Pebble Beach Golf Course is one of the most famous golf courses in the world.
There are better tests of golf, and probably better complete 18 hole layouts, but the combination of beauty and constantly being in the public eye.
Every year it hosts the final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which became a popular television event when it was the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am tournament.
It has also been seen at numerous other televised tournaments, including five US Opens, the last in 2010 and the next in 2019.
It may be the most viewed course in the world, with only Augusta National, seen every year at The Master's, to compare with it.
It is visually spectacular, and television shows off its beauty off well.
This is an old golf course (at least by American standards), and although it has undergone modernization still gives you the feel of one of the classic courses from the early 20th century.
Opened in 1919, designer Jack Neville had as his objective to have as many holes as possible along the beautiful Monterey coastline.
True to his vision, is what sets Pebble Beach apart from nearly all golf courses are these holes.
Starting at number four and continuing through nine, the views are truly spectacular and the golf revolves around the terrain, and the wind.
Being right on the Pacific, wind is often a huge factor.
On number ten the course goes inland, then returns to the coast on the long par 3 17th, and the spectacular 18th.
It's those eight holes that are really the Pebble Beach experience.
When you first play the course the views make you forget about the golf, if just for a while.
There is probably not a true signature hole on the golf course, but there are four that stand out in most people's minds.
Perhaps the most photographed is the par 3 seventh.
It only plays around 100 yards from an elevated tee, and your shot is right at the ocean.
The hole looks easy, and without the wind it is.
But there is almost always a wind, and from the elevated tee you can't be sure even with a good shot where the ball will end up.
On the next hole, the approach shot is where the fun is.
You have to place your drive well, and if you keep your ball right you can easily overdrive the fairway and over the cliff.
The approach is from the plateau, and there is plenty of area to bailout to the left.
But that makes your third shot very difficult.
This hole is probably my favorite hole I've played anywhere.
The third "signature" hole I would say is the 17th.
This is because so many famous shots have been made there: Jack Nicklaus in 1972 and Tom Watson in 1982 made shots that won them that years US Open.
Finally, number 18 is a par five curving around the Pacific.
The key to the hole for most golfers is a large tree in the fairway.
If you try to play your tee shot safely away from the water, that tree will come into play for the average golfer.
It is a great risk/reward hole.
This course should be on your list of must-play courses.
The weather will probably be an issue, and the green fees are steep.
But every golfer should experience it at least once.