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

2010.09.17, The Links at Spanish Bay, 101

Okay, let me make a few excuses first to explain today's score.

(1) This is a true links course that I am not used to.
(2) The green is so fast, I felt I was putting on glass.
(3) The caddies were telling us that this is the toughest course among the three we are playing.
(4) I was too distracted by the photography work during today's round.
(5) I was not supposed to play today, so I was not mentally prepared.
(6) We played from the middle tee today, at 6422 yards (Rating 72.1/Slope 136).
(7) I was tired a little from yesterday's play.
(8) There is no betting or competition going on like yesterday to keep me motivated.
(9) All I was doing was to get ready for tomorrow's round at Pebble Beach, so forget about today's score.
(10) Well, you can find more excuses by looking at the pictures below!

Well, this is a beautiful course designed by Tom Watson, Robert Trend Jones, Jr. and Sandy Tutum. We can see the
ocean probably from 14 or more holes. Walking on this course was simply awsome (although the fairways was not as
soft as the Spyglass and the green is much tougher). This is probably the closest to Scottish traditional golf experience in
North America. The phrase "Spanish Bay" was a name for the ocean bay. The golf course has nothing to do with
"Spanish" but everything to do with "Scottish." During the evening hours there was even a Scottish-dressed man playing
pipe organ. It was great to hear the distinct music when we were on the 18th hole.

The weather was perfect - not cold, not hot. There was no direct sunlight until about 5pm. When the sun was out, the
scenery became breath-taking. I shot the best photos of the golf courses during this trip so far. I told my partners that I
would rather be shooting a camera than a ball at that time. Since this course is right on the hotel I am staying, I was able
to get out the club house to the ocean side to shoot some photos of the sunset after the game. People in California are
really lucky to live in such a unique place where the water meets the cliffs.

I drove very well today and felt quite confident everytime standing on the tee box with that big gun in my hands. My
biggest trouble was putting. The fast green surface really got me. I four-putted on one hole and managed a few three
putts in the front nine. I had really only one bad score from the rough, which is amazing since the rough here is really
ROUGH. I score 52 in the first half and did better in the second half and scored 49. I lost probably 4 or 5 balls.

Partners for today: Howard, Patrick, and Ed.

Tomorrow: Pebble Beach - The No. 1 or No 2. public golf course in the world.

(1) 1-16 were taken with Canon 5D Mark II.


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(17) The following were taken with a small Canon digital camera (except 31). Here is the view from the club house looking at No. 1 tee box and the Spanish Bay.


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