I turned 40 last year and it was hands down the best year of my life. I went on the golf trip of a lifetime to Pebble Beach, followed by The Masters and more importantly, became a father to a beautiful, happy and healthy baby girl. A moment, and a year I will never forget.
As I write this particular TPG Golf Diaries entry, the famous Steve Jobs quote from his Stanford address springs to mind: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Today, I am looking back to the trip to Pebble Beach, California.
Pebble Beach has without a doubt become a happy place for me. It’s like a spiritual home. I feel that way about St Andrews and the Isle of Arran, Scotland as well. Pebble is a golf mecca. Everyone in the world of golf wants to go, and if they have, then they know Pebble is a truly special place. I first went in 2018 to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, when Ted Potter Jr. won.
It was a spur of the moment decision, when at the time living with my best friend, we noticed a Qantas sale to SFO pop up, and decided to book the flight. I called my parents to see if they were keen, which they were, and they joined us. The only issue with going for the Pro-Am is that we couldn’t play the course due to the tournament being on. However we did manage to play Pacific Grove, Del Monte, Poppy Hills and Bayonet & Black Horse.
We went back to the Pro-Am two more times after that, but fast forward to my 40th year (2023), and it was time to book this trip of a lifetime: to finally play Pebble. We flew into LAX and stayed with a friend on Manhattan Beach for a couple of nights. Popped into Top Golf, went to SOHO House West Hollywood and then played Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes. Unbelievable track and highly recommend. After a beer and club sandwich in the clubhouse, we commenced the 6.5hr drive north to Pebble Beach. A stunning drive through the hills. The coastal road, Highway 1 was cut off due to flooding.
Driving into the Pebble Beach surrounds, you can almost feel the anticipation growing. There is an energy in the air. Pebble Beach is located in the Del Monte Forest, which is a unique and beautiful area containing Monterey Pine, Monterey Cypress, Coast Live Oak and Bishop Pine Groves. The smell is something I remember vividly.
The very first thing I do when in Pebble is cruise down 17-Mile Drive. It weaves past Pacific Grove, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Cypress Point and finally Pebble Beach. The ocean is on one side and the golf courses on the other. The houses are something else to say the least. There is no recession here.
We checked in at The Lodge, which was probably one of the nicest rooms I have ever stayed in. The balcony looked out over the 1st fairway. The following morning, we were in the grill by the 1st tee at 6am, enjoying some coffee and grits as fuel for the day. After an hour on the range, putting and chipping it was time for a ‘leveller’ in the famous Tap Room before teeing off at 8am.
We played off the tips with a very friendly older couple in a cart. The 1st is quite a short par-4, slight dog-leg right with homes along the right hand side. I opted for a driver and hit a well struck shot into the right rough. We were off. It was a beautiful sunny day with hardly any wind. It really was one of those rounds where I didn’t want it to end. Every moment was savoured. As I hit the 4th hole, I literally could not stop looking out into the ocean admiring the place.
The 4th to 10th holes is by far one of the finest stretches of golf I have played. As always at Pebble at this time of year, it started to get a bit chilly for the final few holes. In the back of my mind I was thinking about the 18th tee shot, which came far too quickly. Walking down 18 with my best mate, a cold Bud Light and a spring in my step was the definition of making memories.
As you walk off the 18th green, it’s a respectful nod to the fairways and into The Tap Room for a full debrief on the round. The customer experience at Pebble Beach is first class. From the booking process, through to the onsite experience, up until departing, I don’t have a negative word to say. One of the benefits of staying onsite is early access to tee times, which helps for planning. If you don’t stay onsite, there are many other options, such as Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Carmel has a stunning beach, perfect for early morning runs and evening strolls. And if you’re looking for a good early morning coffee and breakfast burrito, the Carmel Bakery is the place to go. Opens at 7am.
The following day, it was The Links at Spanish Bay, which is another superb track on the property and the day after, it was Spyglass Hill which has probably the best opening 5-holes of any golf course I have played. It was then time to drive to LAX, to catch a flight across the country to Augusta, Georgia. The Masters 2023 was officially happening, but that’s a story for another day.
Have you visited Pebble Beach?
What are your thoughts?
Any comments are always welcome and appreciated.
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