Rankings

In this section, I have noted my top-5 rankings in a number of different categories.

1. The Courses
2. Overall Experience
3. Conditioning of the Golf Courses
4. Golf Holes

Like all rankings, this is a personal opinion and may not reflect other viewpoints or necessarily official golf course rankings. When ranking the courses and individual holes, I have neglected my scores on each hole to ensure my opinions are not based on how well or badly I played the course or hole. When ranking the conditioning of golf course, I look at all facets but mainly, greens, fairways and bunkers. As for ranking individual golf holes, I have taken into account the design, terrain and setting.


THE COURSES

1. Cypress Point Club

“For years I have been contending that in our generation no other golf course could possibly compete with the strategic problems, the thrills, the excitement, variety and lasting and increasing interest of the Old Course, but the completion of Cypress Point has made me change my mind.”
- Dr. Alister MacKenzie, Golf Course Architect

There is a reason why Cypress Point is most commonly ranked as the number two golf course in the world and referred to as the ‘best 17-hole golf course’ in the world (the 18th being a letdown in some eyes). Everything about this golf course is truly amazing. A superb design by Dr. Alister MacKenzie flows through three distinct terrain types – inland, duneland and oceanside. While the inland holes are incredible in their own right, it is the duneland and oceanside holes that steel the show. The 8th and 9th holes are among the finest back-to-back par fours in America, the 12th a superb dogleg right, proclaimed as Bobby Jones’ favourite golf hole (also my only birdie of the round), the 13th, a mid-length par four is unforgettable with its green cut into a dune, surrounded by some of the most magnificent bunkers that blend into the surrounding terrain. Perhaps the best three hole stretch in the world, the back-to-back par threes at 15 and 16, followed by the par four 17th, are simply breathtaking. As sated in Darius Oliver’s book, Planet Golf USA, “as memorable as these holes may be, they are but a prelude to the closing section and the sheer exhilaration one feels when stepping onto the 15th tee for the very first time. After crossing 17-Mile Drive, the golfer emerges from a cypress grove to be presented with a coastal golfing scene of almost inconceivable beauty. The visual splendour of this gem would be unsurpassed in golf were it not for the very next hole, the 16th – regarded almost universally as the most spectacular par three on the planet. Completing a three-hole stretch unrivalled anywhere on earth is a par four that heads across the craggy shoreline. Set obliquely to the tee, the fairway ere dominated by a central clump of cypress trees, which forces you to flirt with the water in order to set up an optimum view of the green.“

With its dramatic seaside cliffs, large costal dunes, pines and mythical, sometimes scary, cypress tress, Cypress Point Club will be forever remembered. I feel privileged and thank the Club for giving me the opportunity to experience this MacKenzie masterpiece.

2. Pebble Beach

“Pebble’s celebrated seaside holes are outrageously spectacular, the stretch from the 4th to the 10th without equal in this country.”
- Darius Oliver, Author of Planet Golf USA

Whether a golfer or not, almost everybody has heard of Pebble Beach. This is almost always ranked amongst the top-10 courses in the world. Having said that, I had been told not to expect great things. My mind was open and very much looking forward to playing on the famous course. Firstly, my expectations were far exceeded. You know you’re playing somewhere special. It has an aura that only a few places has in the world of golf.

While I enjoyed the inland holes, the stretch from the short par four 4th to the long par 4 10th was simply spectacular. Standout holes me included the 7th, one of the world’s shortest, yet most spectacular par threes, the 8th, a par four that requires an all-carry second shot over the ocean, and the 9th, a long par four, sloping left to right, with a downhill approach to a small green framed by the glistening white sand and ocean.

Hitting a solid drive and making par on the first hole helped ease the tension, while parring seven of the last eight holes, included three solid shots to hit the green in regulation on the 18th hole, were highlights of the round.

While outrageously expensive to play, it was worth every cent!

3. Pacific Dunes

“Every architect dreams of building among the sand dunes, in the same terrain where golf was conceived in the British Isles. For me and my associates, Pacific Dunes is that dream come true.”
- Tom Doak, Golf Course Architect

Tom Doak is a genius. For those that have played at Barnbougle Dunes, you will be familiar with his work. An Alister MacKenzie lover, Doak works with the land and is not afraid to be controversial on occasions.

Pacific Dunes was the first course we played while visiting the popular Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, located in a remote part of Oregon.

Having got on the “bogey train” from hole 4 to 8, I managed to finish with a 79 (eight over par) and loved every part of the golf course. It is on a spectacular piece of property, amongst pines, sand hills and the Pacific Ocean. While it’s the Oceanside holes at the 4th, 10th, 11th and 13th, that is breathtaking, its the design brilliance of the inland holes that makes Pacific Dunes, placing it ahead of the resorts other three courses, in my opinion.

4. Pasatiempo

“Many good golfers consider the second nine holes at Pasatiempo the finest in existence.”
- Dr. Alister MacKenzie, Golf Course Architect and Author of The Spirit of St. Andrews

As an avid MacKenzie fan, Pasatiempo was a must visit, for it is his most beloved course and most personal project. MacKenzie and his wife built a cottage by the sixth fairway, lived there during his final years, and had his ashes spread across the 16th fairway – his favourite golf hole.

MacKenzie is quoted as saying, “my wife and I consider the course so beautiful that we have built a cottage on the edge of the sixth fairway … I have always wanted to live where one could practice shots in one’s pyjamas before breakfast.”

Similar to Royal Melbourne, another MacKenzie course, the greens at Pasatiempo are incredible. Leave the ball above the hole; you are doing so at your own peril. While the weather was perfect (a 1 in 100 day we were told by the staff), the golf was ordinary at the beginning and getting better to finish. All the same, Pasatiempo was a very enjoyable and demanding golf course, asking for the best out of you on every shot.

While the front nine was beautiful, it was a little restricted by housing on one side. The back nine, however, was superb. Highlights were aplenty, including the tee shot on the 10th over a giant ravine, second shot on 11, again over a ravine, a fickle approach on 12, a beautiful short par three at 15, the mid-length par three finishing hole, over the same ravine at the 10th and the world-class par four 16th hole, proclaimed as MacKenzie’s favourite hole (pictured above). “The short holes are specially good, and I think the sixteenth hole is the best two-shot hole I know. I certainly do not know of any hole which gives so great an advantage for length and accuracy.” The approach to this green was one of the most difficult faced on the entire trip. Hitting a five iron from a hanging lie, you need to carry a ravine while avoiding a huge bunker front left, another bunker front right and out of bounds left. Once on the green, your work is not done. This is perhaps the most severely undulating green, with three tiers, sloping from back to front. Making a par here was one of the real highlights of not only my round at Pasatiempo, but the entire trip.

5. Bandon Dunes

“From the moment I stepped out on these wild, wind-shaped sand dunes, I knew this would be the opportunity of a lifetime.”
- David McLay Kidd, Golf Course Designer

You could forgive yourself for thinking that you were playing golf in the British Isles, at the many famous courses through Ireland or Scotland. However, Bandon Dunes was the first course at one of modern golf’s most extraordinary success stories, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Like the other three courses next door, Bandon Dunes plays firm and fast with its fescue grasses. Natural vegetation and undulations means that the course is a pure links and provides American golfers a form of golf they had yet to see in their country.

Unlike Pacific Dunes, the inland holes, while good, do not make the golf course what it is. Rather, it is its stunning seaside holes that create the drama and exhilaration all golfers love to feel. The first site of the Pacific Ocean comes at the 4th hole, a terrific short par four, doglegging to the right with the ocean framing the green. The next two holes follow the shoreline, before the 7th takes you back inland. Other standout ocean holes were played at 12, 15 and 16, while the 14th hole was the best of the inland holes, requiring a drive to thread a cluster of fairway bunkers followed by a beautifully and somewhat blind angled green set at the foot of a sand dune.

I am yet to experience the best of links golf in England, Scotland and Ireland. For now, Bandon Dunes is as close as it gets and has whet the appetite for more.


THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE

1. Cypress Point Club
With an average of 30 golfers playing each day, Cypress Point is one of the world’s most exclusive golf clubs. The opportunity to experience Cypress Point is as rare as they come. Thankfully, the Head Golf Professional, Casey Reamer, gave my father and I this opportunity.

Although ultra-exclusive, Cypress Point does not know the word snobbery.
Once at the Club, I have never felt more welcome at a golf club, be it in America or Australia. The staff are genuine, hospitable and happy to chat. Unfortunately I didn’t meet Mr. Reamer but Terry, one of the Golf Shop employees looked after us like members. Terry has provided Cypress Point Club with the least amount of years of service. “I’m still a junior here, I began 17 years ago,” said Terry.

There is a real understated feel about the place – the Clubhouse, although not being allowed to go inside, is very simple, the locker rooms small, and the Pro Shop tiny. The amenities are very few and far between. It’s all about the golf course and the love of the game. Just the way the 250 members like it.

2. Pebble Beach
There is very few places in the world of golf that have an aura. St. Andrews has it and Cypress Point has it. After making par on the first hole, easing my tension, I knew we were playing somewhere special.

I had seen the golf course a thousand times. I’ve watched U.S. Opens and played video games. And now I’m there, playing the golf course, one of the most famous in the world and I loved every minute of it!

Playing the stretch of golf from the 4th to the 10th was incredible, particularly in the weather we were lucky to have – blissful sunshine and not even a one club breeze.

3. Meadow Club
This was Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s first American course and is set in a most delightful valley, a short drive from San Francisco. Although so close to a big city, you would never know it. Not once do you se a house on the golf course – rare in a state that has a population more than double of Australia.

This was our first experience of golf in America and will always be special. The moment we arrived, we felt like members. The Head Golf Professional, Jim O’Neal, his staff in the pro shop and clubhouse provided first class service.

At the first tee we were joined by a member and guest. Brad and Jeff were their names, both from San Francisco. They were great guys to play with, joined them for a couple of beers after golf, followed by dinner in the clubhouse with Brad’s wife, twin boys and daughter. The evening came to an end, Dad and I went to pay the bill, and Brad said, “there is no need to pay, it would my pleasure.”

4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Four golf courses, lodging, ample food and beverage options and an amazing practice facility – all of this by the Pacific Ocean. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is for the golfing purists. It is all about the golf and not much else.

Each round, we were paired up with other golf lovers and true gentlemen. Drinks and dinner followed along with a good chat about all things golf, Bandon Dunes and its four courses.

5. Pasatiempo
As an avid Dr. Alister MacKenzie fan, Pasatiempo was a must-visit golf course. To see and play at the place MacKenzie loved so dearly was a terrific experience. To play and successfully par MacKenzie’s favourite golf hole in the world – the 16th, was even better. Although I didn’t play well, Pasatiempo was a true highlight of the trip.


CONDITIONING OF THE GOLF COURSES

1. Cypress Point Club
Fairways freshly cut with stripes and patterns you thought you only saw on television, greens rolling fast and true, and with caddies compulsory for all members, bunkers raked to perfection. It doesn’t get much better!

2. Pebble Beach
Equal to Meadow Club, the poa greens at Pebble Beach were pure to putt on – fast and true. The fairways were a mixture of poa and rye, although quite soft, played very well.

3. Spyglass Hill
Tighter lies than at Pebble, the fairways at Spyglass were like carpet – a pleasure to play from. Fortunately I was hitting my driver straight and found the fairways more often than not.

4. Pasatiempo
Striped fairways that had been freshly cut and again, their poa greens were a pleasure to putt on (except when above the hole).

5. Meadow Club
While the fairways were a little thinner that those listed above, the greens were better than the rest, perhaps equal to Pebble Beach.


INDIVIDUAL GOLF HOLES

Given we played 198 golf holes during this trip, to list only the top-5 would lave out some amazing holes worth mentioning. Thus, I have listed my top-5 par threes, fours and fives.

Par Threes

1. Cypress Point Club
15th hole - 135 yards
Although not as famous as its sister, the 16th, I loved the 15th hole at Cypress Point Club. It has more options from the tee, dictated from varying pin placements. Depending on the wind, a short to middle iron must cross an inlet to the green that is guarded by wicked bunkers on all sides, their infamous ice plant and the Pacific Ocean! It truly is a work of art.

2. Cypress Point Club
16th hole - 233 yards
This spellbinding and dramatic golf hole is the most feared and famous par three in the world. To reach the green, you must carry your tee shot 220 yards over the Pacific Ocean! Yes, you heard right.

For those that cannot reach the green, MacKenzie has provided an alternate route, where a fairway on the left can be reached with a middle iron. Whichever option the golfer chooses, concentrating when standing over the ball is difficult, as this hole is truly one of a kind.

3. Pebble Beach
7th hole - 109 yards
What an amazing setting the golfer is faced with when reaching the 7th tee. At just 109 yards, the wind strength could be the difference between hitting a sand wedge or three iron. The green is the size of a pimple, surrounded by bunkers and framed by the ocean.

4. Pacific Dunes
11th hole - 148 yards

Like the previous par threes listed above, the Pacific Ocean acts as a hazard on this beautiful hole at Pacific Dunes. This smallest green on the course is raised and surrounded by bunkers short, left and right. With the ocean on your left, any shot pulled left will invariably find the hazard.

5. Pasatiempo
18th hole - 169 yards

Normally, I don’t like the 18th hole to be a par three. At Pasatiempo though, it is a spectacular way to finish. Depending on the wind direction, a mid-iron is often required from an elevated tee. While the green is quite large, to hit it in regulation is no mean feat. There is a huge ravine that one must successfully carry with massive bunkers cut into its ridge front left of the green.

Par Fours

1. Pasatiempo
16th hole - 387 yards
This is MacKenzie’s favourite hole - there is reason for that! At the tee, one must hit a solid drive to set up what must be one of the most heroic second shots found anywhere. Having successfully gotten your drive away, the second shot is played slightly uphill, over a ravine and large fearsome bunker guarding the front right of the green. Once at the green, you are faced with a gigantic putting surface over three tiers, sloping severely from back to front. Like most MacKenzie greens, don’t leave yourself above the hole at the 16th!

2. Cypress Point Club
9th hole - 289 yards
On what has to be the world’s best shot par four, the golfer must choose to go at the green or lay up with a mid-iron. Although not the smart play, for the last six months, I have told myself to hit driver, so I did. The result - bogey!

Standing on the tee, you are faced with a narrow playing corridor that is surrounded by beautiful sand dunes. Be sure to check the view behind you, looking down to the 13th hole and Pacific Ocean. It is truly one of the most beautiful views in all of golf!

3. Cypress Point Club
17th hole - 386 yards
This hole concludes what is the best three-hole stretch in the world. Firstly, the golfer must avoid the most penalising hazard on the hole - the Pacific Ocean lines the right side of the hole. There is also a clump of gnarly cypress trees in the middle of the fairway. The shortest route is the right, bringing the ocean into play. The safest route is left, leaving a longer approach to a green. Miss the green to the right, hope that the ball finds the greenside bunker. If not, the Pacific has another!

4. Pebble Beach
8th hole - 428 yards

Wow - is there a more intimidating second shot in golf? Perhaps, but I’m yet to see it. From the tee, a blind drive must be hit left of centre for the optimum line in. The second shot is an all world carry over the ocean, to a tiny green down below, surrounded by bunkers on all sides. I think I was most nervous standing over my second shot here, knowing what was lying beneath me.

5. Pacific Dunes
13th hole - 444 yards

A spectacularly natural, uphill par four is played here with the ocean on the left and huge sand dune with blowout bunkers on the right. From the tee, there is more room left than appears for the first time player. Most balls will tend to be pushed right where there are a number of bunkers awaiting the miscued drive. The long second shot is played to an elevated green, making it difficult to know where the pin is located.

Par Fives

1. Pebble Beach
18th hole - 543 yards

Perhaps the most famous finishing holes in golf, is perhaps the best par five I have played anywhere! With the water left, you simply cannot go left with your tee shot, lay-up and approach. Simply, it asks for good solid golf shots to make par or better.

The tee shot must avoid a tree in the middle of the fairway - left of the tree and right of the ocean being the optimum line. When laying up, a mid-iron is required to finish on the left side of the fairway, needing to avoid a tree that obstructs the front right of the green. Having successfully layed-up in the correct position, the approach shot to a small green must carry a bunker at the front of the green.

With people watching every shot you play here, making a par on the 18th at Pebble was another true highlight of the trip.

2. Spyglass Hill
1st hole - 595 yards

What a way to start a round! This par five starts with a blind tee shot from an elevated tee, down to a sweeping fairway from right to left. Surrounded by tall pines on either side of the hole, this opening par five at Spyglass is truly one of the great first holes one could hope for. The second shot is played from a hanging lie, downhill with a beautiful ocean view in the background.

To reach the green in regulation, the approach shot must carry a huge bunker, starting at about 100 yards shot of the green.

3. Cypress Point Club
6th hole - 521 yards
Cypress Point has two back-to-back par fives at the 5th and 6th holes. At first, I was going to pick the 5th here, with beautiful bunkering leading up the green, seven in total that cannot be seen when looking back.

Rather, I have chosen the 6th, for its greensite is one of the most natural and beautiful I have come across in my travels. With a fairway sloping right to left, the tee shot must carry a large bunker on a ridge down the right handside, ideally drawing to maximise distance.

The green is reachable in two for the long hitters. If not, the approach is sure to please, as long s you avoid the bunkers left and long on this relatively small green.

4. Pebble Beach
6th hole - 523 yards
The first real standout hole at Pebble Beach is played from an elevated tee to a fairway boarded by bunkers on the left and the ocean on the right. The second shot is blind, over a steep slope with bunkers catching the pulled shot.

While this par five is a real standout, it is merely a prelude for the next three holes.

5. Old Macdonald
15th hole - 535 yards

From an elevated tee, there is a spectacular view overlooking almost the entire golf course at Old Macdonald. Although the green is reachable in two for longest of hitters, the best play is to lay-up at the left centre of the fairway, shot of a large bunker, located 85 yards from the tee. The approach shot is then played uphill to a semi-blind green, where the golfer will not see the ball finish. Club selection is critical.

Cypress Point Club

This, our final game on a golf trip of a lifetime, was to be played on the world's number two ranked course, Cypress Point Club. There is a certain mystique about Cypress, so private, that very few are blessed with the opportunity to experience it. Fortunately, very fortunately, Dad and I were kindly given this opportunity by Cypress' Head Golf Professional, Casey Reamer.

Located around the corner from Pebble Beach and in view from Spyglass Hill, Cypress Point Club possesses a golf course like no other. There are three distinct aspects to the course - inland, duneland and seaside.

To give you an idea of what Cypress Point Club is like, I have re-written the summary found in the Club's yardage book.

"Cypress Point, opened in 1928, affords a peaceful embrace on the senses. Its coastal splendor is to be seen, felt, heard and inhaled. Fortunately for those who possess an affection for golf, the precious land is also to be played in the process.

The walking of its eighteen holes can be something of a spiritual journey through shadowed pine forest, over sparkling dunes, around beach grass, along restless sea. Dr. Alister MacKenzie, the physican-turned-architect, crafted a course meant to offer pleasurable excitement. For certain, the breathtaking views of nature's beauty can overwhelm. "Cypress Point," O.B. Keeler once wrote, "is a dream - spectacular, perfectly designed and set about white sand dunes and a cobalt sea, and studded with the Monterey Cypress so bewilderingly picturesque that it seems to have been the crystalization of the dreams of an artist who has been drinking gin and sobering up on absinthe."

Cypress Point is about cliffside vistas. It is about aesthetic wonder. It is about contours and diverse terrain. It is about raw wind off the ocean. It is about camouflaged fairway bunkers that can't be seen when looking back from the green. It is about a rare collection of holes - some seaside, some tree-lined, some inland and hilly. It is about pure golf - enjoyable and, at only 6,524 yards, challenging even for the touring professional. "I do not expect anyone will ever have the opportunity of constructing another course like Cypress Point," Dr. MacKenzie said in 1932, "as I do not suppose anywhere in the world is there such a glorious combination of rocky coast, sand dunes, pine woods and cypress tress."

If there is a more anticipated and scenic walk in golf than the one up to the 15th tee, then perhaps it is the trip to the 16th. The latter par 3, measuring 233 yards, has been called the game's best, most feared and most photographed hole. One can either go for the green at the 16th or lay up with an iron to the fairway on the left. That type of strategic design was in keeping with Dr. MacKenzie's prescription of many playing options. He believed in constructing risk-reward holes that demanded skill and smarts. A player attempting a dangerous carry will encounter advantage or penalty. "There should be a sufficient number of heroic carries, but the course should be arranged so that the weaker player...shall always have an alternate route open to him," said MacKenzie, the architect who probably had the greatest influence on contemporary design.

By any measure, Cypress Point provides pleasure and adventure worth treasuring. "Gentlemen," member Boney Bearden once said to his playing partners, "I suggest that we pause for a moment, admire the beautiful view, count our blessings - very few of us are privileged to pass this way."

Again, we had delightful weather during our round at Cypress. At most, a one club breeze and heavy air affected the flight of the golf ball. For much of our round, the morning cloud kept the temperatures perfect for golf.

While Dad played the front nine extremely well with 19 Stableford points, the sense of occasion go to me somewhat, swinging the club poorly, particularly on the short par four 8th hole, getting stuck in the sand dunes up the right after a poor tee shot.

Thankfully, my fortunes changed on the back nine, swinging it easier and enjoying the experience, I had 19 points or one over through holes 10 to 18.

Highlights during round came at almost every hole. The 5th is a terrific dogleg left far five with super bunkering in the lay up zone. With back-to-back par fives, the 6th was also an awesome hole with its green set at the foot of a large sand dune. Short par fours at the 8th and 9th holes rounded our the front nine. While I played the 8th extremely poorly, I appreciated the design of the hole for what it is. As for the 9th, this is simply the best short par four I have ever seen or played. Surrounded entirely by sand and at just 289 yards, it is drivable. For the last six months I told myself that I would hit driver and go for the green. I did and i hit it left into the sand. The result was a bogey. From the tee, there is an incredible view of the 12th, 13th and 14th holes with the ocean in the background.

Personal highlights came at the 12th, where I birdied Ben Hogen's favourite hole in golf, the 13th where i go up and down from the greenside trap to make par, the short and spellbinding 15th, where I hit a wedge to 8 feet, only to lip out the birdie putt, and on the 16th, the most famous par three in the world, where I hit driver over the Pacific Ocean to the back of the green and got up and down for par. It must be said though that this was my second ball, as the first cut a little right, hit the rocks and found a new home. Our caddie said, "great mulligan par." Who am I to argue!

Following the back-to-back par threes at 15 and 16 the 17th completes what is the finest stretch of three holes in all of golf. A mid-length par four hugs the Pacific Ocean on the right. And now for the 18th, a much maligned hole and unfairly in my opinion. If it wasn't for the previous three holes, I think the 18th wouldn't receive so much criticism. Its a shot par four, dogleg right and up the hill to the green. From the tee, you must play over a Cypress tree while hoping to avoid being obstructed by more Cypress trees down the right. Perhaps my opinion is somewhat persuaded by the fact I hit a perfect drive, fading ever so slightly around the inside corner, leaving just a wedge in, resulting in a par.

Cypress Point is simply the most amazing golfing experience I have had, and probably will ever have. Combined with what is the world's best course, the staff were incredibly hospitable and genuine. I have never felt so welcome. Everyone at Cypress Point Club shares the same passion - golf and their golf course.

Thank you to Saint, our caddy for the day, Terry, the golf shop attendant who is apparently still regarded as a junior, having worked at Cypress for just 17 years, and of course Casey Reamer, the Club's Head Golf Professional, for allowing us the opportunity of a once in a lifetime experience!

Finally, you are probably wondering why you haven't seen any photos. With the exception of the photo above, showing myself at the Club's entry point on the day before we played, Cypress Point Club does not allow people to post photos of the golf course on the internet. While people have posted photos and video online, I cannot disrespect the Club's wishes, for they were the ones that made our experience possible. For that reason, I hope the words you have just read will somewhat do this special place justice.

Spyglass Hill

Following our round at Pebble Beach, we took advantage of a replay rate and went up the road to tee it up at Spyglass Hill. This was a very late addition to what has already been a memorable trip. If given the opportunity to play these courses, you grasp it with both hands.

There are four words that come to mind when describing Spyglass...
1. Immaculate
2. Beautiful
3. Difficult
4. LONG!

Dramatic, demanding and beautifully designed, Spyglass is a modern masterpiece. The contrast in style between rolling dunes, ocean vistas and towering pines is a combination that is rarely found in a single golf experience.

Many golf courses are becoming obsolete with the latest technology. Not Spyglass! While at sea level, the air is heavy and the ground soft, meaning an extra club was required. Since first opening on March 11 1966, Spyglass Hill hosts the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and has proven to be one of the most difficult courses for the players on the PGA Tour.

The opening five holes sweep down towards the shoreline and provide amazing views and strategic options when playing each shot. Pictured above, the round begins with a blind drive, downhill on a sweeping par five.

It is truly one of the best opening holes one could imagine playing. Another early highlight was the fourth hole (pictured to the right). This is course designed, Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s favourite par four because of its options. If the pin is in the back then the approach should be played from the right side of the fairway. If in the front (where it was when we played), then the left side is the better angle. Of course, I pulled by tee shot into the sand and ice plant. The green, which is encircled by ice plant, is Spyglass Hill's most photographed hole. The size of the fourth green has to be seen to be believed!

Following the par three 5th, we entered a golf course boarded by enormous pines through the Del Monte forest and never left it. These are truly beautiful golf holes and very different to what we have experienced thus far. While hilly, Spyglass is a spectacular and terrific walk. During the course of the later half of the back 9, there are some stunning houses set back in the trees overlooking the fairways. I could imagine that being a "small" holiday house, enjoying a couple of wines on a decking with amazing views!

While I was playing well, hitting three and four irons into small raised greens surrounded by bunkers takes its toll on you throughout the round. Although being just 15 feet from the pin, quite often the ball will finish in greenside rough, with a daunting chip to a severely sloping green. While it felt like six shots better, I finished with an 82 (par 72) or 31 Stableford points.

If given the opportunity to play at Spyglass Hill, take it with open arms and be prepared to be bruised and battered by a beautiful yet demanding golf course. I loved it!

Pebble Beach

It was 5am on Sunday 24th July when I awoke in beautiful Carmel. With the alarm set for 7:30, I barely got back to sleep, excited about the prospect of teeing it up at the fabled Pebble Beach. Having got back to sleep briefly, the alarm went and I immediately looked out the window to see perfect weather conditions.

Here is how one of the best days of my golfing life transpired.

8:30am - check-in at the Golf Shop
8:45am - shuttle to the driving range
9:15am - coffee in the Lodge overlooking the 18th green
9:45am - putting green
10:10am - hit a solid drive on the 1st, coming to rest in the first cut rough on the right...make par. Wow! The aura of the place is amazing. You really do know you're somewhere special.

There's not much I can say about Pebble Beach that you don't already know. It looks beautiful on TV and looks even more beautiful when you are there. I had heard mixed reports about the course. "Don't get your expectations to high, you might be disappointed", some said. "The greens are bumpy, the fairways scrappy", was another comment. Well, this may well have been the case when these people visited Pebble Beach, not for us though. Perhaps it was the lowered expectations, but my expectations were well and truly exceeded. The fairways were great and the greens ran true, smooth and quick. The stretch from hole 4 to 10 was amazing and some of the best golf one could ever hope to play. Pebble was truly a pleasure to experience.

Unlike the previous games played, we took a caddie for our round at Pebble. Colten was his name. A 31-year old who grew up in Carmel and has been caddying for 8 years to date. A big thanks to Colten who helped a great deal, particularly when reading the greens - everything slopes to the ocean!

We were lucky enough to have wonderful playing partners for the day also. Rob and his 12-year old son were a true please to play with. The young fella had his best ever score as well - a 98. Not bad for a 12 year old. I told him afterwards that breaking 100 for the first time at Pebble Beach will be a lasting memory. A great kid!

On to the big match, I had a series lead of 3-2. With one round remaining, this meant that it was a must win for the old boy. And it wasn't looking good early, with Jarvis Junior going two up after two holes. Senior steadied though winning the 3rd, 6th and 8th. At the turn, Jarvis Junior one up. A double on 10 though quickly brought it back to square. An up and down affair it was to be. We halved the 11th and I won the 12th and remained 1 up until 15.

An up and down par on 16 made it 2 up and dormy. On the long par three 17th, I managed to hit 5 iron to about 15 feet, while Dad found the front trap. Match over on 17. For what it was worth, we both hit our best drives of the day on the famous finishing hole. Solid lay-ups and approaches saw par's on 18.

With seven par's in the last eight holes and 39 on the back nine, I was happy with the way I played. A truly memorable day!

Result: Son defeated Father 3&1

Old Macdonald

Our last game at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort was at Old Macdonald. Having opened in 2010, "Old Mac" is a Tom Doak and Jim Urbina design. While Old Macdonald doesn't get the ocean views and "wow factor" (7th hole n exception and pictured below) like Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes, this is one FUN golf course! It pays homage to the vision and spirit of C.B. Macdonald, the father of American golf course architecture.

Their goal has been not to copy Macdonald's great holes any more than Macdonald would have settled for carbon copies of the Alps and Redan - but to borrow upon his inspiration and method for Bandon's world-class links ground. There is also a Road hole at the 11th, just without the Old Course Hotel and a road. Otherwise, all the dimensions, from the hole's length, the road hole bunker and the green, are the same of that found in St. Andrews. With the pin cut just over the deep greenside bunker, fortunately I stayed out of it and holed a 40 foot putt to win the hole.

Unlike the previous days, the summer wind got up and the course showed it's teeth! A three to four club wind made shotmaking difficult, particularly hitting into what are some of the largest and most undulating greens in world golf. How many courses can you have a putt from 50m metres away...and you're still on the green!

At 2-2 for the Father/Son match play series, this proved to be an important match. Fortunately, I was the one who got the good start, beginning with par, birdie, bogey, par, par. As the round went on, the wind got stronger and the golf course tougher. Having played quite well until the result was beyond doubt, my concentration levels faltered and some three-putts crept into the game.

Result: Son defeated Father 6&5

Bandon Dunes

Bandon Dunes is an authentic links course, very similar to those found in the British Isles. Course Architect, David McLay Kidd, is Scottish and is quoted as saying, "from the moment I stepped out on these wild wind-shaped sand dunes, I knew this would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Mike Keiser, the owner, wanted something authentic and true to the Scottish tradition. My reply was,'no real estate, no golf carts, no clubhouse on the beach.' I imagined the routing having the structure of a symphony - a strong start, a sense of anticipation, small crescendos and an incredible finishing sequence along the Pacific. The course had to provide not only a challenge to every skill level but both a sense of adventure and an exploration of this great landscape. As on true links courses, each hole offers several strategies to reach the green.

Although the fairways and especially the greens are huge, the best line of attack requires accuracy, which can be tricky. Players must consider the sea breeze and the firm sand-based turf. And newcomers to links golf must master playing the ball along the ground, shots that have all but disappeared from today's game. It thrills me now to watch the public playing the game as it was originally meant to be played, on the finest linksland I have seen outside the British Isles."

As for the match, this was a pivotal day for me to win, already down 2-1 in the series. The front 9 was an up and down affair for me, a couple of bogey's and a double on the ninth meant that Jarvis Senior turned 1 up.

With my head down walking to the tenth tee, I said to myself that coming back from 3-1 down will almost be impossible. "Dig deep Ben!" And I did. The back nine resulted in my best golf in the series to date. Three birdies and -1 over the nine holes saw me win the match on 17.

Result: Son defeated Father 2&1

As I write this post, Dad is asleep and snoring like there is no tomorrow. Perhaps I've struck form at the right time and the old guy is running out of legs! Tomorrow is our final game at Bandon, on Tom Doak's Old Macdonald. I plan on winning and taking the series lead for the first time, heading into the final two rounds at Pebble Beach and Cypress Point.

Bandon Trails

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have produced a marvellous golf course that is Bandon Trails. This was the third golf course to be built at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. While it plays like a links, "Trails" has predominately a parkland setting with huge mature pines lining the fairways.

Bill Coore is quoted as saying, "In the profession of golf architecture, all one can ask for is to be given an extraordinary site and the freedom to work with it. We were afforded both at Bandon Trails. We have tried to tread softly on this spectacular landscape, laying out a golf course that require little alteration to the site while providing golf as diverse as the land itself. As its name implies, Bandon Trails will take you on a journey, a nature walk if you will, through windswept dunes, meadows of vegetation framed by indigenous shrubbery, and through woodlands of towering fir and spruce trees. Sometimes the journey and the golf will be wild and tumultuous, sometimes serene. Whichever, we hope it will always be interesting and enjoyable."

While I prefer Pacific Dunes (played yesterday), Bandon Trails has some great par threes and short par fours. It really is a beautiful setting and difficult to not enjoy even if not playing all that well.

My favourite hole was the 15th, a 406 yard par four with a slight dogleg to the right. Playing into the prevailing wind, the cross bunker (shown in the photo to the right) could not be reached.

Having reached the fairway successfully, a seven iron approach was followed into a stunning green sight, seamlessly integrating into the surround vegetation and landscape.

As for the golf, we were joined by a tremendous guy from Chicago. Jim last visited Bandon Dunes three years ago and fortunately, was able show us where to hit on the holes that required some local knowledge.

The standard was somewhat ordinary at times. Apart from being being 1 up on the fourth, I was down all match. Dad played some solid golf for much of the next 12 holes to be 3 up with 4 to play. With the last four holes playing tough and into a stiff breeze, he collapsed and found areas of the golf course he had yet to see.

Result: Square

Pacific Dunes

Wow! Tom Doak, you are a genius. Barnbougle Dunes is good. Pacific Dunes is great! Perhaps it was the fact that I played a little better today and shot 79, or perhaps it was the amazing weather from the tee shot on the first to the 3-foot putt on the last - glorious sunshine and a one club breeze on the rare occasion.

To begin with, I am going to quote the course designer, Tom Doak, taken from the Pacific Dunes yardage book.

Every architect dreams of building among sand dunes, in the same terrain where golf was conceived in the British Isles. Pacific Dunes is that dream come true for me. I suspect that any golfer would have found some of the same holes, like th par 4 thirteenth hole along the ocean, but it was an enormous responsibility to find the best possible routing on a site of such potential.

The rippling fairways are mostly as we found them; so are the natural bunkers at the second, seventh, eleventh, thirteenth, sixteenth and eighteenth holes, which guide our routing of holes. The layout is short enough to give every golfer hope, but its rugged nature will test every facet of your game. We hope you have many more opportunities to play over this beautiful ground, and to come to appreciate it as we have.

We couldn't have asked for a better day to begin our Bandon Dunes adventure. If this is a sign of things to come, I never want it to end. The routing of the inland holes is simply awesome and full of character while the oceanside holes are jaw-droppingly speactacular. Photos simply don't do the scale of the course justice.

For what its worth, I've recorded my first win on this trip, convincingly too. Son defeated Father 5&4.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort - an overview

For the next 5 days, we are at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Located in the state or Oregon, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is one of the world's leading golf destinations and possesses an amazing piece of property on the Pacific Ocean. Four world-class golf courses, shops to service each and an amazing practice centre, consisting of two ranges, one-acre putting green and a 9-hole par three course, club storage and shoe shine facilities. All of this, complimentary.

Off the golf course, there is a number of restaurants, fitness centre, sauna and a trail system offering great views of the golf courses and ocean while educating you about the sand dunes, the ecosystem that formed them and the plant and wildlife that inhabit them.

Each of the golf courses are located in different areas of the property. There are shuttle buses transporting all the golfers from course to course. Within two minutes of request, off you go. It really is an amazing set-up. The resort is the biggest employer in the area - there are over 700 employees!!

Now to the golf courses. As mentioned, there are four in total. In order of opening, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald. Each of them walking only and the tradition of caddies is maintained.

Bandon Dunes is designed by Scotsman David McLay-Kidd and features expansive ocean views, sand dunes and knob-like hummock. The terrain is strikingly similar to that found in Scotland.

Designed by Tom Doak, Pacific Dunes emerges from shore pines to spectacular 60-foot dunes blanketed in native gorse. The green complexes are smalled but with greater undulation, requiring precise approaches.

Bandon Trails is designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and provides diverse terrain during the round. The elevation changes are dramatic while walking through the dunes, meadows and coastal forests.

The fourth and most recently constructed course, Old Macdonald, was inspired by the work of Charles Blair Macdonald, a famous American Golf Course Architect and founder of the U.S. Golf Association. Designed by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina, "Old Mac" as it is known, features classic principles and strategies that Macdonald incorporated into his own courses, chiefly National Golf Links of America.

From the moment we arrived, all I wanted to do was play golf. With still a week of solif golf left, we fet that we were best to conserve our energy when possibly. Instead, it was off to the practice range for some much needed improvement. After all, my father leads the series 2-0.

Pacific Dunes is first up on Tuesday morning. I can't wait!

Olympic Club

Firstly, many thanks to our host for today, David. We couldn't have asked for a better host. On what was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon, David took the afternoon off to allow us the opportunity to play the 9-hole par three course at Olympic, named the Cliffs Course. When not playing golf at Olympic, David spends some time in Scotland at his second course, Royal Dornoch...lucky guy!!

Before heading out to the golf course, we checked in at what is surely one of the world's best Pro Shops. Having recently re-opened in May, there is an amazing view of the 1st tee of the Lake Course, not to mention some great stock that one could spend too much money very quickly!

As for the golf, the Cliffs Course is a lot of fun and a nice change up to playing 18 everyday. On a great sunny afternoon, I couldn't imagine having more fun than going out with a few mates, enjoying the spectacular views that are on offer. Over the 9 holes, you are required to hit anything from a little wedge to a long iron. Some holes offer easy birdie opportunities, others make par a result to savour!

Following golf, David took us on a tour of the clubhouse. Wow...what a clubhouse it is! Opulent is the word that first came to mind from the moment you step foot in there. After a drink in the bar, we had a quick look at a couple of the holes on the Lake Course (host of four U.S. Opens and their fifth in 2012). From what I have read and saw, the Lake Course looks like a long and demanding golf course. Come 2012, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. Open is won with a score no better than par.

As for the result of the father/son match, today's game does not count to the overall scoreline. For the record though, son defeated father 1 up. Perhaps I'm finding form at the right time?

Again, a big thank you to David who made today possible. I just hope that i can one day repay the favour.

Pasatiempo - Another MacKenzie Gem

Located in Santa Cruz, 30 minutes north of Pebble Beach, Pasatiempo is a Spanish word translated to "hobby" or "pastime".

Having opened in 1929, Pasatiempo is Dr. Alister MacKenzie's most personal design. In the final years of his life, MacKenzie lived on the 6th fairway, approximately 100 yards from the green. His ashes also lie on the 16th hole, his favourite hole in all of golf. I certainly had a smile when walking off with a par on this challenging par four (pictured to the right).

As an avid MacKenzie fan, Pasatiempo was a course that I have looked forward to playing for a while now. Fortunately, it exceeded my expectations. Firstly, i must thak Head Professional, Ken Woods, for accommodating us on what was a busy Saturday afternoon. Upon check-in, Bobby in the Pro Shop said that the course has never been in better condition - he was right. While uphill putts had to be struck firm, downhill putts were impossible to stop. Note to self, never leave the ball above the hole, unless you want to three-putt again and again.

On the 1st tee, we were joined by Tom and JD, both great guys. They have been playing Pasatiempo for years now so they had some insightful knowledge about the course....not at their fault, it didn't help! We retreated to the Clubhouse for a beer before Tom and JD when out for another 18, teeing off after 6pm (it doesn't get dark until after 9pm). After some food and another beverage, my father and I regretfully left "Pasa", only to see the guys on the 10th tee an hour later. Tom and JD, I hope you enjoyed your own private Pasatiempo. I know I would!

As for the match, I chipped in on the 1st for a par to go 1 up. From there, it was all Jarvis Senior, turning at 4 up and reaching 5 up. As the match wore on, Jarvis Junior starting playing a little better. A 6ft putt on the 18th to halve the match lipped out.

Result: Father defeated Son 1 up

Meadow Club - MacKenzie's first American Design

In brief, Meadow Club is quite possibly the most delightful setting I have come across in my short golfing “career”. Just 45 minutes from the bustling downtown San Francisco, there is not a house or building to be seen when playing the golf course. It is set at the base of a valley, with lush green fairways against the backdrop of long brown rough.

The course was matched by the service – impeccable! A big thank you must go to Meadow Club's Head Professional, Jim O’Neil, who kindly allowed use to visit Meadow Club on a fine and sunny Friday afternoon.

It was a long but great day to begin the trip. Lunch at 1pm, putting green and driving range at 2pm, 1st tee at 2:45pm, dinner at 7:30pm and last to leave the Club at 10pm. We were joined by a member of Meadow Club (lucky man) by the name of Brad and his guest, Jeff. They certainly helped make the experience all the more better. We had a great chat about all things golf, particularly about the upcoming Clubs we are visiting.

After putting out on 18, we joined Brad’s family- his wife, twin boys and daughter. Naturally, we discussed the differences in the American and Australian language. I think I taught the kids a few words and phrases they can take to school on Monday. Dinner was kindly shouted by the guys- their hospitality to two, well not complete strangers was greatly appreciated.

For those that don’t know much about Meadow Club, this was Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s first American course and has been recently restored to bring back the early design and playability that was somwhat lost over the years. With a gradual “tree management process”, the Club is looking out removing 20-30 trees a year, finally get the course looking more like the one that opened back in 1927- a Meadow.

Result: Father defeated Son 3&2

Meadow Club to get the trip started...

Nestled in a valley near Fairfax, approximately 45 minutes north of San Francisco, Meadow Club is Dr. Alister MacKenzie's first American design and looks to be an ideal course to kick start the trip.

A private members club, Head Professional Jim O'Neil has been very kind to allow my father and I experience Meadow Club. Here are some images of holes 8, 9, 13 and 16.

Pasatiempo added!

Prior to heading up to Oregon and Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Pasatiempo has been added to the trip.

I'm really looking forward to playing at Pasatiempo. Designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie, "Pasatiempo" is a Spanish word translated to "hobby" or "pastime".

The course officially opened in 1929 and is located on the hills looking south to the Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz. In his final years, MacKenzie lived by the sixth fairway and thus, Pasatiempo meant a great deal to him. Tom Doak, who has since restored the course to the MacKenzie ideals was quoted as saying, "Pasatiempo is the most personal of MacKenzie’s designs, it is bold and untempered. Afterall, he did live there.”

MacKenzie himself, who has designed the likes of Cypress Point Club, Augusta National and Royal Melbourne, stated that "... good golfers consider the second nine holes at Pasatiempo the finest in existence. The short holes are specially good, and I think the sixteenth hole is the best two-shot hole I know.” The 16th hole is pictured to the right, while the par three 18th is shown above.

How it all started...

Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes...... each of these golfing meccas are synonymous with the world's greatest destinations!

Saturday 12th March was the day this trip began to find its feet. I was planning my annual leave from work – not an easy task when the Club is growing, getting busier from year-to-year. After scanning over our event planner, there is no better time to do so than in the depths of the Barwon Heads winter!

Rather than take a couple of weeks off work, mowing the lawns, cleaning the dishes and ironing clothes, I wanted to make the most of the time available. I am always looking at ways I can improve the Golf Operations department at Thirteenth Beach. How about I visit one of the world’s leading golf destinations, play golf and observe the day-to-day operations?

Having read a number of articles and publications about some of the world’s greatest golf destinations, it was evident that Bandon Dunes Golf Resort was exactly that.

Located in the state of Oregon, approximately 9 hours drive north of San Francisco, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort possesses four golf courses – Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald, on-course accommodation and a golf academy. Three of the four courses hug the Pacific Ocean, while all four are ranked as America’s best. It is here that Barnbougle Dunes modelled its facility on.

In December 2009, the Assistant Superintendent of the most recently opened course at Bandon Dunes, Old Macdonald, visited Thirteenth Beach. I had numerous emails from CJ Kruecher following his visit, expressing his gratitude and enjoyment of playing the Beach Course. CJ also commented that should I ever be in his “neck of the woods”, I should make the effort of visiting Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Little did I know I would planning my visit just 15 months later.

Excited at the prospect of traveling to America in a little over four months, I told my parents of my idea. Mum said to Dad, “why don’t you go along with Ben”. Having pondered the thought of playing some of the world’s best golf courses, Dad turned to me with a smile and responded, “when are we booking the flights?”

“How long can we stay in America for?” asked my father. About 10 days was the answer. “Is there anywhere else you would like to visit?”. “How about the Monterey Peninsula – with a bit of luck, that will give me the chance to have a look at Pebble Beach and Cypress Point.”

To play at Pebble Beach, you need to stay at one of their three resorts. As you could imagine, this wouldn't be a cheap exercise. Having emailed the CEO of Pebble Beach, I received a response 12 hours later from the VIP Client Services Coordinator. “Mr. Jarvis, thank you for your enquiry. The CEO has waived the hotel stay requirement for you. I am happy to arrange your game of golf at Pebble Beach”. The green fee is outrageously expensive – never did I think I would folk out the amount required to play at Pebble Beach, but how often am I going to get this opportunity? You really do get an appreciation of how affordable this great game is in our part of the world!

So, Pebble Beach is now booked with a mid-morning tee-time on the famed layout. Now for Cypress Point!

The joint Head Professional at Barwon Heads Golf Club visited Cypress Point about two years ago and was happy to forward the contact details of the Club Professional – Casey Reamer. Cypress Point is one of the most exclusive Clubs in the world, perhaps only second to Augusta National and is considered as the second best golf course in the world. Here is a summary of Cypress Point, summarised on the Links Magazine website, titled “Cypress Point Club – the Sistine Chapel of Golf”.

Cypress Point is, among golf courses, perhaps the ultimate enigma. It is one of the most famous, has been called the most beautiful and is widely considered to be one of the greatest golf courses in the world. Yet relatively few play it, there is no practice range or high-end logo-filled pro shop, the 1928 vintage, Monterey Colonial-style clubhouse, although comfortable, is quite modest and there isn’t even the refuge of what most golfers consider an adequate 19th hole.

On average, 30 golfers play Cypress Point on a given day, easily making it one of the most exclusive courses in the world. Its members come from the highest echelons of corporate and political arenas, along with a celebrity or two like Clint Eastwood and Bob Hope. All this does make a statement, however: Cypress Point is in a class unto itself, and that’s the way its estimated 200–250 members like it. Membership and golf are matter so privacy in a most conservative sense. Because we can’t see behind the veil, we want to that much more.
There is not, however, an affected aloofness at Cypress Point. There’s a dry sense of humour in the old, discarded golf bags that hang suspended from branches in a towering cypress tree behind the pro shop. Cypress Point Club, which was organized in 1926 and saw its first play on August 11, 1928, is a product of the Great Depression. That might explain some of its conservatism.

According to www.montereypeninsulagolf.com,
Cypress Point is “regarded as the most exclusive course in the world, it is virtually impossible to play a round unless you are invited by a member. The club decides the cost of yearly membership fees by equally dividing the total operating expenses amongst all members. Each member of the club is required to pay the same amount in dues, regardless of the amount of play or the number of visits to the club”.

I hear you ask, “How did you manage to book a tee-time?”
I simply emailed the Head Professional, enquiring about the opportunity for my father and I to play or walk the course (after all, they can only say no). To the contrary, Mr. Reamer’s response was somewhat surprising and incredibly hospitable. “I rarely have access to the golf course but can host you early morning, midweek in July. Give me a couple of dates that work and I’ll book a time”.  I couldn’t believe my luck! I really was on cloud 9 for the remainder of the day.

This will quite possibly be the finest two days on a golf course my father and I will have for the remainder of our lives – Pebble Beach on Sunday 24^th and Cypress Point on Monday 25^th July. Let’s hope I don’t hit too many Pro V1’s in the Pacific Ocean!