California’s Monterey Peninsula is home to some of the most iconic golf courses on the PGA Tour, most notably, Pebble Beach Golf Links. Established in 1919, it has hosted the U.S. Open on six occasions and was the venue for the PGA Championship once. It became an annual PGA Tour event in 1974 and, today, many consider it the unofficial start of the PGA Tour season.
Course overview
Pebble Beach is the shortest par-72 course on the PGA Tour, measuring between 6,800 and 7,000 yards. Despite its shorter length, it remains one of the most challenging courses on Tour—particularly when the coastal winds kick up. Pebble Beach features the smallest greens on the Tour, averaging around 3,500 square feet, compared to the Tour average of 6,000. These small greens are further protected by deep bunkers that penalize any golfer who misses their target.
Iconic holes at Pebble Beach
Sixth hole
The sixth hole, a par-5, parallels the Pacific Coast. The tee shot is relatively straightforward but it’s the blind approach shot that challenges golfers. At 523 yards, the hole is reachable in two. However, the long, narrow green, surrounded by bunkers, makes that a risky proposition.
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | +/- |
| 6 | 5 | 523 | 4.72 | 15 | -.28 |
Seventh hole
The seventh hole, just 106 yards, is the shortest hole on the PGA Tour. It features one of the most stunning views in golf—and one of the most deceptive greens. Any mishit will likely land in one of the six bunkers or the thick rough.
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | +/- |
| 7 | 3 | 106 | 2.85 | 11 | -.15 |
Ninth hole
The ninth hole is considered the toughest on the course and ranks among the top 50 hardest holes on Tour. This 504-yard par-4 features a sloped fairway leading toward the Pacific Ocean. The green, located near a cliff that plunges into the sea, makes this hole a true test of precision. Any miss to the right, whether off the tee or on the approach shot, will almost certainly result in a bogey—or worse.
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | +/- |
| 9 | 4 | 504 | 4.26 | 1 | +.26 |
14th hole
The par-5 14th hole is one of the most difficult holes to hit in regulation on Tour, with just a 55-percent success rate. It’s nearly impossible to reach the green in two, as players must cut a dogleg to the right in order to have a shot. Even if they manage to do so, a tree blocks their view to the green, while a massive bunker guards the target. About four out of five golfers lay up and rely on their short irons to get close enough for a birdie attempt.
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | +/- |
| 14 | 5 | 580 | 4.64 | 17 | -.36 |
18th hole
The 18th hole is one of the most iconic finishing holes in golf. The Pacific Ocean runs along the left side of the fairway, making it one of the most intimidating tee shots on the PGA Tour. To make matters even more challenging, the course designers placed a tree dead center in the fairway, creating a significant obstacle for the shorter hitters on Tour.
| Hole | Par | Yards | Avg. Score | Rank | +/- |
| 18 | 5 | 543 | 4.65 | 16 | -.35 |
Single-round course records
Pebble Beach Golf Links can be unforgiving if you’re not precise off the tee or if your iron game isn’t sharp. Even when you hit the fairways and greens, you still have to contend with the tricky poa annua grass. Until 2024, the course record was held by four players at 10-under-par 62: Tom Kite (1983), David Duval (1998), Patrick Cantlay (2021) and Matthias Schwab (2022).
However, in 2024, Wyndham Clark set a new standard with an extraordinary 12-under 60. He opened his front nine with an 8-under 28, a remarkable score given the front nine is historically the more difficult side at Pebble Beach. Clark racked up four birdies and two eagles.
He kept his momentum going on the back nine, starting with birdies on holes 10 and 11. From holes 6 through 11, Clark had an eagle followed by five straight birdies, making him 10-under through 11 holes. By then, he had already tied the course record. Clark narrowly missed birdie putts on 16 and 17 but he drained a birdie on 18 to finish with a score of 60. Had those putts on 16 and 17 fallen, he would have joined the rare few to break 60 on a par-72 course.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
72-hole course record
Clark holds the single-round record at Pebble Beach but his 2024 tournament didn’t have a fourth and final round due to weather. Clark finished the event at 17-under, just a few strokes away from the 72-hole record.
In 2015, Brandt Snedeker played one of the most consistent weeks of golf ever at Pebble Beach. He started the tournament with a 7-under 64 (on a course set up as a par-71) and followed it up with three straight rounds of 5-under 67, finishing with a remarkable 22-under 265. That record was challenged in 2025 when Rory McIlroy shot a 267 but Snedeker’s 265 still stands as the benchmark at Pebble Beach.
Most iconic shot at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach has witnessed countless memorable shots and performances but none quite compares to Tiger Woods’ second shot on the sixth hole during the second round of the 2000 U.S. Open. After his drive found the deep rough on the right, Tiger made the bold decision to go for the green. From 202 yards away, even commentators doubted that a 7-iron could reach the green. Yet, Tiger made it look effortless, landing the ball on the green just 15 feet from the hole. He went on to make birdie. Tiger’s incredible performance continued, as he finished the tournament with a 12-under 272, dominating the field by an astonishing 15 shots.
John Paton
3 months ago
JP Australia
I raely turn on the TV for the PGA Tour much like many golfers in Australia – but I am glued to the TV for the Masters, the US Open, Harbour Town and without doubt, including a North Korean invasion, Pebble Beach – its a gem