Colonial after the 2023 renovation — Hanse added more variety to the bunker shapes to make the more rugged and natural. On certain holes, Hanse removed bunkers entirely (particularly the 4th, 5th and 16th holes)

The 2nd hole is a 385-yard par-4 hole — Hanse didn’t change the original routing but he did change a few holes. He also took out a significant amount of trees but Colonial still can feel tight in certain areas. Now it’s just the right amount of tight rather than being claustrophobic which Colonial could feel at times in the past

The 2nd hole fairway as it zig-zags to the right

The 2nd hole approach — the greens used the be far more pushed up in the past. Hanse lowered the green levels to make them look more natural

The 3rd hole starts a three-hole stretch infamously known as the “Horrible Horseshoe” — it is always one of the toughest stretches on the course and leaving with 4-3-4 on the scorecard makes a player feel like he accomplished something

The Horrible Horseshoe gets its name from the routing of the three holes as it goes around the entire driving range in a circular, horseshoe-like shape

At 475 yards long, the 3rd hole has a sharp dogleg to the left. This hole used to play much tougher in the past but with modern players routinely blowing in past the two left fairways bunkers, the hole has lost some of its teeth

The 3rd hole green

Colonial has a two-sided driving range but the players were hitting from the farthest side that runs parallel along the 4th hole. Reigning U.S. Open Champion J.J. Spaun was out practicing. He hasn’t has a great year so far, but things can change as there is plenty of season left. Below is Max Homa trying climb out of mule status and get back to the top echelon

The 4th hole at Colonial is a 248-yard par-3 beast — it played as the 2nd hardest hole all week with a scoring average of 3.148. Interestingly, Hanse removed the two deep left green side bunkers that used to the guard the green

The 4th hole green viewed from the back left

The 4th hole green viewed from the right — Even with the green side bunkers removed, the hole is still all the players can handle!

The final hole on the Horrible Horseshoe is the most difficult not only for this three-hole stretch but also on the entire golf course. The 5th hole was the most difficult playing with a scoring average of 4.240 — 108 bogeys and only 40 birdies all week

While the scorecard officially lists the hole at 475 yards, it can stretch as far as 485 yards long as a par-4 hole. There are no bunkers on this hole and it still plays as the most difficult on the course. The difficulty stems primarily from the ultra-demanding tee shot that requires threading through a narrow corridor

Given the length of the hole, the natural inclination is to block tee shots out to the right. The problem is the entire right side is a red-staked hazard area that tightly hugs the entire right side of the hole. The ideal shot is a power fade to thread the tee shot into the fairway

Just beyond the big trees guarding the 4th hole fairway is the Trinity River — the same Trinity River that flows through Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston

Pulling the tee shot left on the 5th hole is also no good — Hanse re-introduced a natural dry wash area along the entire left side of the hole. It used to just be rough-level and some dry patch spots. Now you’re hitting into high grasses where the ball can go anywhere

The 5th hole is a very intimidating hole with its narrow corridor — It really is a spectacular hole with its minimalism that still provides a sense of grandeur

The 5th hole green — Based on historical photos, Hanse removed the three green side bunkers that used the surround the green. He also re-established the natural wash area that extends all the way up into the green. Hanse believed the natural wash is a more challenging hazard than actual water because it lulls players into being more aggressive when there is more danger than it initially appears

When a player misses left of the 5th hole green, the ball will ricochet down into natural wash area leaving an unpredictable shot as the next play

Looking back towards the 5th hole fairway and you can see the natural wash area that guards the hole’s entire left side

The 5th hole green viewed from the back right — Hanse elected to make this green shape more squarish than the previous iteration which was more rounded. With its subtle levels to pay homage to the Maxwell rolls, this green can play quite diabolical!

There’s not a single bunker on the 5th hole and it plays as the toughest hole at Colonial — just goes to show you that taken advantage of the natural land form is more important than tricking things up with bunkers and other gimmicks to create real difficulty

The 6th hole tee shot at Colonial — this is breather tee shot after the last three demanding tee shots but this hole can also bite players with fairway bunkers pinching both sides of the fairway. This hole is also considerably wider now after some significant tree removal

The 6th hole fairway as it turns towards the clubhouse

The 7th hole at Colonial is where Hanse took some creative liberties to alter the hole by moving the green back about 40 yards to a new location. Doing so allowed him to stretch the hole to 480 yards

The 7th hole fairway and the approach into the new green

The 7th hole green is a new creation with a massive right green side bunker with a dot island within it. Hanse re-introduced these dot islands in several bunkers throughout the course. They were actually part of the original design that were restored

Another vantage point of the new right green side bunker of the 7th hole

A new left green side bunker put in to guard the 7th hole green

Hanse made a brilliant change at Colonial with a brand new 8th hole. This par-3 hole used to hug the Trinity River along its right side until the river was re-routed for flood control issues. A new 8th hole was created that always felt out of place with the rest of the course. Since the original path of the Trinity River was logistically infeasible, Hanse thought of a clever trick by flipping a historical photo of the hole to take advantage of one of the little creeks that still existed. Players have universally lauded this new hole as a significant improvement

Hanse relied on this old photo of Ben Hogan standing on the original 8th hole tee box. The Trinity River was no longer winding through its original spot as seen in the photo but a new drainage creek was later established on the left side. Hanse flipped this picture to get a visual cue on how to design a similar hole with the only change being that the water hazard was now on the left side. The Fried Egg has a great video telling the story on how the new 8th hole was ideated

The 8th hole tee shot — now there is some real consequence on this hole for players challenging any left hole location. Pulling tee shots too far to the left will now bound into a hazard

The 8th hole just looks so much better than the last iteration

The new 8th hole green — anything left is pretty much dead now

The 8th hole green viewed from behind

The 8th hole green viewed from the left — just a brilliant and creative problem-solving move by Hanse

The 9th hole tee shot

Two island dots in the left 9th hole fairway bunker now

The 9th hole green — it has a relatively slope-y pitch from back to front

A closer look at the 9th hole green

The 9th hole green viewed from behind

The practice putting green is right in between the 9th hole green and 10th hole tee. Keith “Cashmere” Mitchell was looking quite casual and relaxed

Is Rasmus Hojgaard testing his brother’s iPhone to see if he can unlock the phone with his face? Rasmus and his brother Nicolai are identical twins

Tom Kim was chatting up with Akshay Bhatia on the practice putting green. Tom hasn’t been playing well this year and maybe was asking Akshay for some putting tips. Could Tom Kim join the club of anchor putting?

The 10th hole tee shot at Colonial is sneaky tough — the fairway is angled in a certain way where players who are slightly careless with the tee shot a hit it too far right will be blocked out on the approach

If a player hits it even to the right edge of the 10th hole fairway and hits it too far, he can be blocked out by trees on the approach

One of the key components of the 2023 renovation was naturalizing the flood control areas of the course. Over the years, these drainage areas were walled off with concrete and brick. Hanse softened these areas to make it look more natural and rugged with great effect

The 10th hole green at Colonial

The 11th hole tee shot — this hole is the longest on the course at 639 yards

The 12th hole tee shot — there is some chaotic traffic here as the path of the 12th hole tee shot criss-crosses with the path of the 9th hole tee shot. These are the problems that occur when you have to keep pushing tee boxes back

The 14th hole approach

Another vantage point of the 14th hole green

The 14th hole green viewed from the back left

The 15th hole fairway as it doglegs to the right

The natural wash area just before the 15th hole fairway — it looks much better than it did in the past!

The 15th hole approach

The 16th hole is a 197-yard par-3 hole that Hanse also changed fairly drastically

Before the 2023 renovation, the 16th hole used to look like this — it had three green side bunkers over a small pond

Hanse kept the pond in front of the 16th hole green, but removed all three green side bunkers. He also re-established the drainage channel to run alongside the left side of the hole. Now missing left on the green is truly perilous and create a more unnerving effect on the player while standing on the tee

Without the bunkers, the green now feels like it is just hanging out there with an infinity edge. The tee shot is more intimidating now, unless you are Sung-Jae Im or Brandt Snedeker who both made it look easy on this hole (although the conditions were very soft making the shot easier)

A look at the 16th hole green from across the pond

The 17th hole tee shot — CBS always shows an aerial shot of the hole but TV doesn’t do justice on how tricky this tee shot is. Much like the 10th hole tee shot, the fairway is angled in a slightly awkward way that requires a fitted tee shot into the fairway

Another vantage point of the 17th hole fairway

The 17th hole fairway — the trees along the right side of the fairway had a much bigger canopy that encroached upon the approach corridor. Hanse cut those trees back to create more space. This aerial video shows how much the trees used to encroach the fairway in the past

The 17th hole green is much softer than it was in the past — the green used to have much narrower back shelves that were pushed up high. The back left hole location on the old green used to be really hairy. While the green still has the same overall shape, the green isn’t pushed up as high as it once was

The 17th hole green viewed from the front right

The 18th hole tee shot corridor has been opened up with the removal of trees — the tee shot is still tight but now more “fairly” tight rather than ridiculously tight

The 18th hole doglegs to the left towards the same mid-sized pond that guards the 10th hole tee shot

The 18th hole approach — players need to guard against going left. While the left bank along the green is not closely shaven anymore, it’s still severe enough the balls will bounce into the pond

The 18th hole green with the massive right green side bunker guarding the approach

The 18th hole green is a really small target than it first appears

The 18th hole green viewed from behind

In a state that isn’t quite known for good golf courses, Colonial is a really solid track. The land itself is not remarkable, but the routing and shotmaking required makes it a fun and challenging test. Hanse did a great job making the course feel more rugged and natural, and it still plays as tough as it did before the renovation despite the playing corridors been effectively widened with smart tree removal. It’s too bad this event has turned into a mule event given its spot on the calendar. Regardless, the course deserves a lot of respect and praise

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Shadow Creek Golf Course

Chief Golf Nerd — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:40:02 GMT

Shadow Creek is truly a modern engineering marvel. The 350-acre parcel of desert land where the golf course sits today was once flat, featureless, and unremarkable. Architect Tom Fazio was hesitant to take on the project given the land, but casino magnate Steve Wynn was persuasive with his astute design sensibilities and maniacal attention to details. Additionally, Wynn commissioned an “unlimited” budget to Fazio to create the course. The course cost $60 million to build in 1989 — equivalent to $158 million in today’s dollars. Over 3 million cubic yards of earth was moved and 20,000+ trees planted to create the manufactured oasis. The course has evolved considerably since its opening, undergoing a renovation in 2008 led by Fazio under the direction of MGM Resorts who took ownership of the course when acquiring Wynn’s Mirage Resorts in 2000

Founded: 1989
Location: North Las Vegas, NV
Photos Taken: April 2026

Par 72, 7,560 Yards
145 Slope, 74.5 Rating
Course Record: Tiger Woods & Fred Couples (60) before 2008 renovation;
Dustin Johnson (66) after 2008 renovation

Original Architect(s): Tom Fazio & Steve Wynn (1989)
Renovation Architect: Tom Fazio (2008)

Notable Championships Played:
The Match — Phil Mickelson vs. Tiger Woods (2018)
PGA Tour CJ Cup (2020)
LPGA Bank Of Hope Match Play (2021-2025)
LPGA Aramco Championship (2026)

Golf Digest — America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses:
Current Ranking (24th in 2026)
Highest Historical Ranking (8th in 1994)

“The problem is that, in Las Vegas, we have no environment to work with.”
— Tom Fazio

“If that’s the case, why don’t we create one?
One of the design issues you’ll face with this golf course is that you’ll be starting from scratch. You have a blank canvas. You’ve never had that opportunity before”
— Steve Wynn

Steve Wynn (left) and Tom Fazio (right) on the original barren desert site where Shadow Creek would be built

Hole 1: Par 4, 415 Yards

The opening hole provides a glimpse into the rest of Shadow Creek — each hole has its own corridor with forested ridges so other holes cannot be seen. Steve Wynn’s preference was to have every hole lined with trees as he had a nostalgia for the traditional tree-lined courses back east. It was also to create the right lighting for each hole utilizing the trees to create natural shadows and mitigate the bright desert sun light. Details mattered to Wynn and it shows at Shadow Creek

The first hole asks the player to challenge the long fairway bunker on the left that is 48 yards in length. Carrying it requires a drive of over 261 yards. Also, the small creek is in play that guards the entire length of the hole from tee to green

The 1st hole fairway elegantly bends into a small intimate nook where the green is nestled. The conditioning of Shadow Creek is superb — the fairways have a Bermuda base that is overseeded with Rye in the winter that lasts until late spring

The 1st hole approach is to a relatively small target with the aforementioned creek still guarding the left side

Looking back towards the 1st hole fairway as a player approaches the green

The 1st hole green — the back left of the green curls to create an interesting tucked hole location that can be tricky to access as it requires challenging the creek. The smart shot is to play to the center of the green

The 1st hole green viewed from behind — the back left hole location is a dicey one!

Hole 2: Par 4, 435 Yards

One of the inspirations for Shadow Creek was Pine Valley. The 2nd hole at Shadow Creek attempts to create a Pine Valley atmosphere as Tom Fazio moved earth to create the plateau holding the fairway along once flat land. The dirt dug up was re-used to create elevation and ridges elsewhere on the course

A view of the 2nd hole from above shows a player needs to drive onto the plateau and then carry the approach over another depression area framed by some signature Fazio-shaped bunkers

A view of the 2nd hole fairway

Tiger Woods playing from the back tee on the 2nd hole during The Match in 2018

The angle of the 2nd hole tee shot is different from the middle tee — you can see the plateau effect Fazio achieved by digging up the desert floor

A closer look at the 2nd hole fairway as it gently rolls downward towards the green

The 2nd hole approach is to a green guarded closely by a shaven front and front right section where any ball coming short will roll down severely below the green. The bunkers may look like they are right next to the green, but they are illusionary in nature — they are 20 yards short of the green

The Fazio-shaped bunkers on the 2nd hole — the bunkers originally had a more traditional shallow edge but were changed during the 2008 renovation. Now nearly every bunker is ringed with Bermuda grass and the edges have more definition and heft. During the fall and winter, the bunker edges will have a yellowish color due to the dormant Bermuda grass creating some interesting contrast coloring

During The Match in 2018, the bunkers had the contrast coloring along the bunker edges — the event was played in November

Short of the 2nd green is a terrible miss — balls will roll down to one of the 3 hollows requiring a delicate recovery shot to get up and down

The 2nd hole green viewed from behind — when the pin is tucked in the back left, the pin will be obscured by the trees just short of the green

The 2nd hole green viewed from the back left

Hole 3: Par 4, 486 Yards

The 3rd hole is one of the most demanding par-4 holes at Shadow Creek — you really have to golf your ball well on this hole to secure a par

The back tee stretches this hole to 486 yards requiring little room for error. There is an artificial lake just left of the fairway waiting to swallow pulled tee shots

The 2nd hole tee shot from the front tee box — you can see the lake on the left that comes into play and the left fairway bunker requiring a tee shot of over 273 yards from the back tee to clear. The cross bunker out in the distance is 341 yards to reach from the back tee. Part of the strategy from the 2008 renovation was re-scaling the golf course for modern longer hitters. Many of the fairway bunkers are now in the 300 to 340-yard range from the back tees

The 4th hole fairway is a gradual climb up to the green

The 4th hole approach is a difficult one as the green is tucked up a hill and canted sideways. This is a difficult green to hit in regulation as players cannot see the green surface from the fairway. This green was significantly changed during the 2008 renovation as Fazio elected to shift the green further right up the hill

A look back at the 4th hole fairway from the green as it snakes up the hill — the fairway narrows up significantly like a slender goose neck up towards the green

The 4th hole green is tucked on top of a knoll and has plenty of movement to it

Looking towards the back right section of the 4th hole green

The 4th hole green view from the left — this is a really tough hole!

Hole 4: Par 5, 581 Yards

The 4th hole at Shadow Creek is what Steve Wynn called one of the mini-climaxes on the course — It has his design sensibilities along with the signature weeping willow tree guarding the first dogleg corner of the hole

PGA Tour Stop: Riviera Country Club (2026 Genesis Invitational)

Chief Golf Nerd — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:43:41 GMT

Players often cite Riviera Country Club as their favorite PGA Tour stop each year due to its location in glitzy Los Angeles (the WAGs especially love it) but more importantly due to its compelling architectural design and ambiance. Riviera proves that venues matter. After two years away due to the devastating Pacific Palisades fires, Riviera was ready to shine again with some new twists and tweaks

Founded: 1926
Location: Pacific Palisades, California
Photos Taken: February 2026

Par 71, 7,383 Yards
144 Slope, 76.3 Rating
Course Record: 61 (Ted Tryba)

Original Architect(s): George C. Thomas

Day 1: Thursday, February 19

As someone coming to this tournament for 26 years, getting to Riviera has become increasingly tougher and a hassle. The traffic getting home is brutal. Practice rounds are now closed to the public. The convenient north side entrance from Capri Drive is now only available to the rich white guys. For everyone else, they make everyone park in downtown Santa Monica and bus your way in. While the website and fancy tournament signage intend to give off elevated vibes, tournament operations feels clunky and superficial. Many of the volunteers are clueless and mouth off inane and conflicting directions. While the golf is great, the tournament as an event is one big woke ruse to create a big tax deduction for Tiger Woods

The volunteers used to get Nike swag, but now they get Sun Day Red swag. I’m sure it’s the cheap Costco-like version where the lettering washes off after a few times in the dryer. The volunteers are an ignorant bunch (especially this doofus pictured) so they wouldn’t know the difference. I don’t know anyone who is buying Sun Day Red apparel but reportedly the Taylormade-owned brand is growing revenue much faster than anticipated and looking to sign more players. Even Tommy Fleetwood was wearing a Sun Day Red sweater (see video below) on Thursday — a potential audition?

Riviera’s 1st hole is a classic and hasn’t changed much over the years. The 1st tee setting is awesome as it sits on a high perch just underneath the clubhouse. In today’s modern game, the 1st hole really should be par-4 hole but the fairway awkwardly runs out at around 300 yards forcing some players to hit less than driver. It will play as a par-4 hole for the 2031 U.S. Open

The barranca that cuts through the property. It is a dry wash and you can play out of it but it is gnarly where the grass tends to always grab the club face. Once upon a time, the Chief Golf Nerd would pick up fresh Titleist Pro V1 balls from this barranca for balls that routinely flew over the driving range net. It was like Christmas. Don’t tell anyone though. Apparently I wasn’t the only one as Tiger Woods admitted to doing the same thing when he attended this event as a kid!

Since the PGA Tour decided to go to a field size of 70 players for its signature events, the traffic on the driving range is much lighter than in previous years. When the signature event era started at Riviera in 2024, I remember how all the players were chattering how much easier it was to get around the course when there were only 70 players instead of 120. It has also helped place of play on the course as there were notorious logjams (especially on the 10th hole)

Rory McIlroy warms up on the driving range with the PGA Tour Live cameraman filming his every move

There is a no autography policy on the driving range, but Rory McIlroy still took the time to sign autographs for kids. He’s such a thoughtful and classy guy and that’s why he is so beloved. He’s authentic and not a phony (cough cough Phil Mickelson)

Viktor Hovland on the range talking with his caddy Shay Knight. Viktor is always experimenting on the range. Floaties around the arms last week. Just a simple stretch band for this week as he tries to hone in his swing. There were noticeably a lot of teenage girls on the driving range watching him. I wonder why

Collin Morikawa and reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun also warming up on the range. It was great to see Morikawa back in the winner’s circle at Pebble Beach after a 847-day win drought. Spaun unfortunately missed the cut, which is hard to do in a 70-man field!

Rory McIlroy getting ready to pull the trigger on the 1st tee. The rain started to get worse right as he started the round. He was part of the marquee group playing alongside Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood. Right behind this group was the group with Adam Scott (see video below)

The 2nd hole approach — This hole used to be a par-5 for the members and a par-4 for only tournament play. It’s now a par-4 hole for everyone. Once they made that change, Riviera started shaving down part of the hill just right of the green to fairway height to provide more room to potentially bounce balls onto the green. That new build out just right of the 2nd hole is new for 2026 and a bit obnoxious as it is too close to the line of play

The course got a significant amount of rain leading up to the tournament and also during Round 1 which caused nearly a 3 hour rain delay as play was suspended. Here is the magnificent green side bunker of the 3rd hole. Water started to pool up in the greens and bunkers but this course drains so well

The 4th hole — One that Ben Hogan once called the greatest par-3 hole in America. It was modified this year by adding a new back tee to stretch the hole from 230 yards to 273 yards. Rory McIlroy called the new change “horrible.” Since the greens were so soft this week due to the rain, balls that hit the green would plug and hold the green. When the greens are normally firm and fast, balls that land on this green would likely run towards the back. It can be quite an unfair hole but the easy fix would be to make the kikuyu grass firmer in front of the green (or potentially use a different type of grass) to allow players to run up shots from the front instead of being forced to hit the green on the fly due to nature of kikuyu grass

An overview look of the 4th hole shows where the new back tee was placed. At 273 yards, the hole becomes a bit silly. The angle has been shifted as well and the old 4th back tee box was removed to make room for the new back 18th hole tee box. They never used the new back tee during the tournament (they only got as far as 244 yards), but the new tee may just be long-term signaling for a new generation of players when they all hit 4-irons 260+ yards in time for the 2031 U.S. Open, even with a rolled back ball

The 9th hole green — this green always plays tricky and putts above the hole are treacherous. This back left hole location is tough to get to from the fairway

The incredible but controversial 10th hole at Riviera — the hole has gotten dicier over the years as sand buildup has made this green more domed and treacherous. It’s all about angles on this hole and the proper strategy is making sure you are always left of the pin. Missing right off the tee is the biggest mistake you can make on this hole and can make you look silly. Matthew Fitzpatrick commented this week that he thinks this hole has become unfair and “impossible”

The key to playing the 10th hole correctly is doing whatever it takes to stay left and short of where the pin is off the tee to provide the best angle into the green

The decoration bunkers just short of the 18th hole green

The 18th hole green at Riviera — incredible to think this site was once a rocky canyon that was filled in by George Thomas. Now there’s this incredible natural amphitheater surrounding the green and creating one of the best atmospheres during tournament play

Day 2: Friday, February 20

Players walking up the 1st hole during the first wave of morning groups

Cameron Young warming up on the range with his father David Young watching his son. The elder young retired three years ago from his head professional position at famed Sleepy Hollow Country Club

Hideki Matsuyama has some tour candy in his bag with his special Scotty Cameron putter cover

Rory McIlroy on the range warming up

Rory was striping the ball all week — his backswing perfectly on plane

A closer look at that classic finish from Rory McIlroy

Notah Begay made a cameo appearance at the driving range today. Now a Golf Channel commentator, he sometimes gives the inside scoop on Tiger Woods as they are former college teammates at Stanford

The 2nd hole tee shot isn’t easy — this hole quietly plays as one of the toughest on the course. It’s all part of the George Thomas design by starting with an easy hole followed by a hard hole

The 2nd hole green is a narrow target from the fairway

The 3rd hole is another sneaky tough hole if you don’t hit the fairway — coming from the right rough makes the approach angle much tougher as players have to come over the bunker and to a green that runs away from front to back. It was impossible to get a shot of the tee shot on this hole as Tiger Woods as tournament host annoyingly requested the ropes be set up where spectators can’t directly stand near the back of the tee boxes. It’s probably a decision influenced from his playing experience of constantly dealing with spectators moving while standing behind him during his backswing. I definitely understand that but it’s tough to get proper photos of the tee boxes at Riviera during this tournament

The “273-yard” par-3 4th hole — let that sink in!

The 5th hole green is one of the most beautifully sculpted greens on the course

The drop off behind the 5th green is severe and naturally blends into the 6th hole teeing ground as well — these are the little architectural details that make Riviera a favorite course among the players

The signature 6th hole at Riviera with the bunker in the middle of the green. George Thomas is the only one who can put a bunker in the middle of the green and get away with it

A closer look at the 6th hole green with the easiest pin on the green as everything funnels to this low spot

The 6th hole green viewed from the front left

The back left tongue section of the 6th green has the best hole location on this green where you can see some great and creative recovery shots. Rory McIlroy hit the wrong side of the green during the 1st round and his this recovery shot taking advantage of the slopes in the back left section

The 7th hole tee shot is tricky because when the conditions are firm, the fairway is effectively cut in half the size. Any balls hitting the left side of this fairway bounces into the mammoth fairway bunker due to a downward slope in the center left of the fairway. For this week, all the tee shots were plugging in the fairway so it wasn’t playing spicy at all

The gigantic jigsaw fairway bunker of the 7th hole

The two fairways of the 8th hole. Ever since Tom Fazio renovated this hole in the early 2000s, it has always been an awkward fit in the course. When the U.S. Open is played here in 2031, expect the USGA to grow out the grasses in the barranca in the middle of these two fairways to make it more of a penalty for missing the tee shot

The 8th hole approach — everything on the right side of the green falls off sharply into the barranca

The 9th hole is just an awesome and tough hole. That left fairway bunker was catching more tee shots than usual this year

The 10th hole tee shot — Nearly every player tries to drive the green now (because the analytics say it is the best thing to do). However, you have to hit into a narrow spot to leave the best angle. Hitting it too far past the green leaves a terrible angle into the green. Missing right off the tee is a cardinal sin and players who do so deserve to make bogey or worse on this hole

The 10th hole fairway that no one lays up to anymore. I’ve only seen Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods lay up to this left side of the fairway in recent years. Thomas and Tiger aren’t playing in the tournament this year

The key to playing the 10th hole optimally is staying left of this green as you can see the green actually runs away from the player. This is one of the easier pins on the hole but with conditions being soft, the hole wasn’t playing that tough. Max Gresyerman nearly holed his tee shot during the 3rd round (and had a hole-in-one on the 14th hole during the final round). His tee shot would have bounced to the back of the green in normal fast and firm conditions

The 10th hole green is diabolical, but it wasn’t this week due to the soft conditions. If you want to see how crazy this green can get, watch this video

The 11th hole tee shot is the narrowest on the course with the towering eucalyptus trees on the right and left. This is also the best place to see tee shots during the tournament. Watch Scottie Scheffler smoke one down the middle on the 11th hole

The right green side bunker of the 11th hole is big and deep — After hitting it into the trees off the tee, Si Woo Kim hit his next shot into the bunker and got up and down for birdie

Ever since the 12th hole got stretched to 479 yards, it has become a beast of a hole. When the wind coming off the ocean comes whipping in, this hole is just downright brutal

The group of Chris Gotterup, Justin Rose, and Robert MacIntyre playing the 12th hole. Gotterup has already won twice on the PGA Tour this season. Unfortunately, he missed the cut during this event

The 12th hole green plays so tough because it has some Pinehurst No. 2 qualities as the green repels off its edges. Although the greens at Riviera were soft this week due to the rain, they will surprisingly still running very fast. Many players were caught off guard with the green speeds. Watch Scottie Scheffler’s putt on the 12th hole race by more than he wanted it too

Although Riviera is a fader’s paradise, the 13th hole is one of the few on the course that favors a draw. Those eucalyptus trees on the left get hit a lot with tee balls from players trying to cut the corner too closely. That being said, players were routinely getting it far down this fairway. Below are the approach shots into the 13th hole from Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood

Jacob Bridgeman waiting to hit his approach on the 13th hole. He went on to win the tournament. He hit some spectacular shots during the third round. Rory McIlroy finished tied for second with Kurt Kitayama but McIlroy could have won the tournament easily if his putting was better. Below is the story of his tournament with close misses throughout the tournament. Poa annua greens are tricky!

If there was a “weak” hole at Riviera, it would definitely be the 14th hole. It’s still a stout hole but a bit bland as a par-3 hole. It give off similar vibes as Pebble Beach’s 12th hole — good but not great

The 14th hole green viewed from the left — the green is wide but shallow. It’s not easy to get the ball close especially to hole locations on the right side of the green

The 15th hole is probably the most stout par-4 hole on the course and underwent some interesting changes for 2026

In the past few years, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland were purposely driving into the 17th hole fairway while playing the 15th hole. To deter this, Riviera planted three new sycamore trees (two immediately right of the tee box and one just behind them closer to the 17th fairway) to block this path. They should rename these two trees the Morikawa and Hovland trees!

Scottie Scheffler getting ready to tee off the 15th hole. Below is Xander Schauffele teeing off and successfully hitting this tough-to-find 15th hole fairway

The 15th hole approach is one of the most ambitious greens on the course. It’s almost like a Biarritz green but turned sideways. The green looks like an open book with the center flap facing down and creating a dip right in the middle of it. It makes pitching and chipping tricky on this green but Scottie Scheffler got up and down successfully just short of the green. Rory also hit a wayward drive on this hole and hit a great recovery shot to save par. The Chief Golf Nerd got up close to Rory on that approach shot. Maybe too close!

The 15th hole green viewed from behind — you can see the dip in the middle of the green. You have to see this green in person to marvel at its scale and design. It’s an incredible green complex

The 16th hole is one of the most picturesque holes on the course with its bold bunkering and tiny green

Playing Riviera would be a joy for most people, but if you’re lucky to get an invite, don’t play it on the weekdays. Riviera has alternate greens for all of its par-3 holes and the 10th hole. The club uses these alternate greens during the weekdays to manage wear and tear. It’s a huge shock and bummer not to be able to play the primary greens on these iconic holes and they’re usually in play only on weekends

The primary front green side bunker of the 16th hole gets the most action. In certain situations, you can get some weird stances (or no stance) to play the next shot

The 16th hole green is a tiny target and the TV telecast makes the green look bigger than it really is. It also have a severe pitch from back to front. Tommy Fleetwood had one of the cruelest lip outs ever seen on this green during the second round

Another look at the 16th hole green

The 17th hole is the last par-5 hole on the course and used to play long. Even at 597 yards, players routinely reach the green in two with ease. Rory McIlroy bombed one down the fairway during the second round

They expanded the 17th hole green several years ago to have more hole locations. It has a tricky ridge in the front center that players can spin their ball off from when the pin is in the front but becomes an obstacle when the pins are placed on the back of the green

The 18th hole at Riviera is one of the best finishing holes in golf and was stretched from 475 yards to 499 yards this year. This was a good change as the hole usually plays downwind and players still have short irons into the green with a good tee shot. However, if you hit a bad tee shot, the approach just gets much tougher from further away. The premium of hitting the fairway increased with this change

Rory McIlroy getting ready to hit off the 18th hole. He was hitting these low burners off the tee to keep it in play and maximize runout. His shot shaping has evolved nicely over the years as he has a full arsenal of shots to work with

The 18th hole tee shot is blind. The climb up to the 18th hole fairway from the tee is over 40 feet

Collin Morikawa plays the approach into the 18th hole green. The setting is one of the best in golf with the clubhouse in the background and spectators sitting around the natural amphitheater

Collin Morikawa hit his 18th hole approach to four feet but missed the birdie putt!

Tournament host Tiger Woods was on the grounds all week. Jacob Bridgeman was a deserving champion and Rory McIlroy must be shaking his head wondering if he’ll ever win in Los Angeles after another runner up finish (not as painful as his runner up finish at the 2023 U.S. Open at nearby Los Angeles Country Club). The putter was his undoing at both events. It was great to see Riviera once again but a bit unlucky with the wet and soft conditions. Luckily, the Chief Golf Nerd will get to see Riviera again this summer as the U.S. Women’s Open will be played here in June. The course will have much more different conditions at that time (similar to how it was during the 2017 U.S. Amateur). It’ll also be an interesting harbinger of what Riviera can be like if the rumors are true of moving this event later in the summer as a PGA Tour playoff event. We’ll see!

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Palos Verdes Golf Club

Chief Golf Nerd — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:02:04 GMT

Palos Verdes Golf Club is often forgotten or overlooked in a region with more famous Los Angeles area courses. Yet Palos Verdes can punch above its weight as the course cleverly navigates around a series of severe and dramatic canyons to create a memorable playing experience. After a 2013 renovation by Todd Eckenrode, the course showcases an honest interpretation of the original Billy Bell Sr. design with the help of George Thomas. There aren’t many great photos of the golf course given its low profile — that is until now

Founded: 1924
Location: Palos Verdes Estates, California
Photos Taken: February 2026

Par 71, 6,500 Yards
134 Slope, 72.8 Rating
Course Record: 61

Original Architect(s): William P. Bell, George C. Thomas
Renovation Architect: Todd Eckenrode (2013)

Notable Championships Played:
LPGA Palos Verdes Championship (2022-2024)

Hole 1: Par 4, 395 Yards

The 1st hole is a gentle opening hole that doglegs slightly to the right — there is a lone left fairway bunker 228 yards from the back tee and 244 yards to clear

The 1st hole approach — the danger on this hole is coming up short in front of this oval-shaped green as there is a false front and four bunkers guarding the front

Two of the three front right green side bunkers of the 1st hole green

A closer look at the small false front in the front center of the 1st hole green

Todd Eckenrode restored many of the closely mown collection areas around the greens during the 2013 renovation. Missing long on the 1st hole green actually has the more manageable leave for the next shot

The 1st hole green viewed from behind

Hole 2: Par 3, 210 Yards

The 2nd hole is one of the signature holes at Palos Verdes. This long par-3 hole requires a carry over a canyon to a green sitting on top of a plateau. Another interesting thing to note is the configuration of Palos Verdes’ front nine — There are no repeating holes with the same par score. The front nine has a par 4-3-4-3-5-4-5-3-4 configuration. Was it serendipitous or by design?

The 2nd hole tee shot from the back tee — the green looks much smaller from 210 yards away. However, there is room to miss on the front left of the green. Balls that come up short will not roll down the hill further as the kiyuku grass that dominates Palos Verdes will keeps balls near their pitch mark

The Pacific Ocean looms out in the distance beyond the 2nd hole green

The 2nd hole tee shot from the middle tees has a different look and angle into the green. The right green side bunkers cut more into the line of play. The tee shot is 180 yards from here

The first bridge transporting players across the canyon to reach the 2nd hole green from the teeing area

As you walk up the hill from the canyon, the first right green side bunker of the 2nd hole comes into view

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front — the green is receptive and will hold well-struck tee shots. The greens are classic California poa annua greens

The right green side bunker of the 2nd hole. The bunker shaping reminds you of the classic Billy Bell shapes that you would find at Riviera 27 miles north of here

Another look at the right green side bunker of the 2nd hole green

The 2nd hole green viewed from the right

The 2nd hole green viewed from the back right — the green does slightly slopes downward towards the back to another collection area

The left green side bunker of the 2nd hole

The 2nd hole green viewed from behind

Hole 3: Par 4, 415 Yards

The 3rd hole at Palos Verdes is a beautifully crafter par-4 hole that follows the rolling nature of the land

The 3rd hole tee shot requires demands from the player to consider both line and distance in order to hit the fairway securely

The 3rd hole fairway sits out at an angle and can be tricky to hit — there is a bit of a gravitational pull to the right. Some players overcompensate and tend to pull their tee shots left

The 3rd hole tee shot from the back tee provides a different vantage point — the fairway landing area is not visible from here and makes the tough shot unnerving

The 3rd hole fairway meanders along the left-to-right sloping terrain as it curls around the low area

The views of the Pacific Ocean from the 3rd hole fairway are sublime

The 3rd hole fairway pinches in about 275 yards from the back tee. Many players tend to pull their tee shots left to avoid the right side where wayward pushed tee shots will find trouble in the canyon areas

The 3rd hole approach

The 3rd hole green is well-guarded by three green side bunkers

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front

The right green side bunker of the 3rd hole

The back left green side bunker of the 3rd hole — missing here is a big mistake and usually leads to a bogey or worse

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back right

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back left

The 3rd hole at Palos Verdes is one of the better par-4 holes on the course — Palos Verdes is no slouch of a course. It requires strategic play to find the best angles and can punish you badly for carelessness

Hole 4: Par 3, 225 Yards

The 2nd hole might have the views but the 3rd hole has the most drama with its huge 100 feet+ elevation change. Playing a beefy 225 yards from the back tees, the green sits perilously on the side of a sloping hill

The 3rd hole green is a small target from way up high and hitting it from the tee box is very challenging. It takes a leap-of-faith tee shot as it hangs forever in the air

The 3rd hole green as players approach it after a severe downhill walk

The left green side bunker of the 3rd hole is not a bad miss, but still requires a strong recovery shot to salvage par

The aforementioned left green side bunker of the 3rd hole is deep!

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front left

There is also two green side bunkers in the back left of this green

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back right

The right green side bunker of the 3rd hole — missing here is tougher for the next shot than missing in the left green side bunker

The 3rd hole green viewed from behind

Hole 5: Par 5, 540 Yards

The 5th hole at Palos Verdes is one of the coolest looking holes on the course with its tumbling and twisting nature as it snakes through a small valley to a green perched on top of a hill

The 5th hole tee box is set an an angle where a player must navigate over the initial severe left-to-right slope — a right-to-left shaped tee shot to kill into the slope is ideal. Players who prefer a left-to-right ball have to really think about the line carefully as many balls end up to the right

The 5th hole tee shot from the back tee is a more intimidating tee shot. There used to be a grove of eucalyptus trees along the left side that really constricted the tee shot corridor. With those trees gone, more flexible lines off the tee can now be taken

The 5th hole fairway tumbles and twists along the ground like a roller coaster

The 5th hole is beautifully framed by towering eucalyptus trees. Once reaching this point, the 5th hole fairway starts sloping in the other direction. It has a double twist. This is a really cool hole that utilizes the land really well

Looking back towards the tee box shows how sloped the 5th hole fairway is

The 5th hole approach is to a green perched up high on top of the hill

The 5th hole approach is guarded by three bunkers along the front left of the green. There is plenty of room along the right side to run up shots onto the green

A closer look at the three left green side bunkers of the 5th hole

Looking back at the last left green side bunker of the 5th hole. Missing long left is difficult to recover from

The 5th hole green viewed from the front right — this is the ideal path to approach the green but chipping can be tricky from the closely mown collection area on the right depending where the pin is

The 5th hole green viewed from the back right — the green is like a floating table top and has some tricky subtle breaks in the green to make putting tricky

The 5th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 6: Par 4, 340 Yards

The 6th hole is one of the more picturesque holes at Palos Verdes with the Pacific Ocean visible once again. It also has one of the more devilish greens!

The 6th hole is one of many holes at Palos Verdes that feels like it plays longer than its listed yardage. The tee shot needs to climb a big hill and needs to be strategically placed to have the best angle to this difficult green. If a player takes a daring tee shot to challenge the left bunker, the reward is the best angle to this green. A more conservative tee shot out to the right gives a less favorable angle into this green

The 6th hole fairway

This left fairway bunker is 263 yards to fully clear from the back tee — carrying it successfully leave the best approach angle into this green

Taking a more conservative line off the 6th hole leaves an approach where you can’t fully see the green and have to carry a troublesome right green side bunker

The 6th hole approach — For players who successfully carry the left fairway bunker, this is the approach view they would gain

Coming from the right is more challenging to this 6th hole green given its devilish contouring

A closer look at the 6th hole green contours — the most devilish green on the course

The deep right green side bunker of the 6th hole — this is the problematic bunker that comes more into play for those that approach the green from the right. It catches a lot of approach shots! Being bold on this hole is rewarded

The 6th hole green viewed from the front right

The back left green side bunker of the 6th hole

The 6th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 7: Par 5, 560 Yards

The 7th hole is another rolling par-5 hole with some tremendous fairway movement

The 7th hole tee shot needs to carry the same canyon that was crossed earlier on the 2nd hole

The 7th hole fairway dips and rolls over the hill — trying to get to the top of the plateau is difficult to get a view of the green for the approach for those going for the green in two

Another look of the 7th hole fairway to demonstrate its rolling nature

Once over the plateau, the 7th hole green is visible and is guarded by a pond on the left and two bunkers on the right

The 7th hole green with the two right green side bunkers

The 7th hole green viewed from the front

A closer look at the two right green side bunkers of the 7th hole — beyond them is a closely mown area leaving a relatively modest shot to get up and down

The 7th hole green viewed from the back right — many shots will end up here trying to avoid the pond

The 7th hole green viewed from the back left

The pond closely guards the front of the 7th hole green on the left — it really influences the approach shot and forces players to bail right

Another look at the 7th hole green with the clubhouse in the distance

The 7th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 8: Par 3, 160 Yards

The 8th hole is a cute downhill par-3 hole to a small green with some high lipped bunkers guarding the front

The 8th hole green from 50 yards away

The front left green side bunker of the 8th hole

The 8th hole green viewed from the front

The large and deep right green side bunker of the 8th hole

The 8th hole green viewed from the back left

The 8th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 9: Par 4, 385 Yards

The 9th hole is a solid par-4 hole that plays uphill all the way to the green

The 8th hole tee shot from the back tee — the hole gives off some slight Pine Valley aesthetic vibes with the natural setting

The climb up to the 9th hole fairway

The 9th hole doglegs to the right to a green set at a slanted angle in the opposite direction

The 9th hole approach from 125 yards away

The two left green side bunkers of the 9th hole

The 9th hole green viewed from the front — this green has some noticeable pitch from back to front so you need to take some care leaving the ball below the hole

The right green side bunker of the 9th hole

The 9th hole climbs up to a higher back shelf that is hard to reach — many shots spin away so distance and spin control is required when the pin is placed on this back shelf

The 9th hole green viewed from the back right

The 9th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 10: Par 4, 365 Yards

The back nine at Palos Verdes starts with the beautifully framed 10th hole

The 10th hole tee shot from the back tee — the left fairway bunkers is 287 yards to clear so it is wise to lay up into the fairway to leave a manageable approach shot

The 10th hole fairway

The left fairway bunker of the 10th hole is the primary defense of this hole — it influences the tee shot and the risk to carry it isn’t quite worth it

A closer look at the left fairway bunker of the 10th hole

The 10th hole green is nestled nicely under some tall eucalyptus trees

The 10th hole green viewed from the front left

The left green side bunker of the 10th hole

The right green side bunker of the 10th hole

The 10th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 11: Par 4, 365 Yards

The 11th hole is usually dismissed or underestimated on the scorecard but the hole can come up and bite you if you are not careful as it packs plenty of character

The 11th hole tee shot — the fairway is straight ahead but the fairway dips and then climbs to a high point. Reaching the high point is important if a player wants to have a clear view of the green for the approach. Missing way left will result in a lost ball into the canyon

The rolling 11th hole fairway as it dips and climbs back up

The left fairway bunker of the 11th hole

The 11th hole approach — the green is well protected by bunkers and the hole locations tucked behind the left green side bunker are especially tricky

The 11th hole approach from 100 yards away

The various bunkers guarding the 11th hole green

The 11th hole green viewed from the front right — the back left hole locations are the most difficult

The massive front left green side bunker of the 11th hole — the tongue is vintage Billy Bell Sr.

The 11th hole green viewed from the back left

The back left green side bunker of the 11th hole

The 11th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 12: Par 4, 285 Yards

The 12th hole has a visually dramatic tee shot with a canyon fronting the fairway

The 12th hole tee shot from the back tee — While the canyon makes the tee shot look intimidating, it only requires a carry of 160 yards to reach the fairway. While the scorecard lists that this hole can also play as a par-3 hole, it really doesn’t work as a par-3 hole because the entry to the green is too restrictive for a one-shotter

The bridge to cross the canyon on the 12th hole

A look back at the canyon after reaching the 12th hole fairway. Palos Verdes is built on top of some very severe property!

The 12th hole is guarded by deep green side bunkers on the front

There is no way to run up approach shots on the 12th hole and this is why this hole couldn’t work as a par-3 hole. It should just be played as a short par-4 hole

The 12th hole green viewed from the front — the green is a small pushed up green that falls off along all its sides. A delicate pitch shot is required to hold the green

The deep front right green side bunker of the 12th hole

The two left green side bunkers of the 12th hole

The 12th hole green viewed from the right — the green falls off sharply to closely mown collection areas once you get past the bunkers

The 12th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 13: Par 4, 420 Yards

The 13th hole has an incredible (but demanding) tee shot with the player’s first introduction to Malaga Creek guarding the entire left side of the hole

The back 13th hole tee box is the highest point on the property. The tee shot is demanding because the fairway is set at an angle and set on top of a plateau with Malaga Creek lurking down on the left

The walk down to the 13th hole fairway is one of the best on the course

The 13th hole fairway has plenty of danger — missing left will get balls caught up in deep kikuyu rough on a steep bank and wayward misses will find Malaga Creek

The hazard of Malaga Creek lurks on the left

There are three fairway bunkers down below the 11th hole fairway — the last one can be cleared with a drive of over 282 yards

A look back at the canyon that needs to be crossed from the 13th hole tee box

The beginning of the 13th hole fairway

The 13th hole approach — the narrow green sits down below and stair steps downward away from the player

The 13th hole approach from 100 yards away

The 13th hole green has an elongated shape and a back shelf that is lower than the front shelf

The 13th hole green viewed from the front right — the green falls off along its right side to a closely mown collection area

The left green side bunker of the 13th hole

The back right green side bunker of the 13th hole

A closer look at the great contouring of the 13th hole green

The 13th hole green viewed from the back left — you can see the movement of the green as it slopes and stair steps from front to back

The back shelf of the 13th hole green

The 13th hole green viewed from behind — just a tremendously well-designed hole

Hole 14: Par 4, 440 Yards

If players thought the 13th hole tee shot was challenging, the 14th hole presents an even tougher tee shot with Malaga Creek being a more menacing obstacle

The 14th hole tee shot from the back tee is the most intimidating and demanding tee shot on the entire course. Players are coming out of a narrow chute with Malaga Creek closely guarding the left side

The 14th hole tee shot from the middle tee is not any easier and Malaga Creek shows its teeth along the left side of the fairway

Malaga Creek is more visible on the 14th hole than it was on the 13th hole. The penalty is more severe here for missing left

A closer look at Malaga Creek

The 14th hole approach

The fairway bunker 50 yards short of the green frames this approach beautifully

The 14th hole green viewed from the front

The front left green side bunker of the 14th hole

The humongous right green side bunker of the 14th hole

The 14th hole green viewed from the right

The 14th hole green viewed from the back left — the 15th hole green is visible in the distance

The 14th hole green viewed from behind — quite a stretch of two excellent and demanding par-4 holes

Hole 15: Par 3, 175 Yards

The 15th hole is the final par-3 hole at Palos Verdes that sits on the most northwest edge of the property. It is an exacting par-3 hole that demands strict execution

The 15th hole back tee is nestled in the hillside

The middle tees provide a different angle into this 15th hole green where Malaga Creek becomes more visible along the left side of the green

The 15th hole green viewed from the front

There are two deep bunkers guarding the left side of the 15th hole green and Malaga Creek comes dangerously close left of them

The second left green side bunker of the 15th hole has a big and stylish nose

The 15th hole green viewed from the left and the 14th hole green in the distance

Hole 16: Par 5, 485 Yards

The 16th hole starts the climb back up towards the clubhouse. This is the final par-5 hole and last easy scoring opportunity on the back nine

The 16th hole tee shot from the back tee

The 16th hole from the middle tees — the entire left side is red-staked so players need to be mindful of the big miss left of the fairway

The 16th hole fairway is straight up the hill

The first fairway bunker of the 16th hole on the left side is 252 yards to clear from the back tee

The second fairway bunker on the right of the 16th hole is 287 yards to fully clear from the back tee

The 16th hole approach

The 16th hole green from 15 yards away

The deep left green side bunker of the 16th hole that tends to gobble up many approach shots

The right green side bunker of the 16th hole set about 20 yards short right of the green complex

The 16th hole green viewed from the front — the green feels like a slanted table top

The 16th hole green viewed from the right — many approach shots end up here but leaves a delicate pitch shot to a green running away from the player

The back left green side bunker of the 16th hole

The 16th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 17: Par 4, 330 Yards

The 17th hole plays much longer than its listed yardage as is climbs significantly uphill — looks easy but plays tough

The 17th hole tee shot from the back tee — wise players will lay back off the tee as the first left fairway bunker is 248 yards to carry. It also leaves a fuller approach shot with maximum spin to attack this green

The 17th hole fairway

The ideal tee shot is laying up short of the left fairway bunker

The left fairway bunker of the 17th hole

The right fairway bunker of the 17th hole — 281 yards to clear from the back tee

The 17th hole approach from 100 yards away — the approach is awkward since you cannot full see the green

The cavernous left green side bunker of the 17th hole

The 17th hole green viewed from the front

The back right green side bunker of the 17th hole — if you find yourself in here, you really messed up!

The 17th hole green viewed from the front right. This is another slippery green where three putts happen more than you think

The 17th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 18: Par 4, 405 Yards

The 18th hole at Palos Verdes is a sweeping dogleg right hole and on the most flattish piece of the property

The 18th hole tee shot from the back tee

The tee shot needs to fit in between the lone fairway bunker on the left and a single stone pine tree placed in the right center of the fairway

Walking up the 18th hole fairway

The lone fairway bunker of the 18th hole — 252 yards to reach and 276 yards to fully clear from the back tee

The 18th hole approach shot from the fairway bunker

The lone stone pine tree in the right center of the 18th hole fairway placed 265 yards from the back tee

The 18th hole approach from 100 yards away

The front left green side bunker of the 18th hole

The 18th hole green viewed from the front right

The right green side bunker of the 18th hole

The 18th hole green viewed from behind — Palos Verdes is a real treat to play and a more sportier version than Riviera, Bel-Air and Los Angeles Country Club. It may be short and tight on the card, but it packs plenty of character and strategic demands to test players, especially when the greens get firm and fast

The Spanish-style clubhouse at Palos Verdes Golf Club

One last look at the 13th and 14th holes from the 18th hole tee box

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PGA Tour Stop: TPC Scottsdale (2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open)

Chief Golf Nerd — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:28:12 GMT

The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale has evolved into a coliseum with a gargantuan buildout that takes nearly four months to complete before the eve of the tournament. But let’s be honest — People don’t come to the Phoenix Open for the golf. They come for the party!

Founded: 1986
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Photos Taken: February 2026

Par 71, 7,261 Yards
142 Slope, 74.7 Rating
Course Record: 60 (Nick Taylor, Phil Mickelson, Mark Calcavecchia, Grant Waite)

Original Architect(s): Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish

The 1st hole at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course is a modest par-4 opener at 403 yards. The course isn’t anything special (but looks good on TV due to the overachieving conditioning during tournament week). The extra effort gets the greens firmer and faster to add some spice to the course (and an attempt to keep the scores from going too low). The course is a typical desert course — placed on unremarkable flattish land and dressed up with desert features and utilizing the mountain backdrop to add some visual flair. When it isn’t Phoenix Open week, the conditioning on this course drops off significantly. So the general public (or ignorant tourists) gets fleeced with the $400+ green fee

The 6th hole has an ambitious green complex to hide hole locations — the players still get to them with relative ease with today’s modern equipment

The par-3 7th hole — One of the stout holes at TPC Scottsdale playing 215 yards

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler walks off the driving range to head to the course for a practice round

Fan favorite Tom Kim shows up for a practice round. He played poorly during the 2025 PGA Tour Season and needs a bounce back year in 2026

Xander Schauffele practicing his pitching

Prodigal son Brooks Koepka returns to TPC Scottsdale for his second 2026 PGA Tour start after ditching LIV Golf. Koepka ended up missing the cut

The 10th hole green — the hole is a L-shaped par-4 hole playing 428 yards

The 11th hole is the most dangerous par-4 tee shot on the course. Playing over 472 yards, water that can’t be fully seen guards the entire left side and there are trees on the right to jail bailout tee shots. Scottie Scheffler hit his drive to the right of 11th hole fairway with some tree trouble, but still managed to get a shot onto the green from there!

Si Woo Kim and his caddy Manuel Villegas (Camilo Villegas’ brother) safely in the 11th hole fairway and sizing up the approach shot

The 11th hole green

The group of Scottie Scheffler, Gary Woodland, and Si Woo Kim walk towards the 12th hole green

The 192-yard par-3 12th hole looks innocuous from the tee, but there is water surrounding the green. Also this green has some interesting mini-plateaus to place hole locations to make it tricky to get close to the hole

The aforementioned water that wraps around the entire 12th hole green — the water cannot be seen from the tee box

The 13th hole tee shot on the the par-4 558 yard hole. The pros eat this hole alive and not making birdie on it is essentially losing a shot on the field

The Scheffler group waiting on the 13th hole tee box — they were talking about the Golf Pride Align grips that Si Woo Kim’s caddie uses and Scheffler going as far as saying they should be illegal. Scheffler uses round grips built up with 6 layers of double-sided tape! He went on to stripe his tee shot (see below)

Si Woo Kim on the 13th hole tee box — He has played well this year with a 3rd, 6th, 2nd, and 11th place finish in four starts this year

The 14th hole is the toughest par-4 hole on the back nine at 490 yards

The 14th hole green viewed from behind

The final four holes at TPC Scottsdale are the best holes on the course and set up for drama. It starts with the par-5 15th hole at 553 yards that requires a threaded tee shot to avoid the water on the left. Bailing out to the right forces a layup on this hole where birdie is usually needed to climb up the leaderboard

Walking up the 15th hole fairway

Missing right off the tee on the 15th hole makes going for the green more perilous with a bad angle and the water surrounding the green coming more into play

The 15th hole approach requires a carry over the water to a slippery green that falls off along its edges

The 15h hole green has some great contouring where players savvy enough to hit well-shaped approach shots can funnel balls closer to the pin

The 15th hole green viewed from the right

What the players see when they reach the 16th hole tee box via a tunnel under the grandstands

The buildout of the 16th hole has just gotten bigger and bigger over the years — there are a lot of portable toilets underneath because the amount of alcohol consumption on this hole is ridiculous

Without the buildout surrounding the 16th hole green, this hole is actually pretty innocuous and unremarkable. It is 163 yards on the scorecard, and players are mercilessly booed for missing the green or for lukewarm tee shots. During the practice rounds, the place doesn’t smell like beer and bad body odor… yet!

The 16th hole from the left side — they added some seats for the general public on the left to make it a bit more democratic to get a view

Another vantage point of the 16th hole green which is pushed up — players have to execute and hit a good tee shot here

This grandstand just right of the 16th hole green gets rowdy during the tournament

The 17th hole at TPC Scottsdale is most likely the most interesting hole on the course — It looks simple and should play easy, but there is a lot of danger on this hole for players who are just slightly off and get severely punished

The fairway bunkers guarding the 17th hole tee shot — Most players can reach the green with their drives, but if you slightly pull your tee shot, the water juts in near the front left corner of the green that is known to catch tee shots. Ask Sahith Theegala who hit it into the water to derail his chances during the 2022 tournament

The 17th hole green is one of the best green complexes on the course — the toughest hole locations are on the back right shelf and the back left plank section that creates a dicey hole location and becomes inaccessible from the wrong angle. Players need to be mindful of the water along the left of this green at all times. Xander Schauffele chipped a ball into the water from the right side of the green!

The 17th hole green viewed from the back right

The 18th hole is an interesting 442-yard par-4 finisher. Players need to skirt the water that juts into the landing zone on the left and a big church pew bunker just past the water

The 18th hole fairway — the landing zone is tight!

The church pew bunker of the 18th hole — Hideki Matsuyama hit into it on the final hole of regulation and clipped one of the church pews with his approach shot that caused him to make a bogey and then lose in the playoff to eventual champion Chris Gotterup

Min Woo Lee practicing some pitching in front of the 18th hole green

The two right green side bunkers of the 18th hole

The 18th hole green viewed from behind

Not the most enthralling golf course, but the course is only a part of the show. The Phoenix Open might not have the best course, but it definitely has one of the best atmospheres for the fans and one that many other tournament directors would envy — sans the jackass-ery and debauchery behavior of select fans that spoil the integrity of golf

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The Olympic Club (Lake Course)

Chief Golf Nerd — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 07:10:06 GMT

Previously hosting 5 U.S. Opens and other prestigious tournaments, Olympic Club’s Lake Course is a relentless and stern golf test. The Lake Course requires precise shotmaking, psychological grit, and steadiness over flash. After several botched renovation attempts, the club hired Gil Hanse in 2022 to renovate the course and get it ready for a wave of upcoming high-profile events such as the 2028 PGA Championship and 2033 Ryder Cup

Founded: 1924
Location: San Francisco, California
Photos Taken: April 2025

Par 71, 7,050 Yards (Championship Yardage at 7,214 Yards)
140 Slope, 75.8 Rating
Course Record: Isaiah Salinda, John Abendroth (62)

Original Architect(s): Willie Watson (1924) & Sam Whiting (1927)
Renovation Architect(s): Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (1955, 1966); William Love (2009, 2016); Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner (2023)

Notable Championships Played:
U.S. Open (1955, 1966, 1987,1998, 2012)
U.S. Amateur (1958, 1981, 2007, 2025)
U.S. Women’s Open (2021)
U.S. Women’s Amateur (2030 Planned)
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (2015)
U.S. Junior Amateur (2004)
Ryder Cup (2033 Planned)
PGA Championship (2028 Planned)
PGA Tour Championship (1993, 1994)
Pacific Coast Amateur (2018, 2006, 2000, 1989, 1984, 1980, 1975, 1971)

Golf Digest — America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses:
Current Ranking (35th in 2025)
Highest Historical Ranking (10th in 1992)

Hole 1: Par 5, 534 Yards (Par 4 for Men’s Championships)

The 1st hole at Olympic’s Lake Course immediately showcases the changes Gil Hanse made as the hole is now dramatically more open from significant tree removal. Hanse’s overall effort was not an exact or true restoration to the 1924 original course but rather an interpretative renovation to modernize the course and restore select traits of the original design

The 1st hole tee atmosphere at the Lake Course is radically changed with the removal of nearly all the trees along the entire right side of the hole — most by Hanse, some by mother nature from storm damage. For those that remember the Lake Course before the 2022 renovation, this is a jarring visual that takes some time getting used to!

The is what the 1st hole tee used to look like during the 2007 U.S. Amateur. The tee shot used to have this gateway effect with the trees that was part of the aura of the Lake Course and it is kind of sad to see it gone. If the Chief Golf Nerd had his way, he would have removed all the trees on the right side of the fairway as Hanse did but kept the key gateway trees on the right to maintain the previous 1st tee atmosphere. During the 1998 U.S. Open, the grounds crew mowed the fairway all the way into the tee box to create this neat continuous look

The 1st hole is inviting as a par-5 hole, but a tight one as a par-4 hole. The USGA elected to play the 1st hole as a par-4 hole for the 2012 U.S. Open. It will also be a par-4 520 yard hole for the 2025 U.S. Amateur

Another vantage point of the 1st hole fairway — While the gateway look off the tee is gone, the tradeoff is getting great views of the property as the 1st hole is the highest point on the course and you can see nearly the entire property down below on the right without the trees

The beginning of the 1st hole fairway as it crests up the hill and then heads downward. Hanse also widened the fairways where he could but the rough still remains lush and thick with all the rye grass. If you miss right on this fairway, you’re going to be on a big side slope with your ball below your feet

Looking back towards the 1st tee from the fairway — With the removal of the trees along the right side, the hole’s visual aesthetic is totally different now. There is also a pronounced ridge in the fairway that serves a speed slot where properly hit drives can gain a further distance advantage down the fairway

The 1st hole fairway from the top of the hill. From a distance, the two bunkers up ahead may look like they are right next to the green but are actually 40 and 50 yards short of the green respectively. The old bunkers used to have the same camouflage effect and Hanse re-sculpted the bunkers to make them prettier

From the left side of the 1st hole fairway, you can clearly see the two bunkers are well short of the green

The 1st hole approach from 200 yards away. There is more margin for error when this hole plays as a traditional par-5 hole, but the stakes are higher when played as a par-4 hole for modern day men’s championships

On clear days, the Golden Gate Bridge can be seen in the background beyond the 1st hole green

A closer look at the right fairway bunker that is 50 yards short of the green

A look back to the fairway from the front of the right fairway bunker shows how downhill the hole plays (and why the USGA decided to make it a par-4 hole for men’s championships)

A closer look at the left fairway bunker that is 40 yards short of the green

The 1st hole green viewed from the front — Gil Hanse expanded the Lake Course greens by approximately 35% on average during the 2022 renovation. The 1st hole green is now the largest green on the course. He also softened many of ridges and bumps some of the greens used to have

The 1st hole green from the back right — the greens at the Lake Course aren’t overly undulating but they don’t need to be as they play lightning quick during championship conditions. Given the ocean break and land orientation, the greens are not easy to read on the Lake Course. Additionally, these are bentgrass greens and not the traditional Poa Annua greens typically found on California courses

The 1st hole green viewed from behind — easy hole as a par-5 hole, but much tougher as a par-4 hole

Hole 2: Par 4, 436 Yards (441 Yards)

The 2nd hole is where the Lake Course shows its teeth and starts arguably one of the most difficult stretch of five holes in championship golf (six holes if you make the 1st hole a par-4 hole)

The 2nd hole tee shot from the back tee — this is a tricky hole where hitting the fairway is super important. Hanse may have taken down a lot of trees, but he kept the trees that matter — the ones that will still get into players’ heads!

This what the 2nd hole tee shot used to look like during the 2007 U.S. Amateur — Notice how much more narrow the fairway was with thick trees lining both sides

The 2nd hole fairway today — now much less claustrophobic. Even with many of those trees gone, the 2nd hole fairway is still one of the trickiest fairways to hit on the Lake Course. For a perspective on what the hole used to look like from the air, check out this aerial flyover of the 2nd hole during the 2012 U.S. Open

Olympic’s Lake Course sits on a severe side slope that is just over 200 feet in elevation change from its highest point to its lowest point, sloping away from the Pacific Ocean towards nearby Lake Merced. It’s one of the primary reasons why this course feels awkward and uncomfortable as many of the holes have a reverse bank (or camber) dynamic, meaning the holes move in a direction against the prevailing slope

Additionally, because of the close proximity of the Pacific Ocean (500 yards away), the course is susceptible to heavy seaside air and low-hanging fog (especially in the summer) where the ball flies less distance than players are accustomed to. It makes the Lake Course play even longer than its listed yardage (7,214 yards for championship play)

The 2nd hole is a good example of the course’s reverse bank sloping fairways — the fairway slope falls to the left while the hole moves to the right making it feel even more slippery to hit. What reverse camber fairways do is effectively make the fairway smaller targets as hitting the lower side of the fairway will likely run into the rough. Many prudent elite players will sacrifice distance and hit iron off the tee just to make sure they hit the fairway. There are no shortcuts on the Lake Course

The left side of the 2nd hole is no good as your ball will likely be above your feet as the land falls off sharply along the left edge of the fairway. These remaining trees are 300 yards from the back tee and can impede the line of play for the approach

The 2nd hole approach from 150 yards — the green sits on top of a hill between a cluster of bunkers

The 2nd hole green used to have a backdrop full of thick trees and shrubs. The backdrop is virtually all cleared out giving a cleaner look with the horizon line and actually making depth perception trickier on this hole than before

What the 2nd hole green used to look like during the 2012 U.S. Open

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front — this green used to be much more severely pitched but Hanse softened it by a touch. While a hole location can be tucked in the back left corner, the most difficult hole locations can actually be the ones in the front of this green when this green is running at championship speeds. Being above the hole on this green is perilous

There used to be four bunkers in the back of the 2nd hole green and now there is only one. Gil Hanse dramatically changed the back of the green with a dramatic new single bunker with an island dot within it

The 2nd hole green viewed from behind — not an easy hole with many more difficult and unrelenting holes to come!

Hole 3: Par 3, 227 Yards (256 Yards)

The 3rd hole is a very difficult par-3 hole demanding precision of the highest order

The 3rd hole tee shot is scary — and used to feel even scarier as it was completely surrounded by trees and shrubs (take a look at this video footage showing what the 3rd hole used to look like during the 1998 U.S. Open). There used to be 40,000 trees on the property! With the elimination of shrubs and trees through the years, the hole is significantly less claustrophobic. Part of the strategy behind the additional tree removal by Hanse was to open up vistas of Lake Merced which is now visible from the tee

The 3rd hole tee shot during the 2007 U.S. Amateur. Notice how many more trees were behind this green that obscured the view of Lake Merced

The 3rd hole tee shot from the tips — the hole plays 256 yards from here! When standing on the back of this tee the green is barely visible. Given the significant downhill nature of the tee shot, there’s more time and room for the ball to get offline

The 3rd hole now has room to breathe with the elimination of nearly all the trees along its sides, particularly a tree that used to overhang along the left side right over the left green side bunker that tended to swat down pulled tee shots. This has also benefited the turf conditions significantly at Olympic when the course had persistent grass growth problems with all the shade caused by the overhanging trees. The turf conditions today at Olympic are significantly better than in the past

The 3rd hole green as you approach it from the fairway leading up to it. If you’re going to miss, you want to miss short of the green to have the best chance to get up and down for par. This green tends to get rock hard during championship conditions so it may be best to run up shots onto the green

If a player is offline on the 3rd hole tee shot, the error will be further compounded. Bunkers await on each side. If you miss way right, the ball will kick down the steep bank on the right and bounce further away from the green and into an unrecoverable spot

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front — Gil Hanse squared off the front of this green and re-oriented the green to be more accepting of properly struck tee shots. The green used to kind of sit in an awkward slanted orientation and Hanse re-shaped this green more beautifully and appropriately

The second (and closest) left green side bunker of the 3rd hole is 32 yards in length and not an easy place to recover from

A look back at the second left green side bunker of the 3rd hole

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front right

The right green side bunker of the 3rd hole. This bunker is a little more manageable to recover from than the left green side bunker

The back green side bunker of the 3rd hole. This bunker was actually removed during the 2016 renovation and put back in by Hanse. This is actually not the worst place to miss and crafty players can get up and down from here

The back left section of the 3rd hole green — Hanse was able to reclaim hole locations by expanding the green surface

The 3rd hole green viewed from the behind

It was once thought that Lake Merced could never be visible from the 3rd hole. With aggressive tree removal, it became possible to see the lake from various points on the property and definitely helps amplify the setting of Olympic!

Hole 4: Par 4, 421 Yards

The 4th hole is one of the Chief Golf Nerd’s favorite holes at Olympic and one that has been radically transformed in appearance with the tree removal program

Annandale Golf Club

Chief Golf Nerd — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:24:50 GMT

Less than two miles from the Rose Bowl, Annandale was founded in 1906 by two famed dignitaries — Henry Huntington (the railroad magnate) and George S. Patton Sr. (father of the famed U.S. Army General during World War II). Billy Bell Sr., the right hand man of golf course architect George C. Thomas, once served as the caddiemaster at Annandale as well as having a hand in the design of the course

Founded: 1906
Location: Pasadena, California
Photos Taken: May 2025

Par 70, 6,602 Yards
129 Slope, 72.3 Rating
Course Record: Wade Berzas, Steve Lim, Lizette Salas (61)

Original Architect(s): Willie Watson (1906) & William P. Bell Sr. (1920s)
Renovation Architect: Brian Silva (2007)

Hole 1: Par 4, 348 Yards

Annandale is not a long course at 6,602 yards, but longer hitters are typically neutralized with the tight corridors throughout that demand precision play. The first hole immediately emphasizes placement is far more important than distance

The 1st hole from the back tee — the fairway climbs upwards and meanders to the left. Laying up to the widest part of the fairway is the safe option but leaves a tenuous long approach shot. Challenging the fairway bunkers that pinch the ideal landing area is the ideal play but comes with risk

Two-time PGA Championship winner Paul Runyan served as Annandale’s head golf professional in the 1950s. He is memorialized behind the 1st hole tee box

The 1st hole fairway — there used to be a grove of trees just left of the 1st fairway that have since been removed. Longer players may be more aggressive now off the tee, but that remaining lone tree sticking out can still catch drives and wreak havoc. Annandale is an old school course that can be a frustrating course to play for longer hitters, but an absolute delight to play for shotmakers

The 1st hole approach from 150 yards away

The 1st hole approach from the right side of the fairway

The last line of defense on the 1st hole tee shot are these fairway bunkers on the right side of the fairway

The 1st hole green begins to reveal itself from 100 yards

The two sets of bunkers guarding the left side of the 1st hole green

Looking back towards the 1st hole fairway from the green — this hole used to be more claustrophobic with trees along the left that have since been removed

The 1st hole green viewed from the front — Annandale’s greens are known to be small and slippery requiring precision

The nearest left green side bunker of the 1st hole green

The 1st hole green viewed from the front right — the green is two-tiered and the back left hole location as seen above is the most difficult to access

The 1st hole green viewed from the right — the slope in the middle of the green is significant and will repel balls away from the back top shelf

The 1st hole green viewed from behind

Hole 2: Par 4, 413 Yards

The 2nd hole is a medium-length par-4 hole that plays longer than its listed yardage as it climbs up the side of a hill

The 2nd hole tee shot from the back tee — the tee shot is semi-blind from here but members know there is more room to the right than it appears off the tee

The 2nd hole approach from the fairway

Missing left off the tee makes the 2nd hole approach shot more challenging. Tee shots pulled left tend to bound down the hill making the angle to the green worse

The lone right fairway bunker of the 2nd hole

The 2nd hole approach from 100 yards

The large left green side bunker guarding the 2nd hole green

The 2nd hole green viewed from the front right — this green is trickier than it appears and can catch players off guard who leave their ball above the hole

The 2nd hole green viewed from behind — there are a lot of bewildered looks from players who walk off this green after three-putting

The 2nd hole green viewed from the back left

Hole 3: Par 4, 403 Yards

The 3rd hole at Annandale makes great use of the land and smart bunkering to keep overly aggressive players honest and in check

The 3rd hole tee shot from the back tee — this hole is much narrower than it appears because the fairway slope moves in the opposite direction of the hole and well-placed trees guard the corner of the dogleg

The tricky 3rd hole tee shot with the reverse-banked fairway makes it much easier for balls to bound into one of the five fairway bunkers on the right

The beginning of the 3rd hole fairway

The large tree guarding the left side of the fairway that forces players to aim towards the center or right of the fairway where all the trouble is

There are five fairway bunkers guarding the right side of the 3rd hole fairway and it is really easy to hit into any of them. Tee shots without the right shot shape can kick off the slick Bermuda grass fairway and bounce into these bunkers

A closer look at the fairway bunkers guarding the 3rd hole fairway

The 3rd hole approach — the green sits slightly uphill and is difficult to hit in regulation given its small shape and awkward canted angle

The 3rd hole approach from 100 yards away

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front left

The 3rd hole green viewed from the front right — there is a small and subtle swale in the middle left of this green. It makes putting trickier on this green

The right green side bunker of the 3rd hole — this bunker tends to get a lot of action

The back left green side bunker of the 3rd hole

The 3rd hole green viewed from the back right — a slippery and elusive target to hit from the fairway

The 3rd hole green viewed from behind

Hole 4: Par 4, 408 Yards

The 4th hole is a majestic hole that showcases Annandale’s bunkering style

The 4th hole tee shot from the back tee — a drive of more than 260 yards is required to clear the right fairway bunker from here

The 4th hole tee shot from the front tee

The 4th hole is a great example of Annandale and old school American-style golf — You can’t overpower the course given its restraints. There are trees, unplayable areas, and bunkers that force disciplined play and hitting to strategic areas

The fairway bunkers of the 4th hole pinch the most desirable landing area

A closer look at the massive right fairway bunker of the 4th hole

The 4th hole approach from 150 yards away

The left fairway bunker of the 4th hole

The 4th hole approach is guarded by five bunkers surrounding the perched green

The 4th hole green viewed from the front — balls that do not reach the green can roll down the slope

The 4th hole green viewed from the front left

The 4th hole green viewed from the back left

The 4th hole green viewed from the back right — there is a closely mown bailout area just right of the green

The 4th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 5: Par 3, 173 Yards

The 5th hole is the first par-3 hole at Annandale — the collection of one-shot holes on this course are tremendous with a lot of interesting variety

The 5th hole tee shot. It feels as if hitting into a grand amphitheater area where the green sits. A precise shot is required to reach the green

The 5th hole tee shot from the front tees

The massive front left green side bunker of the 5th hole — a lot of work for the Annandale grounds crew!

The 5th hole green from the front left — The green is a small target and sits at an angle. There is plenty of room to bail short right of the green

The front left green side bunker of the 5th hole looms large

The 5th hole green viewed from the front right — the green sits an angle that makes the target more shallow to hit from the tee

Another large bunker guards the back of the 5th hole green

The 5th hole green viewed from the right

The 5th hole green viewed from the left

The 5th hole green viewed from behind

The 5th hole green viewed from the 6th hole tee box

Hole 6: Par 4, 458 Yards

The 6th hole starts a meaty two-hole stretch of demanding par-4 holes. This hole was originally a par-5 hole and then changed to par-4 hole by renovation architect Brian Silva in 2007. The primary reason of making this change was to accommodate the change of the 17th hole into a par-4 hole and still maintain a par-70 configuration

The 5th hole tee shot requires a long and solid tee shot up the hill but danger lurks on both sides of the hole. Out of bounds tightly looms right and trees guard the left

The 6th hole fairway — Once a manageable par-5 hole is now a beastly par-4 hole

Two bunkers guard the left side of the 6th hole fairway and are in effect meant for the elite longer players as these bunkers are 300 yards from the tee

A closer look at the two left fairway bunkers of the 6th hole

The closer of the two left fairway bunkers — a massive drive of over 300 yards is required to clear this bunker

The 6th hole approach from 150 yards away — the shot is nearly blind to a green with no bunkers

The two right fairway bunkers of the 6th hole — these are more ornamental in nature and rarely come into play

The 6th hole green viewed from the front — this is one of Annandale’s larger greens and one with some interesting movement and contours

The 6th hole green viewed from the back left — Although the green is not protected by any bunkers, a large collection area guards the front left of the green

A closer look at the swale-like collection area guarding the left side of the 6th hole green

Another view of the 6th hole green

The 6th hole green viewed from behind

The 6th hole is the No.1 handicap hole at Annandale and definitely plays like it!

Hole 7: Par 4, 465 Yards

The 7th hole is the longest par-4 hole at Annandale at 465 yards but plays shorter than its listed yardage as the hole plays downhill

The 7th hole tee shot from the back tee — Not as demanding as the previous 6th hole tee shot but still requires alertness and a solid hit

Another vantage point of the 7th hole tee shot

The 7th hole fairway is guarded by a large fairway bunker to the right which requires 260 yards to clear from the back tee

A closer look at the right fairway bunker of the 7th hole

The 7th hole approach from 175 yards away

The 7th hole approach is to a relatively inviting target, but bunkers are situated to the left, the right, and also the back of the green

The 7th hole approach from 100 yards away

The 7th hole green viewed from the front

A closer look at the two left green side bunkers of the 7th hole

The 7th hole green viewed from the front right

The 7th hole green viewed from the right

The 7th hole green viewed from behind

The 7th hole green viewed from the 5th hole tee box with the back green side bunker visible from here (but not from the 7th hole fairway)

Hole 8: Par 4, 350 Yards

If you thought the corridors at Annandale were tight, the 8th hole makes it seem as if they were getting even tighter!

The 8th hole tee shot from the back tee — the 8th hole back tee box shares the tee box with the 5th hole. If you look immediately right from here, you would see the 5th hole green

The 8th hole tee shot looks intimidating visually and feels restrictive. Out of bounds closely guards the left side and bailing out to the right makes the angle worse for the approach. A player needs to step up and hit a good disciplined tee shot here

The 8th hole fairway — If a player bails out too far right, the next shot may be blocked by the trees on the right

The 8th hole approach from 150 yards away

The fairway bunker that guards the right side of the 8th hole fairway

The 8th hole green sits in a punchbowl on top of the hill and is protected by the left green side bunker

A closer look at the left green side bunker of the 8th hole

The 8th hole green viewed from the front right

The 8th hole green viewed from the left — approach shots slightly off target can bounce off the hillside surrounding the green and bounce onto the green

The 8th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 9: Par 3, 165 Yards

The 9th hole is one of the signature holes at Annandale

The 9th hole tee shot from the back tee — the tee shot is severely downhill into a prevailing wind. The green is a very small target and coming up short on this hole is problematic

Although the bunkers make the aesthetic of the 9th hole, one of the criticisms of Annandale over the years is the excessive and superfluous bunkering. That is definitely the case for this hole where the first five bunkers on the right aren’t ever in play for elite players (and ton of work for the grounds crew)

Walking down the path towards the 9th hole green from the teeing area

A first look at the cluster of bunkers guarding the right side of the 9th hole

While visually appealing, the bunkers are excessive and superfluous

If a player ever finds himself in the lower bunkers, he or she might as well walk off the course after this hole and not bother to play the back nine holes!

The 9th hole green viewed from the front — this green definitely feels as if was larger at one point. It looks as if has shrunken considerably from bunker sand buildup. It feels too small of a target from the back tee

The 9th hole green viewed from the front left — the green has a higher back tier that is difficult to access and makes putting more challenging when coming from the front part of the green

A closer look at the nearest right green side bunker of the 9th hole — many of the misses off the tee end up here

The 9th hole green viewed from behind

The 9th hole green viewed from the clubhouse

Hole 10: Par 4, 360 Yards

The back nine at Annandale starts with another position-focused short par-4 hole

The 10th hole tee shot from the middle tee — the back tee is actually an extension of the practice putting green 20 feet above and immediately behind this middle tee. The tee shot requires a decision whether to challenge the large fairway bunker on the right or laying up short or left of it

The 10th hole fairway

The colossal right fairway bunker of the 10th hole cuts across the ideal landing area. The bunker is 48 yards in length!

Another vantage point of the 10th hole fairway bunker to showcase how lengthy it really is — over 48 yards in total length!

The approach shot to the 10th hole from the fairway bunker

A look back towards the 10th hole fairway bunker — just a massive bunker!

The left fairway bunker of the 10th hole — the bunker is 270 yards from the back tee

Once navigating the 10th hole fairway bunkers, the 10th hole approach is to a small green on top of a knoll tucked behind three green side bunkers

The 10th hole approach from 75 yards away

The two left green side bunkers of the 10th hole

A closer look at the two left green side bunkers of the 10th hole

The 10th hole green viewed from the front right — there is a false front to this green that needs to be cleared in order for the ball to stay on this small green

A closer look at the false front of the 10th hole green

The right green side bunker of the 10th hole

A closer look at the 10th hole green — pins can be hidden in the front left corner that make it more difficult to access and deter low scoring

The 10th hole green viewed from the left

The 10th hole green viewed from the back right

The 10th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 11: Par 4, 451 Yards

The 11th hole is a solid hole asking demanding questions — Can you drive it straight? Do you have enough finesse to fit an approach into a tight space?

The 11th hole tee shot from the back tee — the tee shot comes out of a chute-like corridor to a relatively generous fairway. However, the trees just off the tee dictate the line of the tee shot

The 11th hole fairway

A player needs to negotiate a series of bunkers guarding the right side of the 11th hole fairway — the first bunker is 215 yards from the back tee and the last bunker requires at least a tee shot of 277 yards to clear

A closer look at the first of three fairway bunkers of the 11th hole

The 11th hole approach from inside the middle fairway bunker

The 11th hole approach from the left side of the fairway — there is a ton of space on the left side of the fairway but it is hard to get here given the influence of the trees near the tee impeding the line of play. The angle to the green is better from the right side of this fairway, but the approach angle isn’t too badly compromised from this left side

The 11th hole approach from 150 yards away

A look back towards the 11th hole fairway — this is the most expansive and open fairway on the entire course

The 11th hole approach from 60 yards away

A closer look at the left green side bunker of the 11th hole

The 11th hole green viewed from the front

The 11th hole green viewed from the right — a large green side bunker hugs the entire right side of this green

A closer look at the right green side bunker of the 11th hole

The 11th hole green viewed from the back right

The 11th hole green viewed from the back left

The 11th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 12: Par 3, 233 Yards

The 12th hole is a brute and the longest par-3 hole at 233 yards from the back tee

The 12th hole from the back tee — Elite players can reach the green with a long iron but it requires a precise shot to thread the bunkers to reach the green

The 12th hole tee shot from the middle tees — most players get psyched out on this hole and miss into either the right or the left green side bunkers

The 12th hole from 100 yards away — it may be a more prudent play to lay up short of this hole to leave a relatively straightforward pitch shot than to risk trying to get up-and-down from the bunkers. Missing long left on this green is just death

The 12th hole green viewed from the right

The 12th hole green viewed from the front — a relatively straightforward green that becomes trickier when trying to putt for par

The right green side bunker of the 12th hole

The deeper left green side bunker of the 12th hole — trying to get up-and-down from here is more difficult than it is from the right green side bunker

The 12th hole green viewed from back right

The 12th hole green viewed from the 13th hole teeing ground

The 12th hole green viewed from behind — a player will take a par on this hole all day and race towards the 13th hole tee!

Hole 13: Par 5, 532 Yards

The 13th hole is a definite birdie hole if played properly

The 13th hole tee shot from the back tees — the fairway lies on a plateau and has bunkers on both sides pinching the landing area

A closer look at the 13th hole fairway

The three right fairway bunkers on the 13th hole — these are typically not problematic for elite players but the lone left fairway bunker is more in play for them as it sits 250 yards from the back tee and 265 yards to fully clear

Once past the fairway bunkers, the 13th hole fairway opens up

The 13th hole approach — players going for the green in two need to thread the shot through a narrow neck left of the green in between the bunkers

The 13th hole approach from 100 yards — the green is blind from here

The left green side bunker that is 25 yards short of the 13th hole green

A closer look at the right green side bunker of the 13th hole that is the primary defense for this green

Players laying up on the 13th hole will typically not be able to see the green

The 13th hole green viewed from the front

The 13th hole green viewed from the front left —there is a green side bunker not visible along the left side of the green

The 13th hole green from the back right — the hole location shown is typically the most difficult pin on this green

The 13th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 14: Par 4, 427 Yards

One of Annandale’s most difficult (and controversial) holes, the 14th hole can play like a beast with its demanding and unforgiving tee shot. If holes 14, 15, and 16 don’t seem to “quite fit” with the rest of the course, there is a reason for this. These three holes are the Billy Bell holes. Bell created these new holes in the 1920s for Annandale when some original holes were lost to eminent domain (the extension of Colorado Boulevard). If the course feels cramped, it is because Annandale lost land for the aforementioned reasons

The 14th hole from the back tee — the tee shot corridor is extremely narrow as it snakes up the canyon and requires finesse threading to fit a drive into the fairway

The 13th hole tee shot from the middle tee

The reason the 13th hole tee shot is so challenging is there is nowhere to miss — Miss left and you are out of bounds. Miss right and you are stuck in unfindable hay and bushes up on the hillside

The unforgiving 13th hole — you just have to hit it straight or else on this hole!

It is nearly impossible to freewheel the tee shot on the 13th hole. The left fairway bunker is 250 yards from the tee and 265 yards to fully clear. Most prudent players will elect to lay up short of this fairway bunker and elect to play a longer shot of 175+ yards into the green to minimize the danger on this hole

The 14th hole approach is blind and uphill — this hole has no let up throughout!

A look back at the 14th hole fairway as it is tightly fitted within a narrow canyon

The 14th hole approach from 100 yards away

The 14th hole is one of Annandale’s most interesting greens with its bold contouring — it has a bit of a double punchbowl dynamic with a front bowl and a back bowl separated by a distinct flap

The 14th hole green viewed from the front — the back hole location is the most difficult to access and putting from the front bowl to the back bowl can be challenging!

The 14th hole green viewed from the left

The 14th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 15: Par 3, 144 Yards

The 15th hole is a neat little par-3 hole that can play wildly different day-to-day depending on the hole location

The 15th hole tee shot from the back tee — the shot is significantly uphill to an interesting pan shape green

With an overhead view, the unique pan shape of the 15th hole green can be seen

The 15th hole tee shot from the front tees

The 15th hole green is flanked by a series of bunkers guarding the the front and entire right side

The 15th hole with its unique pan shape green and some interesting contouring

Another vantage point of the right green side bunkers of the 15th hole

The final right green side bunker of 15th hole

The green contours continually rise up towards the panhandle area of the green in the back right — the front and middle pins are much more easier to access

The 15th hole green viewed from the left — there is a closely mown collection area just left of the green

A closer look at the collection area just right of the 15th hole green

The unique shaping of the 15th hole green can be seen from the back right of the green as the panhandle area is very narrow and difficult to access

The panhandle has its own back shelf and where the most diabolical hole locations are placed on the 15th hole green

Another vantage point of the 15th hole green — going for this hole location from the tee requires a very precise shot!

The 15th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 16: Par 4, 431 Yards

The 16th hole at Annandale has one of the wildest and most dramatic tee shots in Southern California

The 16th hole tee shot from the back tee — the fairway landing area is over 100 feet downhill and is barely visible from this tee box

The 16th hole tee shot from the back tee requires a leap-of-faith tee shot and the fairway feels like a sliver — players either love or hate this hole!

The 16th hole tee shot from the middle tees has a different angle and the fairway is more visible from this tee

Another vantage point of the 16th hole fairway — there used the be a grove of trees on the right hillside but they have since been removed

A closer examination of the 16th hole fairway shows there is more room (or safety margin) than a player thinks off the tee — tee shots that are slightly off line can bounce off the hillsides surrounding the fairway and ricochet back into it. However, overly wayward tee shots will still become lost balls

The 16th hole approach from the fairway — the bunkerless green has a cape-like shape and protected by a deep hollow along the right side

A closer look at the 16th hole green

A look down into the hollow guarding the entire right side of the 16th hole green

The 16th hole green viewed from the right — the green dips in the middle and then rises up towards the back

A look back towards the 16th hole fairway

Another look at the 16th hole green viewed from the front

The 16th hole green viewed from the left — the most dangerous pins are those on the back right section of the green

The 16th hole green viewed from the back center

The back right section of the 16th hole green

The 16th hole green viewed from behind

Hole 17: Par 4, 302 Yards

The 17th hole at Annandale used to be a par-3 hole but was extended into a short par-4 by Brian Silva in 2007. The reason for this change was to avoid having five par-3 holes on the course, which was a unwanted problem for years at the club after losing land due to construction of nearby Highway 134

The 17th hole tee shot from the back tee — the hole was designed to be a drive and pitch (which is still the case for many of the club’s members). Modern equipment has enticed more players to go for the green

The 17th hole tee shot from the middle tees

The 17th hole fairway — Not a difficult fairway to hit given most will be playing with a wood or long iron, but being wayward on the tee shot has consequences

The first bunker is 240 yards from the back tee and the preferable angle is to be in the left center of the 17th hole fairway. Modern players aiming to go for the green with their drive need to consider the risks. Ending up in the first fairway bunker leaves a very difficult long bunker shot into a small green. Is it worth the risk? You will see a lot of messy bogeys or worse on this hole

A closer look at the massive 17th hole fairway bunker — ending up in this bunker is almost like a death sentence

The 17th hole approach — While it looks like a simple pitch, there is a false front to this green to make it a more exacting target than it appears

The 17th hole green does sit an awkward angle where approaching this green from the right makes the spacing more difficult and margin for error slimmer. It is much more preferable to come from the left side of the fairway for the best angle to maximize space

The 17th hole green viewed from the front left and the false front becomes visible

A look back at the 17th hole bunkers — While it looks like multiple bunkers, there are actually just two big bunkers

The 17th hole green viewed from the back right — The hole location shown is one of the more diabolical ones as it is cut right over the false front. Putting off this green happens. The other tough hole location is the back right pin tucked behind the green side bunker

The 17th hole green viewed from behind — This hole should be an easy par but can nab overly aggressive players if they aren’t careful

Hole 18: Par 5, 539 Yards

The 18th hole at Annandale is a par-5 finisher with one of the more interesting greens on the course

The 18th hole tee shot from the back tee

The 18th hole tee shot requires a draw shot for players looking to get home in two. Otherwise, there is plenty of room out to the right

The 18th hole bends around the corner as it heads towards the clubhouse — If a player is not in between the two fairway bunkers, the likelihood of reaching this green in two is virtually zero

The 18th hole fairway where it turns to the left — players need to challenge these two bunkers to get in the right position

The 18th hole approach from the right side of the fairway

A drive of over 286 yards is required to get past this right fairway bunker

The 18th hole approach from 250 yards away

There are two well-placed fairway bunkers guarding the layup

The 18th hole green sits behind a large green side bunker

The 18th hole green viewed from the front right — the green is like a book flap that folds downward from the middle

A closer look at the 18th hole right green side bunker

The 18h hole green viewed from the right — this green has one of the most unique shapes on the course

You can see how much the middle flap of the 18th hole green can influence shots and being on the wrong side of it can be problematic

The 18th hole green viewed from behind with the back green side bunker visible

The 18th hole green viewed from the back right

The 18th hole green viewed from the back left — Annandale is an old school challenge that can be perplexing for players but is still a great test of golf. The course will actually be closing this October for another renovation/restoration project. So these photos of the course will be the last ones you see of Annandale in its 2007 to 2025 configuration

The clubhouse has its heralded back room which is a popular hangout spot among male members. The original clubhouse was lost to a fire in the 1950s and the back room survived the fire

Annandale’s back room is steeped with tradition and history. The Weyerhaeuser, Gamble, and Kellogg families were once members at Annandale

The primary wing of the Annandale clubhouse

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