Variety, the Spice of February

As a Chicagoan, February is just the worst. A full month of sitting inside pondering why I continue to live in a city that freezes solid every winter. Thankfully, the PGA Tour’s February schedule has always made these four weeks somewhat palatable for a diehard golf fan. Four weeks of four extremely different venues, three of which are great and one that’s so bad it’s good. This is a letter of appreciation for Pebble Beach, TPC Scottsdale, Riviera, and yes, PGA National.

PGA Tour February schedule

• Feb. 2-5: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
• Feb. 9-12: Waste Management Phoenix Open
• Feb. 16-19 – Genesis Invitational
• Feb. 23-26 – Honda Classic

These events are so different from each other that each week feels like a completely unique product every time I turn on the television.

In between an absurd commercial load and horrendous amateur swings, we get to see professional golf at Pebble Beach. It’s not a perfect viewing experience, but the advent of PGA Tour Live and ESPN+ has made it so much better as viewers have the ability to see more of the course. As our Pebble Beach Course Profile details, we don’t believe Pebble is as good as it could be. But it still has plenty of great golf holes that are more than worth the price of admission.

The sixth hole at Pebble Beach.

TPC Scottsdale, while not the most interesting venue on the calendar, has enough intrigue to keep me entertained throughout the round, not just the final stretch. The par-5 3rd is really fun, No. 6 has an interesting green to watch approach shots come into, Nos. 11 and 12 require the players’ full attention, and then the final three bring an environment unlike any other in the sport.

Riviera is the pinnacle of the month, and probably year. In a past life, I was one of the many golf fans across the country with PGA Tour Live on a small window in the corner of my work computer during Riv week. From early morning nervy chips on the drivable 10th to weekend viewing of some of the best architecture on the PGA Tour schedule, the Genesis always delivers.

Then, from the lofty peaks of Riviera we drop to the doldrums of PGA National. Why anyone would spend $300-plus to play this golf course is beyond me, but I’ll be damned if I don’t enjoy watching the Honda every year. It usually draws a crummy field due to its spot on a busy calendar. Still, watching the infinite water hazards swallow pros whole appeals to the sicko in every golfer at some level. Do I want to watch it every week? Absolutely not. But it’s a one week break in a stretch of solid venues so I don’t mind the yearly chaos.

Now, I’m fully aware that part of my affection for this portion of the PGA schedule is because I literally don’t have anything better to do when it’s freezing outside. Pro-ams largely stink, there are a decent amount of forgettable holes at TPC Scottsdale, and if I never step foot in The Bear Trap, I’ll be a happy man. But I don’t think I’m crazy. Do you enjoy this stretch as much as I do?