Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pardon me as I write this time while still trying to wake up from one of my favorite dreams of all time.  Golf Magazine does say that Bandon Dunes is a better public course... I look forward to my trip north to have the opportunity to compare the two, but I think the experience you get at Pebble must be one of the toughest to overcome.

Upon arriving we were greeted by two gentlemen, one of which, Juan, drove us to the driving range.  He was such a nice and genuine good guy, hilarious too, he really made you feel like you were someplace special.  At the driving range the balls were printed with "4:30" on the sides, with the intent of subliminal messages to the brain to finish your round in four and a half hours.  I think more courses should try this, especially courses that visitors like to take pictures at, which is one of the major reasons the average round time is likely closer to five hours.  Both practice greens, the chipping green and the putting green, were very well taken care of as it really did feel like they were the same speed as the the course.  That is a feature that more courses should aim for.

The day really couldn't have been setup much better.  The fog tried and tried to hover above the famed 17 Mile Drive, however the sun constantly beat it off with a stick.  There were a few holes where I even became hot enough to have to take off all my layers but my first, and this from a guy where 80 is perfect weather.  It was a day designed for a perfect day at one of the most amazing golf courses in the world.

The round begins with the starter letting you know out of the spirit of the game that there are no mulligans on the first hole, which if there isn't pressure on you on the first tee of any course, this just gives you a taste of the pressure you'll feel throughout the day.  Side note... You do NOT need a driver off the first tee, and if you do, make sure you play from the right tee.  Take that into consideration when selecting the tees you play from.  They also inform you that the flags are not color coordinated with red/white/blue like so many courses do and there are no pin placement sheets.  There are two reasons: 1) Pace of play.  If you have a general number to the middle of the green, the less you try to act like a tour pro and slow play the entire course. 2) These are the smallest greens on the PGA TOUR, so if you hit the greens, your longest putt is probably around 30 feet.  I do love their only actual RULE of the course, HAVE FUN!  Don't get upset if you play bad, you're not alone.  Don't be afraid to drop balls, it speeds up play.  And don't be afraid to take pictures in a fast manner, and when it's already backed up is best.  Make sure your friends are prepared to take pictures so it takes less time.  Finally... Walk the course.  If you can't walk 18 holes and carry your bag, get a caddie because it'll be worth it.  Please trust me on that one.

The Par 5 2nd hole.  Very fun, very reachable.  But not fun if you happen to end up in the green side bunker.  

Par 4 3rd hole.  One of the very interesting holes in the 2010 US Open, as this is when the real collapse of Dustin Johnson happened.  You can understand why.  Getting greedy trying to cut the corner to have a wedge in can be worth it, as long as you don't miss the fairway.  It's a difficult one to hit.  

The view walking down the 4th hole.  Being able to see the tree at 6 and 7 can get you pretty excited, just keep your cool the best you can.  You still have a great task to take down.  

The Par 5 6th hole allows you go get pretty adventurous off the tee.  Keep in mind the fairway does kick fairly well left to right, and does flatten out a hint the closer to the ocean you get.  Just don't get too close.  

This is the view from the green of 6 back to the fairway.  The second shot is the most crucial.  When you get to your ball just look at the large hill you're going to have to hit over and think to yourself... "What's the longest and highest club I can get over that hill?"  I took a club less just to make sure the ball wouldn't just get stuck in the hillside.  

6 green.  The tree is the aiming point from the fairway... If you can see it.  When you walk up to your ball take a mental note of where the tree is in comparison to the rocks and the hill.  The run up kicks hard left to right so if you aim for the left side of the tree you'll probably be okay.

Famous number 7.  The Par 3.  Depending on the wind I hear you can hit up to a 5 iron.  On this picture perfect day everyone in the group was able to take a lob wedge.  A soft lob wedge.  The wind is the main feature on this hole because there really is nowhere to go.  

Par 4 number 8 has a big rock in the middle of the hill that you can see from the tee box.  This is the only aiming point that the course gives you.  If you fly over that you'll be in the center of the fairway, all you have to do is read the sign that tells you how far until the end of the fairway.  Keep in mind it's uphill, and watch the wind because you do not want to have to hit a wood for your second shot.  The intimidation factor from this view is more than every second shot on the course.  

The last of the front 9 has a wicked hole.  From the tee box it looks like it combines with number 10 for the longest hole in the world.  The fairway may not be wide, and kicks harder than Pele left to right, but there is a ton of room to the right of the fairway with ankle high rough.  This hole is definitely a thinkers hole, you want to make sure you don't take yourself out of the hole. 

We finally made it! With about 10 minutes of pure sunlight, we are teeing off the famed 18th hole.  All I can say is walking up to this tee box, I had just enough gas left in the tank to hit the fairway one more time. 

The trees you see to the right are in the middle of the fairway, and for most right handers is a good aiming point because worst comes to worst if you cut the ball you'll make sure your ball stays dry.  Play the last hole smart and you'll be able to walk away with a birdie or par to end one heck of a day.  

Pebble Beach is one of the finest golf resorts you can ever visit, their Pebble Beach Golf Links is absolutely the best golf experience that I have had, and would encourage anyone that is able to save $1000 to stay and play the course to do so.  If you love, or even just like golf, you have put this on your bucket list. 

I'll let you know once I play all the courses here AND play up at Bandon which resort is my favorite and why... which has the overall best course in the battle Pebble Beach v. Bandon Dunes... and which has the best compilation of courses as each resort has 4 full 18 holes courses.  I'll tell you one thing.  I can't wait!

The Cal Club

I must have good luck with the great city of San Francisco, because I had yet another sunny and warm day at another classic course.  Unlike some classic courses around America, The Cal Club has roughly three or four designers.
It's original routing for the course was designed by Willie Locke, a young Scotsman with a great eye as his routing for the back nine is still in place today.  However due to creative differences, the club decided to choose a different designer for the hole by hole design by the name of A. Vernon Macan.  His designs aren't well known, but locals do know his other Bay Area project, Lake Merced Golf Club, for holding Sectional Qualifying for the U.S. Open every other year.
While playing I noticed the bunker design looked familiar, and for good reason.  The club hired (at the time) young Alister MacKenzie to work on his second golf course in America.  His bunkers are well known for being cloud shaped and irregular which leads to many picturesque holes.
Finally after the new millenium, the club hired a new architect looking to make the front nine look like the back, and play like the back as well.  Kyle Phillips redesigned much of the front nine, created three completely new holes (which are great holes that are long enough for new technology while keeping with a very classic feel), and managed to design sand traps that aren't far off from MacKenzie's.

Driving up to the club was a breeze.  Just off the freeway the views and essence of the entire club take you back to a time where there weren't any freeways anywhere.

The Club's Driveway with cypress trees, preparing you for what you are going to be shooting through all day.

As you approach the clubhouse it almost looks reminiscent of an old colonial house you would see the south, or with it's columns... The White House?

The entire course is filled with adventure.  I hit a lot of shots that weren't too bad.  This is one course that doesn't accept shot's that aren't too bad.  You hit good or great shots, or you pay the price.  I realized this course is the true definition of a difficult course, 18 holes losing no balls that leaves you a possibility to shoot a high number.  Playing from the "Venturi" (back) tees you will experience 7200 yards at a course rating of nearly 75, that is a monster course. 

The approach to the Par 5 4th hole

Par 4 7th hole.  It leaves the long hitters in good weather thinking whether to carry the 280 gap to the green complex or not.  

The approach to the 7th hole taking the standard route.  Bunkering on this hole is done very well. 

Looking back at the clubhouse from the 10th green.

The shoot from the 13th tee box is not the widest, especially if you're a right hander and cut the ball.  It's not the longest but still makes for an interesting hole.

A true standout among other Top 100 courses are The Cal Club's flag sticks.  Double stitched so the number of the hole is on both sides of the flag is rare enough, but here they use wood flag sticks, something I've never seen before.

I took two pictures from the 15th tee boxes.  This view is from the Black tee box, which is the second longest set of tees.  You have a fairly open view at the fairway from here.

This view is from the Venturi tees, the longest set of tees on the course.  The bunkers on the left squeeze together when you try to get close to the trees.  It leaves the whole right side of the fairway wide open, however it makes your reachable Par 5 a three shot hole very quick.

The 16th hole from the tee box.  It's supposed to be the easiest hole on the golf course as a short downhill Par 3.  The bunkering surrounding the green does make it play slightly more difficult than the yardage would suggest.

The view from the right side of the 16th green.

The last Par 5's approach displaying classic MacKenzie bunkers.

The final approach shot which is slightly downhill but with a huge valley to cross.  This is one of two greens that were redesigned by MacKenzie, coupled with his bunkering make the last hole a lasting memory.

I didn't notice it at the time, but the greens themselves are not the largest.  Considering the original designer was rumored to be replaced because he wanted to make small greens, it makes me wonder just how small the original designer wanted them.

The Cal Club has one heck of a golf course.  It is most definitely atop the few that I have played so far.  The design has stayed true to its roots as the fairways often converge with holes that are next to each other rather than some clubs that have rough follow throughout the hole.  Their cart paths are only by tee and greens so that they would not interfere with play, a feature most new courses and young architects today do not take advantage of.  The maintenance crew puts out cart signs directing drivers towards the side of the fairway, which, since recent renovations, don't seem necessary on a day to day basis because they drain so well.  The greens today slightly reminded me of the recent President's Cup at Royal Melbourne the way that they were firm, fast, and incredibly healthy while still showing some of the dirt underneath.  Some of the best rolling greens I've seen without being a thick bent like Augusta.  Overall, I can't wait to play the next course to see how much higher (Or lower depending on how you look at it) I would place The Cal Club... #97 seems pretty high for such a great course.

Pasatiempo Golf Club

When I asked my friends if they want to play an Alister MacKenzie design, they basically made fun of me for even asking the question.  The man who created some of the best golf courses in the world has a handful of courses in the San Francisco Bay Area from Fairfax down to Monterey, and today we are somewhere in the middle at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, CA.  It was what any Santa Cruz native could call a "Picture Perfect Day".  Typically a town with fog (being right on the ocean), this was a day for us to shed the extra layers and enjoy the sun.

Down the first hole, an almost long par 4 is down hill, with views of Monterey and the ocean, which is more than a little distracting if you're not used to it.  As we tee off the starter informs us that some people that have had the honor of playing Augusta told them that the undulation of the greens are strangely similar to those of Augusta National, and to keep up pace but be careful reading them.

We tried to be careful... we failed.  The greens are the most difficult green complexes I've played yet.  The course going through the roaming hills also was reminiscent of MacKenzie's famed course on the east coast, which really made it a special day.  The bunkering was updated from years past as it steadily became more and more bland.  The club got the bunkers and greens back to it's glory throughout the past years to make it look as close to how it did when it was first opened.

Third Hole Par 3 has bunkers nearly everywhere, except where you can run it it.  But be careful... It's actually a false front.

Hole 4 green in the foreground is short hole, but allows you to play it many ways.  Hole 5 in the background is another par 3 with bunkers everywhere you can imagine.  Iron striking is at a premium. 

As you go through the course there is one piece of property OFF the golf course that you must see and thank.  Off the 6 fairway at 100 yards out from the green is the house of Dr. Alister MacKenzie.  There are rumors that Pasatiempo was his favorite course because he spent his final years right here.  

Known for using natural terrain, you wouldn't think that there are gorges you would have to fly over at any MacKenzie course, but Pasatiempo is one exception.  He used the natural terrain and used them as one does a wide stream or river.  On hole 12 it gives you the decision to be bold, or accept a long approach into the green.  You Decide.  

 Overall, this course is definitely up there as one of my favorites of all time.  It's early in my quest... but I can't remember the last time I had this much fun on a golf course.  This place is something special.

Cordevalle Golf Club

Right when you drive up to the gates of this small golf retreat you feel as though you're in a special place.  This beautiful valley was a hidden gem, even to locals, until it poked it's head out as one of the top resort courses in America.  As a host to a PGA Cup, PGA Tour event, and a collegiate event in the same year, Cordevalle's maintenance staff proves they are an elite crew.  Although this near 7350 yard course is fairly open, they fairways aren't the widest you will see on most resort courses.  Open year round with 46 rooms and villas, this get away is perfect for couples as the spa can distract the ladies as the golf course often distracts the men.  

The opening hole is a fun dog leg right, and you learn off the first tee that the "fingers" in the bunkers are the RTJ II design feature that assists in aiming for the player.  They switch the front and back nines for the Frys.Com Open during the fall series, so you can see the front nine quite a lot.  If you elect to play the black tees get ready for a ride.  The second hole gets your juices flowing as a par 3 that can stretch up to 245 yards makes you get aggressive if you intend on getting close to the pin.  Lateral hazard and bunkers along the right, and grassy hallows on the left make this subtle looking green quite small.  

If the second hole wasn't enough, this 605 yard par 5 will get you thinking.  One stream flows twice through this hole, which nearly takes away a chance to be on in two (It happened twice during the 2010 Frys.Com Open, both of which by the same player).  With trees narrowing your second shot, hitting the fairway is a premium on this hole, as is a good second shot to the fairway as you will need as much control as possible to this wicked green.  Three tiers on the front right, rear, and left sides of this green make attention to the pin location just one more thought on this difficult hole.  

The Par 5 3rd hole.  The fairway is just wider than the gap in the trees, so even hitting the fairway doesn't guarantee an easy second shot.

Now that you're on to the fourth hole, you're only in the middle of the hardest three hole stretch I've played.  Four is, none the less, a fun golf hole.  Bunkers defining the fairway, giving you proper aiming points, and an elevated green with a swail to it's right to catch errant golf balls.  And five is long, near 500 yards for the big boys on tour, with what feels like a narrow landing spot, is just one big visual intimidation.  Favorably, after the fifth hole the course opens up quite nicely.  A par 5 hole with birdie opportunities (Eagle if you're Rocco in 2010) is next on the list.  More aiming bunkers guard the left side of the fairway, as anything right and likely you're grabbing another ball.  The seventh is a kind distance, downhill, but with a difficult green.  And of course the eighth hole is a beautiful, short par 4 with a short greenside lake.  If you are long, and have wind, going for it will be in the back of your head!  If you'd prefer the conservative route like Rocco Mediate, lay up with a hybrid in the fairway, and then hole out from the fairway!  Nothing too it!  

The Par 4 8th holes.  Aim for the green and LET IT RIP!!!

And nine is just as memorable as any of the holes on the course as a downhill par 4 with a stream splitting the fairway.  Now you can breathe at the turn.  All the thinking, the excitement, the stunning views all can take a short break at the turn as you are driven from the ninth green to the Lion's Peak Grill next to the golf shop.  A quick bite and a good drink and you're prepared for the back!

The tee box on 9 sits on top of a hill.  A creek splits the fairways, so the option to go left is plenty safe with a tree slightly guarding the green.  Going right of the stream requires a decent carry, and the more on line with the bunker, the bolder the carry is.

10 is another nice opening hole, and not too strenuous as is the eleventh being a short and sandy hole.  Stepping on to the tee at twelve you get a great view of the course with the ability to see many of the holes from the position.  Now that you take in the view, take in a breathe because this long par 3 is a thoughtful one.  Any pin on the right is tough, but if you play it like you're on a links course, hitting a low running ball up the right side the hill may be able to place it right next to the pin!  More than one way to play this par 3. Thirteen and fourteen are great, and sneaky difficult, par 4s.  Both do make up for it with the views of the resort though, so you can't be too upset.

12 green looks terrifying.  The two right bunkers are 100 yards short of the green, leaving that room to run the ball up the hill on the right and on to the green.

Hole 17, the downhill par 4 offers more challenge than most downhill holes.  The bunkers go from aiming bunkers, to distracting bunkers, and then "please don't go in" bunkers... sometimes all during the same stroke.  

Overall, Cordevalle is a place you have to visit.  Between their youth foundation tournaments and their great stay and play deals, this facility is one that you will want to return to as well.  Whether it's a romantic getaway or a guys weekend away for golf and drinks, Cordevalle won't leave you disappointed.

Kapalua Plantation Course

This is the course champions play every year.  One of the smallest fields, one of the most intimate settings, and one of the favorite venues for the beach, the food, and the beautiful views of Maui.

This course isn't on the top 100, but as resorts go there is no way that this isn't one of the best resorts in America.  It has two 18 hole courses that have each had a professional event held on them (Plantation Course for the PGA, Bay Course for the LPGA).  It has great packages to golf and stay here so take advantage of it and enjoy my favorite island in Hawaii.


The first hole is memorable, a hole that nearly any player has the chance to drive through the green as it plays dramatically downhill.  Then you have to negotiate a downhill lie to the green which is incredibly undulated and large in size as all the greens are here.  It is a fantastic resort course as well because of that feature: wide fairways and giant greens!

The second hole will remind some people from Northern California of the Tahoe/Truckee region of the state.  Surrounded by trees, wind off the ocean, and covered with bunkers, this par 3 can make things interesting quickly if you're not careful.  Luckily I made things exciting quickly!  This green is much more flat that the first hole.  with views of dream houses in the backround once you approach the green.

This course just offers some of the most scenic drives (with a golf club and a golf cart) in golf which is what draws people to this beautiful course every day.  The bermuda grasses that handle the tropical weather so well can cause a few problems if you stray from the fairway as it can sit up, and at times sit down.  But overall the course is typically in very good shape, greens rolling around a 9-10 max I would guess, mainly for pace of play for any tourists who may not be as accomplished a golfer as the tour professionals that play every January.

Number 8 at the Plantation Course is on my list of my Top 4 Favorite Par 3's.  Hitting over the valley of barranca  to a green that is 200 yards away and surrounded by bunkers from the tips can give any play a lot of different thoughts until it lands, and possibly the same amount after it lands. 

Possibly the widest fairway in America, nearly impossible to miss, this finishing hole is widely recognizable.  This par 5 is not reachable by nearly anybody, but enjoyed by everybody.  It's hard to leave this place with anything but a smile on your face after this hole.  

Poppy Hills Golf Course

Monterey houses two courses inside the top 5 in America, and top 7 in the world.  Unfortunately for the average golfer, most courses inside the 17 Mile Drive are not as affordable as their local muni, with the exception of Poppy Hills Golf Course.  This ex-PGA Tour stop was part of the AT&T Pro-Am for years, recently replaced with Monterey Peninsula Country Club, is an exceptional public facility.  Plans to reconstruct the clubhouse and the golf course are in order to attempt to have the course play more to the lay of the land, reduce the drastic dog legs, and possibly return back to being on the big show.

For anyone who has a NCGA card, this course is only $55.  A huge discount in comparison to the $200 it is for the rest of the public to play the course.  Although it doesn't even reach 6900 yards at it's longest, the rating from their longest tee is still 74.3.  That's one tough course.  It's a difficult start with a dog leg right par 4 at 413 yards, it still has a ton of bite throughout the entire 18 holes.

The back nine, in my opinion, is the easier of the two.  With the tenth hole as a downhill par 5, it is one of my favorite holes I've played, up there with 18 at Kapalua's Plantation Course.

The seventh hole, one of the most demanding driving holes on the course, is no easy task from the fairway either.  It may look open, but the green complex is a tricky one like most on the course.  

Respect to RTJ II for a worthy challenge that is still fun.

Hole ten offers a downhill holes, and with a good drive, the kick down the hill gets you even closer to the green.  There is a tree on the left that attempts to guard the green as though the lake short of the green isn't enough.  The bail out is long... Easy task isn't it?  What does this course tell you? Play from the tees that your course handicap suggests, or suffer.  Have some fun.  

The "Tee it Forward" program from the PGA of America is one of the best programs designed.

Poppy Hills offers great golf, no matter how hard the PGA Tour Pros bashed the course, no matter how silly Tiger Woods says some of the holes are, it is a course that you have to think a lot on every hole.  It's tree lined.  It's difficult.  And although made slower for public play, so pace of play isn't dreadfully slow, if made firm like the pros like it I can see it making a good chance of coming back to the tour.  Let's look forward to that, and maybe even a USGA junior event some day.  If you come to play Pebble and are staying at the resorts, it's worth it to see what it's made of.

San Francisco Golf Club

Last September I crossed the first course off the list of Top 100 in US, and also the world.  I drove up early that morning as a great birthday present for myself playing with my Head Professional, an Assistant, and our Assistant Caddie Master.  Getting there was easy, the weather we could not have predicted.  Imagine the one day a year that is absolutely perfect in San Francisco for golf, sunny all day, hot even!  As we met in the quaint pro shop you could tell this club was one of the most classic clubs in the nation.  No big screen tv's, no tv's at all in fact.  A few shirts, towels, hats, ball markers, but I'm certain my bedroom is bigger than this golf shop.  As you step out of the shop, you're virtually on the first tee, which you can see about 8 holes from.  I've only seen Augusta on tv and in a video game, but I can imagine this is similar.  Hilly, well kept, with a great design.  Can you get much better?

Above is the first hole.  A straight away par 5.  And a stunning day I might add.

The bunkering is so well kept with the designs of Tillinghast classics, I can't wait to compare the rest of his designs.  

The famed "Duel" hole with the last duel in the USA.  

As you finish your round this distinct and classic clubhouse reminds you what a gem you just finished.  I've played a decent handful of courses in my short, near 6 year, golf career, but this is one where I could play every day and never get bored.  That is what makes an amazing golf course.  

This is my first blog, so stay tuned for more, and I'm sorry if it's a little choppy at first.  It will be getting better I promise.