Had a similar experience as one of the reviewers on here. A marshal (older guy with glasses) who was there to direct us to the practice range after checking in was super agitated about our tee time being 10 min away. Like absolutely panic mode. It kind of threw our group into a mental funk for the first couple of holes. He then proceeded to follow us in the 3rd and 4th hole telling us that our pace of play was slow. We were in track to finish under 4 hours. He then popped out of nowhere again before the turn to just watch us lurking, made us feel weird. The he showed up again in the 11th hole to crack a joke with us but got the feeling that he felt guilty for being kind of unsavory prior. We finished the round in 3hrs 58min. The course was beautiful but it kinda sucks to have a bad taste in your mouth when you spend that much money to play at such an iconic course... read more

I almost gave this a lower rating because of the terrible customer service at the pro shop but I'll leave it based on the course. I was treated as if I had no purpose there. All while the employee next to him was delivering top notch service to other guest. Course conditions were amazing!! Tee'd off at 12:20 with plenty of time for another round after. Conditions were gorgeous. Greens were a bit slow but it was fine. I enjoyed the walk. Challenging on its own but a fun walk. I'll be back for more, Spyglass. read more

Spyglass is one of the three golf courses on the Pebble Beach resort, the others being Pebble & Spanish Bay. IMHO, Spyglass has scenic ocean holes of a links course, but also has holes that look like you are in a forest. Jack Nicklaus once said about Spyglass, "This is a lot of work". The course is difficult from tee to green, but is also very rewarding when you make a par. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I have played Spyglass a handful of times. The staff is very friendly & helpful, and you can finish a round in 4 1/2 hours. The estimated finish time is very good for a resort course. Spyglass is a must play, (as is Pebble Beach) when you are in the area. I look forward to playing both again on my next visit. read more

See all

I'm not even sure where to start. I was so looking forward to playing a round here but so many things fell short. Let's start with the driving range. I was told to hurry and hit balls because they were closing the range early. Grass tees were not available so hitting off mats was the only option. We went to check in and found the staff to be pretty arrogant. They were all bantering with each other but didn't give a damn about the customers. We got our walking carts, but found no towel or even divot sand. My wife asked where to get the sand bottle and was reassured that they have plenty of staff to fill the divots in the fairways and tees. That was not the case at all, the course was littered with divots everywhere. One of the holes had a temporary green, but the shop failed to mention that. The only bright spot was the greens, they were rolling nice and smooth. I'm sorry, but for $525 a person they need to do better........ a lot better. read more

The course was beautiful with ocean views on much of the front nine and forest views on the back nine. Their practice facility (driving range and putting) was very nice. Definitely get there early and hit a few balls. Staff was very welcoming and eager to please. If you are asked to try 'the foot treatment' after your round, definitely do it. It feels heavenly. I didn't golf well but that's just because I'm not a consistent golfer. I thought the course was fair and appreciated the opportunity to golf here. I was the only woman in our foursome, although they indicated that about a third of the golfers most days are women. We didn't use a caddie on this course but I did see other groups with caddies. I loved the vegetation along the course. Very beautiful. read more

See all

This review is solely based on the experience with an employee. At a "high-end luxury" property under the Pebble Beach Resort name, I expect a much more elevated level of experience. I'm not talking about over the top grandeur, but a simple smile and welcoming atmosphere. There is an employee (didn't get his name) with glasses and dark hair that checked us in. On 7 he approached our group and scolded our group about pace while talking at us like a teacher would a 5 year old. All four of us were walking and the group behind us in carts, didn't catch up to us once. The kicker, we finished the front 9 at 8:34AM and we started at 6:30AM. The course is a good one but honestly it was our caddies that made our day. Extremely disappointed with the customer service. read more

I am not so sure about the hype about this course but I spent two full days on this course and found nothing truly special about it. One day was spent officiating a golf tournament and the second day was spent playing on it. Firstly, the course was pretty crowded (there was a tournament that was just ending) with general players and, people like me who were offered a free round of golf. The green fee at this point in time was $465 per person with a $55 per person golf cart fee. For this price I was disappointed that there were some significant issues with the course. The golf carts have no GPS or easy method for pre-ordering food at the turn. For $55 that should be part of it. The next thing was that there was no seed bottles that could help in filling out the divots on the fairways. The fairways were rife with unfilled divots and I felt like I was playing on a municipal golf course. Also, it was cart path only which again makes the price of the golf cart seem like a waste of money. I wonder what will a handicap player can have a good time playing Spyglass. The next thing was the greens themselves. They were thick and heavy and had not been cut. The speed did not match the practice green which were much faster. The rough was simply ridiculous. It was so tall and heavy in most places, it makes for a very tiring and trying day of golf. I think half the time was spent looking for the ball rather than playing. I did expect to see more views of the Pacific Ocean but only 5 holes had total or partial views. The Pacific Grove Golf Course was much cheaper but they had at least 8 holes was amazing views. The course itself was not so tough from the white tees but from the tips it was definitely longer. I can only hope that the powers to be will make some changes so that playing Spyglass Hill will be a fun and exciting experience. The staff was very professional and took care of things very efficiently. read more

See all

Spyglass deserves a 5-star rating if we are just going to talk about the course and the associated conditions. It is a storied and magnificent layout that will require all your skills. The only reason I gave it four stars is because for some reason, they rent the most absurd pull carts I have ever used (and I'm talking 20+ years). They are almost unusable which makes no sense at all for such an incredible track. Hey head pro or GM... spend a few bucks on some Clicgear carts and make us walkers happy. Matt read more

If you're looking for a course where you will be interrupted on every hole by lawn mowers this is the place... very expensive and the club pro and some of the workers are pushy and rude. So far I have played there 3 times and it's the same every time. Lawn mowers and pushy employees. This last time we were making the turn and put an order in on the 9th for food... I didn't even finish the hole and went in and picked up our order. 4 different guys told us to hurry up... not a person on the hole behind us and we were on pace for just over a 4 hour round.... so frustrating when you spend that much money and you feel harassed. On hole 12, the par 3, we hit our tee shots with another employee breathing down our neck on the tee. Went on the green and two guys were mowing with hand mowers and the caddie asked them to hold off while we were putting and they said "we're doing our effing job" and glared at us while we were going by... Was looking forward to golfing with my dad, brother, and nephew and it turned into a loss of money and all of us feeling extremely frustrated. Don't waste your money. Drove 2 hours to play and 2 hours home and felt very unsatisfied with our visit. read more

Spyglass Hill is a magnificent course and arguably makes for a better round of golf than its sister course Pebble Beach. Admittedly, I'd never heard of Spyglass until we booked our rounds at Pebble. This course kicked my ass. To date, I consider it one of the most challenging courses I've played and certainly one of the most memorable due to its difficulty. It didn't help that I wasn't having a good day, golf-wise. I played with my dad and we were paired up with another twosome, a couple guys from Texas, and they had a forecaddie. We played in early August and the weather was perfect -- bright and sunny with temperatures during our round mostly in the 60s. I have never seen a course so beautiful yet so menacing. This is the kind of course that requires your A game if you want to have a good (and for competitive folks, enjoyable) round. Placing shots is at a premium. When it came to course conditioning, Spyglass was in noticeably better shape than Pebble, which we had played the day prior. Compared to Pebble, I'd say this is an underrated course, but not really. It just has to live in the shadow of Pebble. Currently, Spyglass is ranked #10 in America's 100 Greatest Public Courses as rated by Golf Digest (Pebble is #1). It's ranked #45 overall among all public and private courses in the states. From the tips, Spyglass measures 6,960 yards with a 75.5 rating and 144 slope. We played two tees in, from the whites, where the course measures 6,123 yards with a 72.2/132 rating/slope. Statistically, this is one of the longer courses I've played from the whites with an above average, but not extreme, difficulty. I ended up shooting a 107 even with the forecaddie's help from time to time. I lost several balls. The course shifts from holes close to the ocean, with amazing ocean views, on the front nine to more inland-style style holes on the back. It's two completely different kinds of scenery. The front was more memorable and scenic to me, but that's because I'm used to playing holes like the hilly, tree-lined ones on the back in Georgia and the Carolinas (where I normally play). The first five holes at Spyglass play out and alongside the Pacific Coast before No. 6 takes you back in for good. The most memorable hole for me was No. 3, a medium-to-long range par 3 that plays downhill directly towards the ocean. It's a great view. The relatively short par-4 4th hole has really unique terrain and a long, narrow, and sort of cucumber-shaped green. All 18 holes, from tee to green, were in outstanding shape. This was one of the most immaculate courses I've played on with lush fairways and perfect tee boxes and greens. If only all courses could be this finely manicured. There were even deer on and around the course, just like in the marketing photos. Spyglass is one of those courses that looks just as good in person as it does in advertisements. I haven't played Spanish Bay or Del Monte so I don't know how they compare, but if you're making a trip to play Pebble Beach, then I think playing Spyglass Hill is a necessity too. They're pretty much an unbeatable one-two punch in golf. I'd love to return and play again some day. read more

Great golf course but there was s lot of negatives for this caliber of course. One my four caddy never showed up, the cart was super dated zero gps, zero ways to order drinks or food and no music on the cart. The starter was lazy and gave zero cares about his job and over crowded the first tee. I expected more from this course. The greed and course was in excellent condition. read more

Spyglass Hill is well worth the money to play... don't be cheap, get a caddy not only are they helpful it's an amazing experience to walk this coarse! read more

See all

Course was in awful shape. Greens had a bunch of sand on them and the fairways around the greens were punched. All that for the full price of $435. Also, at 7:30am, a guy comes running in, completely hammered, yelling about how he got a super last minute tee time and that he ubered because he doesnt drive drunk. He ends up in my tee time. The entire time he's screaming (at the top of his lungs) at his ball and calling me Collin Morikawa because I'm Asian. He kept saying Collin Morikawa in an Asian accent. I tell the marshall. He just kind of shrugs it off. Thankfully my friend and I were able to just play ahead. He ends up 4-5 holes behind us because he's that slow and belligerent. Then I hear him screaming Collin Morikawa at me while I'm about to tee off. It's pretty crazy how the marshall did literally nothing about this. I have never ever seen someone like this on a golf course in my entire life. It completely ruined the first 5 holes for me, which happen to be the only holes on the ocean. I'll never play here again. Not only is the course condition super hit or miss with only a few interesting holes, they literally turn a blind eye to bigotry right in your face. read more

Why has it taken me so long to return to play here??? The staff, professional and courteous. The grounds impeccable. The location,Spectacular; the course is lush challenging and scenic. Each presenting a new challenge! Oh yeah I remember now! It's only 150 bucks less than Pebble Beach! And while that's less than PB, that ain't cheep! Some 30 years ago I had a buddy/client. And we golfed often. He had a buddy who was one of the starters. We were allowed, once a month, to venture to the peninsula and play a round, as long as we got their prior to the first official tee time. We didn't mind playing the first couple of holes in the darkness of the morning fog. Well at those prices... you can't really argue. And we did take care of him unofficially. But now I look back... we were some lucky dudes! What was special about this trip was with my bros. literally and figuratively. And we were among the last amateurs to play before the ATT tournament starts this week. As a mater of fact, we had some pro-AM ers behind us getting in early practice rounds. This course is my favorite leg of the trifecta that is American version of Golf Mecca, and the one I've played the most. So this day even with Dukes club 1 year membership, it was pretty expensive and far to consider a regular thing. But perfect for a long weekend of fun filled golf and grub extravaganza! read more

See all

Have played here 3 times and the course is always quite the fun challenge. First time was immaculate and got the caddie - walking was no joke (and I would like to think I was in quite good shape). Ocean and Forest views with interesting elevation changes. For a 10 handicap I found myself frustrated but also appreciative of the layout. 2nd and 3rd times there were great but I had my gripes. One was a temporary green / hole and the other was the attitude of one of the caddies (not mine). All for joking and banter but felt bad as one guy I was paired with was struggling and the caddie did not make it any easier with his words. Advice yes. But you can see the other guy being annoyed and the rest of the group felt it as well. Still recommend this place IF you are a good golfer .... but I guess even if it's on your bucket list (once). read more

I feel very privileged that I have had the opportunity to play some excellent golf courses in the Bay Area and within 17 Mile dr. Pebble is Pebble, lets just put that out there, but I would not argue when others say that Spy is the better "true" golf course. This is one of the best golf courses that I have ever played, some absolutely wonderful architecture throughout and the fact that the inland holes have zero drop off from the scenic ocean view holes is testament to the design. Hefty at the $500 fee but if you take the money aside, this is an absolute must! read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

Wow, this is definitely a bucket list golf course! I called the day before and got lucky with a tee time (as a single, they were able to fit me in). I got there a little early and went to the practice area. It's a nice area and the guy working there is a really friendly guy from Michigan. He's cool and the overall vibe of the practice area was great. There are unlimited balls for you to practice before your round. I was placed with 3 other guys and they were all cool. The course is very well maintained as expected. 2 of the guys had a caddy named Chris who had been working at Pebble Beach and Spyglass for 23 years so he knew the course like the back of his hand. He was definitely an awesome caddy and if I ever get a caddy in the future, I would like it to be him! They gave me a slightly discounted rate because they had just aerated the fairway and greens 8 days prior. The fairways seemed fine but the greens were pretty bumpy. But hey, I was just happy to play Spyglass! The course is a bit difficult but it's fun. Of course you can some great ocean views as well in some of the holes. You can walk the course but a few areas are hilly (hence the name "Spyglass HILL?") but to get the full experience, walking is probably great. I only knocked off one star because of some racism that I heard in the parking lot. I got there early so I parked and overheard some of the workers (caddy?) next to the grill. The caddy was telling the others that he was with some Asian guys the other day and they were saying "Where's the ocean?" because they couldn't see it because of the fog. The caddy was joking "I was like 'it's over there by the cliff'"...as if he was going to make them walk over to the cliff and fall over. Another guy laughed and said "I guess they couldn't see the ocean through their slanty eyes?" As an Asian guy it was a little uncomfortable to hear and I expected more but the round itself was great. read more

This might be an unfair review since we golfed here in early October. So it was very wet, foggy, and really couldn't see much for the first five holes. However this was my experience. Like I said, first five holes we were just guessing were to hit our ball. Fog was so think that we were only have to see about 100 yards in front of us. We had an eighty year old gentleman with us, and since we were not allowed on the fairways with our carts our pace was still decent but I guess not to their standards. Our round was about 4-1/2 hours. Marshall was on us all day to the point I wanted to walk off. Give the eighty year old man a break, this was his lifelong dream to golf at this resort. Since everything was wet, I'm from Arizona where everything is hot and dried. So, yes you can guess how my day was. Since there is a lot of construction going on, building new homes around the course the lush trees are beginning to fade a bit. I would like to come back in better weather again, and see how I would fair. However is this place worth the price tag? Highly doubted. read more

This place tore me a new one - big time. But it was really my fault. Stayed at the Lodge the night before the big round. Stayed out late drinking plenty of fine wine. Even ended up on the putting green at the lodge at about 12:30 am. All this before a 7:15 tee time. So yes, I was still feeling the effects on the first tee. This was a long day. Have you even lost your balance while standing over a putt? Some of the greens here are wicked - cut short and strongly sloped. Not where you want to be after a long night of drinking. Other than that? - Tough course, especially midweek with fast greens and tough pin placements - one of the toughest I have ever played - beautiful setting - 5 holes on the coast and 13 through the forest (some with ocean views) - constantly reviewed as one of the 100 best courses in the US, and I agree - Service is good at the clubhouse and range - play can be slow, particularly on the weekends. Most people don't realize how tough the course is and struggle. Prices have gone up - now $315. Blue Rating: 75.5/Slope 147; Yardage - 6,953 Gold Rating: 73.2/Slope 144; Yardage - 6,534 White Rating: 71.4/Slope 137; Yardage - 6,123 Red Rating: 72.9/Slope 133; Yardage - 5,379 read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

It's still one of my favorite golf courses on earth. From the stunning views to perfect fairways and greens, Spyglass Hill is a gem. I was able to take advantage of a dukes membership rate last week and boy was it a screaming deal for this caliber of golf course. On top of that, it was a beautiful day and when you get good weather on the Monterey peninsula you say a big thanks to the golf gods. The staff takes all the necessary covid19 precautions so don't worry about anything, just get outside and golf. read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Driving range - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

The best golf course in America. Period. Far more nuanced and even more beautiful than PB.

Greats course a must play for the avid golfer. It's the tougher track from the pebble beach course in my opinion. A must play when visiting Monterey. read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

Just one of my favorite courses in the world. Tough, but fair. Stay on the fairway. Dress warm, ocean holes can be chilly.

Bucket list Check!! Perfection at its finest,a challenging layout even for single digit handicaps. In my personal opinion I felt like Spyglass, was 10 times better then pebble beach. It deserves way more credit. I would definitely coming back again read more

See all

This review is in regards to my experience with the staff at Spyglass Hill golf course. My family and I decided to stop by all of the famous golf courses on the 17-mile drive on our way back from the redwood forests up north (My sons and I are avid golfers and wanted to walk the grounds of each course). On our second stop, we went to the back and near the 1st tee at Spyglass. We clearly did not look like we were going to play a round at that moment. I thought they were going to ask us to leave. Instead, the young man at the starter, named Harrison (hope I got his name correctly), was very welcoming and inviting. He treated us with the utmost respect and friendliness. I asked him a couple of questions about the course and he conversed with me in a very welcoming and friendly manner. He gave my kids a couple of spare ball markers which made our day, especially the kids'. After taking some photos, as we were leaving, Harrison appeared from the back and gave me some info about the course and wished us well. We were really appreciative of this and I told my kids that Spyglass will be at the top of the list of courses to play when we come up to Monterey for some golf. I must say that the way he treated and interacted with us goes a long way. I wish the best for Harrison and the folks at Spyglass and we look forward to our round of golf there very soon! read more

This golf course has quite the history and quite the fees. EVERYTHING is over priced. The carts are $90 and if there's only one guy to the cart it's still $90. The clincher is that they don't have pull carts to rent. They know tourists (rich ones), don't arrive with their pull carts in the trunk. In addition, cart path only is a very good probability since during summer, fog prevails in the morning so the back and forth to your cart and ball is a real detriment to enjoying the course. Green fees are through the roof. They want you to be wealthy, hire a caddy and not care what the costs are. That's their model customer. Having said that, this is a world class golf course with imposing bunkers and large sweeping fairways. The greens are immaculate and diabolical. If you're not at least a mid handy caper, think twice about blowing your wad here. Consider Pacific Grove or even Spanish Bay at twilight. Or, if you insist on blowing your wad, do it at Pebble. read more

I'm not a golfer so this review is from a walk-along companion's perspective. My husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in pebble beach and this was one of his bucket list courses. We had a lovely day. I love the diverse scenery (top of hole 3 OMG), deer just chilling on the grounds, and the players and caddies are super nice and down to earth. Nice exercise (it's about 4 miles of waking), or you can get a cart. I recommend a tee time around sunrise to really enjoy seeing everything wake up. Worth it for the photos alone. Golfers: Hubby loved it, but it's a challenging course! read more

I was extremely disappointed in Spyglass Hill when I played June 22, 2023. The $465 green fee and $55 cart fee were ridiculously high for a course that has a great first 5 holes and then a meandering non descript final 13 holes. The cart path only rule is unnecessary and slows play. The carts have no sand bottles nor are they on the par 3 tees. Thus, divots go unfilled or unprepared. The golf shop staff and starter were arrogant and condescending. The golf shop merchandise is incredibly overpriced. This is a track that is living on its past reputatipn. read more

Man, I've only played Spyglass once in all my days, and it was epic. For a boat load of reasons: * First or second group off the tee on a weekday morning. * Played with a bunch of great dudes * One of the dude's (who i just met) picked up my green's fees. The baller. * That dude, became my playing partner, and proceeded to smoke no less than 1/2 a box of 8" Montecristo cigars over 36 holes of play. Those are like 40 bucks a pop. The baller. * I shot +1 on the back including two birds right after the $50 round of breakfast burritos at the turn (on me) * After the round, we packed up and drove straight to Pasatiempo for another 18. Epic. read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

- Date play: Aug. 21, 2019 - Length round: 4.5 hours. started 30 minutes after 4 ball in front and caught them on 4th hole. - Tee time: 12:20 - Booked 2 days before I played. Last minute decision. - walked Course conditions: great conditions given they punched the greens 1 day before I played. Moderate winds, a few holes I went up or down a club based on direction of wind. Opinion Before you play: Warm up at the Pebble Beach Practice facility. Its a 2 minute drive from Spyglass proshop. I always try to hit off grass when possible. The practice facility is great (range, putting, and sand & short game areas) and usually not crowded. Spyglass range uses turf - closed day I played. The first 4 holes are off the water. Great starting holes with lots of birdie options. The remaining holes are inland and gives more protection from wind. This was my first time on Spyglass and I enjoyed it. I found the course fun and challenging; but not difficult. There are a few memorable holes but not stunning. I had played Cabot a month before still remember my pre-shot on Cliff's 17th. I usually carry my bag, and Spyglass is a great walking course. Pros: - Its part of Pebble Beach, so there is an aura about playing Spyglass - Available tee times - each hole is unique Cons: - Long round (4 1/2 hours isn't bad but the 4 balls in front and I waited on every hole) - driving range uses artificial turf rather than natural grass read more

This was my first visit to Monterey and although I couldn't get onto PB, I was super excited to still play Spyglass. I play golf in college so I had pretty high expectations as a 0 handicapper. I took the drive from seaside and went south along the coast (beautiful drive) and passed Spanish Bay and as you are getting closer to Spyglass, you can see Cypress Point in the background. My tee-time was at 2:10 and I showed up around 12:45. Was then shuttled to the Pebble Beach [2 minutes] driving range which also took me by a surprise. No complaints there. The Shuttle driver was super nice and made his schedule work around mine; he asked me what time I would be done at the range and he showed up at that exact time. I messed around on the putting green until my tee time; the green was pure and smooth and rolled out perfectly. The first 4/5 holes were very scenic and right along the coast. The last 13/14 took you right into a beautifully wooded area. Except for #1 the greens were small and pulled towards the coast. They also broke much more than you would expect. The fairways were perfect and in great shape for just hosting the AT&T pro am a month ago. My favorite holes were the back nine par 3's and maybe #1 and #4 as well. There were also tons of deer and other animals right there 20 feet away from you sometimes. The day was perfect and it couldn't have been any better. Definitely recommend this subtly difficult golf course. Just think about Phil shooting a 62 there. 1 last note: the maintenance crew was literally aerating behind us. So if you're gonna try to play this course I would wait until April to let the greens heal up completely. read more

See all

I played Spyglass Hill over the Labor Day weekend. We had a early morning tee time covered by fog...it was awesome for the first tee shot firing off into the abyss of white. By hole 2 it was clear and we began to see the horizon of the Pacific peeking through a beautiful landscape. This was a all around great experience! We got a cart due to my aunt having a couple of hips replaced, however, I believe it was a mistake since it is cart path only, you spend more time, and probably walking more to the cart, then you do making forward progress on the course. Next time....no cart. Most of the Ocean holes are on the front nine, and then the course cuts through the forest and hills. We did get a caddie, which I would recommend for the experience, the greens are tricky enough, and I need all the help I can get. read more

See all

I have never played Augusta and probably never will but if I did have the opportunity I would think it would look a lot like Spyglass Hill aside from the ocean holes of course. Lots of elevation changes, quick greens, and challenging off the tee. When we played in back in late March the greens had been punched not too long ago so the greens weren't rolling true but the course was still a riot to play. Staff was nice but not incredibly friendly unlike Spanish Bay. Food was overpriced but that is the price to play at one of the best courses in the world so you deal with it. Watch out for the people riding horses coming across the 5th tee box. I say this every time I go out there but the golfers in CA area have it too good. read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Green on the back nine at Spyglass Hill. - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

This course is gorgeous, long, and breathtaking. The front 9 takes you along the coast and the back 9 in the forest making for two different types of elements to play in. Difficult and challenging course. The only downside is the high price, but you get what you pay for. The employees at Pebble beach company treat you like royalty and they definitely lived up to their creed, to provide a once in a lifetime experience every time. This is my favorite course that I have played thus far, although I haven't played the Pebble links yet. If you have the money, play here. Also, free buckets of balls to hit the day of your tee time and if you're staying at the Lodge. read more

Spyglass Hill Golf Course - Golf Near Me - Pebble Beach, California

This review is coming from the viewpoint of a non golfer. I'm just another tourist who traveled the 17 mile drive, and got hungry, and was looking for food. The Spanish Bay had multiple places to eat, so I figured this place will also, right?? WRONG! They have one crummy "Grill" that isn't even a sit down restaurant. You order at the cashier and they call your name. They have burgers, wraps, salad and sandwiches. Yawn. They also have 2 unisex toilets for the public located outside the Grill. I asked where can we find a sit down restaurant, that's open to the public. The staff said Spanish Bay resort had them, or, Pebble Beach. We decided to go a few miles to Pebble Beach's Lodge, where they have places open to the public, and spent $54 for lunch. The only saving grace for this place is my BF is a golf fan, and liked the work of the guy who designed this place. There should be a sign that says "there's nothing here unless you are playing golf" read more

It's been about 3 years since I played here last and the course was in fantastic shape. Walked it which is the way to go since it's cart path only every day all day. I do have one complaint. I get it, that this is a vacation destination. A bucket list course for sure, but $34 for a double jack and diet? Seriously? I could buy a bucket of Jack from Costco for like 25. I was just looking for swing lube, not to get violated. read more

Top 10 public course in the entire country. Worth playing along with Pebble Beach and Cypress Point. read more

See all

worst golf course for the money. basically a muni course based on maintenance. the greens were like putting out of a sand trap and we had to put through tire tracks on half of the greens. when i mentioned this after our round they just shrugged it off like it was nothing. definitely not what i was expecting for $400+ course. especially since we were there to golf at Pebble Beach and that was the opposite. if you plan a trip to golf at Pebble Beach just golf that course. all other courses ride on the coat tails and don't live up to the standard. read more

The most beautful and hardest golf course that I have ever played. The first 5 holes are breathtaking as they wind along the coastline. So hard too as they slink through the ice plant and sand. If you can stay par here, you are doing great. Then you start back into the forest with all of the trees and thin fairways. It just gets harder and harder as you go hole to hole until you get to the hardest hole on the course, #16. It is just a bear. 470 yards of par four. The driving range is beautiful, the pros in the pro shop friendly but not overly friendly. The food is limited and expensive but you are not here for that, you are here for the golf. And it will be slow because the course is full of average golfers trying to not lose their balls and failing so expect a long day. But a long day in paradise. Bring your layers too because it will be hot, then cold, then windy, then hot, then cold, then damp. It's expensive but you won't forget it. Think about this, in 1966, when they built the course, lifetime memberships were only $6,000. What a steal. Today that's about 20 rounds. read more

Phenomenal, second only to...nope, not Pebble Beach, no one. This is the best course in the world in my humble opinion. I hear Cypress Point is up there, but I've only played two holes there before being discovered and kicked off the course immediately - hey I was only 16 and it was Cypress Point. I digress. "The Glass" as it is lovingly called by locals is a golfer's heaven, you get surf, turf, incredible views, meticulously maintained fairways, bunkers, greens, tees, etc. This course is as challenging as it is beautiful so make sure you warm up prior and a quick tune up lesson wouldn't hurt. Advice: Avoid the iceplant at all costs, it may look playable, but a 10 doesn't look very good on a scorecard. Do not replace your divots! You read correctly, the local wildlife (crows) will flip over all divots you replace searching for worms so it is futile to replace your divot, instead use the sand/seed mixture provided to fill in your pebble beach pot holes. Take a caddie and walk with the gods. When the wind is blowing at the par 3 third, you may consider taking 2-4 extra clubs, no joke! I should note, I've played here a dozed times or so and only in competition, so I haven't paid the green fees. I'm not sure the current cost, but I would imagine it is worth every penny. If you are reading this, then you don't mind investing in golf and should also check out: Old Del Monte, Pasatiempo, and The Links at Spanish Bay. If you know people in the area try to get out to private clubs: MPCC, Carmel Valley, and Cypress Point. read more