Designer Notes:

The rugged hills of San Diego County and the classic strategic challenge presented to a golfer on the 12th Hole at Rancho San Pasqual Golf Course in Escondido make it one of my favorite holes. It's a 535 yard par 5 that plays gently uphill from the tee. From the landing area, a player has a good view from which to determine how best to approach the moderately sized green, guarded by a large waste bunker to the left and several smaller bunkers on the right. While it is relatively easy to stay out of trouble off the tee, placement of the drive in the fairway and pin location will determine what type of fairway shot decisions a player will have to make. Players can play their second shot down the left side of the fairway, well out of the way of fairway bunkers, and leave themselves a short iron to the green. Or they may choose to play over the bunkers onto the raised landing area in front of the green, leaving a little bump and run to the hole. Those who are long enough off the tee may even attempt to reach the green in two. The shape of the green allows for a variety of pin placements of varying difficulty, which always makes this hole an interesting challenge for golfers of all abilities.