15th hole – 135 yards
Historically, the big brother 16th at Cypress Point, has garnered more photographic attention and greater overall lauding for the grandiosity of the hole and it’s all earned. However, the 15th at Cypress Point is a truly sublime and genius
golf hole. When you spend almost four hours in anticipation of crossing 17-mile drive to experience the ocean holes you may first see the 16th in the distance before gazing to your left and focusing on what’s next. The tee is the most remarkable blending of the natural surrounds to the contrived exercise of building a teeing ground. The use of the barrier fencing to guard the perimeter of the tee box is a masterful blending of native materials. I believe the 12th at Augusta National and the 15th at Cypress Point are the two best shortest par 3’s Alistair Mackenzie ever designed and they are both followed by arguably his two most famous holes.
Measuring 135 yards from the back tee the 15th is not intended to overwhelm you. It gives everyone a reasonable chance despite the sensory overload. The bunkering is masterclass, and the green is the appropriate size for the length of the shot. It provides choices with reasonable width for pin positions and is pitched toward you, especially center left, to play toward the rear of the green and have the ball retreat towards the center. This is as practical a hole as Mackenzie could have conceived as the “first” on the ocean. It is also serene tucked in the cove before truly turning out to sea and the violence and length of what follows on the 16th. This is truly one of the greatest golf holes in the world.