On September 15, 2010, I took an epic trip by invitation to Pebble Beach for three days of golf on three different courses. This is the first of four-series recount of what happened and what I observed through my cameras on the golf courses.

(1) 2010.09.16 Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, 91

I scored 91 at Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach today with one birdie (Par 3 110) and four pars. This is a tough "mountain-type" course with many blind shots, up or down the hills. It's not a ocean-side course like the next two courses I'll play in the next two days. It's rather a more traditional American parkland style course. It was designed by Robert Trend Jones, Sr. and opend in 1966. We played from the white tee with a Rating 71.4 and Slope 137.

Perhaps, my best stat is the fact that I lost only 1 ball during this game. There isn't much water on this course and it's relatively easy to find the ball in the rough. What I enjoyed the most is how soft the fairway is. Back at home in Texas, most golf courses have tough, hard fairways, which makes it harder to hit the iron shots. Here it's very easy to cut through the grass and make a dived. The second thing I enjoyed very much is the caddies. Caddies not only helped reading the greens, but also telling us the yardages and strategies. They take,  clean, and return our clubs. We can't get used to this type of services too much since they can't move with us to Texas.

We can see the beach and the ocean on the first four holes, but I was too busy enjoying the golf to notice the existance of the ocean on the background. Later when we were blinded by all the pine trees and hills, the only thing that reminds us this is a seaside golf course was the sound of the sea otters and gulls. It was quite a feeling to hear them in the "mountains."

This is one of seven golf courses in Pebble Beach and one of 26+ courses on Monterey Penisula. The weather was perfect - cloudy, 65F all day long with. No need for sunscreens. At the end, I saw a beautiful sunset on the ocean side at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Unfortunatley, I didn't get a good photo of it. On the way from San Jose airport to Pebble Beach yesterday, the towncar driver said "it's going to be hot this afternoon with 78 degrees!" For people from Houston, that is sadly funny. It's like calling people in Chicago during the winter and tell them it's getting cold in Texas since it is getting below 70's.

After returning to the hotel, I saw a beautiful sunset over the Pacific. I rushed to the back of the lobby but it still wasn't fast enough to make a good shot. I had a great golf shooting day but not so good a photography shooting day.

Partners for today: Wade, Neal, and Sonny.

On deck: Spanish Bay links tomorrow.

(1) A blind shot on a Par 5 started the course.


(2) About four holes are ocean side on this course


(3) The rough is tough.


(4)


(5) If you rub my back, I'll rub yours.


(6)


(7)


(8) My birdie on this Par 3


(9)


(10)


(11) The lavash fairway is misleading. The rough is actually really rough.


(12)


(13) I was lucky that my ball was not in the sand trap.


(14) Even the tree trunks are sometimes green here.


(15)


(16)


(17)


(18)


(19) In the end, the air blow into the inside of the shoes felt cool and great.


(Photography Notes: All were taken with a small Canon digital camera except 17 and 18 that were taken with Canon 5D Mark II)

Links:

Pebble Beach Golf: (2) The Links at Spanish Bay

Pebble Beach Golf: (3) Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach: (4) Monterey Peninsula Golf Club