Design Notebook: Is the Pebble Beach Company Changing Course?

Revolution is in the air on the Monterey Peninsula. The Pebble Beach Company has hired Hanse Golf Course Design to transform one of its properties, and this edition of Design Notebook digs into what that means for the future of America’s most prominent golf resort. We also have a Q&A with Dunlop White III that dives into the nitty-gritty of Bill Coore and Dave Axland’s recent renovation of Perry Maxwell’s Old Town Club.

New Spain

Last Wednesday, the Pebble Beach Company announced that Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner will redesign the Links at Spanish Bay, one of California resort’s five golf properties.

The youngest course inside the Pebble Beach gates, Spanish Bay was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., with input from eight-time major champion Tom Watson and former USGA president Sandy Tatum. It received accolades when it opened in 1987 and went on to crack Golf Digest’s U.S. top-100 ranking in 1991 and 1997, but as more authentic American tributes to Scottish golf such as those at Bandon Dunes came online in the late 90s and early 00s, Spanish Bay declined in prominence. The Pebble Beach Company acknowledged as much in the press release announcing the renovation: “With Hanse and Wagner’s vision, Spanish Bay is poised to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its more heralded sibling courses, Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course.” In other words: it was lagging behind.

So far, both PBC and Hanse’s firm have remained tight-lipped on the details of the renovation. I’m trying to nail down the timeline as well as the nature and scope of the work, and I’ll write another item for Design Notebook when I hear back.

For now, though, it’s safe to assume that the Links at Spanish Bay will look like a different, more architecturally compelling golf course by the time Hanse and Wagner are finished. It also wouldn’t be outrageous to predict that the green fee will creep higher than today’s $335 rate. (Spyglass Hill’s green fee currently stands at $465 and Pebble Beach’s at $625.)

If Gil Hanse convinces PBC to restore the alternate fairway on No. 9 at Pebble Beach, we'll make him a Club TFE member for life

My biggest takeaway from the news, however, is that the Pebble Beach Company is finally making moves. Compared to the Pinehurst Resort, its only rival among legacy American golf meccas, PBC has been resistant to change in recent decades. Whereas Pinehurst has undertaken several major course renovations and added a short course (Gil Hanse’s Cradle) and a new 18 (Tom Doak’s No. 10 course) by in-demand architects, PBC has left its four regulation layouts—Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, and Del Monte—more or less unaltered. The company’s conservatism is understandable; for the majority of the golfing population, Pebble Beach Golf Links remains the bucket-list golf destination in America, and even if it doubled its green fee, the tee sheets would probably still be full year-round.

Nonetheless, PBC has become more active lately. In 2019, it hired Tiger Woods’s design firm to reimagine the Peter Hay short course, which had taken years of beatings as part of the Pro-Am hospitality buildout. The neu-corporate feel of the branding—“call it ‘The Hay,’ it’s simpler”—is not fully to my taste, but there’s no doubt that Woods (i.e., Beau Welling) and his crew improved the property. I’m sure Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner will do the same at Spanish Bay.

So the big question: what, if anything, is next for the Pebble Beach Company? A historically informed renovation of Spyglass Hill? Of Pebble Beach?

These possibilities, long dreamed-of by golf architecture nerds, still seem remote, though slightly less so than they did five years ago. If PBC does choose the resto-vation route, Hanse Golf Course Design appears to be the leading candidate to carry out the work. This would be a smart choice, in my opinion. Among the architects who have the desire and clout to head up a Spyglass or Pebble overhaul, none aside from Hanse and Wagner have the architectural chops to do it properly. (Note: “desire” rules out some of the more experienced firms we might wish for PBC to hire, and “clout” many of the newer ones.)

Personally, I hope PBC’s next step is a renovation of Del Monte Golf Course. The oldest property in the resort’s portfolio, Del Monte occupies a handsome inland site, has a strong routing, and is not over-treed. A relatively low-cost project—bunkers, greens, fairway lines—would do a lot of good. Who wants to sign my petition? -Garrett Morrison

Q&A with Dunlop White of Old Town Club

When I visited Old Town Club in 2019, it was already a three-Egg course. Perry Maxwell’s design, burnished by Coore & Crenshaw’s restoration, embodies much of what I love about American Golden Age golf architecture: routing that uses natural landforms with creativity and variety, shaping that humbly imitates nature, and strategic options that allow for multiple routes to success. After playing and walking Old Town with Andy for two afternoons and one morning, I found it hard to imagine that the course could get better.

Dunlop White III, the golf chairman, begged to differ. White is something of a perfectionist, and he told us that aspects of the course—from grasses to bunkers to tees to green dimensions to hole designs—could use work.

Earlier this month, Old Town reopened after an intensive round of changes to both infrastructure and architecture. I wondered why, just a decade removed from an acclaimed restoration, the club saw a need for further improvement. I sent Dunlop White a list of questions, meant to be answered casually and briefly. He responded with a strikingly in-depth account of the recent project, and I’m happy to share it here as an example of the kind of thought and effort necessary to take a golf course from great to even greater. -GM

How exactly do you make this better?

What was the scope of this year’s work at Old Town Club?

It’s probably the most comprehensive upgrade since our inception. First, we converted our Perry Maxwell greens from Crenshaw bentgrass to TifEagle, a hybrid ultra-dwarf bermudagrass. Most greens were expanded. The greens at holes 7, 9, 10, 13, and 15 were expanded the most, adding approximately 1,000 square feet to each. Two greens were stiffened slightly at their lower edges, effectively “softening” the impact of slopes without modifying the character of the slopes themselves. We converted our textile fabric “Billy Bunker” liners to an epoxy-gravel “Better Billy Bunker” system. Many bunker floors were dished out with rounder cavities and steeper faces for better visibility and playability. Four additional bunkers were added at holes 3, 9, and 13. We also converted all our small, square “tee boxes” to large nondescript “teeing spaces.” Plus, there was an extensive amount of tree removal and limbing throughout the property, but most noticeably around Hole 5 tee and Hole 16 green, both of which had always been inundated with shade and debris.

I consider Coore & Crenshaw’s restoration of Old Town to be one of the best restorations of the 21st century. Many clubs would have rested on the laurels of such a project for a long time. Why did Old Town decide to do more work now?

Thanks. We’re all very proud of the transformation in 2013, but as you know, golf courses naturally evolve. As such, we make small adjustments “in house” constantly. The larger items are reserved for long-range planning—where we track life expectancies. By 2022, many of our aging features no longer functioned at optimal levels. So in summary, about 75% of this renovation involved the repair and replacement of our aging infrastructure—mostly remedial work.

Our bunker dysfunction was probably the main driving force. Naturally, it made good sense for us to consolidate the greens, tees, and all our infrastructural needs at one time. When the primary motivation for an upgrade is remedial in nature, then any design goals may be accomplished during the process. Thus, we made enticing architectural enhancements as well. In all likelihood, however, we wouldn’t have closed down at this time for design reasons only.

Importantly, maintenance efficiencies are now maximized. Members will experience many residual benefits of the renovation through a more efficient re-allocation of our maintenance resources. For instance, thousands of man-hours were formally spent “chasing” bent greens, walk-mowing tee boxes, and “pushing” washed-out sand. These efforts can now be re-invested in cultural practices that enhance turf performance, course presentation, etc.—the fine details that enhance golf experiences.

Also, never before have we had a consistent palette of all warm-season grasses. We now have them on our fairways, greens, teeing areas, and native areas. The window when all areas are dialed in at high levels just expanded exponentially. This continuity will also enable maintenance to develop a more offensive-minded approach, pushing turf quality versus playing defense through the seasons.

Who was responsible for overseeing the process?

Architects Bill Coore and Dave Axland were entrusted with all the design work, as always. Although they tried to get the entire band back together from 2013, Keith Rhebb could only contribute one site visit, while Quinn Thompson was busy with architect Martin Ebert in England. Meanwhile, master shaper Joe Hancock of Hancock Golf in Michigan was instrumental filling their void. Finally, Mike Ritchie of Landscapes Unlimited organized a dedicated and talented construction team.

On the club side, our Director of Agronomy Bryant Evans and our superintendent Shawn Fettig provided constant on-site leadership and skilled supervision to ensure maintenance and design were in complete concert. Our Director of Golf Charles Frost also played a critical role in all design decisions that impacted course playability.

Tell me more about why Old Town Club decided to install the “Better Billy Bunker” system.

Bunker conditions and playability often depend on what’s happening underground. In 2022, our textile fabric “Billy Bunker” liners were in poor condition. These old, decaying liners caused sand contamination, silted drainage lines, and washouts. They were a maintenance headache after rain events. This was probably, as I said before, the main driving force behind the project.

We decided to convert to the “Better Billy Bunker” epoxy-gravel system for many reasons. For one, the gravel is extremely porous. Water moves exceptionally well through its gravel profile. Plus, the gravel’s rigidity holds sand in place on some of the steepest faces (up to 36 degrees) without washouts. Thus far, our native Yadkin River sand has retained its tan color without contamination.

Old Town's locally sourced sand adds to the course's sense of place

What’s the rationale behind the switch to TifEagle bermudagrass greens?

Green conditions and playability are also dependent on a functional infrastructure underground. Over 27 years, our aging greens had accumulated a dense thatch layer, producing moist and soft conditions. Water infiltration rates were slowly improving after aggressive aerification and topdressing practices, but we realized it may take a while to make a meaningful difference. Given our other infrastructure challenges, the timing was right to consider all options. We chose a “no-till” TifEagle bermuda conversion for many reasons:

• The bermuda green conversion enables us to recapture hole strategies through firmer putting surfaces. We’ve spent years removing trees and overgrowth, and as a result, our fairways have expanded from 30 to 75 acres. Unfortunately, broad fairway widths are meaningless without firmer putting surfaces. It’s been the missing ingredient all along. Your position in the fairway is almost irrelevant when the ball sticks on the green where it lands. Now that the ball releases, angles and diagonals matter once again. Slopes and contours do, too. Trajectory and spin as well. To any serious tactician, many variables must be considered when plotting the best way to the hole.
• The “no-till” bermuda conversion process proved to be our best chance of preserving our Maxwell contours. In contrast to bent, bermudagrass thrives on thatchy soils, high in organics. Thus, we could sprig directly on top of our 2023 putting surfaces, thereby preserving the contours. Preserving the character and slopes of our greens was of the utmost importance to our members.
• Bermuda greens would perform better for more rounds during the peak times of our season.
• Bermuda requires far less down time and disruption from aerifications.

You also mentioned some changes to the design of Old Town’s tees.

Yes, we converted our small, square “tee boxes” to large, sprawling “teeing areas.” The results are stunning. For years, our square tee boxes were high maintenance items, which required walk-mowing and methodical alignment. From an aesthetic standpoint, Coore never preferred their square or rectangular shapes. A set of tee boxes can produce many straight lines, which are often distracting in a natural setting. Additionally, our tee boxes have always been small with little room to spread wear and tear during busy seasons and dormancy. Worse yet, zoysia turf is slow-growing, so divots take longer to heel.

Today, we now have broad, free-flowing swaths of Tifway 419 bermudagrass teeing space. Large teeing areas offer much greater elasticity and varied teeing angles. Many teeing areas are now an extension of the fairway. As such, riding triplex mowers and fairway mowers are used for ease of maintenance and a simplification of mowing lines. Since these teeing areas were not sand-capped and laser-leveled as before, their surfaces contain some natural subtleties. “It’s quiet ground,” says Axland. “That’s all that’s needed.”

There is a new center-line bunker in the landing zone for long hitters on the par-4 ninth hole. What is the intention behind this design change?

Historically, Hole 9 has been an awkward, unconventional hole. Due to the steep left-to-right side-slope, golfers have a hard time holding the hill. The turning point is also unusually long. Also, in the 1960s, trees were planted up the interior right side of the dogleg, impacting the trajectory and curvature of approach shots from the low ground (right). As a result, no hole has created such a disproportionately large scoring dispersion between accomplished and less accomplished players.

Coore and Axland have always been puzzled by the divot patterns. The high ground (left) appears undisturbed, while the low ground (right) looks like a war zone. You could spend days on the ninth hole without seeing a ball positioned on the high side of the fairway with an open look to the hole.

Challenge: too many golfers use the low ground, either intentionally as the “line of charm,” or accidentally because of their skillset, and depending upon their length, they may be blocked out by overgrown tree plantings. Far too few consider the high ground (left) as a meaningful option, given that it’s the indirect route to the hole.

Goal 1: level the playing field from the low ground (right). Remove interior trees in the approach, minimizing the degree of difficulty that separates long and short hitters from the low ground.

Goal 2: restore the relevance of the high-ground option (left). Bench a bunker in the right-center of the fairway, making the high-ground (left) appear more inviting for everyone.

We have been examining the proper course of action here for 10 years. As we reviewed the principles of strategic architecture, Coore and Axland landed on the application of a centerline bunker to improve the strategic interest and playability of the hole. (See worksheet attached.)

Diagram by Dunlop White

I understand there’s a new teeing configuration on the par-3 11th hole.

In the prior iteration, all tee boxes on 11 were benched into the hillside at different elevations, much like a staircase, one stacked on top of another in a repetitive, linear fashion. We all agreed there was too much going on there in a small, condensed space.

A look back at the old "stacked" tees on No. 11 at Old Town

So we relocated two forward tees across the creek on the left for better access. Thus, there were fewer teeing areas for Joe Hancock to integrate into the hillside. As a result, the new tees tie into the elevations much better from top to bottom. We actually maintain the entire system as an extension of the 10th fairway now. Given the new flow and site-lines between Holes 10 and 11, one no longer gets the sense that this is a hidden corner of the routing.

Coore then removed some trees and added a teeing option to the immediate right providing yet another lateral perspective. This one is particularly appealing—looking straight up the length of the creek to the green. In all, there’s an improved look and feel with better space management and greater playing variety.

The par-4 16th hole also has a new look. What was the purpose of the work there?

Here, all teeing areas were repositioned in close proximity to Hole 15 green. From this angle, golfers have a better chance of holding the steep, side-sloping fairway, especially during dormancy. We also added some modest support on the right side of the landing area. In addition, the right side of the green was stiffened marginally, while preserving the internal contours. Finally, we removed 14 colossal trees from the craggy embankment to the right. I can’t think of a better example of exposing a sentinel, volcano-like landform that’s been camouflaged by trees and shadows for decades. The putting surface now feels like an observatory, with panoramic views in every direction. While our double green is the most photographed, the 16th is destined to be the new memory-maker. We plan on keeping the steep escarpment rugged and will add some native broomsedge in the fall.

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Some courses we photographed recently

Brambles (Middletown, CA)—designed by Coore & Crenshaw and James Duncan, preview play starting next month

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Colorado Golf Club (Parker, CO)—designed by Coore & Crenshaw, opened in 2007

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Quotable

“It is my theory that nature must precede the architect, in the laying out of links. It is futile to attempt the transformation of wholly inadequate acres into an adequate course. Invariably the result is the inauguration of an earthquake. The site of a golf course should be there, not brought there. Many an acre of magnificent land has been utterly destroyed by the steam shovel, throwing up its billows on earth, biting out traps and bunkers, transposing landmarks that are contemporaries of Genesis.” -Perry Maxwell