Northern California Golf Course Reviews
Pebble Beach Golf Links Review
Pebble Beach, CA
73.8 rating; 142 slope |
Pebble Beach Scorecard from the longest tees, as of the date of last review
Pebble Beach Golf Links Overview: What can you say other than that
this is golf at its absolute best. The
stretch of golf holes between #4 and #10 all challenge the golfer to avoid the cliffs and beaches on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and are among the best golf holes in the world. Great greens, heavy rough and great vistas
are present throughout the round, as is regret for bad shots and glory for good ones, all at a hefty price. Pebble
is a very memorable round of golf for any one who would play it. The most memorable golf holes are reviewed below:
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Other Golf Course Reviews:
- Bayonet Golf - Half Moon Bay Golf - Spyglass Hill Golf - Poppy Hills Golf - TPC Harding Park |
Pebble Beach Hole 4: The hole where Pebble Beach really starts to shine is a short, uphill par 4 with the Ocean right and deep, unforgiving bunkers everywhere else, including a pot bunker in the middle of the fairway. An iron off the tee is the prudent play and the approach shot is too a very difficult and narrow green surrounded by bunkers, and pretty near the ocean cliffs.
Pebble Beach Hole 5: The new hole at Pebble Beach was designed by Jack Nicklaus to replace a formerly forgettable #5. This par 3 is quite pretty as Stillwater Cove is awaiting any errant shot right. Anything hit left will leave a difficult downhill chip to a well-bunkered green.
Pebble Beach Hole 6: A great and famous par 5 where the drive must avoid the 80-yard long bunker left and Stillwater Cove right. The second shot will be played up an enormous hill to a plateau fairway, or to the green for the bold. A great scoring hole if the ball is struck well on all the shots and disaster for the wayward player.
Pebble Beach Hole 7: Incomparably beautiful, and extremely short, but not easy when the wind blows. The view of the Pacific Ocean is everywhere and it isn’t far from the green right or long. It is famous for a reason.
Pebble Beach Hole 8: A blind uphill tee shot (for the longest hitters, driver can even be too much if hit right of center) leads to one of the most frightening approaches in golf, so the drive must be in the fairway. The second shot to the green will be over the ocean to a disturbingly small and well-guarded green and might be the most fun shot in all of golf. The putting green has few flat putts and chips from anywhere but below the hole will be tough.
Pebble Beach Hole 9: The toughest hole on the front side, this long, straight par four runs along the Pacific the entire way. The approach is scary and beautiful as it must carry a yawning bunker front left to a small and undulating green nestled on cliffs above the beach below.
Pebble Beach Hole 10: Similar to number nine, but shorter and made tighter by more fairway bunkers to the left, this par 4 is another great and beautiful test of links style golf that makes Pebble so great.
Pebble Beach Hole 16: Bar none, the best of the woodsy holes at Pebble, this quirky par 4 puts a premium on accuracy from tee to green. The drive must avoid bunkers and cannot be hit too far as the trees will block out the approach to the tiny, and absurdly difficult green. Any bad shot will be punished with bogey or worse.
Pebble Beach Hole 18: A perfect way to end a round with a drive over the Pacific with trees in the fairway for the too timid and deep bunkers, rough and even OB way to the right. The second and third shots are just as scary on this unbelievably great finish to an awesome round of golf.
