Pebble Beach, Calif.
The first great American public seaside course, Pebble benefited from an ingenious Figure-8 design that brought the player right to ocean’s edge, then away into the woods, then back again. The pacing of the holes, the small greens and the heroic shots over the Pacific were revolutionary for their time. Even today, no more thrilling, spectacular stretch of holes exists anywhere than holes 7 through 10. And is there anything in golf that can compare with that final stroll up the par-5 18th as it curves to the left around Carmel Bay?
