Remarkable Coastal Holes

Photo by: Evan Schiller

Pebble Beach Golf Links:

Exquisite Beauty, Exacting Golf, Unforgettable Experience.

Posted by: Rick Parnham

Taking on Pebble Beach Golf Links has been a dream of mine from early on in my golfing career. Until this past summer  the closest I had gotten was the flat screen, which only whetted my appetite more for that chance to walk the famous short grass of the Monterey shoreline. Getting the opportunity to head west and include a round at this 1919 masterpiece had me filled with anticipation and enthusiasm. With visions of Tom Watson's chip in on 17, Tiger's annihilation of the field in 2000 and Bill Murray's antics having the gallery in hysterics, I set out with high expectations of an experience many have longed to get the opportunity to savour. 

Built as part of the grand vision of Samuel F.B. Morse to create excitement for a vast real estate development on the Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach Golf Links has stood the test of time over its near century of play. Widely considered one of the world's best golf experiences, the layout flows along the idyllic shoreline of Stillwater Cove with stunning vistas of the Pacific and the surrounding mountains. The natural setting is one of captivating beauty that is equalled only by the stature of golf demanded by the course. A daunting, exacting test of skill awaits those checking Pebble Beach off their bucket list, as the tiny greens filled with more than ample slope, along with the menacing deep fronting bunkers makes your ability to hit and hold greens the key to scoring.

Crashing Surf at the 18th Hole

Photo by: Joann Dost

Now the centerpiece of a world-class resort complex featuring three hotel properties and five golf courses, including Spyglass Hill, Delmonte and The Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach Golf Links is the treasured icon of Monterey golf. Guests at The Lodge are steps away from a once in a lifetime golf experience right from the aura of the first tee all the way to the final putt on 18 with the crashing surf and terraces of onlookers framing the seaside setting. There is no shortage of shot maker's holes at Pebble, as every hole demands skill and deft touch to succeed. Our collection of shot maker's holes requires shot shaping and a strong will to traverse unscathed.

Editor's Shot Maker's Picks: Pebble Beach Golf Links

Feature Holes Descriptions:

The par 4 third starts on tee blocks tucked tightly beside the resort's main entry off Palmero Drive. The sharp dogleg left par 4 has one of the most exacting tee shots on the entire layout. Check the yardage carefully as trouble abounds for any shot struck less than true. The ideal drive is shaped right to left to clear the swale and bunkers short of the fairway while avoiding the series of bunkers lining the right side swallowing any drive hit with a little too much vigour. The green is perched between a set of hillside bunkers on the left and a deep green side bunker on the right. Filled with slope this kidney shaped green presents a difficult par.

One of the most iconic par 3 holes anywhere is also one of the most daunting. Hole seven is barely 100 yards, but with no room for error. Dropping off the seaside cliff the tee shot must navigate the ring of bunkers while the distraction of the crashing waves puts fear of a double bogey or worse in your swing thought.

Iconic Hole 7

Photo by: Joann Dost

Hole eight plays back up on top of the plateau peninsula requiring nerves of steel to overcome the steep cliffs right and the cove interrupting the fairway 160 yards out.  Finding the short grass off the tee on this demanding par 4 is the first accomplishment; finding the green with your approach is an even greater feat. Severely sloped from back to front and ringed with bunkers, a putt for birdie is a rarity on this hole.

The par 4, 11th is one of the shortest par 4’s on the courses but also plays as one of the toughest. The right to left canting fairway makes it difficult to hold the left side for the best angle to the tiny green. A well placed drive will leave no more than a wedge, but don't take it for granted. The shot is uphill to the green surrounded by bunkers and is one of the smallest on tour with considerable back to front slope.

Holes 9 & 10 With Stunning Beach Vistas

The Monterey area has long been considered home to one of golf's greatest collections of courses. The Pebble Beach Golf Links is a big reason for the area having  this distinction. A truly public course, the fairways are graced with walking paths and the famous beach that lines holes 9 and 10, allowing golfers and non-golfers to share this unique piece of golfing lore. The combination of history, exquisite location and stern challenge all contribute to making this one of the most coveted golf experiences imaginable. Any course chosen to host a major championship has strong bloodlines and is a special place indeed. Pebble Beach Golf Links wows both tour players and mere mortals alike. Unlike many other elite venues length is not a ghastly impediment to par. Playing just over 6800 yards from the tips it is the greens at Pebble that protect par, if you can stop from staring long enough at the sheer beauty of the scenery long enough to focus on hitting your shot. 

Course Stats:

Drive Times: San Francisco 2 hrs 30 mins, San Jose 90 mins, Los Angeles 6 hrs

Contact:

17-Mile Drive,

Pebble Beach, CA

93953   

(800) 877-0597

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