Travelers taking a Pebble Beach golf vacation are now being treated to a bigger and bolder Pebble Beach Golf Links. There have been a number of changes made to this Pebble Beach golf course since it hosted the 2000 U.S. Open and more are coming in preparation for the 2010 U.S. Open.
When Golf Odyssey visited the resort last fall, we noted that trees and bunkers have been added to tighten driving lanes and maintain the integrity of doglegs. The par-five 2nd hole, for example, now features a huge bunker complex on the left-hand side and an additional, solo bunker further down the fairway to catch long, errant tee shots. Cypress tees were also planted to replace the ones that died beyond the dreaded barranca bunker, restoring this tree-framed shot. The hole now sports a very different look and will play much harder than on the Pebble Beach golf course of yore.
On 14, the addition of big bunkers (with big lips) in strategic spots, make this par five a legitimate dogleg again. Additionally, decades after the tree that fell victim to “lightening” the night after an Arnold Palmer shot hit it and ricocheted out of bounds, a new tree was planted in the fairway to replace the “Arnold Palmer tree.” (By the way, Mr. Palmer, who never won at Pebble Beach, ultimately secured his prize in 1999 when he became one of its owners).
On hole 15, you can’t just pound a tee ball fearlessly anymore thanks to tree plantings on the right side and the addition of formidable bunkers (one of which is a pot bunker) on the left. And, when you reach 18, the most sublime finishing hole in golf, you will now see new trees in the fairway and a bunker on the right side.
All in all, the changes to this Pebble Beach golf course will add even more interest and intrigue to what is the best course to play on a Pebble Beach golf vacation.
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