It is the early and late holes that establish Spanish Bay’s reputation. The
middle holes do make their way inland a bit and lose their links flavour
slightly but do have some resemblance to other great Scottish coastal
courses.
If you have time on the coast and the resources available Pebble Beach
is fine and familiar but Spanish Bay has just a little more flair that will leave
you wagging your tongue for years. And you don’t have stay at the
resort to access the course…just be willing to part with several hundred
dollars.
The quaint seaside town of Carmel is a hangout for many celebrities and
celebrity watchers but it also happens to be the home for some pretty
enjoyable golf as well.
Quail Lodge
In the face of other more “famous” resorts is one admired and suggested
by many locals in the know, Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club. “It is
always in top shape and a joy to play,” says Zach Huesser, a top PGA
Professional from the San Francisco area.
A legendary resort in the Carmel valley, at Quail Lodge you can choose
to stay and get the full experience or simply try the Member for the Day
package. This gives you access to the golf course and clubhouse along
with some additional benefits. The clubhouse was recently renovated
as part of a $25 million dollar project to give the club a modern facelift.
The 850 acre resort features 97 rooms and a championship golf course
that has hosted the California Women’s Amateur Championship for eight-
een years.
At less than 6500 yards the Robert Muir Graves course is very easy to
walk and water is often in play as the layout is dotted with ten lakes. Turf
conditioning is impeccable and there is enough variety in the hole de-
Links at Spanish Bay
signs to keep your full attention.
You can have that sensation all through your visit if you choose the Working your way north towards San Francisco, golfers will be drawn
appropriate places to stay…and there are a lot of them available. to Half Moon Bay Golf Links and their two stunning golf courses. Add to
that a Ritz-Carleton in one of the best hotel settings they own, and you
So let’s start with one you might of heard of and progress to a couple that have quite an attraction.
are revered by many but not quite as famous. That’s just fine for those
who seek to stay and play at those locations - if everybody found their Don’t fret however; daily public play is available without sharing your
secret locales some of their charm may just take flight forever. net worth with the Ritz-Carleton people. In fact, there is stay and play
packages coordinated with several more affordable local hotels.
While there are more famous courses along the Monterey Peninsula
(Pebble Beach and Cypress Point come quickly to mind) The Links at The Old Course at Half Moon Bay is the weaker of the two but if you ask
Spanish Bay blends the beauty of the coast and the glamour of the locale those who make the choice, the green fee of $160 (USD) might be worth
while still being somewhat accessible. It is not cheap by any means, but it just to play the final hole alone. This cliff-top wonder is one of the most
you kind of expect that in this region where property is valued at a photographed and praised holes anywhere. Unfortunately the other
premium. seventeen holes don’t exactly have the same theatrical essence as this
418 yard beauty of a par four. Most of the holes wander inland through
Of course, the land that The Links at Spanish Bay sits on is no ordinary marshes, pines, and home. A little disappointing, yes, but for some
“property”. As co-designer and major champion Tom Watson has said, golfers it still may rate as the best golf course they ever play.
“Spanish Bay is so much like Scotland that you can almost hear the
bagpipes.” Those who scoff at the statement should consider that While it does not have as many oceanfront holes as the Ocean Course at
Watson, as a five-time winner of the British Open, may know a thing or Kiawah Island over on the American right coast, the “left coast” Ocean
two about Scotland and links golf. Course at Half Moon Bay has a back nine that brings water into view almost
continually. A few weaker holes mar the journey but the fine latter holes put
His collaboration with Sandy Tatum and Robert Trent Jones, Jr. bore them into your distant memory fairly quickly. For the best look and feel, try
fruit as the layout at Spanish Bay is superb and, in the off-season when and coordinate your tee time so that you are finishing as the sun sets over the
the fog is thick and the sea is churning, it is easy to imagine you are ocean as you play along the final Cliffside holes. And if you do and it is a clear
playing alongside the North Sea rather than the Pacific Ocean. evening, be prepared to utter “Wow” more than a few times.
50 FLAGSTICK FOR WOMEN
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