TOURNAMENTS at PEBBLE BEACH
PEBBLE BEACH TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Dec. 16-18 Two-person, 36-hole tournament in a best-ball format. Rounds at Pebble Beach Golf Links and The Links at Spanish Bay. Also includes two nights at The Inn at Spanish Bay.
Spyglass Hill Golf Course Hole No. 1
The true test of any golf course lies not in the hazards or winds, but in the mental hurdle that characterizes its 18 separate, but inextricably linked challenges. Etched by treacherous par 3s or wicked dogleg par 4s, maybe the greatest trials exist in the looming monsters of the links. Demanding successful drives, pinpoint decisions and sometimes just a little bit of mettle, the par 5s provide the unique dichotomy of elusive eagles and scary snowmen. Maybe no collection of holes better epitomize this tribulation than the par 5s of Pebble Beach Resorts. Sam Snead once said, “Forget your opponents; always play against par.”
The late golfi ng legend always had a way with words, even more so with a golf club, but his philosophical quip may offer more than a chuckle when examining the three-shot holes at the famed golf courses of Pebble Beach Resorts.
PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS Hole No. 18, 543 yards Between the dynamic
test of No. 2, the inspired beauty of No. 6 and the storied impossibility of No. 14, the tradition of par 5s at Pebble Beach Golf Links is legendary. But the hole that trumps them all is the renowned 18th. Often called the greatest fi nish- ing hole in the world, this
ocean-lined gem singularly boasts almost as many tales as the entire course itself. From Hale Irwin’s fortu- itous carom in the fi nal round of the 1984 Crosby Clambake to the image of Jack Nicklaus’ last goodbye at the 2000 U.S. Open, the 18th at Pebble is more than a golf hole—it’s an experi- ence. The walk from tee to green is steeped in peerless history and beauty, a potent
mix perhaps unmatched by any other hole in the world. The distraction can
make even the sturdiest of Pebble Beach veterans too quick with the hands pulling or snapping shots left into the looming Pacifi c Ocean. But as head professional Chuck Dunbar says, “three smart shots, followed by two good putts—maybe even one—can allow you to walk off this magnifi cent fi nisher
PEBBLE BEACH NEW YEAR’S TOURNAMENT Dec. 30-Jan. 1 A 36-hole tournament with rounds at Pebble Beach Golf Links and The Links at Spanish Bay. Includes two nights at The Inn at Spanish Bay and a ticket to the “Beachside Boardwalk Ball” New Year’s Eve 2011 celebration at The Inn at Spanish Bay.
For details, call the Pebble Beach Resorts Tournament Offi ce at 877/853-5864.
with a good score and your head held high.” The next move though might be the most important, Dunbar says. “Shake hands with your playing partners, head to The Tap Room and enjoy a pint of Guinness while you look back on your unforget- table day.”
SPYGLASS HILL GOLF COURSE Hole No. 1, 595 yards If its noteworthy
neighbor, Pebble Beach Golf Links, likes to ease the nerves of its humbled guests on the opening hole, consider the fi rst hole at Spyglass Hill. A blind and narrow tee shot into a
FALL 2011 /
NCGA.ORG / 25
PHOTO: JOANN DOST
PHOTO: JOANN DOST
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