Pebble Beach Golf Links: The Complete Player's Guide
Pebble Beach Golf Links is the most famous public golf course in America. It was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant in 1919 on the Monterey Peninsula of California — a clifftop site above Stillwater Cove and Carmel Bay where the Pacific Ocean is visible from the opening tee shot and remains in view for most of the round. It has hosted the US Open six times, the US Amateur eight times, and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am annually since 1937. Walking its fairways for the first time is one of the genuinely life-altering experiences available to a golfer.
The Course
Pebble Beach plays to a par 72 at approximately 6,800 yards from the standard resort tees. It is not an extremely long golf course — the standard yardage is modest compared to modern championship setups — but length is irrelevant to what makes Pebble Beach challenging. The holes along the cliff edge (7th through 10th), the ocean views that distract concentration, and the firm seaside terrain that produces unpredictable bounces make it a course that plays harder than its scorecard suggests.
The Signature Holes
7th hole: A par 3 of approximately 100 yards played from a clifftop tee to a green that extends to the edge of the cliff above the Pacific. In calm conditions it's a pitching wedge. In wind off the ocean, it can require a 6-iron. The shortest hole at Pebble Beach is also, in the wrong conditions, the most terrifying.
8th hole: A par 4 that plays along the cliff edge with a blind tee shot to a landing area before a forced carry over a rocky cove to an elevated green. The approach shot — typically a mid-iron over the ocean — is one of the most dramatic in American golf.
18th hole: The finishing hole runs along the beach of Stillwater Cove, with the Pacific to the left and Del Monte Forest pines to the right. The green is protected by a bunker on the left that catches approach shots caught by the ocean wind. Jack Nicklaus hit a 1-iron into the wind to the 18th green to close out his 1972 US Open victory — the most famous iron shot in US Open history.
The US Open History
Pebble Beach has hosted the US Open in 1972 (Nicklaus), 1982 (Watson — the chip-in at 17), 1992 (Tom Kite), 2000 (Tiger Woods, 15 shots), 2010 (Graeme McDowell), and 2019 (Gary Woodland). The 2000 performance — Tiger winning by 15 strokes, the largest US Open margin in history — is the most dominant performance in the tournament's history.
How to Book a Tee Time
Tee times at Pebble Beach Golf Links can be booked through the Pebble Beach Resorts website up to 18 months in advance for resort guests staying on the property. Non-resort tee times are available but more limited and generally require booking through the resort's central reservations. Green fees are among the highest in American golf — expect approximately $600 per person in peak season. Staying at The Lodge or The Inn at Spanish Bay provides priority booking access.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to play Pebble Beach?
Pebble Beach Golf Links green fees are approximately $600 per person in peak season (summer and fall). The price includes a forecaddie and cart. Walking with a caddie is also available. Prices vary by season and day of week.
What is the best hole at Pebble Beach?
The 7th hole (a 100-yard clifftop par 3), the 8th hole (approach over the ocean cove), and the 18th hole (along Stillwater Cove) are the three most celebrated holes at Pebble Beach. Most players who have completed a round there cite the 8th hole as their most memorable shot.