Played in a tournament on July 12th. Conditions were great (DUH), course is challenging but fair to various skill levels. But that's not why I'm writing.
This is more about the esoteric aspects of playing golf in general and specifically on a course as celebrated as this one.
For people who don't play golf the thought of riding around chasing a little white ball with 3 other people who may or may not be your friends seems pointless. For the rest of us, the prospect of spending 4 or 5 hours in a spectacular setting such as Torrey Pines is something to be relished. I may never get another chance to play at TP but I will not soon forget the spectacular views, the cool ocean breezes, and the chance to pit my modest skills against a PGA caliber course. To stand on the 18th green and think about Tiger sinking that putt to force the playoff in the US Open was priceless.
OK, so I played poorly and almost broke my wrists hitting out of that blasted rough!
But a good walk spoiled?...I don't think so.

I played Canyon Crest and Ridgeline on November 20th at noon. This was my first time at Moorpark and I was astonished at the view of the course that hit me when I first walked past the fountain...and that was just the driving range!!

All kidding aside, I thought the course was in terrific shape (a little soupy in spots) and the greens were awesome. The layout is thought provoking and visually intriguing. Get to the top of Ridgeline, stand there lining up your putt, look to one side and see a red tailed hawk hovering in the breeze about twenty feet from you and that bogy on the last hole just doesn't seem to matter that much any more.

OK...on the fifth hole on Ridgeline...for pitty's sake aim for the barber pole!!

Got to play this course on the August 16th for the first time. Really went out there to get out of the bloody August heat! I have to say I found it both interesting an challenging. It's a whole different mindset in playing a links "style" course and it takes some getting used to. Conditions were quite good. Greens were awsome! I love I nice fast true green and I wasn't dissapointed. The fairways had some bare spots but not anything that I would consider GUR. Bunkers had sand in them! No, I'm not joking actual sand! (OK, I play some mediocre courses and I'm used to hitting out of dirt) The rough can be quite rough. the wispier grass you can hit out of but get yourself in that tall kikuyu and you will regret it.

The reason I noted the links "style" course is that I don't feel it stays true to being a links course throughout. Many of the greens did not afford you a true bump and run opportunity. Many were very heavily guarded and when you can't really stick on the firm greens it becomes an issue. Greens were a little small for a links course as well. The first few holes played pretty slow for us and there was a serious back up at the first tee. We were delayed by almost a half hour...on a week day.

All in all I had a great time. The weather was great, the course was beautifull (stick some rusted out farm equipment between holes and I'm a happy man), folks were nice and the price was right. No clubhouse (yet) and no snack bar, although they did have a very attentive cart lady. No GPS but very nicey marked on the sprinkler heads.

One other thing, if you're not going to have GPS, or the course lay outprinted on the score cards, then you really should have yardage books available for purchase. I feel that would have helped me out a bunch on several of the less conventional holes.