Pebble Beach - California - USA

Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Pebble Beach was *it* - the pinnacle of public golf in the United States. Thirty of the top fifty public courses on Golf Digest’s 2018 ranking didn’t even exist in 1991 – and many, like Bethpage for example, were still somewhat unknown outside of their local area. That left Pebble Beach as pretty much the singular fantasy course for a young man fueling his obsession with golf. When it finally came to pass that I stepped onto the first tee at the legendary course with a few dozen people watching, the nerves were almost too much to handle, and I hit one of the uglier duck hooks in my career. Fortunately, my ball remained a few feet in bounds, and things got better from there. The Pebble Beach scenery is unparalleled regardless of direction – from the ocean cliffs to the multi-million dollar mansions – and it makes up for some rather mundane holes interspersed throughout the round. We were lucky enough to play it twice on beautifully sunny, nearly calm days which surely made for a different experience than many others.

As the host of many a major amateur or professional championship, Pebble’s layout is well-known, so I won’t go through the “best” holes, but instead I’ll highlight the three most underrated ones. For me, those are: #4, the uphill short par four with a bevy of options for both long and short hitter, #12, the par three with one of the hardest-to-hold greens anywhere, and #14, the boomerang-shaped par five with a crazy elevated and false-fronted green that (unfortunately) was recently replaced because it proved to be too penal under today's green speeds.

Time marches on, however, and Pebble Beach has been criticized by some modern architecture critics of being too much of an example of target golf given its smallish greens and narrow fairways and due to the unpredictable Monterey weather, not often playing firm and fast. It’s a fair criticism and I agree that I’ve had more fun on occasion playing other golf courses, but all in all I don’t care that much about those criticisms. Pebble is a unique, high-end, world-class golf course, and every golfer should try to experience it at least once.

PB is a world class golf course and world class resort. Went there with my wife for our 1 year anniversary and had the privilege of being the first tee shot off the first tee the day of my round. Played through the gorgeous Monterey Peninsula fog for a few holes before the getting to see the spectacular seaside holes I had seen countless times on television. PB is as very deserving of a top 10 ranking as any course.

If you're visiting California and have always dreamt of playing Pebble Beach, what are you waiting for? Perhaps, like me, you balked at the $500+ price tag, and that's even before you've paid to stay in the lodges (required to make any sort of advanced booking).

All is not lost however, non-guests can ring up the day beforehand and book a tee time, which is exactly what I did on New Year's Eve, securing a 1040 slot on New Year's Day. This short notice isn't practical for everyone but does gives the added benefit of an accurate weather forecast, and the weather will play a huge part in your Pebble experience.

Having read so many reviews from people who had regretted not playing on their first visit, I wasnt going to miss out, and I am so glad I bit the bullet and played. The course is a great test, and such an enjoyable walk. I cant wait to see how it plays for the upcoming US Open.

There are not too many phrases that transcend American sports culture, but if you say The Green Monsta, the frozen tundra, The Big House or Pebble Beach just about everyone knows what and where you are referring to. Is Pebble Beach a great golf course? Yes and no. To answer that, great needs to be defined, Pebble Beach is a concept, a brand, an aura, The Promised Land and Shangri-La all rolled into one.

In New England, February is depressing. The holidays have come and gone, football is over and baseball hasn’t started. It’s gray and cold day after day with the monotony being broken up by a snowstorm that forces you to go outside and shovel. You wake up, it is dark outside and it gets dark before dinnertime. The only good thing about February is that it is the shortest month. While T. S. Eliot claims April as the cruelest month, February just sucks.

When we had a TV that actually worked we had three and half channels, ABC, NBC, CBS and Public Television. As a kid growing up I remember watching the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, or as some referred to it as the Crosby Clambake. (On a historical footnote the tournament was originally held in Rancho Santa Fe, California and did not start its run at Pebble Beach until 1947) Prior to that, golf had always seemed kind of boring to me, but this tournament was different; these people seemed to be having fun! Yes, there were real golfers, but celebrities as well. My favorite was always Bob Hope. Watching people play golf in nice weather in a picturesque setting in the middle of winter seemed foreign to me. It could have just as well been taking place on the moon. At caddy golf one summer I still vividly recall George, “Sully”, Sullivan saying, “Here’s Colin Braithwaite from Marshfield, Massachusetts teeing off at Pebble Beach.” Guess what Sully, I actually made it and it is worth it! One of the few courses that I have played that exceeded my expectations.

Ironically, Pebble Beach was also a real estate play. A hundred years ago the SP Railroad owned the property and directed a young man in their employ; named Samuel Morse (a descendant of the Samuel Morse who invented the telegraph) to dispose of what was thought to be an unprofitable piece of property. Morse created his own firm Del Monte Properties Company and bought the 7000 acres which included the Del Monte Hotel and Del Monte Golf Course. The real value in the deal was the seven miles of waterfront property. Morse knew that to attract high net worth he had to have a high end golf course and Del Monte did not foot the bill. Ultimately, Morse contracted with a co-worker from the SP development company named Jack Neville, who had also won the California Amateur Championship five times

Pebble Beach opened in 1919 and has remained pretty true to the original design. One can argue that the first four holes are pretty pedestrian, although I did manage to three putt three of them. This is especially difficult to do as Pebble’s greens are fairly small by today’s standards. The new par 3 5th has been a huge hit. In 1915 Morse had sold off a five acre parcel and it wasn’t until the mid- 1990s that the club was able to reacquire it. The 5th was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in the fall of 1998. The par five sixth is much more intimidating than difficult. My caddy, Paul, with the wisdom of Solomon told me to avoid the ocean on the right. Something I never would have thought of so I hooked it into the bunkers on the left instead.

On to one of the most photographed golf holes in the world, the 106 yard par three seventh hole. I was extremely surprised when my caddy handed me my eight iron. I looked at him, looked at the hole, looked back and he said, “Trust me.” I said, “But it’s downhill.” Paul responded, “Trust me.” I said okay, but I am thinking this is way too much club. I tried to ease off of it, hit it pretty good but with a little hook. It landed on the green and just rolled off. (Of course the green is only 22 yards wide.) Paul looked at me, slowly shook his head and said, “You didn’t trust me.”

Onto eight, I took a deep breath and fired away at the aiming rock. That’s when the real fun started, I had 180 yards to the pin, which sadly was tucked back right. I debated what to hit and ultimately Paul said to hit a four iron to the middle of the green. I looked at him and he said, “You have to go over the chasm regardless. Just play it like a normal 180 yarder and give yourself a shot at making par.” After seven, I figured I had better start listening to him. I took the four and caught it a little chunky. Both Paul and I yelled at it to go, then Paul started saying, “Get in the bunker,” but it landed just short and started rolling down the cliff towards the ocean. Miraculously, it got caught up in some underbrush. I grabbed my sand wedge and started switch backing down the cliff. Paul said, “Are you nuts?” My response was, “The only way I am going to par this hole is if I try to make an up and down.” I should have listened to Paul, because I ended up with a triple bogey. There appears to be a trend here, two holes in a row I had not heeded my caddy’s advice and had paid the price. That almost sounds like a country song, “Heed Caddy’s Advice or Pay the Price.”

We finally made it to nine, a long downhill par four with the ocean to the right. Paul suggested I favor the left side and rolled his eyes. I was already on his do not invite list. I got up on the tee box; convinced myself to listen to my caddy and I hit a good drive. Sure enough it favored the left side, but between my draw and the wind it kept drifting left, landed in the fairway took a big bounce forward and left and came to rest in the bunker. I waded into the bunker and Paul said as he handed me my six iron, “Better to be short and try to make an up and down.” I nodded my head, set myself, made good contact and the ball came out nicely. I was rooting for the ball to stay right so that my pitch would be easier, when it hit a sprinkler head and catapulted forward to the left. Sure enough, I was in the greenside bunker, with a tight pin location and the Pacific Ocean behind that. I scraped it out and barely kept it on the green and made a two put bogey. Paul consoled me by saying that nine is the toughest hole on the course. I was jelly legged and looking for a drink.

Onto the back side. Sadly, the tenth looked like a replay of the ninth. I was in the fairway bunker off of the tee and then a greenside bunker on my approach shot. When I stood on the tee with the ocean right I could not bring myself to aim down the right hand side of the fairway. The par 5 fourteenth is a dogleg right with a kidney shaped green protected by a yawning bunker on the left. This bunker is at least five feet high and the green contours around it with a similar slope. Surprisingly, I did not end up in this bunker and I had a 12 foot birdie putt on the number one handicap hole at Pebble Beach! I was a little past pin high and the pin was in the middle near the crest line. Paul gave me a read and cautioned me not to be too aggressive. I, of course, was thinking I can birdie the number one handicap hole at Pebble Beach. My 12 foot birdie putt was the prelude to my 25 foot par putt. The par putt was predictably short, as the third putt was predictably long. I was petrified of repeating the sequence and mercifully lagged my fourth putt to within two feet for a smooth five putt. Talk about penthouse to outhouse.

Eventually, we got to the seventeenth which is a par three headed right back towards the ocean. This is a narrow figure 8 shaped green. Many of you may remember Tom Watson’s memorable chip shot at the 1982 US Open. I was fortunate to hit the green and had an18 footer for birdie. This one I was able to roll in.

The 18th hole at Pebble Beach, a lyrical and almost mystical phrase; if that doesn’t quicken your pulse, what will? I stand on the tee box take a practice swing, address the ball and let her go. A decent drive, by my standards, dry, findable and at least 198 yards. As we commence one of the top walks in golf I notice a wedding reception taking place at the Lodge. One certainty is that daddy has money, but I cannot help thinking, “That couple is doomed.” Without a doubt a wedding day is a great day, regardless of where it is, but how do you top a reception at Pebble Beach? I am sure that couple also had a heck of a honeymoon, but where do you go from there?

I get to my drive and Paul says keep it left. I sure do, overcook it and just as I think it is headed into the ocean it hits the retaining wall and bounces into the sand trap. I hit a nice 8 iron just short of the green, good chip and sink a three footer for par. As we walk off the green I reflect on my round; it seemed like I spent a lot of quality time in bunkers. After counting them up, it was fourteen in total. No wonder it seemed like a lot, almost one per hole. I was especially proud of the fact that I did not lose a single ball. Now the ball I started with was certainly battle scarred when we finished but it did serve me well. While I did shoot a less than optimal 92, I prefer to remember that I was one under par for the last two holes at Pebble Beach.

There are three courses likely known to most golfers given their regular appearance on television. In that threesome is Augusta National, The Old Course at St. Andrews and the renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links. Before going on -- it's a misnomer to call Pebble Beach a legitimate links course. The layout is located on land overlooking Carmel Bay and it surely doesn't have comparable firm and fast fairways as seen on vintage links courses.

I've had the pleasure in playing the course several times over the last 30 years and the rush you get as you make your way up the 18th hole is still a memorable one. What many may not know is that the existing par-5 was really a non-descript 379-yard par-4 which was changed through the insightful consulting of architect Englishman Herbert Fowler. It was Fowler who wisely recommended in 1922 the hole be extended to a par-5 with the present yardage one sees today at 548 yards.

There have been other key improvements to the course over the years. The most significant change came when the former par-3 5th was abandoned for a new hole created by Jack Nicklaus in 1998. The old hole was simply a concession to the reality at that time in not being able to get a small sliver of land occupied by a homeowner fronting the water who would not budge. When the estate finally came into play the Pebble Beach Company made a generous offer and was able to secure the land and commission Nicklaus to do the work.

The main issue I have always had with Pebble is the inconsistency of the putting surfaces. The greens at Pebble are not large -- roughly in the 5,000 square foot range. They are often tilted and when the wind picks up -- as it usually does -- these surfaces can be vexing to hit consistently with approach shots. The greens consist of poa annua and the inconsistency caused Tiger Woods to skip playing the annual AT&T PGA Tour stop after winning the 2000 US Open by a record 15 strokes. The poa annua causes all sorts of issues -- bounces in and around the cup can happen and pity the poor player who has a twitch in one's stroke because you can be at wit's end by the conclusion of a round.

I also have to echo what's been stated by a few others -- the pace of play at Pebble can be downright comatose. You have people intent on making the most of their day -- ergo taking endless photos at just about every situation. It can be downright maddening to crawl through the day because round are clearly beyond five and sometimes can be closer to six hours in length. When you have a place that does approximately 60,000 rounds per year one would think some sort of sensible pace of play mechanism would be enacted and enforced accordingly.

Pebble is also impacted by the weather pattern throughout the year. During the AT&T event which is played in February it's not uncommon for the course to play especially "slow" -- balls plugging and not rolling much after impact. In the summer months the course can be impacted by the daily ritual of fog enveloping the course. It's just hard to get optimum firm and fast conditions but when they do happen a round at Pebble can be a frightening situation as seen in the final US Open rounds of 1972 and 1992 when heavy wind dried out the greens and players were fighting for their golfing lives just to survive.

Given the charges involved in playing Pebble -- in excess of $500 -- it can be immensely disappointing when the course is not in top form on the day you're there to play. It's also best to take a caddie because if you opt for a power cart you'll be forced to stay on the cart paths and that can mean endless hikes to and from where your ball ends up.

The architecture at Pebble causes a mixed bag of feelings for me. I see the opening three holes as mere window-dressing for what lies ahead. The round really starts to pick up when you reach the under-appreciated short par-4 4th. The hole can be driven by the long tour players -- and several of them did so during the '10 US Open -- which was Pebble's 5th time in hosting America's national championship.

The new par-3 5th is a solid hole and when you reach the par-5 6th you head out to the coastline for what is arguably the finest seaside stretch in golf. The short par-3 7th has been seen countless times -- it can be a mere flip sand wedge or full bore long iron. The green is also devilish -- you can't assume anything is stone dead given the contours present.

The trio of world class par-4's starts at the 8th. It's been said by Nicklaus the approach at the 8th is the finest in all of golf and it's hard to really say otherwise. You see the green sitting below as you scan the scenery from the nearby bluff on the other side. With the surf pounding against the shore it's hard to keep one's mind on the immediate task at-hand. Like so many other greens at Pebble the 8th is a chore to putt. Go too far to either side -- or worse yet go long -- and escaping with no more than a bogey is an achievement.

The long 9th and 10th run alongside the coast and both are stellar long par-4's. If you don't hit the fairway the probability in making par on either is close to slim and none. I really like the 9th -- the key is getting a tee shot down the right side - but that's where the most danger lies. If you reach the fairway bunker on the left side you'll be thrilled to walk away with just a bogey. Being on the left side only adds to the torture because the green is not as receptive to approaches from that side.

The 10th is an interesting hole in that the angle from the tee is different than the 9th. The fairway is much close to the coastline and the green hangs just as near. The best angle is from the right side but the play must be executed flawlessly to secure the reward.

When Pebble turns inward at the 11th you face a letdown in terms of hole quality. The par-3 12th is often undervalued because hitting the green is no easy feat -- especially with the frontal bunker that awaits even the slightest of mishits.

The par-4 13th is not especially scenic but can be deadly if the approach shot is not played smartly. The putting surface is especially banked from right-to-left and should any approach be played indifferently a quick three-putt can happen in a New York minute. I've also heard there are plans to alter the hole somewhat in the near term.

Recently, the folks running Pebble Beach opted to make a bit of a change with the par-5 14th. The hole tempts the strongest of players to cut off the corner of the dog-leg right. Even when doing so -- the 2nd shot must reach an elevated target protected by a solitary bunker in front and bolstered by another putting green that is quite severe. Fortunately, the recent modifications have added other pin locations so that the hole has more elasticity than it did previously. The hole still has its demands but now it plays more fairly.

I have never been a big fan of either the par-4 15th or 16th holes. They are good but just a filler for the final two holes. Both of the aforementioned holes have tilted greens so being precise with the approach shots pays dividends.

The par-3 17th is well known to most golfers. The penultimate hole features an hourglass green and is a demanding no nonsense target to hit at 208 yards -- particularly when the pin is placed in the far left corner. In recent years there's been some slight changes to provide a bit more target area for players to land one's ball. What one cannot fully appreciate when watching on television is how challenging the shot is on the 17th. Players have to have total command of ball flight and distance control. The wind can whip around and the slightest pull can find water to the left of the green or any of the greenside bunkers. I find it amazing to watch previous US Opens at the 17th when Nicklaus almost holed his 1-iron in the final round of the '72 US Open and 10 years later when Tom Watson chipped in from the left rough to edge out the Golden Bear from possibly winning his record setting 5th US Open that year.

The 18th has been seen so many times it's hard to really add much. I like the hole because when you stand on the tee it requires a steady nerve to avoid Carmel Bay on one's left and bailing out right where possible out-of-bounds is located. Getting home in two shots is doable -- but only under proper conditions and when married with adroit execution of the highest caliber.

In 2019 Pebble Beach will host its 6th US Open -- coinciding with the 100th anniversary of its founding. There's no question the highly touted holes deliver in a tour de force manner. However, the course does have key lulls and those situations cannot be so easily dismissed. Pebble is still a special place but when held against the likes of neighboring Cypress Point I'd opt to play the private layout no less than seven (7) times for every ten (10) rounds.

The name Pebble Beach will always be revered by most golfers, however, when assessing the totality of its architecture the course is anchored down by too many mediocre hole. For those with a bucket list the need to play Pebble Beach will be a thirst that must be quenched. I have been able to drink from that bottle and while the taste was truly refreshing it still left me wanting just a bit more.

by M. James Ward

One of the defining characteristics of Pebble Beach is its small greens. They are, along with Inverness and Harbour Town, some of the smallest to be found among the world's great courses. The first three holes at Pebble Beach are inland and serve as a good warm-up for what's ahead. I think the course routing makes sense at the start. That is, start with some less-than-dramatic holes to get the adrenaline under control and allow a golfer to get into a rhythm before tackling the challenge along the cliffs that lie ahead.

Pebble Beach has some very dramatic scenery and some wholly interesting golf holes. In particular, I liked the short (less than 100 yard) par three seventh hole which plays downhill with the majestic vista of Monterey Bay in the background. I would be hard pressed to find someone that doesn't like this hole. I also think that the eighth hole is one of the best in the world. It is a 416-yard par four that is a dogleg to the right and plays along precipitous high cliffs. From the tee you have no real sense of how difficult the hole is going to be. Your view off the tee is blocked by a slight hill. The eighth hole falls off dramatically on the right hand side where the edge of the hole meets the cliffs and produces vertiginous views if you get too close to the edge. A safer tee shot is down the left side. Your second shot has to carry 170 yards over a giant chasm to the tiny green, with a safer play being to the left.

Pebble Beach is such a good course because it offers many of these risk/reward choices during the round. Some of the holes away from the water are good, not great holes (11-16). The finishing hole stands on its own as one of the singular holes in the world of golf. The reason the course is so highly ranked is that the holes along the water are so well designed and strategic, that they over-compensate for the inland holes that are not.

John Sabino is the author of How to Play the World’s Most Exclusive Golf Clubs

I decided to treat my family to a 3 week Californian holiday on the basis we could stay at the The Lodge in Pebble Beach for 2 nights and I could play a round on the Pebble Beach Links.

From the moment we pulled into 17 mile drive and drove to The Lodge entrance at Pebble Beach, I experienced that magic feeling of anticipation felt when you enter one golfs great golfing regions such as St Andrews. We checked in at the reception then walked down the stairs through the restaurant to see the 18th green overlooking the ocean. I could smell the history and watched the golfers playing into the 18th and imagining how I was going to play my approach shot into the famous green the following day. After a wonderful lunch sitting on the terrace overlooking the 18th, we ventured to the par 3 course to warm up for the following days exploits.

The following morning, I prepared for my 10.20AM tee time on the range where the club arrange a courtesy bus to the excellent practice facilities and was then introduced to my caddie, Geoff who advised me to take a 5 wood on the 1st to leave a wedge into the first green. I felt nervous on the tee with pure excitement where the world seemed to come to a standstill at the top of my back swing before I unleashed my tee shot 220 yards into he middle of the fairway. Phew! Thereafter I experienced one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf. Holes 1 and 2 are pretty straightforward and then you first see the ocean for the first time on the tricky 3rd dog leg. Holes 4,5,6 are then just spectacular and then just standing on the 7th tee for the famous short par 3 in the ocean you really then feel you are playing one of the worlds most iconic golf courses. 8 and 9 are also such beautiful golf holes along the ocean whilst the next 7 holes coming home are away from the coast.

The real excitement begins again on the 17th when you imagine Watson and Nicklaus standing on the tee in 1982 looking out into the ocean where the incredible chip holed by Watson is recognised with a plaque from where he holed that magnificent chip from the rough on the edge of the green. Geoff my caddie relayed the story where Watson’s caddie said “you need to chip this close Tom “to which Tom replied “I’m going to hole the damn thing!”

Then standing on the 18th tee and looking down the fairway is even more beautiful than any photograph can do justice. I sat on the fence by the 18th tee box as Nicklaus did at his last Open whilst Geoff took photo’s then played this wonderful hole with my family watching from the clubhouse. Pebble Beach really lived up to my expectations and beyond and I cannot wait to return to this beautiful peninsula to experience this wonderful iconic mecca of golf.

It took me 5 years to cancel the debt I had with this Course. During my first visit to the place in 2011 I played all of them (Cypress, Black Horse, Spanish Bay, Spyglass, Pasatiempo and Del Monte) but didn’t play Pebble and I was to regret that decision. I was only going to feel it done once I walked Pebble. I hosted a 44 argentine golfers trip which ended Friday May 27th playing Pebble in a sunny 22°C day, unbeatable.

I had long waited for this and due to the group organization I was not able to even warm up, just hit a couple of putts and directly to 1st tee where my first swing was a pushed driver almost Out of Bounds. I had the sensation that this course would behave similarly to Teeth of the Dog in DR, with great holes by the Ocean and nothing too special inland and I was not mistaken. But the fact is that the Ocean holes are too good, amazing.

Holes 1-2 are just ok, a dogleg easy par 4 (I made bogey all the same) and then a straight par 5 which is played as par 4 during the US OPEN. Hole #3 is maybe the first really good one being a dogleg left par 4 with a forced carry of almost 200 yds where once you fly the bunkers you have a nice approach shot facing the Ocean with a right to left sloped green. Hole 4 is maybe the first really nice one, a short even drivable par 4 with cliffs on your right and over the green. And then it all begins: hole 5 is a par 3 parallel to 4, which can play over 200 yds from the US Open tees with cliffs on the right. Par 5 6th is maybe the most spectacular golf hole with a downhill driver before you have a second blind shot to this reachable hole. The iconic par 3 7th is even shorter than you can imagine, I carried the green with a 58° wedge downwind. 8th makes you lay up before one of the greatest shots of the round being 9-10 two great par 4s with coastline and cliffs on the right. The course just turns ok from 11 to 16, except the magnificent par 5 14th with that tinny little green where if you miss the spot the ball may roll off it easily. And then the grand finale, par 3 17th which brings memories of Tom Watson’s chip and the great 18th with famous Jack Nicklaus picture waiting to tee off.

Although it is a 5h 15mins at least round, it is a great experience. Marshalls help you a lot from 6 to 9 in order to improve pace of play and help you to decide your best choices as second shot on 6th as you don’t have a clue where to go if the marshall doesn’t tell you.

Was it worth it? Definitely yes! Is it that great? Yes! Some people say Spyglass if a much better course, do I agree? Yes. Can it be compared to Cypress Point? Definitely NO! But all these questions come aside when you have played a Major Championship venue on a sunny day and you finish your round on 18th and then eating pizza with friends in the Lodge’s Terrace.

Playing Pebble Beach is an experience I will never forget. The location is incredible with 9 of the holes along the rocky coastline of the Pacific Ocean and Stillwater Cove. I walked when playing and my caddie, Michael Lehotta was excellent. Mike certainly made the day enjoyable and gave me incredible insight to each of the holes. I thought the condition of the fairways, greens, tees, bunkers, and rough were all excellent. Playing a course that has hosted 5 US Opens, 1 PGA Championship, 4 US Amateurs, and 2 US Women's Amateurs definitely has a lot of history on its side. The cost is steep but I am definitely happy to have the opportunity to play here once in my lifetime. Looking forward to watching the 2019 US Open which is going to be held here on the 100th anniversary of the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The first 2 holes are inland and are relatively easy. The first is a 377 yard dogleg right par 4 and the second is a 511 yard par 5. The third hole is a 390 yard dogleg left par 4 that goes back toward the Pacific Ocean and you can cut off as much of the dogleg as you can handle. Holes 4 through 10 are all along Stillwater Cove and the Pacific Ocean, this is where the views are unforgettable. The fourth is a short uphill 326 yard par 4 with Stillwater Cove on the right and accuracy is key. The fifth is an uphill 192 yard par 3 designed by Jack Nicklaus with the green sitting up on the bluffs overlooking Stillwater. The sixth is a 506 yard par 5 with Stillwater Cove on the right with the drive downhill and the second shot up the hill. Accuracy is again key on the second shot with bunkers left and Stillwater to the right. The 106 yard par 3 seventh might be one of the most spectacular short holes I have ever played. I can see why it is one of the most photographed holes in golf. Holes 8, 9, and 10 are all spectacular par 4s that measure 427, 481, and 446 yards with the Pacific Ocean on the right of these holes. The second shot on number 8 over the oceanic chasm ranks as one the most spectacular I have ever seen.

The uphill 373 yard par 4 eleventh starts going to some inland holes again. While the holes are not oceanside the Pacific is clearly in view. The 201 yard par 3 twelfth is an excellent short hole and is the farthest point from the clubhouse. The uphill thirteenth is a nice 403 yard par 4 with bunkers protecting the tee shot. The green slopes right to left and is the most severely sloped on the course. The 572 yard par 5 fourteenth was using a temporary green on the day I played. It is a 3 shot hole for most players where the green will be located. The 396 yard par 4 fifteenth is a solid hole with bunkers protecting the fairway on the left with trees to the right. The green again slopes to the left as the ocean is on that side. The 401 yard par 4 sixteenth looked different that I was expecting. I always remember seeing the 2 big trees that seemed to frame the green while watching on television. Mike said these 2 trees came down and were replaced by the smaller trees that are there now. The seventeenth is a 177 yard par 3 that goes directly in the direction of Stillwater Cove. The long narrow green distance can vary by about 40 yards depending where the pin is placed. The eighteenth is a 543 yard par 5 with the Pacific Ocean on the entire left side of the hole. I can still picture Jack Nicklaus sitting on the fence to the left of the tee on his last competitive round at Pebble. A great finishing hole and a nice way to end a day I will never forget.

Pebble Beach was an outstanding experience and would highly recommend it to any golfer that makes a journey to the Monterey area. Click below to see a You Tube slideshow of some pictures I took during my visit.

Played Pebble on a glorious hot day in July. The starter said it was the hottest day he had experienced in his time at the club, and it set up what was to be a fantastic day's golf, and a big tick off of the bucket list. I have grown up playing this track on various consoles, and of course watching the pros tackle it during various Opens, and the feeling on being stood on the first tee was surreal to say the least. The setting is spectacular, as is the front 9. After a gentle start, the course opens up with some of the most famous holes (and views) in golf. For those who slice the ball, the front 9 will prove tricky, with the Pacific crashing into the cliffs alongside no fewer than 6 of the outward 9. This does, however, allow the most stunning views across the bay which beat (in my view) anything that the likes of Turnberry can offer. Some say the holes around the back and iin from the coastline become bland. I can understand this view when taken alongside the dramatic front nine, but if you take each on its own merit they are all seriously good and interesting golf holes. The course finishes with a flourish with the tough 17th, and the stunning 18th hugging the shore and leading back to the lodge. Expensive, there is no doubt, but as a Brit on holiday on the West coast there was no way that I was going to pass up the opportunity ot play it. I am thrilled that I did - what a place.