Pasatiempo Golf Club, Santa Cruz, California

Steeped in golf history , Pasatiempo golf club is perhaps the finest and least known creation of Dr Alister Mackenzie. Built in 1929, the course has recently undergone a significant restoration to take the course back to it’s legendary roots. Many of the tall cypress trees have been removed by bad weather as well as intentional thinning, whilst bunkers have been bordered by local fecscues and irregular borders. Fast, contoured greens routinely run at 11 or more and a tidy short game is absolutely mandatory.

Located just off the highway leading into Santa Cruz,at the north end of Monterey Bay, the course is now populated with homes that detract slightly from the overall atmosphere, but there can be no doubt that the layout is so outstanding most golfers will leave the course with a new entry into their top 5 inland courses in the world.

One of the gold standards of any golf course is the individuality of each hole and Passatiempo has this in spades. The green and bunker complexes which benefited from the recent restoration are outstanding. They will probably be the nearest the average golfer gets to the severity of the greens at Augusta, although toned down somewhat, perhaps in part due to the fact that Dr Mackenzie lived on the golf course and was known to practice on the golf course in his pajamas in his later years.

Don’t be deceived by the yardage of 6500 from the gold tees (although you will see a couple of championship boxes further back): There are many holes which extend over 440 yards and the par threes are extremely challenging. There are so many great par 3s it is difficult to single out a diamond from all the gems, but the 180 yard 8th is possibly the best. A severe green which slopes from back to front and right to left requires a perfect tee shot to leave an uphill putt for the only chance at birdie. Above the hole leaves a lasting impression of the 16th green at Augusta where putts are sometimes struck at 90o to the line to the hole.

The front 9 is a hard, long test of golf, and finishes with a deceptive par 5 which runs up to the clubhouse at significant elevation. You want to keep your tee shot left to avoid a cypress tree with overhanging branches but this will leave you with a shot which must be played to the right to leave the best approach to the green. The green slopes towards you and any shot beyond the pin will leave a tricky downhill putt.

Having negotiated the front nine, you are faced with a back 9 which is simply wonderful. The 10th is a long tee shot leaving a hefty shot to a shallow green protected by a series of bunkers on the front and to the left of the hole. The best plan is to come in from a severe slope to the right of the green. If you find you are left with too long a shot, make sure you leave your approach toward the right side.

The 11th is a daunting challenge, asking for a long tee shot uphill and short of a gorge which runs to the left and across the fairway. Having negotiated the drive, you are left with a long shot uphill of at least 170 yards and perhaps more depending on the pin position. Allow at least one or two clubs more and then hope you can hit the ball high as the green is narrow in depth and once again offers severe slopes which can leave you with an impossible putt.

The finishing holes at 16, 17 and 18 are card wreckers of the first order. The 16th is a manageable driving hole, but the second is a shot requiring a carry over a steep sided stream to a three tiered green over 40 yards long. Woe betide the heavy handed putter from behind the hole; his 2nd putt may be with a sand wedge.

The 17th is a long par 4 with a green that is 53 yards long, out of bounds left and a long gulley to the left of the green which is very punishing. Of course, the green tilts to the right so a shot missed to the left in the gulley leaves an impossible chip.

Adding to the character of this great course, a diabolical par 3 awaits your final tee sheet. Not overly long, your approach is across a deep gorge with bunkers  featuring 12 foot drops. You must land below the hole, which slopes severely from back to front and left to right. If you are above the hole, you can expect a ball struck with a half inch backswing to end up up on the front right of the green.

It is refreshing to find a 6500 yard course which can challenge golfers of every ability. Pasatiempo hosted the 1984 Senior women’s open and it would be interesting to know the average number of putts taken by these accomplished amateurs. It must have been a record.

It would be no surprise to see the course hosting a significant amateur or professional event in the coming years – my advice is to get on the course, pay the $200 plus green fee and prepare to be truly impressed.