Torrey Pines North vs South: How the Two Courses Compare

Torrey Pines is one of the great public golf facilities in America: 36 holes on the cliffs of La Jolla, owned by the City of San Diego, with the Pacific in view from much of the property. If you are planning a trip, or buying a gift for someone who has played there, the first question is usually Torrey Pines North vs South. Both Torrey Pines North and Torrey Pines South share a clubhouse, a designer and a stretch of coastline, but they play like two very different courses.

Here is an honest look at how they compare, who each one suits and why they look so good side by side on a wall.

Shared roots on the La Jolla cliffs

Both courses opened in 1957 on the site of Camp Callan, a former U.S. Army installation from World War II. William F. Bell designed both layouts, and the facility takes its name from the Torrey pine, a rare tree that grows along this stretch of the San Diego coast. Both courses use Kikuyu grass fairways and Poa annua greens, and each has four par 3s and four par 5s.

The PGA Tour has visited every year since 1968 for the event long known as the Farmers Insurance Open. In that tournament, both courses are used for the first two rounds and the South hosts the final two. In 2025, Torrey Pines also stepped in to host the Genesis Invitational after wildfires affected Riviera.

Torrey Pines North vs South: the key differences

Torrey Pines South: the championship test

The South is the famous one. Rees Jones redesigned it in 2001, adding more than 500 yards and moving targets closer to the bluffs and ravines. It now stretches to about 7,800 yards from the back tees and has been one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour.

That redesign set the stage for two memorable U.S. Opens. In 2008, Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff that went to a 91st hole, playing through a serious knee injury, for his 14th major title. In 2021, Jon Rahm won at 6 under, one stroke ahead of Louis Oosthuizen.

For everyday golfers, the South is a long, demanding day. Tour scoring averages there have run higher than on the North, sometimes by three or four strokes. Expect long carries, firm decisions near the cliffs and greens that punish approaches from the rough.

Torrey Pines North: the playable favorite

The North got its own makeover in 2016, when Tom Weiskopf led a $12.6 million redesign of Bell's original layout. He rebuilt the greens and nearly every bunker and stretched the course to about 7,258 yards from the tips. He also reversed the nines, so the round now finishes with wide-open views of the Pacific.

The brief was different from the South's. The North handles a huge number of rounds every year, so playability for regular golfers mattered as much as standing up to tour pros. It is still a serious course, but it is shorter, friendlier off the tee and generally easier to score on.

At a glance

• Length from the tips: South about 7,800 yards; North about 7,258 yards
• Most recent redesign: South by Rees Jones (2001); North by Tom Weiskopf (2016)
• Major championships: South hosted the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens
• Feel: South is a long championship test; North is more playable with an ocean finish
• Par: both are par 72

Which course suits you?

Play the South if you want to walk in the footsteps of Tiger and Rahm, you hit the ball a long way, or this is your one bucket-list round at Torrey. Choose a set of tees that fits your game; the course can be enjoyable from shorter tees, but from the back it is brutal.

Play the North if you want the views and the setting with a more relaxed round, you are playing with mixed abilities, or you want to score. Some golfers find the North more fun, especially after Weiskopf's changes.

Play both if you can. Playing both over two days is the best way to compare them, and half the fun.

Tips for visiting Torrey Pines

• Plan your tee times early. Torrey is a busy city-run facility, so plan ahead and check the City of San Diego golf site for current booking rules.
• Expect marine layer. Mornings on the coast are often cool and gray, so bring a layer.
• Practice on Kikuyu. The grabby Kikuyu grass changes how the ball sits, so chipping can feel different from what you are used to.
• Read Poa greens carefully. Poa annua can get bumpy later in the day, so a confident stroke helps.

Why the two prints look great together

Because the North and South sit side by side on the same bluffs, a pair of prints tells a fuller story than either on its own: one the championship course, one the everyday favorite. Hung together in matching frames, they work well in a hallway, above a desk or flanking a TV. You can see both, plus related pieces, in our Torrey Pines golf course prints collection.

Our Torrey Pines prints are mid-century style course maps, with every hole drawn and numbered from real map data. Each is available in 12x16, 18x24 and 24x32 inch sizes, unframed on museum-quality matte paper or framed in black, white or green and ready to hang. Golf Print House is an independent shop and is not affiliated with Torrey Pines or the City of San Diego.

FAQ

Is Torrey Pines North or South harder?

The South is harder. It is longer, was redesigned to host U.S. Opens and typically produces higher scores, sometimes three or four strokes higher on average for tour players.

Which Torrey Pines course hosted the U.S. Open?

The South Course hosted the U.S. Open in 2008, won by Tiger Woods in a playoff over Rocco Mediate, and in 2021, won by Jon Rahm.

Who designed the Torrey Pines courses?

William F. Bell designed both courses, which opened in 1957. Rees Jones redesigned the South in 2001 and Tom Weiskopf redesigned the North in 2016.

Is Torrey Pines open to the public?

Yes. Torrey Pines is a municipal facility owned by the City of San Diego. Check the city's golf site for current booking rules and rates.