The third and final segment of our 2020 Ultimate Golf Trip to Pebble Beach found us playing Poppy Hills Golf Course. Poppy Hills is not associated with Pebble Beach Golf Resort, but they do share the same zip code. Poppy Hills is owned and operated by the Northern California Golfers Association (NCGA). While not part of the Pebble Beach Golf Resort, Poppy Hills did gain fame and notary by being part of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am alongside Pebble Beach Golf links and Spyglass Hill from 1999-2009.
When it comes to Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills is the new kid on the block. Initially opened in 1986, Poppy Hills closed for 13-months during the 2013-14 season while Robert Trent Jones Jr. completed an extensive renovation that received rave reviews. Out of the seven courses in Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills is the easiest tee time to get and least expensive to play. You can thank the NCGA for keeping the course public and available at a reasonable price.
Why Poppy Hills?
You might ask, why did you include Poppy Hills in the 2020 Ultimate Golf Trip? The answer is easy; I’ve heard so many great things about Poppy Hills; it only made sense. Also, the price was right. After playing Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill, let’s say the Golf Aficionado budget was spread a little thin.
Robert Trent Jones, Jr carved Poppy Hills out of the Del Monte forest. The course reminded me of the final 13 holes on Spyglass Hill that all play through the Del Monte forest. Poppy Hills is the only course of the seven in Pebble Beach that plays exclusively in the Del Monte forest.
During the renovation in 2014, the entire course was topped with a 5-inch layer of sand, a process called sand capping. The sand helps with drainage, but more importantly, it helps provide firm and fast conditions year-round. Being a mid-to-high handicapper, I always appreciate a firm course that provides extra run out and doesn’t punish you for topping the ball.
All 18 greens were redesigned during the renovation. I never played the course pre-renovation, but I’ve heard horror stories about how much undulation the original greens had. The greens are now easier to hit and welcome low running shots.
Eco-Friendly & Firm and Fast
During the renovation, Poppy Hills joined forces with the Pebble Beach Water Company to create an eco-friendly golf course that boasts a wireless water soil monitoring system and 1800 individually-controlled sprinkler heads. This technology not only provides a firm and fast surface but allows Poppy Hills to provide a consistency unmatched by any of their neighbors.
The Front Nine
The front nine at Poppy Hills starts with a getable par-5, make sure to get loose on the range and be ready to take advantage of this early scoring opportunity. You want to bomb a drive from the tee, favor the right side. If you hit your approach short left, the ball trickle down a shaved bank into the pond. Right and long is the best way to play into the first green.
The par-4 third hole offers a spectacular view of the Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains, fog permitting. This par-4 dives more than 80 feet downhill, with out of bounds creeping into play on the right. When approaching the green, a bump and run might be your best option as you can easily crawl onto the green, but long is no good as the green has a steep back edge.
A modern classic, number 6, is the longest par-3 on the course and is inspired by C.B. Macdonald, who brought North Berwick’s Redan Hole from Scotland to National Golf Links a century ago. A Redan green slopes right-to-left and front-to-back. The best way to attack this hole is to play away from the deep bunker that guards the left side of the green by aiming right, as a slope will feed your ball down the green.
The front nine ends as it started with a reachable par-5. If you want to get on in two, a drive taking on the left fairway bunker leaves the shortest approach. If you play this hole as a three-shot hole, laying up to the fairway’s left side creates the best avenue into the green. The ninth finishes back at the clubhouse so you can quickly pick up snacks and refreshments.
The Back Nine
The 12th hole stands out, partly because it provides such great views of the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains from the tee. This hole was converted from a sharp dogleg right par-5 to a straightaway par-4, changing the par on the back nine from 36 to 35.
Unlike the front nine, the par-5s on the backside are much longer and harder to reach in 2 shots. The 13th is the longest par-5 on the course. Go ahead and plan out your attack but plan to hit three shots.
A great finishing hole, number 18, is your final chance at glory. A long par-5 with a good tee shot and a brave second could find you putting for eagle. A creek cuts diagonally across the hole, creating many choices. Lay up short of the creek? Challenge the creek? That’s up to you, and the prevailing wind, which is usually against you. Into the green, you don’t have to be deadly accurate; a miss right has a great chance of bounding down the hillside and onto the green.
Closing Statement
After playing this course for the first time, all I can do is applaud. The layout is fantastic, much different than the other Pebble Beach courses we played on the trip, but the course conditioning was just as good. While I felt Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill were more historic, Poppy Hills was the most fun to play. The scorecard proves it. My lowest round of the trip and my only birdie of the trip was at Poppy Hills. I wish more courses had a no rough design, the firm and fast layout makes scoring so much easier.
Something that can’t be quantified is the atmosphere at Poppy Hills. I found myself at peace as I meandered through the course, masterfully woven into the transcendent Del Monte Forest. With the quiet of the forest and the company of resident deer, I felt like I was in another world as I watched the shadows slowly dance their way lower and lower until I teed off on 18 as the sun began to set. The final round of our 2020 Ultimate Golf Trip, after we finished, I kissed my wife, and we both said, “What a hell of a trip!”
To book your own round at Poppy Hills experience please visit their website to check out the latest special offers and getaway packages.