Playing Pebble Beach

[Niall C]

Along with 3 pals I’m looking at playing Pebble Beach next March/April and looking at the PB website (assuming I read it correctly) we have to stay at the resort for two nights to get a tee-time, unless we book a day in advance which for obvious reasons isn’t practical.
 
At the risk of coming across as a stereo-typical tight fisted Jock, do we really need to shell out for two nights accommodation in order to pre-book a tee-time or is there some other clever way of doing it ? I should say that if push came to shove we would “happily” pay the price as PB is the cornerstone of the trip for the other guys.

Any advice gratefully received.
 
Niall

[David_Tepper]

Niall -

Can't help with an answer to your question, but if your group expects to play several of the other courses in the Pebble Beach area, you should take a look a purchasing a "Dukes Card." It gets you discounted green fees at Spyglass, Spanish Bay & Old Del Monte.

http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/del-monte-golf-course/membership

It might be cost effective, even on a short visit to the area.

DT

[John Kavanaugh]

Niall,


Have either you or your friends applied to become magazine raters?  There is plenty of time before your trip.

[Rob Marshall]

Along with 3 pals I’m looking at playing Pebble Beach next March/April and looking at the PB website (assuming I read it correctly) we have to stay at the resort for two nights to get a tee-time, unless we book a day in advance which for obvious reasons isn’t practical.
 
At the risk of coming across as a stereo-typical tight fisted Jock, do we really need to shell out for two nights accommodation in order to pre-book a tee-time or is there some other clever way of doing it ? I should say that if push came to shove we would “happily” pay the price as PB is the cornerstone of the trip for the other guys.

Any advice gratefully received.
 
Niall

That's what I had to do when I played there/ Two nights at the lodge.

[Eric Smith]

Hi Niall.


Depending on whether your group is willing to split up I know that when Stephen Davis and I played there last July we walked into the pro shop around lunch time and asked to play the following day and were paired with another twosome in the second group out. (@ 6:10 I believe it was!)


Best of luck!

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Niall,

I'll echo Eric's comment, but if you decided to buck up for the two night guarantee I don't think its too much more to make it a package at that point to add Spyglass and Spanish Bay.

And I for one thought that Spanish Bay was pretty good, other than the annoying "environmentally sensitive" areas you had to play as OB.  The stuff looks just like the scrub you play out of at Pinehurst.

[Wayne_Kozun]

I think you get the same playing privileges staying at the Inn at Spanish Bay which is a fair bit cheaper than the Lodge at Pebble.

[Niall C]

Niall -

Can't help with an answer to your question, but if your group expects to play several of the other courses in the Pebble Beach area, you should take a look a purchasing a "Dukes Card." It gets you discounted green fees at Spyglass, Spanish Bay & Old Del Monte.

http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/del-monte-golf-course/membership

It might be cost effective, even on a short visit to the area.

DT

David


Many thanks for that. Looks like a no brainer. We had already pencilled in Spyglass but not Spanish Bay. Certainly looks well worth while.


Eric/Ryan,


Personally I'd take the chance of rocking up the day before and seeing if we could get a time but understandably the others aren't keen on going all that way without a guaranteed tee-time even though we will be there for a week. Its a bit like you guys and TOC.


John


Sound advice but I'm not sure I've got the qualifications !


Niall

[Marty Bonnar]

Mr C,
If you go to the Monterey peninsula and don't AT THE VERY LEAST try to even just walk CPC, you will regret it for the rest of your natural.
Anyway, you'll be driving past it a few times on your trip so you'll see what I mean.
Once in a lifetime, baby, once in a lifetime...
Love,
F.

[David_Tepper]

"Many thanks for that. Looks like a no brainer. We had already pencilled in Spyglass but not Spanish Bay. Certainly looks well worth while."

Niall -

Don't overlook a round at Old Del Monte, likely the oldest course in California and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi. It even has a bit of a "British" feel to it. 

And, of course, a round at Pacific Grove muni ("the poor man's Pebble Beach") is a must.

http://www.playpacificgrove.com/

DT
 

[Marty Bonnar]

"Many thanks for that. Looks like a no brainer. We had already pencilled in Spyglass but not Spanish Bay. Certainly looks well worth while."

Niall -

Don't overlook a round at Old Del Monte, likely the oldest course in California and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi. It even has a bit of a "British" feel to it. 

And, of course, a round at Pacific Grove muni ("the poor man's Pebble Beach") is a must.

http://www.playpacificgrove.com/

DT

100% agree with Mr T. Pacific Grove is a wee beauty - on the ocean side at least. Oh, and if you find Nancy's contact lens on the tenth tee, just chuck it. She's had lasik since then. Boy, is that ten years already? Eek...
F.

[SteveOgulukian]

The safest option is to bite the bullet and book two nights. I would stay at Spanish Bay. Cheapest rooms are $100 less and I think the resort is nicer.

[Ryan Bass]

I can vouch for Pacific Grove.  The back nine still stands out as the highlight of my golf trip to the NoCal 4 years ago.  That trip included PBGL, Spyglass, L at SB, The Preserve, Lake Merced and Presidio.  Wish I could live in the Mid West (which I do) but play Pacific Grove most of the time.

[MClutterbuck]

I would also stay at Spanish Bay, nicer hotel and you can always enjoy the best part of the Lodge at Pebble Beach which is the Tap Room after your round. But I would avoid the course. It was the single worst experience on a golf course in my life. I would not pay $40 for another round there. It is by far the worst course on the Peninsula and it took us 7 hours to play. For less money, go to Poppy Hills.

[Niall C]

Mr C,
If you go to the Monterey peninsula and don't AT THE VERY LEAST try to even just walk CPC, you will regret it for the rest of your natural.
Anyway, you'll be driving past it a few times on your trip so you'll see what I mean.
Once in a lifetime, baby, once in a lifetime...
Love,
F.

FBD


Unfortunately don't have the contacts for Cypress Point but planning to jump the fence and hopefully get one or two holes in before security guns me down. Do you know if they shoot to kill over there ?


Niall

[Niall C]

David/Martin/Ryan,


Thanks for the advice on Pacific Grove.


MClutterbuck


Thanks also for the chat on Spanish Bay course. I've heard mixed reviews on it and interestingly the tour operator we're speaking to hasn't suggested it.


Niall

[Jim Lipstate]

I have been to Pebble several times. They usually have a spring package deal to stay and play Pebble, Spanish Bay and or Spyglass. I always stay at the Inn at Spanish Bay. I think it is more atmospheric than the Lodge and you can sip a nice single malt in the evenings and listen to the bagpiper make his way through the dunes to the resort. We always opt for an early tee time. We went off at Pebble at 7:10 and finished the round in 4 hours 20 minutes. Much better than the 5 hour plus rounds later in the day. I like the links feel to Spanish Bay.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Another vote for the lodging at Spanish Bay.

On 17 mile drive there is a look out point (can't remember the name) that is behind number 18 tee at Cypress Point. All the nature lovers were gazing at smelly seals or something. I faced the opposite direction and looked over the fence and just fantasized.

Thought for a moment about grabbing a club and playing one hole before the cops got me.

[Sean Ogle]

I stayed at Spanish Bay last month while playing Pebble and Spyglass. Definitely the way to go, as they have a fantastic outdoor patio area that I found to be a much better setting than what's at the Lodge.


We got a 6:50 tee time at Pebble and played in about 4 hours. Much better than the 6 hour round horror stories I'd heard about and was expecting.


As far as rates, if you're a rater or media they will help out a bit with the room rate and sometimes the obligation to stay two nights - but otherwise that's pretty much the drill.


And for what it's worth there were definitely no walk up times the day I played - absolutely packed.

[James Brown]

I was going to be in Carmel for a couple of days in March 2010, staying at a local hotel and called the PB pro shop about 5 days before and asked the rules for walk-ons and they just asked me what tee time I wanted on the day I wanted to play.  A pleasant surprise.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Niall,

That's a very bad idea unless you want to spend several days of your vacation at 351 Madison St in Monterey, where the views, food and amenities aren't very good. 

With you and your friends traveling all that distance, don't leave anything to chance.

I would recommend trying to reserve the earliest tee times possible and then seeing what you can arrange, spontaneously, in the afternoon.

Early morning tee times will produce shorter rounds, afternoon tee times might not finish the rounds.

That's a great time of year and you should have a great time.

I'd make another suggestion to you.
Try to drive the hour up to Santa Cruz and play Pasatiempo, it's a must play.

Pick a day when you get the earliest time, say 6:40.
You'll be done at 10:40
Drive to Pasatiempo, arrive at noon, have lunch and try to tee off at 1:30. 
You can book a tee time on the Internet or by calling Pasatiempo. 
You won't be disappointed, Pasatiempo is fabulous.
Just yesterday, I was with a group of golfers who were discussing Pasatiempo and how great it is.

Enjoy your trip



Unfortunately don't have the contacts for Cypress Point but planning to jump the fence and hopefully get one or two holes in before security guns me down. Do you know if they shoot to kill over there ?


Niall

[John Percival]

Laura and I stayed at SB and it was awesome!
Low key, yet top quality in every way.
And she almost dunked one at #13!
Took me 2 minutes to fix the cup.

And as far as the glacial pace at PB, DUH!, just play an eightsome.
Imagine the group pics.

[Terry Lavin]

Stay in Monterey. Play PB once. Don't press repeat.

[Daniel Jones]

Guess I'm in the minority in saying we thoroughly enjoyed The Lodge, with exception of a lousy dinner in the restaurant one night. Our standard room was enormous, and it was great being able to walk out to the 18th in the evenings. If I was to go back...which is a big if...I'd stay at the lodge again.

[Niall C]

All


Many thanks for all the advice, which was gratefully received.


Patrick


Thanks for another recommendation for Pasatiempo which was already on the list (in my case, I had it ahead of PB !). As an aside, I soent a couple of months in Santa Cruz back when I was backpacking, and never even knew there wasa golf course there ! The shame of it.


Niall