Point Counterpoint It’s really fun.


That’s your first take-


away when you play the new Poppy Hills. As I’ve daydreamed about


the new course for the last 13 months, I’ve also imagined everywhere else I’ve been playing without rough. And each time I’ve


gone through this exercise, I’ve concluded that no rough would be a massive improvement. Less is more. This new


Poppy Hills is a simpler, purer and more fun form of golf. No rough is more invit- ing off the tee, and much more interesting from the fairway and around the green. Sometimes judging shots is just as much a part of the new Poppy Hills as hitting them.


By eliminating rough


(as well as doglegs), the area of fairway has tripled to nearly 60 acres. The golf course seems so much grander and wider standing on each tee, yet the forest feels closer to you. It’s quite the design feat. The forest floor seeps into the course via pine straw, native waste areas and wood chips, and the simple detail that you can actually see the bottoms of trees creates an entirely new experience. No more mounding


or elevated greens jumping out at you, distracting you from what is such a peaceful walk through nature. There’s a reason trails have always wan- dered through and wrapped around this exotic corner of the Del Monte Forest. The new Poppy Hills


fades harmoniously into its 12 / NCGA.ORG / SPRING 2014


natural setting, playing a supporting role to the true star of every round—the magnificient forest canopy of Pebble Beach. Certain holes remind me of the Northwest and Bandon Trails, while others have a tinge of the old Augusta National. The blanket of unencumbered fairway running into the forest floor is one of my favorite looks in golf. But most of all, the new


look at Poppy Hills just fits. It’s a unique style that


can’t be recreated anywhere else, because the beautiful blend of Monterey pines and Gowen cypress is exclusive to this distinct ecosystem. It’s even different than the inland forest holes a mile or two away at Spy- glass Hill, Cypress Point, Pebble Beach and the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. It’s just pure Poppy Hills. The course really does


play firm and fast, thanks to the miracle of sand capping. Drives hit and release, and it was a pleasant surprise to see a high drive in Pebble Beach bound 10 yards for- ward on the first bounce. The bentgrass greens


are incredibly fun, and rank up there with the purest I’ve ever putted. The wild contouring of AT&Ts past has been reconsidered, and the steep decks and tiers have been wiped out. No more sucking 7-irons back 30 feet on soft and treacher- ous poa annua greens. Now approaches are met by firm greens with smooth and subtle contours. The upgraded bentgrass


greens track right where you


hit them, which feels like cruising on a 5-lane freeway after spending the last two hours navigating a dirt road. You can’t help but feel an extra layer of confidence standing over a putt on these new greens.


By abolishing the strong


slopes (i.e. unpinnable por- tions of the putting surface) that ravaged the middle of these greens, Poppy Hills now enjoys an abundance of choices for hole locations. Each green was redesigned to maximize hole locations, especially along the edge


at Poppy Hills, the toughest par 3 and the toughest par 5. But even though the first eight holes are taxing, they didn’t suck out all the fun. Every green is flanked by a helpful slope, and the approaches into Nos. 6 and 8 feel a bit like Tahoe golf, tucked into beautiful new forest settings previously obstructed by unnecessarily raised putting surfaces. But the last 10 holes are


where you will experience the most variety and risk-reward shots, and get away from the beastly par 4s. Back-to-back


The bentgrass greens feel like cruising a 5-lane freeway after hours navigating a dirt road.


of hazards, pumping the adrenaline factor way up. The firmness of the


greens makes it imperative to survey where you want to land your ball, as even wedges will roll out 5-10 feet. But it’s very reward- ing to discover the internal contours and currents in the greens, and have them sweep your ball toward the hole. And it’s even more fun to take a shot off a bank outside the green and watch it funnel toward the hole. Think outdoor billiards. The start at Poppy


Hills (Nos. 1-5) is akin to the brutal opening stretch players tried to survive at the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club. In fact, I’d go so far as to


say the first eight holes at Poppy Hills are every bit as challenging as either nine at Spyglass Hill (my old high school stomping ground). By my ranking, I’d argue that the front nine has five of the toughest seven par 4s


par 5s (Nos. 9-10) summon hero shots that challenge hazards to reach them in two, and the precise and brand new 11th hole might be my favorite shot on the course. And then there’s the un- forgettable ocean view Robert Trent Jones Jr. discovered on No. 12, a pair of strategic par 4s (Nos. 13-14) with two of the most interesting greens on the course, and a closing quartet of holes that includes two perilous par 3s (the Redan-style 15th and the ravine-lined 17th), the still-stout 16th and the always exciting par-5 finisher. In short, the first eight


holes at Poppy Hills give you the championship test that all its neighbors in golf ’s greatest zip code throw at you.


The last 10 holes at


Poppy Hills give you fun that rivals anywhere, too.


KEVIN MERFELD is the assistant director of communications and marketing at the NCGA.


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