Love Letter To: Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach Golf Links, it’s synonymous with the game itself. In every list of “top golf courses” you can find, it’s super glued, duct taped and nailed in toward the top of the list. Pebble is a calling to every golfer that plays this great game. Located on the Monterey Peninsula, the meeting of land and sea carves its way along the protected stretch of California coast, offering breathtaking views and rolling fairways.

I grew up on the other side of the world in a small town in Australia, never even dreaming of seeing the Pebble Beach Golf Links in person. The thought seemed too out of this world and the course seemed as if it was only for viewing on TV or playing in the latest edition of EA Sports’ Tiger Woods. That feeling stayed with me even as I stepped foot on the property for the first time. It takes a moment for you to comprehend that it’s real, that it’s not just a place seen on TV or in books, that sits here on this earth just like every other golf course you’ve ever been to.

The first time I experienced this place was with my dad in 2014. To this day, it’s one of the greatest memories of my life. Playing Pebble Beach with your dad, the man that introduced you to the game at a young age, countless memories on the golf course already and adding another one—that will be cherished forever. It simply doesn’t get any better.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Pebble in a working capacity. My most recent trip was with the Skratch team for a shoot with New York’s #1 sports talk show hosts, Boomer Esiason and Gregg “Gio” Giannotti. There were lots of laughs shared, photos taken, bucket list drone shots for me, and everything else in between.

One of the best things about Pebble Beach Golf Links is that it’s a public course, and it actually feels like it, too. This isn’t the country club experience that one might imagine it to be. It’s a lot more like the Old Course than it is Augusta National. Locals walking their dogs around the property, tourists visiting from far and wide to shop, grab a bite and look around—and that certainly doesn’t water down the experience. You’re met with this sense of community rather than individuality. And whether you’re fortunate enough to be playing there, or just watching the world’s best do the same, it’s crazy how one golf course can overfill you with so much joy and gratitude.

Holes 1 through 3 are a classic handshake to start the routing before you get to No. 4, where the magnitude of the place starts to sink in. You head south along the short par-4, which runs along a protected marine cove. Then, the incredible par-3 5th that runs in the same direction, before making your way to the big show: holes 6 through 10. Arguably the greatest meeting of land and sea in golf. You find yourself torn between “the shot” and the views that surround you. If you do it right, the two can flow together in harmony.

The walk up the headland on the par-5 6th hole is one of the best in golf. 360-degrees of jaw-dropping views with the entire coastline in sight. From the 6th green you look North and see across to marine cove the 17th and 18th hole, in the opposite direction, holes 9 and 10 run along the golden sands of Carmel Beach. You continue to walk past the 6th green and soon “it” appears over the edge of the earth: No. 7. Arguably the most famous hole in golf, the short par-3 is surrounded by water from the north, south and west and it’s somewhat hidden until you’re standing right on top of it. The protective nature of its placement makes the experience even more surreal. It’s as peaceful, inspiring, and breathtaking as any one golf hole can be.

This experience is why Pebble is so special, you take in everything No. 7 has to offer and then you still have an insane 3-hole stretch ahead of you. Three of the best par-4s you could ever find all linked together with the meeting of fairway, green and sea on full display. No. 8 provides one of the most epic approach shots in golf, hands down. Then No. 9 and 10 require an accurate tee shot before challenging approach shots. Both No. 9 and 10’s greens have bunkers short left and the entire Pacific Ocean to the right, the perfect hole design to put you in two thoughts as you decide what to hit. The shorter club could find the bunker staring you in the face, but the longer club could flare right and be a golden retriever's new chew toy.

After that biblical experience, you turn inland and head towards the mega mansions and holes 11 through 16. Still incredible golf holes and views but it’s almost an intermission before the final act: Nos. 17 and 18.

The long par-3 17th goes directly towards the ocean, and usually into the wind. It’s a nervy tee shot as the green front-to-back doesn’t offer you much to aim for with bunkers surrounding it from every angle. It’s funny though, none of that really seems to matter if you understand the gravity of this hole in golf history. It's more of a privilege just to be there as it would be disheartening to miss the green on your tee shot. There are iconic moments across the entire property, but for No. 17, 3 moments in the final round of U.S. Open’s really give this echoing history to it.

In 1972, Jack Nicklaus hit a 1-iron off the tee into a hollowing wind. It hit the pin and left him with a tap-in birdie for a cozy 3-shot lead enroute to victory. Tom Watson chipped in for birdie from the deep rough to eventually win over Jack Nicklaus (ironically) in 1982. And Gary Woodland’s wedge shot from one side of the green to the other to get up-and-down for par enroute to his first ever major championship in 2019.

Now once you get up there to the green, you’re thrown right back into those feels from holes 6 through 10. Sea breeze, waves crashing, deciphering the beauty of the golf course and its surrounding marine nature preserve. It’s as if you’re reliving a dream that you just had.

The 18th starts with another bucket list golf with a daunting risk-reward tee shot over the ocean. Many rounds have come undone on that tee box and it’s easy to understand why. All I can say is good luck trying not to think about the water as you pick your target. The hole slowly doglegs right-to-left, allowing you to take in your final moments with this historical, spiritual, golf sanctuary.

Most likely you’ll leave with this undeniable sense of joy and fulfillment after your trip around paradise, you’ll know what it’s like to experience this stretch of golf history, this nature preserve, this public paradise. And you’ll always be able to say that you were lucky enough to visit Pebble Beach Golf Links.