Bayonet 18 and Monterey Bay

Bayonet Black Horse:

Great Golf Awaits at this Monterey Beauty.

Posted by: Rick Parnham

The Monterey area has a vast and varied collection of golf experiences with many of the most famous featured as part of the AT&T tournament held on this famous golfing coastline each spring. With so many outstanding options to chose from it would be easy to overlook some of the lesser-known courses that grace the shoreline and hills surrounding Monterey Bay. Bayonet Black Horse is a superb 36 hole facility located in Seaside that may not be on your short list when planning a Monterey golfing trip but maybe it should be. 

The City of Seaside was once home to a major U.S. Army encampment named Fort Ord. An early base commander became enamoured with the idea of golf on the grounds and in 1954 The Bayonet Course, named after the infantry division stationed at the base, was opened. General Bob McClure is largely credited with the vision behind the course; however he enlisted the assistance and input of others, including a future World Golf Hall of Fame member who was stationed at the fort at the time named Ken Venturi.

Location: Seaside, California

Bayonet: Billed as perhaps the sternest challenge on the Monterey Peninsula, this 7100 yard beast lives up to the expectation. Played through chutes of grand cypress and pines and over a dramatic rolling terrain, all facets of the game will be tested during your round. The course is lengthy, with most greens raised or steeply elevated creating approaches with a high degree of difficulty. Designed with a fantastic combination of lengthy brutes, and precision doglegs and all ending with the supreme challenge awaiting on some of the most daunting greens anywhere, Bayonet is a formidable obstacle. Host site to the 2012 PGA National Championship this layout is worthy of hosting the best.

Editor's Shot Maker's Picks: Bayonet

Feature Holes Descriptions:

The second hole is as tough as it gets on Bayonet. Not the longest par 4 on the course, but perhaps the tightest awaits you on the tee. Lined with dozens of cypress, oaks and pines, many with boughs jutting over the fairway, any drive finding the short grass will be a major accomplishment. The pear shaped green is well guarded by a huge fronting bunker right and tricky bunker and fall off left.  Par is no easy feat and the prudent player will attacked this hole with a long iron or hybrid off the tee and. The front nine finishes with one of the hardest pars anywhere. Playing as a mighty dogleg right and entirely uphill, this par 4 is all about two mighty whacks. A drive to the corner leaves you with a demanding uphill approach requiring a fairway wood or hybrid to navigate the bunkers and severe slope short of the plateau green site.

Bayonet Hole 2

Hole 12 is a formidable dog leg left found in the middle of "Combat Corner". This stretch  is named for General McClure's series of holes  that complimented his left handed fade. The fairway has a cavernous bunker on the left tempting the drive to get to the ideal landing area. With trees left and high sloped bank on the right, finding the short grass is critical. The deep fronting bunker places a premium on shaping a tough approach to stand a chance at par. The final hole plays west toward the glistening waters of the bay. This lengthy par 5 first plays through chutes of grand trees with the drive while the second shot on this gently sweeping left to right hole must contend with sentinel trees on the right and series of bunkers guarding the front of the expansive green.

Course Stats:

Black Horse: Black Horse is more forgiving than its wicked sister Bayonet, however the layout is filled with plenty of shot making demands of its own. The fairways of Black Horse are a little more spacious with fewer clusters of trees lining the short grass. As a result, the layout provides many more spectacular views of Monterey Bay. Slightly more playable, but still a very demanding course, Black Horse has a superb collection of holes, some tempting with risk and reward while others demanding brute power and precise shot making.

Editor's Shot Maker's Picks: Black Horse

Hole six is the shortest of the par 4 holes at Black Horse. Drivable for the longest of hitters, the hole but plays uphill the entire way culminating with the plateau green that is well protected by a sentinel tree and a line of bunkers short of the putting surface.  A conservative play calls for a mid to long iron strike to your favorite number, however the hole is much more fun when you take a big rip at a chance for eagle. Crossing back under the entry road has the tempting, downhill, dogleg right par 4, seventh waiting to test your meddle. A smart play to the corner between the pinching bunkers will leave you with a short iron or wedge into the heavily sloped green. Aggressive players may choose to swing hard for the distant green in one. With little room for error, most likely one of the chain of bunkers short of the green will be the place to play your approach to this devilish green.

Black Horse Hole 6

The dogleg right par 4, 11th is a beastly design. The drive plays downhill and must be struck with enough gusto to clear the large cypress protecting the inside corner of the hole. Care must be taken to avoid the fairway bunkers long through the corner. The approach plays uphill to a deep narrow green with nasty slopes and protected by a bunker left. The final hole is a beastly par 5 playing over 600 yards from the tips. Playing along a ridge with a high sloped right side and steep fall off left, care is needed to avoid a side hill shot out of the rough. Favouring the right side is the safe play and will be the best line of attack with the wedge or short iron third shot to a green well guarded with bunkers left and seeing anything hit a little firm running off the back.

Course Stats:

Monterey golf options are plentiful and diverse. The municipally owned Bayonet Black Horse is as challenging a test of golf as you will find on the peninsula. Built on high bluffs above Monterey Bay this 36 hole facility provides great bay views and is tremendous value for your golfing dollars. Presenting two different experiences at the facility, terrifically conditioned and a superb test of skill and shot making, Bayonet Black Horse is an absolute must play when considering a Monterey golf pilgrimage.    

Drive Times: San Francisco 1.75 hrs, San Jose 1.5 hrs, Los Angeles 5 hrs

Contact:

Bayonet Black Horse

1 McClure Way,

Seaside, CA

93955

1 831-899-7271

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