Cypress Point Club, CA, USA   

No architect in the history of the game has designed better two shots holes
under 400 yards. Pictured above is the free flowing 380 yard 13th.

The approach to the 13th as captured by artist Mike Miller. Note
how MacKenzie's bunkers left tie in perfectly with the
natural sandy area on the right.

Everyone, literally everyone, gushes over Cypress Point. If they didn't, this website wouldn't make sense. One of the author's major contentions is that if a great architect is given a great piece of land, then a great course will follow. And at Cypress, the greatest architect was given his greatest piece of property, after the original architect Seth Raynor passed away.

To gain a true appreciation of this masterpiece in design, Geoff Shackelford's book entitled Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club is an absolute must read. Additional minor observations include:

• The influence that Marion Hollins had on this design and its designer is intriguing to note. Similarly, with Alice and Pete Dye. Thus, the finest designer in each half of the 20^th century was heavily influenced by a woman. What is to be made of that in what is an all-male business?

• The fact that the golfer walks right and up a dune as opposed to left and up a dune after leaving the 6th green speaks volumes as to how well routed the course is. While many architects might have seen the 7th hole, very few would have found the 8th with its requirement to hit over the shoulder of a dune. Fewer still would have had the courage to follow the 360 yard 8th hole with the 295 yard 9th. With a lesser architect, this three hole stretch would likely never have come into existence, which would have been a crushing blow to the quality of the course.  
  
• The course always feels 'fresh' because MacKenzie let the course fall where it may. Consequently, there are back-to-back one, three and short two shotters, as well as a non-formulaic finishing hole. Wonder if architect and MacKenzieophile Tom Doak would have had the courage to build the back nine at Pacific Dunes with only two par fours if it weren't for the example of Cypress Point?

• The 16^th is the author's favorite golf hole in the world, thanks to its unsurpassed beauty, strategic options, and the feeling of being at one with nature. Many people speak of the 15th hole in equal terms but to the author (and MacKenzie too), the hole holds but a fraction of the strategic merit of its big brother.

The greatest hole in the world - the one shot 230 yard 16th at Cypress Point.
 No surprise that it's a half par hole where two tee balls may be
intentionally played as far apart as fifty yards in direction.

Cypress Point was built in the day of hickory golf. Indeed, this shot was so
supremely terrifying/difficult back then that Marion Hollins had genuine
difficulty in convincing MacKenzie to build the hole as a one shotter.

• The course generated the least amount of criticism when it opened of all of MacKenzie's work. This is a statement of fact - it may or may not be necessarily good, however. The course has little of the quirkiness of MacKenzie's favorite course, St. Andrews. The author wonders if MacKenzie toned down his work at Cypress so as not to compete with the splendor of the property. MacKenzie clearly adored Cypress Point and this part of the world. However, would MacKenzie put forward Cypress Point as his most representative work? Perhaps not.

• In stark contrast to Robert Trent Jones' routing at nearby Spyglass Hill, the routing of Raynor and MacKenzie creates a superb progression, leading to the unequalled cliff top holes at the end of the round.

The view from the 9th tee across the 13th fairway. The 14th through 17th holes
follow along - and over - the rugged coastline and make for an inspired (!) finish.

• The drivable 295 yard 9^th hole is in the class of the 10th at Riviera Country Club and the 12^th at St. Andrews - there is no higher class. In a practice round when Cypress was still on the Crosby rota, the author's brother walked around Cypress with the Great Man. On the 9^th tee, Nicklaus hit a six iron down the fairway. He asked his caddie for another ball, pulled out a three wood, and hit it to the front edge of the green. He turned to the group and said, 'I love the shot but I will never try it during the Crosby.' 

• The 12^th hole is the finest dogleg hole on the course, not the more famed 17^th where the cypress tree in the middle of the fairway has over grown to the point where the intended angles of play have been compromised.

The view from the 12th tee shows how the fairway flows around the dune to the right.

The approach to the underrated dogleg 12th, where the best angle into the green is from the inside of the dogleg. MacKenzie showed great skill in benching the green into the dunescape.

The more famous dogleg at Cypress - the 390 yard 17th hole - hugs the coastline
with a grove of cypress trees creating a potential dogleg effect.

The cliffline on the Cypress Point property is jagged and MacKenzie took full
advantage as seen above with his 17th green placement.

• The inspiring collection of one shot holes is unmatched. To suggest that the one shotters at Yarra Yarra or Harbour Town are remotely in this class is to miss the importance of variety of length and topography.

This view of the 130 yard 15th is in line from the tee and captures the hole's outrageous beauty.

 
This view from further ahead and to the left shows how the right bunker
eats into the 15th green, creating several interesting hole locations.

• No architect has ever built more artistic bunkers than MacKenzie as no one can tell where nature stops and man's hand begins. In the entire world, only Crump's work rivals MacKenzie's bunker work at Cypress and the West Course at Royal Melbourne.

MacKenzie was the first to admit that he enjoyed several natural
advantages (!) with his project at Cypress Point.

Apart from enjoying one of the world's handful of finest courses, members are
also afforded one of the game's greatest views from the clubhouse.

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