Torrey Pines' first player has insights
Dick Harmon
Don Collett, 82, was doing golf clinics at Jordan High School's mammoth reunion in Salt Lake City last summer. But back on Dec. 19, 1957, Collett was the first head golf pro at Coronado Golf Club in San Diego and was invited to play in the inaugural foursome at the dedication ceremonies of the now famous Torrey Pines course.
A few weeks ago, at the U.S. Open media day at Torrey Pines, Collett was called forward and recognized for his participation that day 51 years ago. He is the only surviving member of that foursome.
On that day, he was paired in an exhibition match with Ralph Guldahl, two-time U.S. Open and 1939 Masters champion; Olin Dutra, the 1932 PGA champion and 1934 U.S. Open champ; and Paul Runyan, then the head professional at La Jolla Country Club and a two-time PGA champion.
Collett, who later played in three U.S. Opens and created the original World Golf Hall of Fame in Pinehurst, N.C., shot a 71 that day. He beat them all.
Although present at this year's U.S. Open media day at Torrey Pines, Collett didn't play. But his son Paul, a PGA professional who teaches golf at Hodges Training Center in San Diego, did. Paul hit 12 of 14 fairways and shot an 81 on the lengthened course, groomed to test this year's talented field.
This came after Woods predicted no 10-handicap player could break 100 on a U.S. Open course.
When Collett played the first round ever at Torrey Pines, it measured 6,900 yards from the back tees, and there wasn't much rough or trees. This week, the course will play 7,643 yards.
Collett said the way the USGA has set up Torrey Pines will bring the world's best to its knees — and the tournament committee has actually been kind. The length of the rough has been trimmed down from media day when his son Paul played.
The course is hardened up, and the fairways are narrowed to 22 to 25 yards wide in some areas. The greens will roll to 13.5 on the Stimpmeter, a speed that Collett calls "hideously" fast.
Greens are considered plenty fast at 10.5.
"It will be like putting on a billiards table," Collett said. "If you breathe on the ball, it will roll 20 feet.
"Hit it and hope," said Collett, the 1957 San Diego County Open champion and winner of the 1964 San Diego County PGA Chapter Championship at Torrey Pines.
Recent comments
Torrey Pines is the most overated course I have ever played. Utah...
Overrated | June 12, 2008 at 10:17 a.m.
