The Links at Spanish Bay

Pebble Beach, California

Deep pot bunkers ... gusting winds ... sandy soil dunes ... and a rugged coastline by the sea.

Scotland? No, but almost. The Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, California, brings a bit of Scottish links golf to American soil.

Tom Watson, who designed the course with Sandy Tatum and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., has often been quoted as saying, "Spanish Bay is so much like Scotland, you can almost hear the bagpipes." And indeed, you can hear the bagpipes playing from the Spanish Inn overlooking the links as golfers retire from the course at dusk.

The designers nestled The Links at Spanish Bay between 2 scenic miles of Monterey coastline and the famous 17-Mile Drive. Golf Digest ranks Spanish Bay as one of America's "Top 100 Courses" along with sister courses Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Spanish Bay is also just as challenging and captivating to play as its sister courses. The fairways are narrower than Pebble Beach, the rough is considered "rougher" than Spyglass Hill, and the deep pot bunkers add an element of danger unique to this Pebble Beach course. And of course, the 40-mile-per-hour gusting winds will shift your strategy at every turn. Playing a 400-yard hole into the wind may feel like a 600-yard hole and require 3 solid woods to reach the green, whereas a 250-yard hole with the wind at your back may only require a medium 5-iron.

The best strategy is to play it conservatively, hitting low, running shots under the strong ocean breezes. Pay special attention to the yardage book to help you avoid pot bunkers in the fairway and to navigate the double-doglegs. Also, The Links at Spanish Bay designates "environmentally sensitive" areas around native plants, birds, and animal habitats. If you stray too far off the fairway into these environmental areas, you may as well bid your ball farewell and take a drop ... or else risk the wrath of club marshals who strictly enforce the grounds.

The 1st Hole, "To the Sea," is a 500-yard, par-5 (from the blue tees). It takes you over an undulating, uneven fairway reminiscent of true Scottish Links style. With any bit of help from the winds, two shots can get you to the green where crashing ocean waves frame the backside.

The 8th Hole, "Marsh Corner," is a 158-yard, par-3 running parallel to the ocean (pictured here). A long marsh covers most of the 150 yards between you and the small, tight green. Your club selection and distance have to be dead-on (taking the wind into consideration as well) or you'll end up swimming in the marsh and reeds.

The 15th Hole, "Missing Link," is a 390-yard, par-4. Your tee shot requires a carefully selected club to land on a fairway island surrounded by bunkers and sandy dunes. A second-shot iron over gorse and dunes will hopefully take you to a rolling, undulating green and a fun birdie attempt.

One of the only things missing from The Links at Spanish Bay that you might find at a genuine Scottish Links course is the occassional grazing sheep. But you'll have to forgive the course designers for this minor oversight. The "bleating" and "bahhh-ing" sounds of sheep have been known to be a major distraction to golfers.

This is Article #3 in a series on Pebble Beach Golf Courses.

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