Our Suggestions for Mixing a ‘Major’ Vacation with Golf-Travel Goodness

by Vic Williams
photo by Joann Dost

The last time the U.S. Open came to Pebble Beach, the golf world shook and Tiger left his mark on the game forever, lapping the field by 15 shots with a staggeringly dominant 12-under-par performance.

It remains the high point in a golf career — bigger than the ’97 Masters, bigger than the broken-leg Torrey triumph two years ago, bigger than any of his dozen other professional major wins — that now includes one very big, very public low. Argue if you will, but we’re sticking by that assertion, even if discussing Tiger’s triumphs isn’t exactly at the top of everyone’s list in these tabloid times.

Team FG watched it all from a tent at a KOA campground, 30 miles up Highway 1 from the Monterey Peninsula. Well, not really from there — we braved the fog delays and brutal breezes to witness Tiger’s dominance in person, from outside the ropes with tens of thousands of others — but that’s where we ended up when the sun went down.

Clearly, we were behind the “planning ahead” curve in those days. By the time we got our act together, there was nary a hotel, motel or condo room to be found from Santa Cruz to Salinas, so campin’ out it was. And we’re betting that as Pebble hosts the Open for the fifth time in history, you’d rather avoid a similar fate. Who knows, you might even want to sneak in a round or two of your own at another Monterey-area course.

In either or both cases, you’ve come to the right place to plan your own killer U.S. Open Peninsula Pilgrimage. Based on a decade-plus of experience gained over dozens of trips to the mecca of West Coast golf and environs, we’ve got a pretty good idea of where you should stay, play, dine, drink, stroll and sightsee come June 14-20, no matter what your budget or time window, whether you’re flying or driving in and what your plan is on either side of the event. Rest assured there’s no camping involved, unless you want there to be.

Where to Watch: Go Deep for the Best Viewing Experience

When the USGA chooses a venue for its marquee event, it doesn’t just go by the course’s pedigree or difficulty, or by its proximity to major metropolitan areas — although they do figure heavily into the mix. The Bluecoats also strive to give ticket-buying fans the best possible viewing experience. That’s why brand-new Chambers Bay outside Tacoma, Wash., got on their radar screen and ultimately won the 2015 Open; it’s built in a big bowl where folks can see five or six holes at a time. And that’s why wily old Oakmont got a total makeover before hosting the Open three years ago, including the removal of thousands of view-blocking trees. And why the otherwise tree-heavy Bethpage Black is now on the permanent go-to list — the first hole and final four holes form a great amphitheater.

Then there are venues that have it all — fame, history, access to great accommodations and restaurants and golf courses, and a setting that looks great in person or on TV. Pebble Beach definitely qualifies; in fact, it’s easily the most visually stunning Open venue. And, like Torrey Pines south two years ago, it can be a live spectator’s dream or nightmare, depending on how you like to take in the action, how early you get up in the morning and whether you’re packin’ comfortable shoes and clothing layers.

If you’re an inveterate wanderer or prefer to zero in on one or two groups per day, we recommend wearing your favorite pair of broken-in golf spikes to handle the often slick hills along the ocean holes, particularly the par-5 No. 6 (where there’s also a slew of concession stands) and the epic over-the-ocean par-4 No. 8, easily the best spot for sadists to see a windblown approach find its way into the briny deep or onto the greenside ice plant-choked cliff. If you’re looking to scope out a grandstand seat away from the hustle and bustle of holes 17 or 18 (where the views speak for themselves), No. 8 is a great place to hole up — just make sure you’re lathered with SPF 30 when the June gloom lifts and ol’ Sol takes over. The corridor between holes 9 and 10 and 11 through 13 is stellar for strolling and action viewing in both directions, while the left side of No. 14 — with No. 6 just to the west — is another great spot, not only for 360-degree vistas but the specter of meltdowns on what should be the Open’s toughest hole (it’s where both Paul Goydos and Bryce Molder took quad-9s to end their chances at the AT&T this year).

Love bottlenecks and cattle calls? Check out the intersection of No. 3 green and No. 4-No. 17, which share the same right-angled teeing ground. And the long, level walk along No. 18’s right side, with the waves crashing up on the Stillwater Cove seawall just a wedge shot away, is always fraught with drama.

Of course, the first tee is closest to where you’ll debark the bus bringing you in from the Open parking areas. But don’t plan on being able to see anything unless you’ve snagged a spot on the restaurant patio above the pro shop. It’s always a mob scene. Better to hang around the big putting green between the Lodge and high-end shops. If there’s any shot at grabbing a scrawled autograph before the boys head to battle, this is where to take it.

Grab a Bite: Where to Find the Perfect Fare

Surrounded by some of the state’s most productive farmland on one side and the teeming Pacific on the other, Monterey is a fresh food fan’s gold mine. You can dine on sand dabs, scallops, crab or chowder by the gallon along Fisherman’s Wharf; head to downtown Carmel for haute cuisine; slip over to Seaside or Pacific Grove for authentic Mexican fare; or belly up to the bar for classic tavern-style fish and chips — plus everything in between, including an amazing array of Italian eateries.

The Pebble Beach resorts aren’t slouches in the food department, of course. From Club XIX, Stillwater Bar & Grill and the gotta-go-there Tap Room at the Lodge (all of which will be open to the public during the Open) to Spanish Bay’s great lineup, they boast impeccable service, top-drawer chefs, great summer evening views and oodles of mystique that, truth to tell, comes at a steep price, just like the golf.

There isn’t room here to list all the great spots that have filled FG’s belly over the years, but we’ve got some can’t miss-favorites to pass along:

Domenico’s on the Wharf — Sup on calamari and salmon-stuffed ravioli while overlooking bobbing boats and playful seals.

Monterey Fish House — Located along Del Monte Boulevard, not far from Fisherman’s Wharf, this is pure, fresh Italian seafood served in an old-school family-style atmosphere.

The Mission Ranch — Ribs, steaks, chops, seafood and more in a rambling, historic ranch house at the south edge of Carmel, with a piano bar on weekends.

Em Le’s — A tiny Carmel bistro that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a mix of Euro flair and American variety. The desserts are incredible; the eatery boasts the town’s only vintage soda fountain. And the french toast is one of a kind.

First Awakenings — Best breakfasts anywhere, indoors or out, in the heart of cannery row. The Bacado omelet and blueberry pancakes rock, and the skillets will power any 18-hole round.

Gianni’s Pizza — Not only one of Monterey’s top pizza joints within walking distance of the aquarium, but the best breadsticks in creation, even by Central Coast standards.

Crown & Anchor Pub — In the heart of downtown Monterey, you walk down a short flight of stairs á la Cheers and find yourself in a classic British Pub with about a million beers on tap, a stein collection and other trinkets lining the walls.

Baja Cantina — A colorful, casual Mexican eatery near Quail Lodge serving Mesquite-grilled entrees, great ribs and giant burritos that attract locals and tourists alike. Don’t miss the vintage car collection and gas station outside.

Where to Golf: Playing Beyond Pebble

We’ll assume that if you’re a real fan you actually play golf, which means stretching your trip an extra day before or after the tournament. The South Bay area from San Jose to Carmel is California’s most famous coastal golf stretch, with Pebble itself at the epicenter. But since that course is otherwise occupied for a 10-day stretch through the Open, you’ll have to satisfy your swinging jones elsewhere. Good thing there’s a bumper crop of amazing public-access play, with a handful of absolute don’t-misses:

Spyglass Hill — Some consider this sea-meets-forest foray Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s crowning achievement. Indeed, if it wasn’t located so close to Pebble, it would have hosted an Open by now, and hole for hole is the more complete test of golf. The first five dive to the Pacific for an inventive and beautiful frolic among the dunes while the remaining holes play out in a dense, hilly forested setting. The back nine’s two short, downhill 3-pars are gorgeous jewels.

The Links at Spanish Bay — Designed by the venerable committee of Robert Trent Jones Jr., Sandy Tatum and Tom Watson in the early 1980s, this is one of those courses that engenders a wide range of reactions. Some guests love it from the linksy par-5 start through its woodsy heart and onto its wind-blown, gorse-lined conclusion, while others take issue with some of its more distinctive traits, such as the fairway pot bunkers on No. 5 or the “volcano” green at No. 11. The final five holes play close to the ocean and demand careful target golf to keep the scorecard under control, but the overall journey is worthwhile indeed — capped every evening by a bagpiper’s sunset stroll near the clubhouse.

Del Monte — The only member of the Pebble Beach family not located on the peninsula proper, this turn-of-the-19th century course, which opened in 1897 and hasn’t missed a beat since, brings the best of old-school parkland golf to bear and proves a fun, more affordable alternative to its more famous seaside brethren. Conditioning is up to Pebble Beach Company standards and the pace of play is usually brisk.

Quail Lodge — Situated on the “sunny side” of Carmel Valley, just out of the fog’s usual reach, this 850-acre resort is known more for its quiet, pastoral accommodations and great food at Edgar’s restaurant than for its parkland-style Robert Muir Graves golf course. But don’t give this pleasant, relatively flat, well-maintained circuit through oaks and around lakes short shrift. As part of a stay-play package (throw in a spa stint if you want to really relax), this is the kind of tranquility for which most vacationing golfers strive.

Bayonet and Black Horse — By taking two quirky, worn-out military tracks and giving them a U.S. Open-worthy shine, architect Gene Bates has worked a 36-hole miracle on the cypress-lined hillsides above the city of Seaside, just north of Monterey. Plans to add a four-star hotel on the former Fort Ord property are on hold, so for now it’s wall-to-wall golf that’ll test any caliber player on two very different but equally remarkable layouts. Bayonet has long been known as the tougher go and continues to host Open qualifiers and Q-School battles, but it’s the completely redone Black Horse that gallops most forcefully into our hearts, not just because of Bates’ sometimes brutal green complexes, which give the course most of its teeth. With bay views from just about every hole, jigsaw-piece bunkering, a couple of pure-fun short 4-pars and a quartet of wicked 3-pars, this horse is a reborn thoroughbred with the legs, blood and bone structure to make it a solid bet for years to come.

Carmel Valley Ranch — The area’s only Pete Dye design got a major overhaul in 2007 that restored its original luster. At par 70 with a mix of flat and hilly holes and all of Dye’s risk-reward personality traits, the course is a touch shorter and more wide open than Quail, though its intimate nature is offset by plenty of elevation changes and ample bunkering. As with Quail Lodge, ranch guests get a break on green fees, which top out at $175.

Pacific Grove — The “poor man’s Pebble” puts pure dunes golf at the average Joe’s fingertips, at least on Pebble co-designer Jack Neville’s back nine, which zigzags across exposed sandscape at the peninsula’s northwest corner. Tee shots cross over the corners of adjacent greens and at times you need a traffic cop to keep it all straight, but for a dose of hear-the-breakers fun, this is as good as it gets. Throw in Chandler Egan’s narrow, tree-lined front side, which opened in 1932, and you’ve got a conversation piece with a wonderful split personality, for under 50 bucks.

Poppy Hills — Trent Jones Jr. authored this fully public track cut through forest a five-minute drive from both Pebble and Spyglass. As the home course of the Northern California Golf Association and, until this year, part of the AT&T Pro-Am rotation for the better part of two decades, it’s a stiff test for most players with diving, slanted fairways, forced carries over ravines, multi-tiered greens and plenty of “tree music.” But it’s also within the Del Monte Forest gates, giving it automatic cachet.

Pasatiempo — Playing Alister MacKenzie’s other Monterey Bay course (where he kept his home late in life, alongside No. 6) requires an hour’s drive north to Santa Cruz, but what a treat awaits, especially since the Scot legend’s original vision was brought back to life by modern-day links maestro Tom Doak.

Laguna Seca — With 40 years of public success behind it, this hilly, engaging Robert Trent Jones course is, according to superintendent Tom Bevin, in the midst of a major spruce-up — new turf on several holes, new irrigation, an overall spiffier look. Which means it belongs in everyone's Peninsula rotation more than ever.

Where to Sleep: Stay Your Own Way in Monterey

With literally hundreds of lodging options to consider for your U.S. Open home base, from weekly condo rentals to budget motels to cozy B&Bs to five-star resorts, the Monterey Peninsula and environs can handle any-size event, and does, whether or not it involves golf. That doesn’t mean it won’t sell out for Open week, so once you dial in your budget, it’s time to make that click or phone call and set yourself up with just the right digs.

If money is no object, obvious choices are the Inn at Spanish Bay (from $580 per night) or, if you happen to be a PGA Tour player or captain of industry, the Lodge itself (from $675). Or you could just team up with some friends and rent one of the luxury homes near Pebble through www.montereyrentals.com.

The luxury lineup gets even deeper in the charming, shopping-rich seaside hamlet of Carmel (check out the Mission Ranch, co-owned by Clint Eastwood, or the historic Pine Inn downtown). The aforementioned Carmel Valley Ranch, Quail Lodge or nearby wine-themed Bernardus Lodge are all luxurious options, while such Monterey favorites as the downtown Marriott (it’s usually the host hotel for Open media) or the Hyatt Regency adjacent to Del Monte Golf Course will do the trick.

Larkspur’s Casa Munras is convenient to both Monterey and Pebble Beach, and both the Portola Inn and Spa, Monterey Plaza and InterContinental Clement Monterey are waterfront favorites.

And if you’d rather go really remote and soak up some of the finest coastal views in the world, head south to Big Sur and stay at the 60-room Ventana Inn & Spa, although the trek to Pebble will be that much more daunting in the mornings.

For solid accommodations at the other end of the financial spectrum, Fremont Street is loaded with mom-and-pop motels, Best Westerns, Vagabonds, Motel 6s and Super 8s, all within a 10-minute drive of Pebble Beach and within walking distance of dozens of restaurants, markets and malls. FG’s favorite is the Lone Oak Lodge, a well-maintained drive-in motel with hot tub rooms, a dry sauna and cottages as well as standard one- and two-bed rooms. FG

Published in FG Magazine, March 2010

AMERICA'S MOST HONORED MAGAZINE AT ING AWARDS
It’s getting to be a habit, and we can’t seem to help ourselves. For the fourth straight year, FG racked up an impressive load of hardware at the International Network of Golf Media Awards announced at January’s PGA Merchandise Show. We scored six awards in all, besting writers and photographers from such national publications as GolfWeek and Sports Illustrated. First-place honors went to Vic Williams in Competition Writing for his piece on Tiger’s historic U.S. Open victory (July-August 2008), Joann Dost for her epic shot of Tiger’s 72nd hole putt on Open Sunday; and Calder Chism for his “Weekend Wisdom” drawing of Vic in the May-June 2008 issue. Outstanding Achievement awards went to Williams and Darin Bunch for Travel Writing. Other FG contributors who took home awards included Tony Dear and Bob Seligman. Next year, look for the clean sweep.