The 8th at Pebble Beach under the knife

[Karl Jensen]

Found these two early images of Pebble Beach's 8th green from two perspectives. Looks like the green was larger with less bunkers. Notice the extra length of the flagstick in the one photo. The hole was designed originally in 1917 as a 452 yard Par 5. I'm guessing the early golfers would play the hole as a dogleg right in 5 strokes and only a few would take a more heroic route of chancing a long second shot over the Carmel Bay cove.


Pebble Beach Golf Course 8th green, 1918



Pebble Beach Golf Course 8th green, Apr 1922 Golfers Magazine

[Kalen Braley]

Apparently they have also made this minor change on the 8th as well.  But perhaps Darwins Theory should be allowed to continue here... 

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/35573186/pebble-beach-makes-8th-hole-safer-spieth-daring-shot

[Brett Hochstein]

Someone who has been on the green before and after would have to verify (or someone involved in the design and construction), but to me it seems like the new version is a lot flatter compared to the scary tilt of the old one.  Is that the case, or does the expanded outline just make it look that way?  Green expansion is great; re-contouring and changing the green's character is not.

[Kevin_Reilly]

I've probably posted this before (proud dad exemption), but there's not a greater second shot in golf and nothing better than your son hitting it to 6 feet and making the bird.


https://youtu.be/YybDxLkPE5s

[Matt_Cohn]

Someone who has been on the green before and after would have to verify (or someone involved in the design and construction), but to me it seems like the new version is a lot flatter compared to the scary tilt of the old one.  Is that the case, or does the expanded outline just make it look that way?  Green expansion is great; re-contouring and changing the green's character is not.

Flattening was definitely a main purpose. As small as that green was, it’s amazing how little of it was actually pinnable. I think I heard on Golf Channel that the pinnable area has doubled.

[MCirba]

Is it just me, or do the new surrounds look wonky?

[Matthew Rose]

Something doesn't look right about it, to my eye. It's kind of jarring.

[MCirba]

Something doesn't look right about it, to my eye. It's kind of jarring.

Ham-handed?  Amateurish?  Out of whack? 


All come to mind.