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Bob_Huntley

  • Karma: +0/-0
)/T First time at Pebble Beach
« on: August 01, 2008, 07:18:09 PM »
Is there anyone in the tree house that played Pebble Beach for the first time and would like to relate their experience, leading up to the visit and playing the course?

I have been asked by USA Today, Weekend Edition, to see if anyone would be interested in submitting to a ten minute telephone interview.

Anyone interested please  IM or e-mail me at bob @huntley.com

Thank you Ran for permitting me to post this.

Bob

Billsteele

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2008, 09:36:45 PM »
Bob-When I come to Monterey this month, I will be making my maiden journey at Pebble Beach on the 11th (two days before we are supposed to play). If that qualifies, I'd be willing to do it. BILL STEELE

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2008, 10:22:20 PM »
Bob,

I've only played Pebble once, and it was really quite an unexpected round.

I was able to go to KP this year because of a scholarship I won for college, which opened up a little bit of extra money for me.  I went down a day early to play some extra golf.  I had saved up for a few months to be able to pay for the trip.  My Dad is disabled for the rest of his life and thus funds are tight in the family, so making a trip like this was really special.  The scholarship had really opened some cool doors for me.

So, early in April, I was in Monterey and was playing my first round of the trip at Spyglass with fellow GCA'ers John Mayhugh, Tim Bert, and Bob Jenkins.  It was the time of my life - winding my way through the dunes, enjoying what I had seen on television but in real life.  Anyways, on the sixteenth hole, John and Bob start talking about playing Pebble Beach that afternoon.  We had a free afternoon and it was not going to waste.

So, after the round, we went to the pro shop at Spyglass to ask them what it would take to get on at Pebble, keeping in mind this was a last minute idea and we had no tee time at the course.  So, the pro shop member calls Pebble, and informs us that it is booked full for the day.   He mentions it might be worth it to go check personally with Pebble Beach, so we get in the car and make the short drive.

We get to Pebble and find one last parking spot available.  We park and head to the pro shop.  The first tee is scattered with groups, and there are upwards of fifty spectators watching people tee off.  Being that it was as perfect of a day as there can possibly be, it was no surprised to see the course so packed. Anyhow, we venture into the pro shop and look around, not knowing really how to approach things.  After a while the counter is clear, and so we go up to talk to the gentlemen running the pro shop.  I told him it was a dream to be at Pebble Beach, something I had only imagined before, and related to him the story of my Father and my scholarship.  We informed him we had no tee time, but would be very grateful if there was one more opening that would allow us to play the course.

The gentlemen tells us to wait outside and briefly walks through the door to the pro's office.  Thirty seconds later he comes out, takes us aside, and explains that if we are willing to fight darkness, they will open one more tee time up, just for us.  I cannot explain my emotion at that time, other then that I was extremely grateful and excited.  We thanked the gentlemen, and went to warm up before our round.

Finally, after twenty minutes (which seemed more like two hours), it was our turn to tee off.  I hit my drive at the first with about 40 people watching and drew it into the left rough.  The next five hours were magical. 

On the fourth hole, there was a group by the green when we stepped to the tee.  The caddy said it was clear to hit, and from the tee I proceeded to rope a tee shot that promptly took one bounce and hit a lady in the front left greenside bunker.  However, it was all smiles on the next tee when we went up and apologized.  Everyone was just enjoying the day.  I walked along the ocean on the next few holes, not even really believing that I was actually at Pebble Beach.  On #7, I hit my tee shot three feet from the hole.  On #8, John, Bob, and I all made pars.  Between 9 and 10 I bought the most expensive polish dog ever - and loved it.  I made a birdie on 11 as we turned away from the ocean.  On 14, we all took turns hitting from the front of the false front to a back left pin, trying to negotiate how to chip the ball perfectly to get it close.

Then, on #18, we walked down the fairway together, in the sunset.  I had John on my right, Bob on my left, the sun in the clouds above me and a feeling as if were just meant to be.  It was just magical. 

After returning home I wrote the pro a thank you letter and got a nice response back.  He stated something along the lines of, 'those are the types of things we like to do, I'm glad we got it right'.

They did get it right.  I'll never forget it.

Cheers,
Jordan

Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2008, 11:25:57 PM »
I met a guy on a plane, returning from San Jose, who invited me to play in the annual Billy Barroo. Pebble, Spy and Spanish. It was an opportunity I could not refuse. I'll never forget how I felt leaving the 18th green at Pebble. It was akin to setting up my casket behind the green because I was done. To think of all the great golf I've been exposed to since, I was a complete fool.
Since caddying there a few years later it was always special to loop for a Pebble virgin. The looks on their faces, the wows from their lips, always reminded me of my first time.   
"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

David Stamm

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2008, 01:44:31 AM »
Bob,

I've only played Pebble once, and it was really quite an unexpected round.

I was able to go to KP this year because of a scholarship I won for college, which opened up a little bit of extra money for me.  I went down a day early to play some extra golf.  I had saved up for a few months to be able to pay for the trip.  My Dad is disabled for the rest of his life and thus funds are tight in the family, so making a trip like this was really special.  The scholarship had really opened some cool doors for me.

So, early in April, I was in Monterey and was playing my first round of the trip at Spyglass with fellow GCA'ers John Mayhugh, Tim Bert, and Bob Jenkins.  It was the time of my life - winding my way through the dunes, enjoying what I had seen on television but in real life.  Anyways, on the sixteenth hole, John and Bob start talking about playing Pebble Beach that afternoon.  We had a free afternoon and it was not going to waste.

So, after the round, we went to the pro shop at Spyglass to ask them what it would take to get on at Pebble, keeping in mind this was a last minute idea and we had no tee time at the course.  So, the pro shop member calls Pebble, and informs us that it is booked full for the day.   He mentions it might be worth it to go check personally with Pebble Beach, so we get in the car and make the short drive.

We get to Pebble and find one last parking spot available.  We park and head to the pro shop.  The first tee is scattered with groups, and there are upwards of fifty spectators watching people tee off.  Being that it was as perfect of a day as there can possibly be, it was no surprised to see the course so packed. Anyhow, we venture into the pro shop and look around, not knowing really how to approach things.  After a while the counter is clear, and so we go up to talk to the gentlemen running the pro shop.  I told him it was a dream to be at Pebble Beach, something I had only imagined before, and related to him the story of my Father and my scholarship.  We informed him we had no tee time, but would be very grateful if there was one more opening that would allow us to play the course.

The gentlemen tells us to wait outside and briefly walks through the door to the pro's office.  Thirty seconds later he comes out, takes us aside, and explains that if we are willing to fight darkness, they will open one more tee time up, just for us.  I cannot explain my emotion at that time, other then that I was extremely grateful and excited.  We thanked the gentlemen, and went to warm up before our round.

Finally, after twenty minutes (which seemed more like two hours), it was our turn to tee off.  I hit my drive at the first with about 40 people watching and drew it into the left rough.  The next five hours were magical. 

On the fourth hole, there was a group by the green when we stepped to the tee.  The caddy said it was clear to hit, and from the tee I proceeded to rope a tee shot that promptly took one bounce and hit a lady in the front left greenside bunker.  However, it was all smiles on the next tee when we went up and apologized.  Everyone was just enjoying the day.  I walked along the ocean on the next few holes, not even really believing that I was actually at Pebble Beach.  On #7, I hit my tee shot three feet from the hole.  On #8, John, Bob, and I all made pars.  Between 9 and 10 I bought the most expensive polish dog ever - and loved it.  I made a birdie on 11 as we turned away from the ocean.  On 14, we all took turns hitting from the front of the false front to a back left pin, trying to negotiate how to chip the ball perfectly to get it close.

Then, on #18, we walked down the fairway together, in the sunset.  I had John on my right, Bob on my left, the sun in the clouds above me and a feeling as if were just meant to be.  It was just magical. 

After returning home I wrote the pro a thank you letter and got a nice response back.  He stated something along the lines of, 'those are the types of things we like to do, I'm glad we got it right'.

They did get it right.  I'll never forget it.

Cheers,
Jordan


Jordan, you told me the story while at the KP, but reading it now just gave me goose bumps. Playing Pebble is one of life's moments that you never forget. I was very happy for you when I heard you played it at the KP. And you couldn't ask for nicer guys to play with that day. Treasure the memories my friend, they are things that can never be taken away from you.
"The object of golf architecture is to give an intelligent purpose to the striking of a golf ball."- Max Behr

DMoriarty

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2008, 02:02:42 AM »
Bob,

My first time at Pebble had some similarities to Jordan's . . .  Motel 6 on Dec. 30th, somehow at the Lodge in a room behind the 18th the next day.  But it also involved a very late evening and plenty of very good wine, a very early tee time, and Liz almost clocking our caddy for one too many shopping or Italian jokes, I forget which.   Probably not appropriate for USA Today, but I'll tell you the story over a drink sometime
Golf history can be quite interesting if you just let your favorite legends go and allow the truth to take you where it will.
--Tom MacWood (1958-2012)

John Mayhugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2008, 10:07:59 PM »
Jordan did a great sales job getting the people at Pebble to let us play.  Douglas (the guy at the shop) was first class & really went out of his way to help us out.  The way things were going, I thought Jordan was going to get us a twilight discount too. ;D

What a day.

Jim Nugent

Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2008, 02:26:07 AM »
Jordan's story could go into one of the golf magazines.  Very well told. 

Ray Richard

Re: )/T First time at Pebble Beach
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2008, 07:25:13 AM »
     My younger brother and I decided Christmas eve that a trip to Pebble Beach would take place the following March. We bought tickets, made reservations, and packed our clubs. On the day of departure, a freak snowstorm decided to hit Boston, and I decided to take a bus to Logan Airport. The snowstorm turned into a whiteout blizzard and the bus trip turned into a slow crawl -- it took two hours to get within ten miles of the airport. I tried to talk the bus driver into letting me out along the side of the road so I could walk (golf clubs and baggage) to a nearby train station. He said no and I made it to the airport with about 2 min-utes to spare.
     We left Boston after a two-hour delay and we got to San Francisco around 10 pm. After driving a few miles we hit an incredible fog and we had to creep along the highway to PB. We got into the lodge at 2 am and after checking in with a semi-comatose doorman we got in our room at 2:30. My brother then sheepishly said that he had booked our tee time at 7:30 a.m. Waking up at 5 a.m was no problem -- they start mowing the turf under lights at 5 a.m.-- as an old greenkeeper the whirr of those mowers made me jump out of bed.
    We went over to the range and I saw a fellow on his knees near the tee. We wondered if he was having a seizure. We ran over to him and he said “ I lost my wedding ring last night, somewhere over here.” We helped him look for a few minutes then several PB security types showed up with CIA grade metal detectors. I always wondered how that story ended up- anybody for a PB love-triangle murder mystery?
    The round was wonderful although I got a bit misty eyed on tee #7. It was too much to handle, the view and the thoughts of a few departed friends and relatives who often talked about going to PB but never did. My brother had another surprise after the round-a visit to the spa. After an incredible massage by a burly female massuese , I started to come around.
   I tell everyone to do it, if only once. Spend the money, hire a caddy, stay in the lodge, and watch the sun settle over the 18th green while listing to sweet piano music on the veranda.

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