I'm playing PB and SG in May and would welcome any advice from those who have been. Flying in to San Jose and driving down.

• Looking for non-golf related advice

Where to eat, what to see...short cuts. etc...

• Also looking for Golf related advice

Caddy or no caddy? Other courses on or near by that aren't 350-500/rd. etc...


Thanks in Advance.

My only beef with Pebble was that the caddies double loop. If you're playing with people of equal ability, then it shouldn't be a problem. But if your caddy is looping for a low handicap and a high handicap, you might find yourself running around to get your clubs, yardages, etc. If I play there again, I will definitely get my own caddy and pay the extra $ (if that's an option) or I just won't get one.

The range at Pebble is up the street a bit, not right on the property. So give yourself an extra 15 minutes or so to get back and forth via the shuttle.

The restaurant above the shops near the putting green is pretty good. I forget the name, but I had breakfast there and enjoyed it.

I didn't play Spyglass so can't comment on it.

Enjoy, and take plenty of pictures!

Kevin

Edit:

If you're looking for a reasonably priced course in the area, Bayonet and Blackhorse is the ticket IMO. They're very good challenges that are reasonably priced. I played both in November 2005 and would play them again any day.

I've also heard good things about Del Monte, though I didn't play it.

You can always ask the guys in the shop to double book the caddies so they only loop one bag...this makes it much more enjoyable everyone, plus it cost the same per person.

if you want to go to a fun restaurant in the area that gets you away from the lodge or wherever you are staying near pebble, try tarpy's road house. it's right near the monterey airport and is our favorite in the area for good food in a relaxed, not stuffy, setting.

as for the golf, as others have said just enjoy the special days. i actually prefer spyglass as a golf course. it's probably more challenging except on the windiest days, but doesn't have the amazing beauty of pebble.

Two additional restaurant suggestions, just outside of the Pacific Grove gate on 17 Mile Drive on Sunset is Fishwife, not to expensive and pretty laid back. A locals gem in Pacific Grove on the corner of Lighthouse and Congress is Passionfish. It's a little more upscale (prices are still reasonable though) and the food is great. I would highly recommend a caddy for both. Most have a ton of knowledge and the day will be more enjoyable.

I won this trip (airfare, room @ Spanish Bay Inn 2 nights, and a round @ Pebble for 2) in a slient auction for $1550.00 so ponying up for my own caddy is in the budget. Since my half is only $775.00 I already paid up for Spyglass but we play it early enough to get another round in that afternoon. I'll look into the suggested courses.

Thanks so far. Keep the comments coming.

For good golf that is cheap play Pacific Grove Aprox 45$ to walk and the back nine is amazing. Having a drink post round in the Tap Room at Pebble is a must too.

I would say take a caddy at Pebble just to get advice on the greens and prob get some good stories too. I didnt have a Caddy at Spyglass, not sure I needed one, I played in a typical early summer windy and pouring down rain type day and it is still my most memorable round of golf. its been 10 years and I still can recall almost every shot.

Stay out of the Ice plant on # 2 at Spyglass

Edit: also if you have access to a NCGA Card Poppy Hills is only like 70$ and a fantastic track too.

Here is a shot of #12 at Pacific Grove to give you an idea of the back nine

Haha. If your second person drops out for some reason, I'm sure I can find a way to take some time off of work and join you... Sounds like a great deal though for a good cause

Played Pebble in January and closing out the Pebble experience by visiting the 19th hole with a beer and burger in the Tap Room is mandatory..

Poppy Hills, Pacific Grove Golf Links, Laguna Seca and Rancho Canada along with the mentioned Bayonet and Black Horse are good local courses to play.

If you want pizza, go to Gianni's in Pacific Grove. A good place for Breakfast is Katy's in Carmel.

Go play Pastiempo, its about an hour away but great golf course. Designed by Allister Maceknzie

Congrats. 8-10 on the Ocean at PB are fantastic, as are 16-18. Take a caddy, you'll get more out of it and you'll enjoy the walk (I have walked twice without a caddy).

Spyglass is the tougher course. Wonderful traditional track with narrow fairways and dinky greens but oh so challenging. A great course.

Pasatiempo is a great course, heavily wooded but fair. Great shape too.

San Juan Oaks (Couples design) is nice; Bayonet is a great track. Pacific Grove has great vistas but is awfully short. Poppy Hills is definitely worth it if you can get on.

Food, go for Monterey Fish House; small hole in the wall, call for reservations, an awesome atmosphere and wonderful fresh food.

Enjoy.

Pasatiempo is one of the great courses in northern California, people dont talk about.

Spyglass is one of the hardest courses i have ever played.

Nicklaus summed it up for me: "Pebble Beach makes me want to play golf. Spyglass makes me want to go fishing".

I played Pebble in January also. Here's some thoughts:

1) Caddy - I got a caddy and he turned out to be the coolest guy around. His name was Big Tony Malokas. I think you can request him in advance. It was my buddy and I so we got a golf cart and put our clubs in the cart. We had Tony ride with us and give us advice on the course. All the other caddies gave him s*** because he didn't have to carry our clubs!! Ha Ha, but that was the way to go. We all had a great time and he was super cool. He knew about the houses on the course and he knew every shot and green break possible. For your first time I would get the caddy. It was a lot of fun.

2) Tap Room - Go there after you play for lunch and drinks. Just got to do that as part of the Pebble experience.

3) Inn at Spanish Bay - We stayed there as part of the golf package. It was super expensive but very nice.

4) Camera - Don't forget to bring a camera to the course. You will want to take pics of the holes especially the ones by the ocean.

5) Rental car - If you are flying into San Jose, I'm assuming you will have a rental car. Going to be a good hour to get down there from San Jose, but its an easy drive. Just route it on Google Maps.

If you are looking to minimize cost, you can stay in Monterey at a cheaper hotel, but Pebble made us book the hotel in order to get the tee time. If you are going to hang out in Monterey the Chart House is real nice and has a great dinner. We didn't play Spyglass so I don't have any info on it, sorry.

i agree with Pasatiempo, im from the south bay area and it is the nicest course around. They just refurbished part of it a few years ago so the price is up a bit from before.. but it is Mckinzie's masterpiece. His house is on one of the fairways. Also agree that Spyglass is brutally hard, thats why they rarely televise it when the tournament begins and all three courses are being used. My dad found a scorecard in the woods there on the back nine.... stuck into the ground with a pencil.. Dude was off to a good start, 1 over on the front nine. .. then double, tripple, bogey, double or so the story goes.. then he wrote "f*&K this place" on the card and stuck it in the ground.
Thats my dad's favorite story.

Nice rip in the auction. 2 nites and a round for each of you is $ 2000 by itself. Plan on Pebble being a 6 hour round of golf so you'll be ready for the slow play.
everyone is right on track with the food. Fishwife is good hole in the wall, stay away from Cannery Row restaurants. If you are a Calamari fan, you have to have this appetizer at Stillwaters (best I have ever had!) and sit outside for a cocktail facing the 18th green at sundown. Plus you can walk down and get pics with 18 green in the back ground (if they are along, bring the women, and score major brownie points)
Pacific grove is the mini pebble beach. $ 20 twilight, in may you can tee it up at 5PM and get 9 holes in, cold 6 pack and a jacket in the bag is mandatory.
If you have time for 36, you almost have to play poppy ridge, you wont have enough time to get to fort ord, unless you tee it up at spyglass at 7:30 am.
but if you can, the Fort Ord Bayonet course just reopened after a multimillion dollar referbish. Before the refurb it was the 2nd toughest course on the penninsula behind spyglass. Now it is one of the prettiest. I played there 4th week in January, in my humble opinion, they could have dropped kicked poppy ridge, put this course in the rotation for the AT&T and the pros would have loved it.
If its a weekday trip and you want to play with a fellow WRX'r, let me know the dates, I'll schedule "work" there that week and play Poppy, Pacific, or bayonet with you. Cool we can play straight up!!! LOL.
If you want to goto the Aquarium I have guest passes year around (yes its a good trip for adults if you have never been there).
PS: PM me when you are flying in, etc. No traffic 1.7 hours. Try to land get out of san jose before 2PM or after 7PM otherwise the drive will take 2-3 hours... rushhour traffic.
HAVE FUN VISITING THE SACREDNESS THAT IS PEBBLE!!!

Forgot to mention, especially since you are staying at Spanish Bay...DO NOT miss the bagpiper at sunset. Ask the hotel for details, sitting around for drinks watching the bagpiper play with the sunset and ocean as a back drop is one of the coolest things one will ever see.