[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Tom, the gravel/sand pit was a result of a company whose actions destroyed one of the most beautiful areas on the coast. It was much bigger than the extraction company down by Fort Ord.

[Mike Hoak]

There is a good picture of the old Spanish Bay sand plant in the Pebble Beach coffee table book that the PBC put out several years ago.  

Judging by the picture, the land certainly does not scream "perfect golf site".  The picture is not dated, unfortunately.  There are several beautiful dunes on the left hand side of the picture (north up the coast from the sand  pit), but my understanding is that this property is not part of the present course.  In the picture, there is a road (17 mile drive?) separating the dunes from the sand plant site.

Tiger, I believe that I read somewhere that the sand plant was the only Pebble Beach Company operation that made any money during the Depression, and helped to keep the company afloat.  It's interesting to note that the plant did not close until 1973.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tiger - aha!  But doesn't the point remain that what was there for building as a golf course was the gravel/sand pit?

So I don't get pining away for what might have been - not in terms of the LAND anyway.  Hell, the city of San Francisco sits on what once was some darn fine dunesland also - should we also mourn for the golf courses that might exist there now?

 

TH

[Adam Clayman]

J.B, I think TH was referring to the dunesland across hwy 1 from the Fort.

It is surprising that people who understand the realities of golf course construction, as it fits into a larger business plan, can ignore those influences on SB.

If the golf course had been built for just the purist of the pure, I'm sure the effort would've been monumentally better. As for their hype, re; "links" this is afterall California which brings new meaning to the term caveat emptor.

[Tom Huckaby]

J.B, I think TH was referring to the dunesland across hwy 1 from the Fort.

Correct.  That comes up about every three months on here - that is, someone asks why that can't be made into a golf course... did you guys see the great land... etc, etc.  

TH

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I will confess the what was and what might have been is for dreamers. However, I find the dreamer in me comes out anytime I am on the Monterey Peninsula. Tom, lets go box the ears or at least kick the tombstones of the SF powers that be who let that land of potentially great golf courses become a city. It is interesting the city has two and argueably more great golf courses. None of them use dunes or dune features.

[Tom Huckaby]

That is interesting re SF.  But weren't all the courses at Olympic, as well as the one at SFGC, dunesy at one point in time?

In any case, heck I love to dream also.  But if I'm going to call something a missed opportunity, the opportunity has to exist to begin with, in some form of reality.

TH

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I think the inherited problem with Spanish Bay is that the course wasn't given the prime property, instead choosing to put the hotel where golf holes should have been. Imagine looking down on the entire golf course from up above, and you will get the point.

No it wasn't the best piece of linksland or duneland or whatever you want to call it. But it is a missed opportunity, but one I think is still perfect for the experience that was afforded me.

$120.00 to play twilight @ 4:00pm? I could see that price maybe at 2:00pm, but not 4:00pm.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tommy - I concur with every single word of that - well said.

TH

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