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Cathedral
Canyon
Cypress
Creek CC |
Pebble Beach and Spyglass Two of golf's greatest courses in the world, Pebble Beach and Spyglass,
are situated along 17-Mile Drive - the most beautiful stretch of oceanfront
property in California's Monterey Peninsula. Second only to St. Andrews in Scotland, Pebble Beach has the history
and pageantry to match the world-class qualities that lure golfers here.
At an average of $425 per player, Pebble Beach is pricey, but we feel
the experience is well worth it. This is indeed a challenging course.
We suggest you take a caddie who will help you shave at least 10 strokes
off your score! The 1st tee The tempo at Pebble Beach never stops moving and the friendly marshals will gently help you along if you get too distracted by the multi-million dollar houses and picture-perfect ocean scenery. Our favorite holes where the notorious par three 7th on the ocean and the challenging par five 18th. At the end of your game, you are presented with a Pebble Beach / Spyglass medallion for your golf bag. And this is a good time to hit the 19th hole to reminisce the day's achievements. Take a walk and take in the history within The Lodge. There are several good restaurants and boutiques on premise. We suggest the sports bar Sticks for quick drinks. They have a wonderful ice-cream sundae that will put the calories back on for our next day's venture to Spyglass. Spyglass
is the "Diamond in the ruff" of 17-Mile Drive. During our
6:50am tee-off, the sparkling morning dew and white-tailed deer were
in abundance. What an incredible 1st tee. We felt as if we
had this course all to ourself. There was absolute stillness. And with
the canopy trees around
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Aliante
Golf Club
Carmel
Mountain
McCormick Ranch
Makena Resort
Black Bear Golf Club |
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Our
suites at The Lodge at Pebble Beach boasted stunning, panoramic views
of the 18th hole and Pacific Coast, each depending on which window you
gazed from our living room suite! Neil Hotteling Director of Corporate
Affairs at Pebble Beach placed us in the Sloath Suite. And what living
this is. Since Pebble Beach Golf Links officially opened on February
22, 1919, it has been titleholder to one of the world's most prestigious
turf spots to swing a stick. The Pebble Beach we know today was the
dream of Samuel Finley Brown Morse, a distant cousin of telegraph-inventor
Samuel Morse. Until his death in 1969, he worked tirelessly to preserve
the area's natural beauty by ensuring that easements would protect hundreds
of acres of forest and coastline along the 17-Mile Drive for future
generations to enjoy.
at
Pebble Beach is possibly the most intimidating in the world. Your play
is watched from the restaurant seats and townhouse suites and will be
literally met with silence unless you hit a sweet drive that will garner
subtle applause. Carts must stay on the cart-path. There are times you
will walk to your ball and realize you needed a different club, so your
caddie will be worth the price here alone for club suggestions. On this
day we had intermittent drizzle and sunshine which only made the game
more interesting. There are several areas that are downright hazardous
featuring shear drops to the ocean below. Simply, drop a new ball and
keep moving!
you,
one feels as if you are amongst friends and nature. Exactly the way
Samuel Finley Brown Morse envisioned it. There was nothing but
wide fairways and an
eight point deer running down the middle as we approached the green.
With its large pine tree forest blending onto windswept beaches, and
several holes mingled within, the layout at Spyglass is spectacular.
We didn't use a caddie here and our carts were allowed to take us where
ever the ball carried us. The morning shadows and light make for some
interesting perspectives when drawing near the greens. One needs to
walk several feet around the ball to get a good
feel of the angles. This course is famous for its perilously steep sand-traps.
If you do not pitch out away from these traps, you will cascade into
another and learn the true meaning of being trapped. Water surrounds
many of the inner course holes and there are several elevated tees to
enjoy. Spyglass was the perfect "bookend" to our Pebble Beach
adventure
