Monterey/Carmel Dream Course

[Mike_Golden]

How great would the following golf course be:

2 through 5 at Spyglass
7 through 10 at Pebble
13 through 17 at Cypress Point
15 through 17 at Spanish Bay
and finish on 17 & 18 at Pebble (Thanks, Tyler)

7 Par 3's, one par 5, par 65.

I'm guessing Monterey Peninsula has a few contributions to make as well.

Could any golf course or composite course in the world compare to this?

[Tyler Kearns]

Mike,

I believe your composite course is the best 17 hole course in the world  .

TK

[A_Clay_Man]

Discounting routing.

 These individual holes are great, and you even left off some others. However, Should a GC be 18 "E" ticket rides? Should a beautiful women be perfect?

[Ted Kramer]

I can't imagine leaving #1 Spyglass off of that composite course.

-Ted

[Bob_Huntley]

Ted,

Hear, hear.

Bob

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bob Huntley,

What holes from MPCC would you insert ?

Ted Kramer,

Agree on # 1 at Spyglass, it's a nice introduction to wonderful land and golf.

[Mike_Golden]

I only omitted #1 at Spyglass because I was thinking of holes that touch the ocean or are in the dunes.

So, if you put in #1, which hole would you take out-#17 at Pebble because there are already too many par 3's?  And sorry, #16 at Spanish Bay is a really good par 3 in the middle of 2 wonderful two shotters.

[Bill_McBride]

#1 at Spyglass is terrific as you make that left turn out of the parkland and into the dunes.  What an introduction to the next five holes!  And what a pity the climb up to the 1st tee wasn't the 18th hole.....I'm sure it could have been routed in reverse.

[John Foley]

Mike I always wondered if the land north of Cypress & south of Spyglass might not have yielded some phenomenal golf holes. I'm out traveling so I don't have Geoff's book on Cypress point or any other research material to know if any of that land was available then, how solid was 17 mile drive at the time, etc..

Not saying that you could have improved on Cypress, but a few mole ocean front holes could be bad could it?



Wonder what Raynor would have done?

[Ted Kramer]

I only omitted #1 at Spyglass because I was thinking of holes that touch the ocean or are in the dunes.

So, if you put in #1, which hole would you take out-#17 at Pebble because there are already too many par 3's?  And sorry, #16 at Spanish Bay is a really good par 3 in the middle of 2 wonderful two shotters.

I agree 100% with dropping #17 at Pebble.
That hole really did nothing for me in an architectural sense.
It was cool to be there after so much of the history and excitement that the hole has offered, but the actual playing of #17 at Pebble was otherwise very forgettable.

-Ted

[Eric Johnson]

#1 at Spyglass is terrific as you make that left turn out of the parkland and into the dunes.  What an introduction to the next five holes!  And what a pity the climb up to the 1st tee wasn't the 18th hole.....I'm sure it could have been routed in reverse.

Bill,

I was once told the original routing of Spy was reverse of what was built.  Cannot remember the reason(s) why this routing was abandoned.  Anyone have any ideas?  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

Holes #'s 1-4 at Spyglass are pretty good.
Some would throw # 5 in as well.

[Mike_Golden]

Patrick,

I agree on Spy 1-4, it would either be Pebble #17 or Spy #5 that would come out of this composite, at least in my estimation.  I played Spanish Bay yesterday for about the 5th time and once again was excited about playing 15-17, even though I doubled 15 and bogied 17 after good tee shots (I did par 16 at least ).

[Bob_Huntley]

Pat,

I think of the ocean holes I would include the two par threes on the back nine of the Dunes, Nos. 10 and 14 and the par four 12th.

The Shore is still a work in progress for me, but I'd probably go for the par 5 6th, the par three 7th and the four 8th. For sheer fun I would include the par three 11th from the upper tee. 177 yards to a green sloping away from the player and when the wind blows, I've seen grown GCA'ers cry.  

Bob

[THuckaby2]

Somehow the picture of grown GCAers
weeping on 11 tee MPCC Shore has me really
chuckling - only because I can seriously see
that happening, for so many reasons.

 

This is a fun exercise - so many holes to choose from.

But how about upping the ante?

Of course this leaves Pebble out of the mix, but
what would be the best use of CONTIGUOUS golf
holes?  One could draw from Spanish Bay-MPCC Dunes-
MPCC Shore-Spyglass-Cypress, all of which are connected
and/or adjacent.

I can't figure it out just yet - I don't have the requisite
imagination... But I'd bet anything someone here could
come up with a realistic, able-to-be-played
without car or helicopter golf course
that would be incredible.

Who's up for the challenge?

TH

[ForkaB]

As long as the round includes:

--Breakfast on the veranda at Cypress Point
--Lunch at the MPCC halfway house
--Apres-golf drinks at Spanish Bay
--Dinner and a late-night session at Club XIX

I don't really care which holes I play and even in which order!

[THuckaby2]

Very good point, Rich.  Such delights are
not to be missed.  

But come on, you know the area and have a GREAT
imagination, also.  You're one of the ones I was
counting on for a fine compliation here... give
it a stab, man!

TH