Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Encyclopedia
The Spyglass Hill Golf Course, also known as "the Glass", is a golf course
located on the Monterey Peninsula
in California
, United States
. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links
, The Links at Spanish Bay, and the Del Monte Golf Course.
Spyglass Hill was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
, and opened on March 11, 1966, after six years of planning, design, and construction. The course has been in the rotation for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, a February tournament on the West Coast Swing of the PGA Tour
, since 1967. It plays at 6,953 yards to a par of 72 from the championship (blue) tees, with a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating
of 147. The first five holes all have views of the Pacific Ocean
, and the other thirteen wind through the Del Monte Forest. The course record of 62 is jointly held by Phil Mickelson
and Luke Donald
.
Originally called Pebble Beach Pines Golf Club, the course was renamed to Spyglass Hill by Samuel F. B. Morse, the founder of Pebble Beach Company, after the place in Treasure Island
, since his friend Robert Louis Stevenson
had taken inspiration for his novel from the local area. All the holes at Spyglass Hill were later also named after characters and places from Treasure Island. The first hole is called Treasure Island, and is a downhill 595 yard par 5, which doglegs almost 90 degrees to the left. One of the more renowned holes is the fourth, a 370 yard par 4 named Blind Pew
, which Robert Trent Jones has called his favorite par 4. The green is the most photographed on the course, and is surrounded by ice plant
s. Other hole names include The Black Spot
(3rd), Captain Flint
(10th), and Long John Silver
(14th).
Golf Digest
has ranked Spyglass Hill as high as 5th on its list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses". It has also featured in the popular Tiger Woods PGA Tour
series of video games, along with 'sister' course Pebble Beach.
36.5851401°N 121.955452°W
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
located on the Monterey Peninsula
Monterey Peninsula
The Monterey Peninsula is located on the central California coast and comprises the cities of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove, and unincorporated areas of Monterey County including the resort and community of Pebble Beach.-Monterey:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The course is part of the Pebble Beach Company, which also owns the Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
, The Links at Spanish Bay, and the Del Monte Golf Course.
Spyglass Hill was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
, and opened on March 11, 1966, after six years of planning, design, and construction. The course has been in the rotation for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, a February tournament on the West Coast Swing of the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, since 1967. It plays at 6,953 yards to a par of 72 from the championship (blue) tees, with a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating
Slope rating
The slope rating of a golf course is a measure of its difficulty for bogey golfers. The term comes from the fact that when playing on more difficult courses, players' scores will rise more quickly than their handicaps would predict. The "slope rating" of a course thus predicts that rise...
of 147. The first five holes all have views of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and the other thirteen wind through the Del Monte Forest. The course record of 62 is jointly held by Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
and Luke Donald
Luke Donald
Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he...
.
Originally called Pebble Beach Pines Golf Club, the course was renamed to Spyglass Hill by Samuel F. B. Morse, the founder of Pebble Beach Company, after the place in Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
, since his friend Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
had taken inspiration for his novel from the local area. All the holes at Spyglass Hill were later also named after characters and places from Treasure Island. The first hole is called Treasure Island, and is a downhill 595 yard par 5, which doglegs almost 90 degrees to the left. One of the more renowned holes is the fourth, a 370 yard par 4 named Blind Pew
Blind Pew
Blind Pew can refer to:*Blind Pew, the character from the novel Treasure Island , reputedly modelled on an actual person, John Pew, who is buried in the kirkyard of South Leith Parish Church. The character is never named "Blind Pew" in the book, but simply "Pew"...
, which Robert Trent Jones has called his favorite par 4. The green is the most photographed on the course, and is surrounded by ice plant
Ice plant
- Plant common names :* Aizoaceae, the ice plant family* Carpobrotus chilensis* Carpobrotus edulis* Conicosia, narrow-leafed ice plants* Delosperma cooperi, Cooper's ice plant* Delosperma bosseranum...
s. Other hole names include The Black Spot
Black Spot (Treasure Island)
The Black Spot is a literary device invented by Robert Louis Stevenson for his novel Treasure Island. In the book, pirates are presented with a "black spot" to officially pronounce a verdict of guilt or judgment. It consists of a circular piece of paper or card, with one side blackened while the...
(3rd), Captain Flint
Captain Flint
Captain J. Flint was the fictional captain of a pirate ship, the Walrus, in the novel Treasure Island of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson...
(10th), and Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
(14th).
Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
has ranked Spyglass Hill as high as 5th on its list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses". It has also featured in the popular Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR is a series of video games developed and published by Electronic Arts featuring professional golfer Tiger Woods, among other pros on the PGA Tour....
series of video games, along with 'sister' course Pebble Beach.
External links
36.5851401°N 121.955452°W