“Years before it was built, I could see this place as a golf links. Nature had intended it to be nothing else.” These are the words of Jack Neville in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1972. It’s surprising that two professional golfers with zero golf course design experience managed to create one of the most infamously jaw-dropping and challenging golf experiences known to man. Somehow, they managed to pull it off and it has since become the backdrop of many historical moments. The tumultuous waves, green hills and luxury lodges are what make Pebble Beach golf an unmissable adventure for golf enthusiasts. 

Pebble Beach is synonymous with golf. As a course, it is ranked on the same level as St Andrews. As a golfer’s paradise, it is ranked as must-visit experience. When visitors play a round at Pebble Beach, they are quite literally walking behind the footsteps of some of the greatest golf players ever existed. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world, and for good reason. The views extend far and wide beyond the Monterey Peninsula where it is located. As golfers line up on their infamously tiny greens, they can play with Carmel Bay as their backdrop. Pebble Beach is renowned for its challenging characteristics, yet the ocean views ensure that whoever wants to play a round at the course doesn’t leave unsatisfied. Unlike many exclusive golf courses out there, Pebble Beach is open to the public. 

Initially, the course itself was designed with one goal in mind: to make it as cheaply as possible. In the early part of the 20th century, Samuel F.B. Morse was given the task to turn Pebble Beach into a profitable and appealing real-estate investment. There aren’t many ways in which one could go about doing so without spending large sums of money. However, Morse managed to convince the board that not only could the course be maintained by grazing sheep, but two amateur golfers could design the entire course at no extra cost. Enter Jack Neville and Douglas Grant.

They had no experience in golf course design. Yet their creation has been changed relatively few times over the years since Pebble Beach officially opened. One notable detail was the alteration of the finishing hole. After the 1921 State Amateur Championship, complaints arose as people regarded the 379-yard par-4 finishing hole as too short. They therefore transformed it into a 535-yard par 5, establishing it as one of the best finishing holes on a golf course in California, and possibly the world. 

They call it the greatest meeting of land and sea. From the crashing waves to the looming mountains and hills, the course is neatly nestled in the Monterey Peninsula. As Jack Neville explained it: “Very little clearing was necessary […] It took a little imagination, but not much. All we did was cut away a few trees, install a few sprinklers, and sow a little seed.” 

The course is renowned for its infamous par counts, encouraging players to overestimate their chances. With many of the holes, the Pacific Ocean is a constant companion. Players putt up the steep hills leading to the water where as far as they know, the world ends just after the seemingly sudden drop. Each hole has its own unique features. Hole seven can easily distract players by its location, known as one of the funnest and most beautiful golf course holes anywhere. Hole eight will generally change the golfer’s mindset of utter awe to complete despair as a rugged chasm lies in the way of their shot. To play a round at Pebble Beach is to go through a rollercoaster of emotions. 

The course was completed in 1919. Yet even with its stupendous views and challenging holes, the California Golf association was not willing to consider Pebble Beach for the State Amateur. After some tweaks and playability improvements, the golf links course was more ready than ever to challenge professional players at their own game. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a PGA tour which takes place almost every February. Since 1972, the course has hosted six U.S. Open Championships. 

Big names in golf have participated in some of the best shots ever made in golfing history at Pebble Beach. There is one particular scene which many golfing fanatics haven’t forgotten: Tiger Woods in the 2000 U.S. Open. His dramatic flair took over once again as he performed what is arguably one of the greatest moments in golf history. He wins the tournament by 15 shots, an unspeakable feet in the sport. 

When Morse decided to buy the course, he also bought the lodge and a chunk of surrounding land to go with it. From that, he established Del Monte properties around the course. Until his death 1969, he was the go-to man for anything to do with Pebble Beach and Del Monte, nicknaming him the ‘Duke of Del Monte’.

When guests think of the Pebble Beach golf course, they immediately think of the resort that goes along with it as well. This is also because it is easier to get the opportunity play if visitors are also guests at said resort. Not to mention, it guarantees a more rounded ‘once-in-a-lifetime golf-related’ experience. From 20th Century Fox to Marvin Davis, the Pebble Beach resort has changed ownership several times over the years. Overall, the entire property includes three hotels. The Inn at Spanish Bay, the Lodge at Pebble Beach and Casa Palmero; a relatively inclusive list for guests to choose from.  

It’s always been a debate among the golfing community: is playing a round at Pebble Beach worth it? After recounting their experiences, every golfer — amateur and professional alike — have all come to the same conclusion: yes, it is. The landscapes, the exclusive atmosphere and the feeling of stepping on the same green as some of the greatest players out there are just building blocks for a once-in-a-lifetime activity.