- Joined
- Jul 2, 2018
- Messages
- 8,691
- Reaction score
- 10,391
- Location
- Sierra Foothills, CA
- Handicap
- --17--
Got to play Pebble Beach last week, myself and three friends from work, and I'm happy to say it was every bit what we had hoped it would be (except for the scorecard for a couple of us). Three of us drove down from the Sacramento area, the other flew in from Chicago. We stayed in Monterey Wednesday night, and had a 7:50 tee time Thursday morning. We got there early enough to hit the practice range, which would normally be fantastic, but that morning we were hitting off mats, and the chipping/bunker area was closed. Knocked a few around the putting green, then met our caddies at the first tee. Our caddies, Mike and Matt, were both great, Mike has been at Pebble for 26 years, and knows the place like the back of his hand.
The course will be hosting the US Amateur next week, and is in incredible condition (the greens were as true as any I've ever played!), and we were warned that the rough was getting deep and would definitely penalize any errant shots (something I confirmed right away!). I won't bore everyone with a lengthy play-by-play, but will hit some highlights.
After a disastrous first hole (rough - rough - greenside bunker), I managed a par on #2, the short par 5, with an up-and-down from another greenside bunker. The bunker thing was one of my themes of the day, as I was in both fairway and greenside bunkers on #3, first three holes, four bunkers!
The stretch along the coast, holes 6 - 10, is everything you've ever heard about it, and more. I kept looking around at those sights I've seen in photos and on TV forever, telling myself. "I'm at Pebble Beach!!!". Going up the hill on #6 is steeper than you can imagine, photos and TV don't do it justice. Standing on the tee at #7 was one I won't forget, although I'd like a Mulligan on the shot I pulled long and left into the ocean.
The absolute highlight of my round was #8, I hit a nice drive down the middle, and not too close to the bluff, then flushed a 6-iron to the narrow piece of fairway just short of the green, between the front bunkers. I'll be seeing that shot across the cove in my head for a long time. Some of the greatest to ever play the game have described that second shot on #8 better than I ever could, and I am thrilled to have pulled off a good shot there.
The rest of the round was incredible, some good shots, some good putts, more bunkers, more rough, and best of all, more memories.
Jim, me, Keith, and Phil on the first tee
The approach on #2
Keith cut the corner over the trees on #3
Bunker on #3, my forth bunker in three holes
The approach on #4
Phil hitting iron off the tee at #6
Jim hit this one close on #7
Looking across the cove on #8
#8, my ball just left of the bag, Jim's on the green
Keith and our caddie, Mike, walking up the 9th
Back nine photos to follow.
The course will be hosting the US Amateur next week, and is in incredible condition (the greens were as true as any I've ever played!), and we were warned that the rough was getting deep and would definitely penalize any errant shots (something I confirmed right away!). I won't bore everyone with a lengthy play-by-play, but will hit some highlights.
After a disastrous first hole (rough - rough - greenside bunker), I managed a par on #2, the short par 5, with an up-and-down from another greenside bunker. The bunker thing was one of my themes of the day, as I was in both fairway and greenside bunkers on #3, first three holes, four bunkers!
The stretch along the coast, holes 6 - 10, is everything you've ever heard about it, and more. I kept looking around at those sights I've seen in photos and on TV forever, telling myself. "I'm at Pebble Beach!!!". Going up the hill on #6 is steeper than you can imagine, photos and TV don't do it justice. Standing on the tee at #7 was one I won't forget, although I'd like a Mulligan on the shot I pulled long and left into the ocean.
The absolute highlight of my round was #8, I hit a nice drive down the middle, and not too close to the bluff, then flushed a 6-iron to the narrow piece of fairway just short of the green, between the front bunkers. I'll be seeing that shot across the cove in my head for a long time. Some of the greatest to ever play the game have described that second shot on #8 better than I ever could, and I am thrilled to have pulled off a good shot there.
The rest of the round was incredible, some good shots, some good putts, more bunkers, more rough, and best of all, more memories.
Jim, me, Keith, and Phil on the first tee
The approach on #2
Keith cut the corner over the trees on #3
Bunker on #3, my forth bunker in three holes
The approach on #4
Phil hitting iron off the tee at #6
Jim hit this one close on #7
Looking across the cove on #8
#8, my ball just left of the bag, Jim's on the green
Keith and our caddie, Mike, walking up the 9th
Back nine photos to follow.
