Great Day for the Irish...Congratulations to Rory McIlroy (Champion), and Shane Lowry (Runner-Up)
at the AT&T Pebble Beach Tournament. There'll be Guinness served on the plane carrying the two lads home.
Replies to: Great Day for the Irish...Congratulations to Rory McIlroy (Champion), and Shane Lowry (Runner-Up)
Pebble Beach looked as beautiful as ever. Absolutely stunning.
Rory looked completely in control on Sunday. Now if only he can do that at The Masters.
Indeed, all-time favorite course.
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I played there with my dad in 1994. Was -4 from the back tee after 17 holes
And promptly hooked my tee shot on 18 into the Pacific Ocean. Wound up with a triple bogey to shoot 71.
Glad you had a great round Mark. 8, 9 &10 usually kill me there.
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That's fantastic, Mark...easy to see why you turned Pro...as for the 18th, you're not the first one
to have added another "Pebble" to the shoreline ;-)...even Tom Kim fell victim to wanting an eagle to cap off the round. Do you recall which holes you birdied?
That's cool.
Awesome that you got to enjoy it with your dad. I played with my sons so I got the experience from the other side.
Everyone that's played there has great stories. We were there is 2022. I was even par along the coast holes from 4-10 but somehow managed to blow my brains out on the inland holes. Couldn't get over how small the greens were and how penalizing the green side rough was. Fran Tarkenton was a few groups behind us and aced #5. Big roars all around.
Pebble Beach is the best visual course I've ever played. Just in awe of every single view. It's the one time I wish my round was 6 hours long.
Our round actually did take six hours
My opinion of the course is it's an ordinary course placed on an extraordinary setting. It cost us $175 apiece back then. If my ankle ever heals, I'd go back one more time even though it'd be close to $700.
It is really pricey now.
You can't pre-book Pebble Beach without first booking a 2 night stay in one of their rooms. Each room (min $1K/night) gets you two greens fees, so you need two rooms to get a foursome. It'll run you $4,000-$5,000 for the hotel stay + $2,800 for a foursome. It's pricey.
You're right about the course itself. My boys actually like Spanish Bay and Spyglass as better golf courses, but Pebble is out of this world beautiful. It would be my second choice if I had 1 round to left to play. The Old Course is the only time I've ever actually got teary-eyed walking a fairway (the 18th).
Fortunately, I got to play Pebble a few times back in the '70's for $48.00...never scored anywhere
near par. Since the NCGA headquarters were at Spyglass back then, we played that course a lot (~$35/rnd)...for fun and tournaments...IMO, overall it's a better golfing experience...especially the first 5 holes that sweep down to the ocean. That said, it's impossible to beat #8 at Pebble as well as the holes just before and after. btw, going there and taking in the Carmel/Pacific Grove area is an added treat.
Your reminiscence of St. Andrews brings back the one time I played there...schlepped my clubs on a business trip just to play there when done...got a room at 'Rusacks Hotel by the 18th green...up early to be first in line for a caddy at the first tee...ended up getting the oldest (and most experienced) caddy...he asked my handicap (7 at that time) and sized me up after just a hole or two...guided me through to a 75. It's truly 'Mecca' for a golfer.