Pebble Beach.....A golfers paradise!

Pebble Beach....A golfers paradise!

I had the opportunity to make a trip to the Monterey Peninsula recently for my 40th birthday thanks to my wife. As a former golf professional and avid tournament player, I've always wanted to experience playing on these hollowed grounds that so many famous golfers have walked on, the fairways that so many famous battles in majors championships have taken place. My expectations were high to say the least. Good ole' Pebble Beach did NOT disappoint.

To truly get the most out of your experience I recommend paying for a caddy and walking the course if you're able. If you're unable to walk, get a forecaddy as the subtle breaks in the greens are difficult to see unless you have a trained eye and many round of experience at Pebble. My caddy was a tremendous help giving me great advice when it came to the effect of the ocean and the speed of each putt.

We enjoyed staying at the Lodge and having a view right outside our balcony of the 18th green as well. Getting up early in the morning, having a cup of coffee on your patio and hearing the waves crashing up and down the 18th fairway is hard to describe. It's certainly not an experience I'll forget, ever!

P.S. I did challenge the 18th by taking my drive up the left side left the two Monterey trees and right of the water. After hitting a drive of 315 yards, that left me just over 238 yards into the green. I managed to keep it out of the drink on my approached and ended up in the front greenside bunker, leaving a pretty easy bunker shot and a 3 footer for my birdie on 18! Great way to finish an incredible day!

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