Pasatiempo Golf Club

I've been fortunate enough to play Pasatiempo dozens of times over the last several years, and it's one of those courses that you really need to play multiple times to get a full appreciation for it. It's also one of those courses that is more fun the more you play it, and it never gets old. The first time I played Pasa I was a little in awe of the course - you just don't play very many courses like Pasatiempo. From the variety of holes, to the elevation changes, to the bunkering, to the green complexes, it's just a very unique golf experience.

One thing I realized is that you can't play Pasatiempo without a strategy, and expect to play well. The key to scoring here is having the right angles into greens, knowing where the tiers to the greens are, and knowing that you HAVE to keep the ball below the hole on most greens - especially when they're fast. Hitting some fairways are more important than others - #1, #7 and #13 come to mind for various reasons. The general rule of thumb on most of the driving holes is that you can't miss left.

There's a great variety to the Par 3's in particular - ranging between short holes like the 15th to the long par 3 3rd hole, and everything in between.

My favorite hole is probably the par 4 16th. It reminds me of a par 4 version of 13 at Augusta. If you're able to hit a draw off the tee that flies about 250 yards, you'll have a wedge left to a very difficult 3 tiered green, where you have to be precise if you want to score well. If you're on the wrong tier, you can 3-4 putt pretty easily. Just a great challenge from the drive, to the 2nd shot to the green - you can't fall asleep on any of them.

It's a unique/memorable golf experience - every hole has character, and you'll probably remember every hole and every shot on each hole. A must play, no question.

Played here 10 days after greens punched and I still didn't care. (50% greens fees helped salve the wound). Greens actually still rolled ok and obviously the rest of the course is incredible. I still am struck everytime I play here how good it is and how lucky we are to have a top MacKenzie in our backyards.

Go play!

Played the course at 8 am behind three walking members. Finished in 3.5 hours. It was incredible. I have played many high ensnared course but this was the best. Having been to Augusta national for the masters, this was the closest course I have played (only about 1000 yards shorter). Love it. A bit pricey but for a 3.5 hour round I was happy with the value.

Play it if you get the chance.

my number 1 course I have ever played

if in town try and play the course

I will most definitely return to play this course

The course is famous or infamous for the greens. They lived up to their reputation. They were generally fast and may were exceptionally difficult. At times the course felt tight and it wasn’t long by today’s standards. Overall a great outing.

Never disappoints. Greens were not crazy fast this time out.

Not a blade of grass out of place.

This is just one of those courses you have to play while you can afford it. At a fraction of the cost of a round at Pebble or Spyglass this course delivers layout and shots you can only hope for. I mean it's Alister McKenzie!

It's not a pretentious course at all, without the usual stuffy private course feel. We were sent off in a shotgun start which was a surprise, but otherwise had a perfect day.

Don't let the sticker price scare you, we got a great deal right here on GolfNow. I say go as soon as you can before the prices go up again!

Waited 4 decades for my opportunity to play Pasatiempo and just checked it from my bucket list. One of the greatest golf courses that a regular guy can have access to. Just need the game to compete against it. And the golf Gods smiled upon me with a sparkling 72 degree day and my A game.

It is in the same league as Spyglass and Pebble Beach.

This course is one of the best golf courses I’ve ever played in.

The layout is a masterpiece. The conditions were very well-kept. The strategy needed to earn a birdie is vital.

Dr. Alister Mackenzie really wanted the golfer to enjoy this course but at the same time, each birdie must be earned!

I’ll be back for more rounds.

The course and grounds are gorgeous. The layout is outstanding and the course was maintained at the highest level that I have ever experienced. A perfect day of golf.

This course is an extremely tough test of golf. Not over long but requires precise ball striking especially into the greens.

Tough bunkering and very undulating greens make this a course that only really good golfers (3 or below) would enjoy. At $275 a round it is really top end on price. Clubhouse was tired and changing rooms needed up grading. Food and beverage staff very friendly. Golf shop staff less so.

Unless you enjoy really tough tests don’t go here

I caddied for a buddy in US Open so I just wanted to a throw a review out there from a different perspective.

- Legendary, awesome, beautiful, stunning, relentless, pure, must-play, underrated.

That's it.

I played the course on 4/28/19 and it was the worst conditions I have ever played on.

That said, the course was one of my all time favorite layouts ever.

I will play here again once it heals from getting punched (and not before) as I think it would be a true test of your golf skills.

However as it stands regardless of the reduced cost for greens fees due to the recently punched greens and fairways the value represented is next to nil as the course is basically unplayable. Even all of the beautiful green contours... the ball just doesn’t break when the greens are running at 6-7 on a stimp meter.

Flat out, this is one of the prettiest courses you will ever find. It’s a true test of every club in your bag, and from downhill, uphill and side hill lies at some point in your round as the fairways don’t have a lot of flat spots.

That said, I played it right after they punched the greens and fairways and so while they usually have the greens rolling at 12-15... they were at a 6-7 today... so all of the amazing Mackenzie green contours... nope the ball just landed and stopped. Even putts that would probably be 90degree putts at 12-13 were maybe 25-30degree putts.

Stated simply, the way it played was not what Mackenzie intended at all. I’ll be back to the west coast just to test my game on this course every so often as this course in working order would be a true test of anyone’s game.

Worth noting: the back 9 is probably the best 9 hole stretch of golf outside of pine valley.