Pebble Beach

[A_Clay_Man]

Huck, I'm sure it was Dan King who stole your alleged idea.

George, The first thing I felt after walking off the 18th green, for the first time, was how after hearing the hype for years and years, it still did not disappoint.

Architecturally speaking, there are so many surprises out there (or were). Recent bunker "improvements" (reads Nursemaids) are questionable IMO. But, there are still plenty of juicy morsels for the observant. The eighth hole is likely the most impressive. It starts with the blindness created by the hill. Then if you're aware, you'll see the sign that reads 245 to cliff. I was so naive, I said to myself "what cliff". Then after the climb, you view the bunkering and green complex in an openess that is unrivaled. The coast of Carmel Bay up to the right, the sixth hole, to the left. As your curiosity mounts, you approach the cliff's edge and see the sheer drop. "oh that cliff". Watching your ball fly over the cove down down and down towards it's fate, there's a moment of trepidation as the expectation colides with reality. What follows is a jaunt downhill in the fairway facing Carmel Bay, with either a bounce of excitement over the prospects for your next, or in absolute fear of it. A wonderful moment to soak up the real pleasures of the sport, especially if you're on the green and your opponent ain't.

[THuckaby2]

Huck, I'm sure it was Dan King who stole your alleged idea.

Adam - oh, it's such a great idea, I'm sure many have stolen it by now.  I'd be honored if Dan did so, with or without attribution.  But there's no alleged about it; the initial idea was mine, and Goodale did come on here and postulate it and claim it as his own.  Doddering old man, remember?

 

[PThomas]

I can relate to Ted said about being REALLY excited on the first tee

to compound matters, the two guys they paired me with both hit CRAPPY shots, one I think a dribbler just past that wooden fence...

so it's my turn...I manage not to wet my pants and keep my swing speed to less than 200 mph and.....amazingly, hit a perfect left to right 3 wood, just as I hoped!!

definitely one of my career highlights...

[Jeff Goldman]

Kyle,

Adam has it right.  The thing I remember is that the course has more all-world fun "wax poetic" shots than any course I have played (admittedly not a huge number).  In my round in December during a torrential downpour, it was still fantastic.  Crushing my second shot on 8 after a tee ball to the right edge of the fairway, pretty near the cliff with the longest carry, watching it go through the wind and rain, yelling "GO... GO", and watching it land at the front of the green.  Shot of a lifetime, and tells you what Pebble is about.  Then I killed a seagull on 9 with a low screamer.  Well, they can't all be great.

Jeff Goldman

[Patrick_Mucci]

Kyle Harris,

Why do you feel that Oakmont is brutal ?

I know members who play it frequently who love it, day in and day out.

Or, are you talking about a 36 handicap playing it from the tips ?

I didn't find it brutal when I played it, and neither did the double digit handicaps who've played it with me.

Wayne Freeman,

You're correct.

[Kyle Harris]

Pat, I don't feel it's brutal at all. Read my first post on this thread.

Edit: I realize where I was unclear. I use temper in a musical sense... to fine tune, to adjust...

In the one thread, I was telling Tom about my feelings re: Oakmont and how it's gentler and more fun than a simply brutal course would be.

[THuckaby2]

Patrick - it was me who thought Oakmont is brutal.  It came up on another thread - and it's just by reputation, ie what others have said, in the media and otherwise.  I have never seen it in person, and I wondered how brutal it really was, and what more to it there was.  Young Kyle and some others did a fabulous job of explaining it to me. I am moved to look beyond the perception and stereotype without a doubt.

TH

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tom Huckaby,

That's interesting,

You've never seen it in person, but yet, you've decided to evaluate it as a brutal golf course.

This has a familiar ring to it.  

It's another reason why you have to judge for yourself.

One man's NGLA is another man's Oakmont.

[THuckaby2]

Patrick:

Be careful with your interpretations.  I never "evaluated" it as a brutal golf course.  I made it VERY clear - CRYSTAL clear - that I had not seen it, and I was just reporting what I had heard from others.  I asked for clarification, and I got some great stuff from some patient folks.

Now if THAT is somehow bad, well... what the hell are we here for?

TH

ps - I absolutely believe one man's NGLA is another man's Oakmont.  That's why if you read carefully, I never say anyone else is ever WRONG about any course opinions given here.  I might say there are different opinions than that shared, but I never say either is right or wrong.

[Jim Franklin]

As for Oakmont, it is brutal... if you are not driving the ball well. I played there a couple of weeks after The Amateur and it had been wet for those couple of weeks so the rough was not cut and it was BRUTAL. I played during their club championship and those guys had no problem as they knew every nook and cranny, but I would miss the fairway a bit and bogey. I did knock my third shot in for eagle on #4 though. That certainly helps the scorecard look better. As for Pebble, I be there next Thursday and give you my opinion then.

[Patrick_Mucci]

As for Oakmont, it is brutal... if you are not driving the ball well.

What's brutal about it ?[/color]

I played there a couple of weeks after The Amateur and it had been wet for those couple of weeks so the rough was not cut and it was BRUTAL.

I could say that about a great number of golf courses.
A course is prepared for a USGA championship, the rough isn't cut for weeks, and it's wet.

Is this something new ?
Your local chip and putt is tough under those conditions.[/color]

I played during their club championship and those guys had no problem as they knew every nook and cranny,

What nooks and crannys ?
There's very little that doesn't meet the eye at Oakmont.[/color]

but I would miss the fairway a bit and bogey.

With a USGA set up, wet conditons and a rough that hasn't bee cut for weeks, missing fairways is supposed to result in bogies.[/color]

I did knock my third shot in for eagle on #4 though. That certainly helps the scorecard look better.

I hope you had the scorecard framed or the ball mounted, or both.[/color]

As for Pebble, I be there next Thursday and give you my opinion then.

I'd like to know the widths of the fairways in the DLZ's at both Oakmont and Pebble.  If you didn't measure them at Oakmont, could you measure them at Pebble ?[/color]

[Andy Doyle]

I too was surprised by how small the greens are at Pebble.  The green on #14 is tiny for a par 5 - and the size of the drop from back left to front right - scary!

I was surprised (probably unfairly) at how nice everyone was that worked there.  I showed up very early on a Saturday morning as a single with no tee time.  The staff was very polite and helpful - the ass't starter took my cell phone number and they basically told me to make myself at home - range, putting green, breakfast, coffee, etc.  I guess I was expecting the snooty resort attitude, but they couldn't have been nicer.  I was already gagging from the green fee, so I opted to walk and carry my own bag (Dave should be happy I didn't).  I thought they might not look kindly on that, but the starter was very encouraging - we had a great conversation on the first tee when he found out I played Bayonet and Black Horse the previous day - told me stories about playing HS golf matches there.

I was surprised by how high the cliff is on #8, how long the carry is on your approach shot, and how long your ball stays in the air.

Andy

[Nick Pozaric]

thank you Tom Doak for agreeing with a post I had earlier this week about Pebble's greens being SMALL!!! .......there were people who disagreed with that assessment, by the way

2 greens that are so small in person that really stuck out in my head are the par 5 14th and the par 3 17th.  I have seen those holes a million times on TV but until you see them in person you cant begin to realize.  Also the amount of slope and design of the 14th green makes the par 5 even more difficult

[Jeff Fortson]

 Tell me any other place on the planet you would rather be as a golfer other than on the 18th tee or green.

I can think of at least 100 different places I'd rather be.  All of which are in the golf world.

Bob makes a great point - the cart paths with their huge curbs are an eyesore for sure.  Remove those and perfection exists.

TH

Removing the cart paths would improve the place, but "perfection"?  Not in my world.  Pebble Beach is a great course that is greatly overrated.



Jeff F.

[Peter Galea]

 Tell me any other place on the planet you would rather be as a golfer other than on the 18th tee or green.

I'd choose the middle of 9 fairway with Carmel Beach and Point Lobos in the distance. Right up the road, the 15th tee at Cypress gets a nod too.

[THuckaby2]

Jeff - your views on Pebble are known and duly noted.  Agree to disagree.

 

TH

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