Course Review - Torrey Pines & Abu Dhabi Golf Club

The West Coast Swing on the US PGA Tour continues this week with the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in the affluent and picturesque community of La Jolla, California. Less than an hour from downtown San Diego, this municipal facility is the home of two William F. Bell designed golf courses, the North and the South, both of which opened for play in 1957.

Competitors play a round on each course the first two days, and the weekend rounds are hosted on the South Course. Both layouts hug the coastline atop towering cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with stunning views and vistas throughout the property, but the star of the show is the South. Heavily reworked by prolific modern design icon Rees Jones, the 6950m par 72 South Course is one of the longest layouts on the Tour schedule. The back nine is particularly captivating, as the holes meander along the cliff tops, with the challenging 530m par 5 18th a firm favourite of 6-time event winner Tiger Woods. This hole provided an ailing Woods with two crucial birdies on the way to a memorable victory in the 2008 US Open, his last Major win.

The European PGA Tour makes the first stop in a three-leg visit to the Middle East with Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates hosting the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. A star-studded field that includes three reigning Major champions, world number 1 Luke Donald and number 3 Lee Westwood lies in wait for Tiger Woods who makes his season and event debut. The 6800m par 72 National Course at this Peter Harradine designed golfing oasis just 30 minutes from the Abu Dhabi city centre welcomes the HSBC Golf Championship for the 7th time.

The layout features lush fairways and generous true-running Bermudagrass greens together with 7 lakes and 90 strategically placed bunkers. With the stunning Abu Dhabi city skyline as a backdrop and the spectacular clubhouse in the shape of a falcon swooping down on a golden golf ball watching over a truly world-class event, this is a great showcase for the best this region has to offer.

Golfweather Editorial