SAN DIEGO COUNTY’S EIGHTEEN TOUGHEST HOLES

Monsters abound in San Diego County.

None of them have claws or fangs.

In fact, these monsters look downright pastoral. You want to picnic with them.

However, they do have a mean streak. They treat one segment of humanity with outright disdain.

Golfers.

These monsters are golf holes, who turn mere mortals into bogeymen. Being creatures of habit, or gluttons for punishment, most golfers return to the same courses--and come away with the same, sad stories.

San Diego County golf professionals have heard plenty of those stories on the 19th hole, invariably the easiest to play. When asked to select the toughest 18 holes in the county, all they had to do was remember what they heard--and, often, what they had seen themselves.

The Times’ survey of more than 30 of the county’s club pros rated Torrey Pines South No. 12--a 467-yard, par-4--to be the most challenging hole in the county.

“I remember one year when Arnold Palmer, Doug Sanders and Gary Player were playing challenge golf here,” said Willie Wansa, the head professional at Torrey Pines. “Not one of them reached the green in two. Jack Nicklaus played here about three years ago and would’ve had the course record except he bogeyed the hole both days he played it. You’re going uphill and usually into the wind. It makes the hole 25 to 30 yards further.”

Pros rated La Costa South No. 17 as the county’s second toughest test. Two others that seem to intimidate golfers are Carlton Oaks No. 15 and Rancho Santa Fe No. 13. Closely trailing those holes are Balboa No. 6, La Jolla No. 13, Pauma Valley No. 8 and San Diego No. 18.

The next 10 holes are almost as tough, each of them haunted by trouble seen and unseen. They include Bernardo Heights No. 12, Cottonwood Ivanhoe No. 4, Fairbanks Ranch No. 15, Fallbrook No. 16, La Costa North No. 14 (which is No. 5 during the Tournament of Champions), La Jolla No. 9, Rancho Santa Fe No. 12, San Luis Rey No. 16, Vista Valley No. 4 and Warner Springs Ranch No. 2.

Then there are the holes that didn’t quite make the top 18 but provide their share of tricks. They include Coronado Muni No. 14, San Diego No. 4, Singing Hills Oak Glen No. 5 and Torrey Pines South No. 7. A total of 81 holes had votes.

Five holes are par-3s and one hole--La Costa South No. 17--is a par-5, making the toughest 18 holes a theoretical par-68 course. However, the best golfers in the world would be hard-pressed to break 70 if this were a course.

Three courses have two holes among the toughest 18--La Costa, La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe. The toughest back-to-back holes are No. 12 and No. 13 at Rancho Santa Fe, both listed among the toughest 18.

Although Torrey Pines has only one hole listed, six holes total on the two Torrey Pines courses received votes from golf professionals.

Of course, most golfers will likely have a different idea of the toughest 18 holes in the county. The toughest 18 will be their next 18.

17 LA COSTA SOUTH 569 Yards, Par 5

Lengthy tee shots are a must on this. After the drive, a lake runs the lenth of the hole on the right,and there are sand traps and trees on the left. The green has water on the right. Sand traps are in front and back and to the left of the green.

12 TORREY PINES SOUTH 467 Yards, Par 4

This hole, along the ocean plays uphill and into the wind. There is rough on both sides of the tree-lined fairway. The green is large, but it is surrounded by sand traps on both sides.

15 CARLTON OAKS 455 Yards, Par 4

This hole is made difficult by out-of-bounds on the right side of the fairway and water and trees on the left. A tee shot to the right-center of the fairway is a necessity. Second shots are made into a small green that isprotected by the trees, water and out-of-bounds.

13 RANCHO SANTA FE 445 Yards, Par 4

The fairway is narrow on this hole that plays into the wind. Second shots are made over water to a very small green that is slightly elevated.

12 BERNARDO HEIGHTS 204 Yards, Par 3

Water is directly in front of the green. The hole seems longer because wind blows in toward the tee. The green has two tiers, and there are sand traps right and left.

16 SAN LUIS REY 223 Yards, Par 3

A strong wind blows into the tee. Both sides of the fairway are linedwith trees. Sand traps are placed on the right side of the green.

8 PAUMA VALLEY 443 Yards, Par 4

The San Luis Rey River runs in front of the green. Drives must behit in excess of 200 yards to pass the dogleg to the right. Thereis a water drainage hole left of the fairway, trees on the right andsloping mounds. The green has sand traps to the left, right and rear.

14 LA COSTA NORTH 446 Yards, Par 4

This formerly was La Costa’s No. 5 hole,which re-quires a long, accuratetee shot. A wide creek runs parallel to the small green, which has sand trapson the left and in back. Tee shots may be hindered by water on the left and bunkers and trees on the right.

9 LA JOLLA

468 Yards, Par 4

Length is the primary difficulty on this hole. The green is small and well- surrounded by sand traps. The hole plays straight, but it takes two long and accurate shots to reach the green in regulation.

12 RANCHO SANTA FE 447 Yards, Par 4

This hole is played into the wind from an elevated tee. There is a water hazard in front of the hole and a slight dog leg to the right. The green is small and surrounded by sand traps.

6 BALBOA 217 Yards, Par 3

Tee shots must be hit over a canyon. Balls sliced right will be hard to find. There is a large trap to the right of the small green, which is surrounded by rough on the right side and back. A row of trees and bushes protects the green on the left.

18 SAN DIEGO 420 Yards, Par 4

Trees line both sides of the fairway on this 420-yard, par- four hole. Drives are hit into a fairway that slopes away from the hole. Second shots are nomally hit from a downhill lie. The green is surrounded by sand traps, and there is an out- bounds area behind the green.

4 COTTONWOOD IVANHOE 218 Yards, Par 3

Tee shots are hit into the wind. Out-of-bounds is on the left side and trees on the right. The narrow green is shaped in an hourglass form.

15 FAIRBANKS RANCH 201 Yards, Par 3

Tee shots are hit into a strong wind. Four small sand traps protect the green, which is sloped front to back, creating slick downhill putts.

2 WARNER SPRINGS 495 Yards, Par 4

Distance is the major factor. There is water on the right side of the fairway and trees on both sides. When recently planted trees mature, there will be 23 weeping willows surrounding the green and right side of the fairway.

13 LA JOLLA 453 Yards, Par 4

This hole plays downhill and requires a long tee shot. Downhill lies and out-of-bounds on the right side create problems on second shot. The left side of the fairway is guarded by trees, and sand traps surround the green.

16 FALLBROOK 451 Yards, Par 4

This hole requires a 180-yard drive over a pond to a relatively small landing area. Second shots from the hazard-lined fairway are made through trees. The green is small and surrounded by sand traps. Lateral water also comes into play.

4 VISTA VALLEY 430 Yards, Par 4

There is a narrow fairway on this hole that has mountains on the left side and large trees and rough on the right. A creek runs parallel to the hole on the right, and there is also water just beyond the green. There are sand traps left of the elevated green and trees on the right.