Spyglass Hill Golf Course

Pebble Beach, California

I climbed a thousand times to that tall hill they call the Spy-glass, and from the top enjoyed the most wonderful and changing prospects.

- Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

Like the pirates in Treasure Island, golfers can enjoy the same kind of spectacular views at Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Pebble Beach peninsula. But beware, Matey, because this beauty is a beast to play.

Ranked #5 on "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" by Golf Digest, Spyglass Hill Golf Course is also rated as one of the toughest courses in the world to play. The PGA Tour consistently ranks Spyglass Hill's holes 6, 8 and 16 among the most challenging on the tour. I've even heard one guy describe the course as going out on a date with a beautiful supermodel who constantly beats on you.

Spyglass Hill Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and opened in 1966 after 6 years of planning. The first 5 holes play alongside sandy dunes and fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean; the remaining 13 holes turn inward as you wind through rolling hills, large bunkers, small lakes, and the majestic pine trees of Del Monte Forest. Authorities named the course (known locally as "the Glass) in honor of Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece, as many locals believed that Stevenson used to roam these parts of Pebble Beach in search of inspiration. In a fun twist, authorities also named all of the holes after characters from Treasure Island.

Hole #1, "Treasure Island," is 595-yards, par 5, and fairly reachable due to the downhill slope. It is pictured above and one of the most memorable many golfers have ever played. Views of the blue ocean, aspiring pine trees, and Santa Cruz mountains are spectacular. You may be able to reach the green in regulation, but don't rush your putt or you could be in a sea of trouble among the "ocean swells" of the green's surface.

Hole #4, "Blind Pew," is a short 370-yard par 4. A long tee shot may approach the narrow left-bend towards the green, so accuracy is a must to stay out of the sand dunes. The famous green is surrounded by ice plants and one of the largest on the course.

Hole #14, "Long John Silver," is a turning, twisting 560-yard par 5. It features a double dogleg fairway, first slicing to the right and then hooking back to the left. As if navigating the fairways weren't enough, the approach shot can neither be too short (landing in a small pond or bunker) nor too long (leaving you to swing amongst the pines). There is little room for error on this hole, or on the entire course for that matter, so accuracy is worth its weight in pirate's gold.

Before you play at Spyglass Hill Golf Course, you may have to ask yourself, "Would it be worth going out on a date with a super-hot supermodel, even if the supermodel pulled a few punches on you and the tab was fairly expensive?" Given the possible proximity to such beauty and the opportunity to gain such a life's story, I know my answer would be a definite "YES!" ... just like many golfers have answered the call before me.

This is Article #2 in a series on Pebble Beach Golf Courses.

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