A Quick Review of Bayonet & Black Golf Courses

This morning, I was able to go play Bayonet Golf Course.  It's one of the more highly acclaimed courses in the area that both (a) not a private club and (b) not owned by the Pebble Beach Company.  The course is about 20 minutes from Pebble property and underwent a redesign that was completed a couple of years ago. 

I got to the course around 9:30am and it was about 54 degrees out, with a heavy marine layer still present.  The course was packed for Open week, which led to a long round - but forgiveable given the circumstances.  I was paired with Jerry Mills - husband of Golf Channel original Jennifer Mills - and a couple of guys from the area.  Those two guys played the course for dirt cheap - $20 all told.  Why?  Because the courses are technically located on a military base, so the agreement was to give a discount to all active military.  Great deal for the guys.

The course could not have been in better shape.  Being the only course on the Peninsula that boasts bentgrass, it was like I was playing at home.  At least in terms of grass.  The design of the course really does fit well with the flowing hills of the seaside topography.  Elevation changes are natural, not forced.  The bunkering is pretty prominent around the greens, but is more strategic tee to green.  The fairways bunkers have a variety of shapes.  And the bunker edges are not cut in such a way that they appear completely unnatural.

The standout feature of Bayonet and the Black are the greens.  There are at least three distinct tiers or levels to most greens.  In some cases, it feels forced.  In others, it is brilliant but diabolical.  For the casual vacation player, it is almost impossible to putt well from distance though the greens roll very true.  Inside of ten feet, I was great.  Outside of 25, I was in trouble.  That's the mark of a great, challenging course, though.

Overall, I had a great round despite the Open-related slowness.  It was refreshing to play a course in such great shape, with a variety of holes that matched the topography and the beauty of the Monterey peninsula.