Have you ever been watching the US Open, the hardest test in professional golf, and thought, "I could play that course."? Well, typically that will never happen, as the Open is usually played at high-profile private courses, like Oakland Hills, Winged Foot, or Shinnecock. However, the USGA has recently been holding the Open at public courses, starting with a great course just down the road from Shinnecock... Bethpage Black. The site of this year's US Open. Last year as well, the Open was held at Torrey Pines, just north of San Diego in La Jolla, California.

Torrey Pines is a very scenic, oceanside golf facility that features 36 holes, both of which are in play during the annual Buick Invitational. The South course gets all the love, and it was the course the US Open was held at. It continues to be a tough test for the pros... it's very long, almost 7800 yards, and when they keep the fairways narrow, with the many dogleg holes on the South, you need to be really striking the ball well that week. I would think many amateurs would actually prefer the North course... it's much shorter, easier, and actually a bit more scenic than the South.

Certainly if you go, play both, but don't snub the North course. At $90 midweek, it's still a great deal. The South is $160 midweek, and $200 on weekends... and that might be a bit too much. Why? Well, yes, there's some tournament history, and yes, the ocean views are great, but make no mistake: This is a municipal golf course, one of the busiest in the country. It's very crowded, play is usually terribly slow, and course conditions are typically average at best. Sometimes it's quite beat up. So, if you're like me, and $200 is a lot to pay for a round of golf, think about getting a twilight deal. Or the best option... make friends with some locals. They pay $43 for the South course! One of the best deals in golf.

Of course, that's deceiving as well. Just getting a tee time for the normal rate is almost impossible. They have a call-in lottery system that may be harder to hit than the actual lottery. The first time I played there I showed up at 4:30 AM, since tee times start at 8:00. I figured I would get on no problem... and found out I was 46th in line. Around 30 guys had slept in their cars in the parking lot to secure a spot in the morning. Luckily, I got with a 3some of locals who let me tag along. For the local rate, which then was $34. So now, with last year's US open still in mind, I can't imagine trying to secure a tee time that's not a year in advance.

So - playing Torrey might be more trouble than it's worth. Any other deals in the San Diego area? Well, if you want to see the water, head to Coronado Island... the Coronado muni course is never going to hold a US Open, but it's a fun little track, and fees are $25. I think you can get an advance tee time for $38. Still a great deal. The Balboa Park course by the San Diego zoo is also a bit beat up, but can be fun to play, especially for $30. If you want the most bang for your buck, I would say Barona Creek is your bet. It's a casino course (bet- get it?), which means no houses or condos on the fairways, and it's a new, very scenic course for around $100 midweek. They held the Nationwide Tour Championship here for a few years, so it's the real deal. Another good option on that side of town is Steele Canyon, a Gary Player design with 3 9's that wander through the canyons, and rates will be around $120.

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