“Pebble Beach and Tiger Woods — it’s a match made in heaven.” So said Pebble Beach Co. CEO Bill Perocchi when GOLF.com reported late last year that Woods would be redesigning the Peter Hay Par-3 course. On Thursday, Woods and Pebble released renderings of the new course — and it looks awesome.
Woods’ TGR design firm announced that they would be revamping the site of the former short course to include the following:
– A 670-yard short course with holes ranging in length from 47 to 106 yards
-A 20,000 square-foot putting course which can be re-routed whenever it needs to be
-A 5,000 square-foot food-and-bev hangout area with indoor and outdoor seating and views of the course and the ocean expanses beyond.
The release focuses on a couple buzzwords we’re familiar with from Woods designs of the past: playability and creativity.
“Everyone who plays this golf course is going to enjoy the playability of it,” said Woods. “Golfers will have the choice to play nearly any club off most tees and around the greens, which will make them think and channel their creativity. It will also play differently from day to day depending on the tee and hole locations and wind direction. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to play it.”
Four holes now play directly down-view, so to speak, heading out towards Carmel Bay. The signature hole is likely to be No. 2, which is a 106-yard gem built as an exact replica of the iconic par-3 7th on the big course. That’s pretty cool because, as Woods points out, not every golf-mad tourist will get to play No. 7 on the big course.
“We wanted to create the opportunity for all visitors to experience one of its most famous holes,” Woods said.
There’s some symbolism in Woods’ very involvement here; Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have each had input on Pebble Beach changes in the past. It’s fitting, too, that the redesign is coming 20 years after Woods’ most electric comeback win (the 2000 Pebble Beach Pro-Am) and his most dominant major victory (the 2000 U.S. Open) each came at Pebble in the same year.
When our Alan Shipnuck first reported the course’s redesign he astutely pointed out that this was a necessary step in keeping Pebble up with the times. Golf destinations from Pinehurst (The Cradle) to Bandon (The Preserve) to Sand Valley, Cabot Links and more have placed an emphasis on short, playable par-3 supplements, while others have added putting courses, too. If it’s anything like the rendering, the redesigned Peter Hay should measure up, and then some.
Check out the rendering below.
And here’s what the site looked like at the beginning of construction. The views are spectacular, the course will be approachable and, as Perocchi told GOLF.com, “Peter Hay will remain the home of junior golf on the Peninsula.” It’s incredible to imagine golfers and their families flocking to the par-3 course as Pebble Beach gets a little more accessible — and exciting — for everyone. The course is expected to open in Spring 2021.
