Are you expecting it to be easy to get a tee time on a SD/US Open course? Be thankful that it’s open to the public. If you really want a tee time, follow LAaferhour’s advice. Get out there real early, pull into the parking lot and find the car with “the list” if you are there early enough to get a good spot on the list you will get out prior to the tee times. Tee times start at 7:30 and they should be able to get 10-15 or more groups out prior to that in summer.
There are plenty of great course around and with the recession, the green fees are coming down on many of them. Golfnow.com is a good way to score a deal. But if Torrey is your goal, you have to play “the game” and pay the money for an advanced time or get you butt up real real early! DO IT, there is nothing like an early round on a seaside course. Plus all the guys playing this early are real golfers so you won’t be standing around waiting for 4 hacks to hit their third mulligan each on the 12th hole.