When will you play @ Pebble Beach?

[sacm3bill]

Even though I only live a few hours away, I never thought I would ever consider spending that kind of cash to play Pebble. Then I saw it in person for the first time this year at the Open - that changed my mind. (Not saying I'm definitely going to, but I've gone from "No way" to "Possibly someday...")

[J_Bone]

I was planning on playing there next weekend. My sister is getting married right there and had group all ready to go........and blam. I was volunteered to setup and play Croquet instead. What....are you kidding me? "Yes, I'm so sorry." I know it's her day/weekend and all. But man, I haven't been back over this way in 8 years.
Sorry to vent, but someone else started this thread and it just added salt to the wound.

[Monkey Wrench]

the day i play pebble beach is the day i get my pga tour card!


or i stumble upon a few million dollars!

[alomar123]

I guess it is a goal for me in the future. I want to play as many great courses as I get better.

[O.B. Right]

I used to live nearby and would go walking and bike riding in Pebble Beach all the time, it's a truly beautiful place. I definitely wouldn't play it now - I would want to be a much better player. Maybe when if/when I'm a single digit capper.

One thing that gives me pause is not only the price, but where the $$ goes. It never sat quite right with me how you have to pay to drive into pebble beach. My town was right next door and we had an awesome ocean drive - we didn't charge admission, though. Compared to Pacific Grove or even Carmel, the snoot factor is up there at Pebble.

BTW - if you're ever in the area try playing the Pacific Grove Muni. I could play there, as a resident, for about $30 bucks a round. The back 9 has some pretty cool views. I wish I would've played it more but I wasn't really into golf back then.

[jime]

I live in the San Francisco Bay area and about 1990 my sister who lived in St. Louis called and asked me if I could take time off to play Pebble Beach. Her car salesman husband had won a “dream vacation” for two to golf at Pebble and she didn’t play golf. I ended up playing for free at both Pebble Beach and The Links at Spanish Bay.

Also, when I was stationed in Monterey with the Navy in the late 70’s I never had the $100 they charged then to play Pebble, but as a member of the Northern California Golf Association, we could play Spyglass for $10 after 4:00 PM. We played many times but were never able to finish 18 holes before dark and always had to quit after about 15 holes.

[shades9323]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

$500 gets me an entire rec hockey season(23 games) and an entire golf league season in the summer(14 9 hole rounds and an 18 hole round at a resort course in my area). I could also play 4 super nice $125 courses for that same $500. I don't go golfing for "views". I usually hike or mountainbike for those. In my view, playing Pebble isn't any better/nicer than playing Arcadia Bluffs here in Michigan.

http://www.arcadiabluffs.com/ You know what they say though, different strokes for different folks!

[bnz506]

I want to play Pebble Beach one day, but its not on top of my list, its probably number 4 not because its not a beautiful course but because I visit my family in Wisconsin every summer so... Whistling Straits will be number 1, and since I live in NYC, Bethpage is 2; after these courses, I would say the stadium course at Sawgrass only because I want to play hole 17 so bad (I want to contribute some balls to that lake).

Of course I want to break 95 at the very least before I even consider playing any of these courses (although i dont think I would do too bad on hole 17 of Sawgrass because PW is the only club I hit consistantly). Soo the day I break 95 or 90, is the day I start crossing these courses off my list.

[Chas]

I will be playing Pebble during Thanksgiving week, and Spyglass the day before Pebble. Just reserved the tee times (+ the lodge for 2 nights) - ouch. My wife finally talked me into it even tho' my game (esp. my putting lately) isn't so hot. Maybe I'll rise to the challenge, maybe I'll sink into the Pacific - I'm trusting to Erik's hip bump to get me on plane and hitting crisply. It'll be memorable whatever the case. Clambake gets the credit because by reading his eloquent post about his rounds at both courses out loud to her (see his thread on the subject), the seed was planted in her mind. She's been bugging me ever since, on and off. She watched almost as much of the U.S. Open on TV this year as I did, that prolly helped as well. I'm a cheap SOB but she just wore me down, what can I say ......

I'm studying the courses on the website and may buy a book on the subject that Clambake has recommended. Gotta come prepared in that sense at least. I'm gonna leave the hybrid at home and take the 4i, which I've started to play with encouraging results. Still seem to spray the hybrid about the place for some reason. Also, might hit 3W more often than driver trying to avoid the really big numbers. We shall see.

[jal1209]

i have actually got reservations for my birthday weekend march18-20

[JayMc]

I played in the spring of '01. My firm sent me to our Silicon Valley office for a 1yr rotation and I was about to move away. The partner I worked for the overwhelming majority of the time knew I was a golfer, so for my going away present SHE sent me to PB for a round.

My index was 4.1 at the time, but I was playing to closer to a 3 the last few weeks leading up to the round. I told the caddy I wanted to play the tips and he handled the rest.

First hole the caddy said, "I need 210 from you right down the pipe for the right angle into the green". Mini gallery standing around watching. I ripped a 2I 240 down the gut. As we walked away he put his arm around me and said, "a little jacked up this morning are ya".

It was a beautiful round. I had a 15' putt on 18 for a 78. Lipped out on the high side and ran 10' down the hill. Two putts to finish for a bogey and 80.

I will be back.

[Leftygolfer]

Probably in about 20 years. I'd like to go there with the wife someday and go to the wine country and all that stuff. I've never been out there but someday I will make it out that way. I've never out to the west coast but some day I will.

[Yukari]

I went on vacation to Carmel about 10 years ago. Took the 17 mile drive, stopped at Pebble and walked out to the 18th green (didn't play). It was one of those spectacular days and it was truly breathtaking. But I couldn't justify paying over $20 per hole. Instead, I played Spyglass for $80 twilight rate. OK, some call me "cheap"; I prefer "frugal".

Tomatoes, tomahtoes. Potatoes, potahtoes. Same diff.

[Fat Slice]

My friend who works in Monterey bought the 'Dukes Club' membership, which gives discounts for tee times at Spyglass, Del Monte, and Spanish Bay. He gets to bring 3 more people at the same rates. Spyglass is $185, or $100 for the twilight (can't finish, it's a late start). Del Monte is super cheap ($30 or something like that). I don't think they have any kind of Pebble deal.

[WUTiger]

When I get a foursome coupon in the mail?

BTW, I played Pebble Beach in 1978 from the back tees. Had 4 pars and 8 bogies, and couldn't break 100.

[inthebunker]

I've played at Pebble Beach many times on my PC and that's about as close as I'm going to get. Mind you with all this 3D techno stuff going around it may just get a bit more realistic for me.

[SteelCitySlice]

I would love to play Pebble, but I seriously doubt I ever will. If I was going to spend that kind of money on a round, I would save more and play St. Andrews.

I second that. I would love to play there, but would spend that kind of money on a trip to play St. Andrews before playing Pebble.

[tristanhilton85]

I would love to go at least once in my life... First I need a better game and more money, but hopefully those things are coming.