Course Spotlight
Why Pebble Beach is One of the World's Most Beautiful Golf Courses
By Chuck Dunbar, PGA
Published on
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Chuck Dunbar was the PGA Head Professional at Pebble Beach Golf Links from 1999-2015. Below, he shares what makes the course so special.
Expect an unforgettable experience.
That's the one thing you can count on at Pebble Beach Golf Links. No matter what time of year you come, no matter what time of day you play, no matter how good a player you are, when you put a peg in the ground on the first tee, you can expect one of — if not the — most unforgettable and enjoyable rounds of golf of your life.
With the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am going on this weekend, it's the perfect time to discuss four reasons why Pebble Beach is what it is: one of the most beautiful golf courses on the planet.
- The views. From the majestic mountains to the east, to the breath-taking cliffs, to the amazing flora and trees that dot the course, there may not be a more scenic place — much less golf course — than the Monterey Peninsula. Players are probably more apt to forget their putter than their camera when they visit us. Many have called our course the greatest meeting of land and sea. When you visit, you'll understand the sentiment. And let's not forget the world's most spectacular water hazard, the glorious Pacific Ocean. Whether sparkling on a calm day, or violently crashing on the rocks on a breezy day, there may not be a more incredible visual than looking out into Stillwater Cove. I'd say that qualifies as beautiful.
- History and tradition. You can't plan it, at least not to this scale, but history and tradition play a huge part in what makes Pebble Beach beautiful. We've hosted all the great players, major championships, a celebrity-studded PGA Tour event every year, and had so many incredible golf moments that it would take a few books to include them all. Think about how many players would love to have their names associated with Pebble Beach . . . to say, "Yeah, I won such-and-such at Pebble Beach."
- Design. Jack Neville and Douglas Grant designed Pebble Beach Golf Links in 1919, and from the moment it was open for play, people have marveled at the way it routes through the land, hugs the coastline, incorporates the cliffs, ocean and all the terrain into a seamless and inspiring journey. When you play this golf course, you will be asked to hit all types of shots, and you'll celebrate the ones you hit well, but you'll also fondly recall the ones you didn't.
- The smiles. There is an aura of anticipation and excitement that is quite contagious at Pebble Beach. People are not just there for the golf course; it's the experience, too. And many visits to Pebble are the fulfillment of a lifelong goal, someone who may have been saving and planning a trip for years. And more often than not, they come with the most special golf partner in their lives, whether it's a parent, a spouse, or close friend. And so it's more than a round of golf to them. It's a shared moment in time, a special bond that now connects them and their playing partner in a way that can't be replicated anywhere else.
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