My Experience at Pebble Beach

With the US Open returning to Pebble Beach Golf Links this week, I thought I would share with the Waggle Room readers my experience at Pebble Beach. As discussed in this thread, I had a great opportunity to play at Pebble Beach Golf Links while in high school.

I attended high school at Colusa High School in Colusa, California. Colusa is a small farming town in the North Valley located about an hour north of Sacramento. I started playing golf for the high school because it would give me the opportunity to basically receive free golf lessons and the opportunity to play on the golf course for free. Since the game always interested me, I jumped on this opportunity.

I received free lessons from the golf pro at the course and improved my game over the years. Still, I was nowhere near the best player on the team. Thankfully our team was loaded so my game was hidden. In high school, there are six players who play in one-day tournaments. Five of the players best scores are added up in each tournament with the worst score being thrown out. My score was usually thrown out. Anyway, we won our section championship and finished second in the Northern California championship - good enough to earn a place in the state championship.

Back in 2006, the California Golf State Championship was held at Pebble Beach Golf Links. I believe since then they moved the tournament to Spyglass because the Golf Links was just a little difficult for high school players. It would be a one day tournament to determine the best team in the state. Our school finished 5th out of 25 schools, which is pretty good considering the size of our home town and the type of courses we played on throughout the year.The low score on our team was a 75. The best score of the day was a 73.

I can't remember the exact score I shot, but I know I struggled mightily on the course. (Ok, I shot a 125 on the day. What can I say? Pebble Beach is a monster for the sixth player on a six-man High School team.)

After the jump is a breakdown of the more notable holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

2nd Hole- For our tournament, this hole was a Par 5. I see for the US Open the hole has been moved to a Par 4. This hole alone destroyed me. It's a 500 yard beast where you need a great tee shot just to have a prayer at a Par. There was a bunker at the back of the hole that I of course hit my ball into. Let's move on before I start sweating.

3rd Hole- I loved this hole because it takes you straight to the ocean. There is something majestic about looking down the fairway and seeing the Pacific Ocean, especially on a clear day when the fog isn't hovering over the coast.

4th & 5th Holes- Both of these holes run along the Pacific Ocean coast. I believe these holes alone are worth the price of admission.The Par 3, 5th hole can be difficult to judge from the tee. The hole is situated on a point and the wind can be a major factor. Judging which club you should use depending on the conditions is like figuring out a jigsaw puzzle.

7th Hole- This is the whole where all the postcards come from. You start from an elevated tee that runs toward the Ocean. Probably the most famous Par 3 along with the Par 3, 17th hole at Sawgrass.

11th, 12th, 13th, 14th & 15th Holes- All inland courses that complete the figure eight.Not quite the view, but difficult holes nonetheless to navigate.

17th Hole- Tom Watson, 1982 US Open

18th Hole- Thinking about this hole today makes me laugh because of how I played it back in 2006. The 18th Hole is a Par 5, 543 yard monster that swallows golfers alive. When I hit my drive, it sliced right into the 100 + yard bunker. It was all over. Now imagine that bunker plus a tree in the middle of the fairway? I found out quickly why this might be the most famous closing hole in golf.

In recent years there have been bunkers added along the 3, 6, 9, 10, and 12th holes. This alone has change the dynamic of the course since I played there. Add in weather conditions such as wind and temperature and the Pebble Beach Golf Links may be the most difficult course in the World.

I have always loved the US Open. It's my favorite major of the Golf year because the courses that are used are the most difficult courses in the States. I've been specifically looking forward to this US Open because it will be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links. I want to see how the players navigate the course and see if they make the same mistakes as I made.