Cypress, The Dunes and Pebble

[Bob_Huntley]

I had the opportunity to play Cypress on Saturday, The Dunes on Sunday and Pebble this morning. With respect to the various acolytes of the good doctor, I must say Pebble came out as my favorite of the trio.

We teed off at 6.20 and I was back in the office, some five miles away by 10.15am. Pebble was in fantastic shape, the greens were running as quickly as I have ever seen them and the length of the course seemed much longer than I remember from such a short while ago.

Th new fifth hole is much easier than the old one up the hill.


What struck me today was how big a mound separates the right hand side of the 17th green from its usual pin position. I was on the front right and had to decide between a wedge or a putter to get near the hole. Three putts later, I realized the wedge was the better option.

If there are more difficult greens to hole out than those at Pebble, I would like to know about them.

Bob

[Jim Franklin]

Bob -

Check out the tournament in a few weeks at Oakmont.

By the way, I think the new #5 is much better too. I was not a fan of the old uphill #5. I play a little cut and the new hole sets up nicely for me.

I still prefer CPC to the other two, but the other two ain't too shabby .

[James Bennett]

Ah, the Dunes.  And Cypress, and Pebble.  Tell me Bob, each has an Ocean view shortish par 3 and longish par 3.  Which is your favourite of each length?

The Dunes #10 - 160 yards I think


The Dunes #14 - 210 yards I think (from the 'you must play from here' tee)

looking back from the green, looking north.


Cypress #15 - 150 yards


Cypress #16 - 225 yards (use one more club, or two more balls!)


Pebble #7 - 105 yards


Pebble #17 - 200 yards


A different shot of #17 at Pebble


The green, from a 45 degree angle at front right.  You can see Bob's dilemma here ("What struck me today was how big a mound separates the right hand side of the 17th green from its usual pin position. I was on the front right and had to decide between a wedge or a putter to get near the hole. Three putts later, I realized the wedge was the better option.")


For completeness, here is Pebble's 5th hole, about 170 yards ("Th new fifth hole is much easier than the old one up the hill.").


James B

[Steve Pozaric]

I know this completely ignores the question you posed, but very nice three rounds of golf.

Anyway, I have never played the Dunes course, but got to play Cypress last December and Pebble a number of years ago.  If I could do a Huckaby and black out the surroundings of the course, I  would rate Cypress slightly higher, but either one, I would be pretty happy with.  

[Tommy Williamsen]

Bob, i have played all three and consider myself fortunate to play any of them.  Choosing is tough, but Cypress is my favorite.  It has it all: parkland, dunesland, and ocean risk reward. It is only a difference between an A+ course and A couses.  I know we like to take pot shots at Pebble but it is prety amazing.

[Mike Benham]

Sometimes (OK, most of the time ...) on this board we forget the subtle features of a golf course that causes our enjoyment of play.

And for some of us, playing the game is the enjoyment.

[Tom Huckaby]

Steve P - just remember that was Huckaby protraying how MUCCI sees the golf course.  I myself notice and enjoy all surroundings.

And Bob, I'd say your experience highlights a big reason why Pebble gets a bad rap around here... not many get to play it quickly and early, as you just did, and as I have once.  When one does that, the crowd and other negative issues do tend to melt away, and one sees the course for what it is:  incredibly great fun.

Jim F. - let's not get started on #5 again.  Just do note Bob said the new version is easier... I'm not sure that equates to "better" in his mind.  But we all know where we stand on this, after what, 25 pages of discussion a few months ago?

TH

[Adam Clayman]

Bob's disdain for the new hole jumped off the page at me.

I'd love to hear his opinion of the new "Shivas" bunkers on 15?

Those who disect PB into it's individual components don't have the experience around to value the whole. No one on this board has the number of times around that Mr. Huntley has had. His words should be fodder for those who missed what he sees.

[Bob_Huntley]

Bob -

Check out the tournament in a few weeks at Oakmont.

By the way, I think the new #5 is much better too. I was not a fan of the old uphill #5. I play a little cut and the new hole sets up nicely for me.

I still prefer CPC to the other two, but the other two ain't too shabby .

Jim,

I didn't say the new 5th was better, I said it was easier.

Bob

[Jim Franklin]

I stand corrected. Bob said easier not better so we won't get into that discussion again.

All three are worthy choices and I would not be unhappy about playing any of the three again.

[Bob_Huntley]

Adam,

When setting up on the tee shot at the 15th, the player instinctively has to aim right of the tree guarding the left center of the barranca. It would seem to me, that in so doing, one would have to hit a pretty big hook to get in the the 'Shivas' bunkers down on the left.

Aesthetically they do no harm and give the hole a more balanced look. I may well take a ration of grief from some for that aside but I like 'em.

Bob  

[Adam Clayman]

If these bunkers are not centerline, it's imperative that the Shivas monikor be forever removed.

Bob, They are on the left side?

Doesn't that tee shot ask the player to hit a straight ball or one with a slight hook to avoid the O.B.?

Placing bunkers where they conflict with the hole strategy seems like there may be room for vilification.

[Adam Clayman]

Bob, Are these bunkers built up on their leftsides? Outside edge) If they are they will flow against the natural lay of the land.

 Do they do this Bob?


Edit:

The hole strategy can be seen in the old schematic on their website. The green opens up from the left side. It is the preferred line. If these bunkers conflict with that principle, I'd say they are ill-conceived.

[Matt_Cohn]

Bob,

What do you think about the original version?

[redanman]

The new fifth hole is much easier than the old one up the hill.

-nicely framed like something out of a zen garden.  All it lacks is a sign "HIT IT HERE!!!!!!"

That's good ?? !!! ?? !!!  news!  

I really liked the old 5th hole.

Bob have you too now gone to the dark side?
Another sign of the impending apocalypse?

What do you think about the original version?

The green looks smaller* today, I am SHOCKED to say.  So much for the greatness of Pebble Beach in its "classic small greens" - more "classic post-war" American maintenance, I'd say.

(Take a man in a respective photo, mark his height on a filing card or post-it and see how many men deep the greens are, if you wondered where I came up with such an outrgeous idea.  An old Boy Scout trick.)

[Rich Goodale]

Cypress is for voyeurs.  Pebble Beach is for golfers. Haven't played the new Shore yet.

[Steve Pozaric]

Huck:

Sorry about that, I didn't mean to imply that was the way you saw them (I always "admired" you skills with photoshop  )

RFG:
Agree Cypress is for voyeurs because that is all most get to be there (I count myself very lucky to be in that other camp due to a fortuitous change of events), but perhaps then Pebble is for poseurs, given the price tag these days.    

[Scott_Burroughs]

Shivas is right, the new bunkers on #15 are on the left side.  
You can't really see them from the tee, unless you walk to
the side to peek around the trees in the barranca.  And I'll let
you decide how they fit with the rest of the course:

[G Jones]

Hmm... all I remember about 17 at Pebble was that it was half dark, and when I got up there my ball was a foot from the hole on the right most pin position possible = birdie. Hit it to 10ft from the back tee on the 14th at MPCC too... but missed that putt.

Cypress... well, one day when i complete the pv/cp/an hatrick... although i'm scared that if i do this the world might just stop or something...

[James Bennett]

Cypress is for voyeurs.  

Peter Sellers in 'Being There' with the really hot wife of the billionaire (sorry, I can't recall who the actress was) .  

"I like to watch".

[redanman]

Denise DuBarry?



LINK TO FULL SIZE

[Matt_Cohn]

[Scott_Burroughs]

Cypress is for voyeurs.  

Peter Sellers in 'Being There' with the really hot wife of the
billionaire (sorry, I can't recall who the actress was) .  

While 'really hot' is certainly a subjective thing, Shirley
MacLaine, who played the wife in that (great, IMO) movie,
never did much for me.  The scene, though, is priceless.

[Adam Clayman]

Thanks for the aerial posting of 15.

Does anyone else see how they have placed them in the exact spot the architect encouraged the player to go?

 The leftside opens up the entire green to all sorts of shots, and these freshman put bunkers there. Sheeesh!

[Rick Shefchik]

Adam,

I see that more and more -- it's discouraging that sound strategic principals now seem to be an afterthought when folks start tinkering with established courses. It wouldn't have taken five minutes for the makeover committee to come to the conclusion that the left side of 15 was the preferred side, so the bunkers shouldn't go there.

So I think something else was at work. Looking at the aerial, it appears that the homes are much closer to the left side of the hole than they are to the right side. These bunkers say, "Don't hit it over here," and I'm guessing that's the message the homeowners left of #15 wanted conveyed. Ugh.