Not every golf course in Monterey County comes with a $495 green fee, the current price tag for a round at Pebble Beach.
In Carmel Valley along the Carmel River below the dramatic Santa Lucia Mountain range, the parkland-style East and West courses at Rancho Canada Golf Club
undulate between sycamore and cottonwood trees. The 192-yard hole #13
on the East calls for a carry across the river to an elevated green up
against the mountainside. At 6,357 yards, the West is a challenge,
including #9 where an uphill dogleg left requires a lay-up short of the
water for the average player. Golden eagles, bobcats, deer and 60+
species of birds share the fairways.
Pebble Beach Company’s hidden gem, the oldest course in continuous operation West of the Mississippi (since 1897), Del Monte Golf Course
runs 6,357 yards through an oak, cypress and Monterey pine forest.
Fairways are tight, greens are so, so small. Start right out with a
505-yard 5-par on #1. Johnny Miller calls it, “Sneaky hard and fun to play."
A 130 slope rating hints at the challenge of Laguna Seca Golf Ranch,
a 71 par, 6,161-yard beauty with elevated greens and tons of doglegs,
designed into rugged landscape by both Jones Sr. and Jr. The 13-acre
natural grass practice facility has been called the best in the
county. Online specials at Laguna Seca.
After a multi-year, $13 million renovation, 36-hole Bayonet & Black Horse
is back and better than ever. Hole routings were adjusted, and new
tees, bunkers and green complexes were added; now 21st century
Bentgrass stretches from tee to green and players get unobstructed
views of Monterey Bay and Point Pinos. At 7,104 yards, Bayonet is
considered by some to be the most difficult track on the Monterey
Peninsula. 7,024-yard Black Horse is an ideal companion, with Pacific
Ocean views, and millions of splashy, serrated-edged bunkers and
super-undulating greens.
Known as the "poor man’s Pebble Beach", Pacific Grove Golf Links
has fab ocean views. The front nine moves through deep forest, while
the back, designed by the legendary Jack Neville, original designer of
the Pebble Beach Golf Links, brings the dunes and ocean into play.
Signature holes include #12, a scenic 513-yard par 5 that runs to the
waterfront and into prevailing winds.
Across the street from Pebble Beach Golf Links, Peter Hay Golf Course
is the only 9 hole, par 3 golf course open to the public on the
Monterey Peninsula--a perfect practice ground for the short game, and
for kids and other beginners. The 17 Mile Drive gate fee is refunded with purchase of one green fee.
Host to many tournaments including the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (until the 2010 season), Poppy Hills Golf Course
weaves through the Del Monte Forest. A 74.3/144 force to be reckoned
with, the popular Robert Trent Jones Jr. design is the home course for
the Northern California Golf Association. NCGA members get nearly a 75%
discount off the $200 public green fee.
Green fees do run up at Spyglass Hill Golf Course,
designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and part of Pebble Beach Resorts
complex. The layout rolls through seaside dunes and cuts through a
dense pine forest with elevated greens and maddeningly-placed bunkers
and lakes. With a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 147, this
spectacular course is no slouch. Spyglass was ranked #11 on "America's
100 Greatest Public Courses" list by Golf Digest for 2009/2010.
More about golf in Monterey County.More about Bayonet & Blackhorse.
Pebble Beach gets a facelift for U.S. Open.
Founder/editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld,
Karen Misuraca
is a travel and golf writer from the California Wine Country. She
follows the little white ball around the world and blogs about International Golf Travel. And,
she also writes a blog on
Sustainable Travel.
