[David Ober]

... and the "wow factor" is gone:

I STILL think it's the greatest course in the world!  

And by the way, those of you who think that one and two are "muni" holes can bite me. I frickin' love those holes. There's just something about that tee shot that does it for me. And that bunker is perfectly placed and beckons you to get close, but not TOO close from the tee. Also, the approach is NOT easy, since you usually have a moderate to significant "ball-below-the-feet" situation to deal with. And two? I guess I just don't get the people who criticize it. The way two releases you from the lodge area and into the pristine wonderfulness that is Pebble just makes it something special. I love the way it announces to you that this is going to be a fairly "open" golf course right from that moment. And I love the giant cross bunker.

Heck, I guess I'm just in love with the place. Lust is more like it actually. I would play the course once a month if I lived up this way, no question about it, $450 green fee be damned.

Finally, I know we don't do this much here, but this was truly one of the highlights of my golfing life. My front nine from yesterday:

1. 3 putt from 15 feet for bogey. +1
2. Knock a greenside bunker shot to a foot and make birdie on 2. EVEN
3. Wedge to 4 feet and make birdie. (temp green) 1-under
4. Wedge to 6-feet and make birdie. 2-under
5. 4-hybrid to 20 feet and 2-putt for par. 2-under
6. LW to 12 feet and make birdie. 3-under
7. LW to 9 feet and make birdie. 4-under
8. 4-hybrid to just off the green. Nice up-and-down to save par.
9. 6-iron to just off the green. Nice up-and-down to save par.

We won't talk about the back nine... :LOL:

I'm up here to play in the California State Amateur (as is fellow CGA'er Andrew Biggadike). If you want to follow the action, you can do so at: www.scga.org

[Rick Shefchik]

David --

I'd be in love with the Auto Club 9-holer at Pike Lake, Minn., if I could play it in 4-under.

But scoring aside, your post describes almost exactly the way I felt after my first round at Pebble a couple of years ago -- and we won't talk about the score on either of my nines.

[Sean Leary]

Ive played Pebble 4 times.  After every time I say to myself I am going to come back every year.  Worth every penny. Just love it.  My favorite place on earth.

[JohnV]

75 at Poppy today?  Did you start on #1 with the double?  Not bad after that.

[David Ober]

75 at Poppy today?  Did you start on #1 with the double?  Not bad after that.

Started on 10.

I hate number one with the white hot passion of a thousand suns. The frickin' approach is DOWNHILL, yet it sometimes plays a full club LONGER than the distance. I just don't get it.

I guess I better "get it" by tomorrow morning, though, since I gotta play the hole again!! :LOL:

[David_Tepper]

David -

I see both you and Andrew Biggadike shot 75's today, which put you in the top 60 at this point. Good luck to both of you tomorrow (and hopefully for the rest of the week!).

DT

[Mark_Fine]

David,
I love Pebble as well.  When did you play it as I was just out there last week.  By the way, the temp green is on #3 not #4.  I also take it you played the far back tee on #5.  It is a tough hole from back there.  

Good luck in the tourney.
Mark

[Bill_McBride]

Why the temp green on #3?  Did they discount the green fee?  I thought not.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

David Ober,

Most golfers never get to play the BACK tees at Pebble, and as such, view holes like # 1 and # 2 in a different light.

Holes like # 2 are vastly different from the back tee that's short of the 1st green.

Is Andrew Biggadike from Ridgewood CC in NJ ?

Pebble Beach is the real deal, a spectacular golf course.

[Brian Marion]

There are some things in life you don't question and to me, Pebble is one of them.

[David_Tepper]

P. Mucci -

Yes,  Andrew Biggadike is from Ridgewood CC in New Jersey. He has been living & working (and playing some darn good golf) in the SF Bay Area since last summer.

DT

[Mark_Fine]

#3 green apparently required drainage.  I took a lot of photos during the week as the construction was going on.  I'll try to post a few in the next day or so (still not downloaded everything from my camera).  They stripped the sod and are maintaining it next to #16 tee.  They did the same when they did work on #15 green.  

The back tees definitely make a difference but I love the course no matter which set I'm playing from.  

[PThomas]

played it once about 15 years ago and loved it...

..but at 450 a round plus your hotel:  sorry, too much for me

[David Ober]

David,
I love Pebble as well.  When did you play it as I was just out there last week.  By the way, the temp green is on #3 not #4.  I also take it you played the far back tee on #5.  It is a tough hole from back there.  

Good luck in the tourney.
Mark

You're right of course about the temp being #3, and not #4. My recap is wrong also.

Played yesterday, and was only set back $200 due to it being a practice round for the State Amateur. Pebble for $200 is a BAR GUHN.  

[Jordan Wall]

Great round David.

I had a good one myself today, a 74 with -2 on the last six holes.  Not bad...

David, a question.  Do you think new technology has made #18 PB better or worse?  Some people I have heard say it makes the hole better..

[David Ober]

Great round David.

I had a good one myself today, a 74 with -2 on the last six holes.  Not bad...

David, a question.  Do you think new technology has made #18 PB better or worse?  Some people I have heard say it makes the hole better..

First of all, great round! :-)

I think it makes it a better hole -- in theory. Of course, you're talking to a guy who plays the game like a 1960's era pro. I hit my driver 260 - 270 most of the time, so No. 18 is clearly a 3-shotter for me.

[Tom Huckaby]

Add another to the growing list of non-cranky Pebble believers.

It is a truly great golf course.  

But would you really play it twice a month if you lived closer?  Man, that's a lot of money...  

And David, you need to learn to embrace and love #1 Poppy Hills... 2iron out to the left, 5-6iron to the green.  No profit on hitting anything else off the tee.  I gather you got that part though.  As for the approach, it is against the prevailing wind... and remember sea air is heavier... yes it does tend to play its distance.  Go get 'em today!

 

[Eric Franzen]

But would you really play it twice a month if you lived closer?  Man, that's a lot of money...  

Huck,

Easy choice there.

I would play one round at Pebble and spend the remaining 450 on three weekday rounds at Pasatiempo.

[Tom Huckaby]

Eric - that would seem to me to be a wiser choice.

But still, that's $900 per month, for either 2 or 4 rounds of golf.  I know, lots of people likely spend that, or more, on private clubs when dues and all else are considered...

But man that still seems to me like a lot of money.

Oh well....

BTW, you need to get your mind on a rather big game that begins in four hours.  

[David Ober]

But would you really play it twice a month if you lived closer?  Man, that's a lot of money...  

Huck,

Easy choice there.

I would play one round at Pebble and spend the remaining 450 on three weekday rounds at Pasatiempo.

That's probably what I'd do too, come to think of it...

[Tom Huckaby]

David - which as I say, would be a wise choice.  But hell if you are willing to spread around that $900, might as well see another course also and get some more golf in...

Pebble $450
Pasa x2 $300
Pacific Grove Muni x4-5 (remaining $150)

 

Now get out there and embrace Poppy #1 and feel the love.  Yes, it's an weird golf hole... but let everyone else think that... feel the love... the hole is yours.  

[Mike Benham]

And David, you need to learn to embrace and love #1 Poppy Hills... 2iron out to the left, 5-6iron to the green.  No profit on hitting anything else off the tee.  I gather you got that part though.  As for the approach, it is against the prevailing wind... and remember sea air is heavier... yes it does tend to play its distance.  Go get 'em today!

 

For a proclaimed short-knocker, you sure hit your 2-iron a long ways ... 415 yards from the blue markers, against the wind and heavy air.  3-wood / 6-iron would be pushing it ...

[Tom Huckaby]

Mike - two things:

I forgot these guys play the tips.

I also assume that David hits it a lot farther than I do, no matter what he says here.

 

[Mike Benham]

David - which as I say, would be a wise choice.  But hell if you are willing to spread around that $900, might as well see another course also and get some more golf in...

Pebble $450
Pasa x2 $300
Pacific Grove Muni x4-5 (remaining $150)

 

Now get out there and embrace Poppy #1 and feel the love.  Yes, it's an weird golf hole... but let everyone else think that... feel the love... the hole is yours.  

Don't forget the price of gas ...

[Jordan Wall]

Mike - two things:

I forgot these guys play the tips.

I also assume that David hits it a lot farther than I do, no matter what he says here.

 

Tom,

I am assuming you have been to Seattle.
Is the air denseness the same here as it is in Cali?  Or, does the ball not travel very far there just like here?
I can't say how badly I want to go to Denver on a hole waaaaaaay downhil and waaaaaaay downwind and see how far I can pound the ball.  It just doesnt work in Seattle.
 

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