Pebble Beach Golf Links

I don't want to discuss the green fees because we all know its expensive. You can argue till you are blue in the face that this course is over-priced, any you will be correct, but if you have a Ferrari in your garage, you have to take it out for a test drive, don't you?

I was very fortunate to play this with my Dad and it will be a moment in my life that I will never forget. A storm was brewing offshore for the first 5 holes. During holes 6, 7 & 8 the Golf Gods decided to try and test our resolve with heavy rain and wind. Clubs, clothes, shoes, everything was soaked and cold. Wind and rain were hitting us in the face even when we were looking down at the ground! Our lovely wives were by our sides not willing to quit either. We played through 8 and decided to take a little break to see if the weather would clear up. Other golfers, with their tails between their legs, sloshed their way back to their Mercedes and Porsches.

It was at this point the Golf Gods realized that we didn't come all this was to lay up. The clouds cleared almost as fast as they rolled in. We ended up playing the entire back nine free of rain and the sun cam out on the 18th.

It was a great day on one of the greatest courses in the world. Yes the course is expensive. Yes the course is beautiful. Yes the course is difficult. Yes my score was horrible (under 100 though!) If you know anything about golf, you already know this stuff. The bottom line is it was all worth it, and if given the opportunity I'd do it all over again.

It is hard to give a course a 5 star on value when the green fees are $500. I think the fees were around $300 when I had the great fortune of playing Pebble the first time. It was my first time playing 18 holes. I did not play as badly as I expected for the first seven holes (I even pared the 3-par 7th!). After that the course went inland and I must have lost half a dozen balls. The marshals are nice, but firm. The scenery is incredible and the bar in the clubhouse is cozy. The eighteenth is unbelievable. The view is spectacular as you come up the long fairway towards the ocean. If you are playing in the afternoon, the sunset can be beautiful and blinding. I would definitely recommend playing this course at least once in your life.