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comes with a little surprise. As you get to the fairway
and look to your right, boom! This little body of water
called the Pacific Ocean greats you. From this point
through the 10th green is perhaps the best stretch of
holes in the world.
Breathtaking views are combined with tremendous
golf holes which blew me away like a course never has.
We get to see this piece of golf heaven every year on TV
during the ATT Pebble Beach Pro-Am but until you’ve
walked the walk it’s hard to explain the beauty. It truly
exceeds all expectations.
The fifth is a par three with ocean just off the
green to the right and a nearly impossible up and down
if you miss right. I chose to miss and not get it up and
down. The par five sixth is such a cool hole. The drive
must avoid the huge fairway bunker on the left and the
cliffs above the water on the right. I did both and struck
a perfect downwind 6-iron that left me 12 feet for eagle.
I made a better stroke but got the same results but got
my birdie which was a great feeling.
I won’t be shut out on this great round of golf from
making a birdie. A chip gap wedge down the hill at the
awesome 100 yard par three seventh left me 20 feet for
birdie. Easy par. Arguably the best hole in the world is
the par four eighth. Now the wind is up at about 20 mph
in the face which feels like 40 coming off the cliffs. A
poor drive in the left rough, maybe the cliffs to the right
encouraged the closed club face, left me in the left rough
over 200 yards away. Jack Nicklaus calls the second shot
his favorite approach in golf, and it’s easy to understand
why. The shot must cross a huge ravine with the waves
from the ocean crashing below. The small green is set
into a hill and any shot missed right or short is donated
to the cliffs.
After I made by donation, the double bogey I posted
didn’t feel too bad. Nine and 10 are two similar but very
tough par fours with the cliffs and water bordering the
entire right side. From there, you leave the closeness of
the ocean but can still have views as you play holes 11-
16. These holes are greatly underrated mainly due to
comparisons to the previous stretch.
After navigating through the playable but challenging
five hole string we’re back to the breathtaking views.
The par three 17th plays directly towards the ocean.
Luckily for us it was downwind which made the hole
somewhat easy.
The 18th tee is one of the greatest places on earth.
After taking more pictures than I ever have in my life, I
finally hit my shot. The first tee adrenaline kicks back in
standing over the tee shot,and once again, I produced
42
Iconic par 3, 7th hole
a perfect swing. A tight draw up the right side left me
directly behind the famous cypress tree in