Spyglass Hill has always been one of my 5 favorite courses in the world along with Pine Valley, Olympic Club, Royal County Downs and Murfield in Scotland. Spyglass Hill has gotten better over the years like a fine and well kept wine. The course challenges every aspect of your game, requiring great patience and skill.
The downhill par 5 1st hole played is a great starting hole. A tee shot a little right or left off the tee will leave a fairly open lay up shot to approx 100 yards from this awesome green complex. There are three distinct areas of the green, the front portion which slopes from the middle of the green to the front, the middle of the green sloped middle to back right, and the left pimple is a hump that provides a true challenge right out of the gate. The picture below shows the green with the Pacific Ocean in the background from approx 50 yards from the green. A par 5 start here is welcomed by most players!
View from 50 yards short of #1 green
back right pin on #1
Number #2 at Spyglass requires some strategy and skill as the tee shot is usually a lay up shot of approx 220 yards leaving a 130-150 uphill shot usually into a breeze off the Pacific Ocean. The second shot requires both accuracy and distance control as long or short leave difficult up and ins. #4 is another hole where a par 4 is quite acceptable!
tee shot from the lower tee on #2
View from 2nd green over to 4th fairway
The third hole at the Glass can play as short as 120 yards and as long as 200 yards factoring the wind. A miss here left usually results in a bogey or worse. The key is to hit a solid shot towards the middle of the green, leaving a birdie try to almost any pin position.
Tee shot on the par three #3
Looking back at #2 green with the 4th fairway in the distance
View of Cypress Point from the third green at Spyglass Hill
2nd shot into the very narrow #2 green
The fourth hole at Spyglass Hill is one of the many signature holes. The tee shot needs to be strategically placed in the fairway, followed by a very difficult 2nd shot that requires a very accurate shot to this 55 yard long green that is only 5 paces wide in many places. This is one of my favorite par 4 holes in the world!!
You'll see some amazing wild life thru this stretch of holes at Spyglass Hill just hundreds of yards from the beach
The 5th hole is another signature hole at Spyglass, this hole can be played from 150-200yards long and varies greatly in difficulty with the wind and pin positions.
tee shot on this beautiful par 3 the fifth hole at Spyglass
The par 4 sixth hole starts a stretch of holes that go back off the sand dunes and back into the forest. This uphill par 4 is a very tough test and provides a player of many options on both the tee shot and the uphill second shot.
view from the 5th green and 6th tee towards Cypress Point
tee shot on #6
view of the tricky and sloped #6 green
view back of the 6th green from the 7th tee
The seventh hole is another great “risk/reward” par 5 hole with a well placed lake on the left side that stretches from 100 yards short of the green to the front left of the green.
2nd shot to this small green with a lake guarding shots on the left
The 8th hole at Spyglass is a very challenging hole in every way. The 1st step is a straight and solid tee, following by a very precise uphill shot to a difficult green. Once on the green a two putt can be a victory here!
tee shot on #8
2nd shot to #8
The 9th hole is another tough par 4 hole that can play quite long into the wind. The tee shot through a shoot requires a very solid and accurate tee shot. The 2nd shot uphill can play as much as 20-30 yards longer than the yardage. Once on the green you are treated to a very tough and undulated green to navigate.
Tee shot on #9
10th hole at Spyglass can play tough
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