The Links At Spanish Bay

3.5 stars. Played here a few years ago when NCGA had their annual deal going on… I’m not sure if they still do the deal, but the conditions were that all golfers had to be NCGA members or something like that. I remember paying somewhere around $ 170 for the round which is a really good deal because it also included a $ 50 gift card that you could use at any Pebble Beach golf course, or on anything in the pro shop. For comparison, the normal green fee was supposed to be $ 320($ 280+$ 40 cart).
At the time, the only other courses I had played around the Pebble Beach area were Spy Glass and Pacific Grove. I personally thought Spy Glass was nicer overall with immaculate fairways and had better holes on the water than Spanish Bay, but then again Spy Glass costs $ 100 more. Spanish Bay was definitely way nicer than Pacific Grove, but Spanish Bay’s regular price is also $ 250 more than Pacific Grove. I was expecting super plush fairways and pristine greens like Spy Glass, but I don’t remember it living up to the hype. It was a fun course to play however, the fairways were narrow as expected with bunkers strategically placed and the greens were not too large and were .
Like others have mentioned, there isn’t a driving range here but there is a putting green. You should come ready to grip it and rip it.
Would I have played here if I had to pay the regular green fee w/​cart of $ 320? Probably not. Looking back, $ 170 was a good deal considering the regular price, and it’s probably the max I would pay to play here. Although I’ve been playing golf for 25 years, I’m only a 16 handicap, so I’m really not that good. Therefore, the course was still challenging to me as expected, just not as difficult as Spy Glass. I would recommend this course if you can get the same NCGA deal I did, but if you can’t get that deal then I would pass on it and play Spy Glass instead.

My father in law took the boys out for a trip to Monterey to support little bro in his junior golf tournament at poppy hills and surprised us with a trip to Spanish Bay. All I can say it was exactly how I pictured it in my dreams lol. From the moment we parked the car it was service from then on. Everyone was friendly, helpful, and they all had smiles which is a plus in my book. We decided to walk the course and take in the views at the same time. Didn’t feel the need for a caddy, but I saw plenty of people who had one. The course is very challenging but if you get a yardage book the tips help a lot too. Dad played from the whites, little bro from blues and I went gold. It’s a very narrow course with plenty of hazards and OB which told me to leave the macho attitude at home for the day and play creative. The greens were rolling so fast you could sneeze on the ball and it would go 6ft. But I had no problems with that and I actually almost shot my best round but I blew up on 18 which broke my heart lol. After the round we walked up to drop our bags off and clean our shoes off but they literally have you sit down and do it for you. They also give you a bag tag also which is always a nice souvenir. Well, with all that being said its obvious I will be back soon to claim my revenge lol. But Thank you to everyone at Spanish bay for the great time.

Lovely view, but simply a «filler» course for the Pebble Beach rotation. Very boring, repeated holes, poor quality fairways (perhaps due to the overplay) and blustery location. At least the fire pits are there for enjoyment after a 6 hour round. Play spyglass instead.

Course is poorly designed with very corky holes. Views are fantastic but the couse itself is not very good. If you are going to Pebble Beach, do not play here but play at Spyglass. It is a much better course for the same price.

Pleasant, good food, kind hospitality, professional staff, courteous management. Even a short visit is worth the time spent. Friendly and happy atmosphere. Most of all, a standard of excellence. The bag pipes just add to the experience. Very traditional and yet exceptional. Thank you!

Best Bloody Mary — great RED Clam Chowder — Anthony our waiter was so helpful and friendly — only thing lunch needed was a more sun

Great course, maintained perfectly, breath-​taking views, and still has «I played there» kinda brag-​ability, even though it’s not Pebble or Spyglass (I haven’t played either of those two).
I was surprised though because it’s not a super-​hard course– I was nervous that my game wasn’t up to it. But like most any course, if you can hit it fairly straight to the right distance and putt a little, you can score here. We played 15 – 18 in 30+ mph wind, which makes any hole into the wind impossible. But the course on its own isn’t too hard, so if it’s not windy, a mediocre golfer can play here without being overwhelmed– not sure if that’s true of Spyglass.
I’d recommend a caddy ($ 80, plus $ 30-​$ 50 tip) if you have the means and don’t know the course– he guided me well through the course and every shot. They charge you $ 35 for a cart anyway, and it’s a course that you would want to walk because of its beauty, so I’d rather spend the extra $ 100 on a caddy.
Also, driving the green on the 376 yard 17^th will likely be the shot I think about on my deathbed… sure, that wind was partially at my back, but still… two putt for birdie there made the whole round one for the memory.
At the time I played in Dec. ’14, fees for someone not staying at the resort were:
— $ 270 greens fees
— $ 80 caddy fees (before tip)
— $ 35 cart fees (decined)
— $ 102 club rental (I was staying at resort elsewhere and rented at my resort to save ~$ 40)
— $ 24 for a glove in the pro shop because I forgot to pack one
— Did not engage in the drinkcart, which visited 3 – 4 times during the round
So yeah, it’s splurge for a round of golf, but I thought worth it. Pro shop and bag drop guys, starter, marshals, etc. were all very nice and helpful– the type of service you expect at these prices. Do note, however, that there is no range, which is kind of annoying for a course this challenging (and the reason for –1 star). There is a practice green that was pretty true, as well as a pitching area.
Pro tip: If you have food on your cart, make sure it’s locked down! Those birds are no joke and will eat your stuff– one playing partner was relieved of a sandwich from their cart by a giant seagull while we were on the green. Secure it as if there are bears nearby.

Playing this course for the second time, LOVE the lay-​out and course is in FABULOUS shape!!!

First class. Great fire pits at sunset. Very attentive staff. Unless you’re willing to pay for unforgettable it’s a must.

Who can complain about any food and beverage joint at Pebble Beach that allows dog? With three in tow, the five of us loved this place. Spent most of my time meandering between the epic firepits and the beach.
Wide open views and fast and courteous service. The food was all top-​notch. The kids had a really good time. TIP: if you have a larger group, go early to secure a fire pit. Seat around a dozen. I’d say early being by 6pm in the summer. Keep an ear out for the famous and legendary bagpiper on the 18^th hole. He marches over to the patio after the last golfers have exited the green. Truly a class act. Dress, classy casual.

Fantastic course — great views, definitely worth the price!

Simply one of the best golf expierences a person can have. It takes a lot for me to give 5 stars. In this case it took dishing out 175 dollars, playing nearly every hole right next to the ocean, enjoying Scottish music on my finishing holes and admiring one of the most excusitively designed courses known to human kind.
Worth the price? Every penny as far as i’m concerned. Will I do it again? I think i will need some sort of comp because that’s a bit steep.

Best place for a Bloody Mary. Great views from the patio.

I had some pretty high expectations coming here warranted by price and prestige. I had done a lot of research prior on weather this time of year, tournaments, and local events. Simply, I didn’t want a overwhelming crowd.
That said, we arrived Labor Day weekend! Busy yes, the staff was amazing and handled business like pros. We and stayed at the Inn and arrived day prior to our tee time. That night the piper came out that dusk and the sunset perfectly behind him, the course highlighted the entire event, like it was painted in gold. Views were spectacular! I couldn’t wait to get out on the course and play… I was like a two year old boy. In fact, my sons joined us on the trip, and my 2 year old and I ran out on the course at sunset (no one was on the course) and played hide-​and-​go-​seek in the bunkers. He had a blast raking them, he thought it was so fun, and cried when I took the rake away.
Since we were staying at the Inn we had booked our tee time months in advance to assure an early start (8am). Our caddy was prompt and spot on. It’s great having someone know realistically what your golf game is, and keep you in check from trying to drive the green when you should layup. Also, to let you know Condoleezza Rice is going to be teeing off behind you (she has a house there).
Like you probably know this is a links style course with plenty of ice plant to get gobble your balls. The views are fantastic, the course is scattered with deep sand traps, and deer that will stair and heckle you (if Condoleezza Rice wasn’t enough to throw your game off).
Pricey…yes about $ 250. However, after a short trip down to Carlsbad most of the courses there wanted the same amount (I.e. aviara, la costa, maderas) but they don’t come close to this same experience.
For me Spanish Bay was a warm up round to Spyglass Hill, and then the Links at Pebble Beach. The courses are all different, Spanish Bay however is definitely was a warm welcome. I will be back.

Spanish Bay which is known as the «New» course at Pebble Beach Resort opened in 1987 and has matured into a wonderful links-​style golf course. The opening sequence of holes toward the ocean are a true test of golf and a offer wonderful views of the beach and of the bay.
I started the round well with –2 after 5 holes so I was feeling great about the course up to that point!
Spanish Bay is definitely worth your time if you are in the area!

«Golf and sex are the only things you can enjoy without being good at them.» –Jimmy DeMaret
I played Spanish Bay as part of a corporate event. Do yourself a huge favor and bring plenty of balls (bring 12 more than you usually play with). The ocean backdrop is beautiful, but there are plenty of «Environmental Sensitive Areas» that you cannot retrieve your golf balls from (I easily lost 18 balls on the day and I’m not a bad golfer). I actually didn’t miss my clubs at all — the Callaway rentals were great (Burner driver and X-​22 irons).
The course could also double as a crow sanctuary — everything we hid in the cart (Snickers bar wrapped in a towel, bags of potato chips, and a sandwich in a plastic container) were eaten by the crows. They wait for you to walk away and go to town on the food in your cart (very impressive).

4.5 stars for being expensive (really the only real negative), rounded up to 5 stars.
This course is awesome. Being inside 17-​mile drive area right next to famous Pebble Beach course, I had high expectations going in here. After all, you (not me in this case, as it was birthday gift) are paying hefty green fees to play.
There is no driving range available here. You can use the driving range at Spyglass, which is only about 7 – 8 minutes away. It’s also a very nice drive along the water from Spanish Bay to Spyglass. The balls are complimentary there, so hit as much as you want.
Also, you do not have to pay the entrance fee of $ 9.50 if you are playing golf (this or any other course inside). The staff will verify your teetime on their record, and will let you in for free.
Maybe I am a bit biased because I set my career-​best score here (after posting career-​worst… by FAR… on previous outing at Bridges). It’s a fun course, and is in great shape. The pace was excellent (we did play on a weekday though)… did not run into anyone ahead of us, nor did we have anyone right behind us. We finished in about 4.5 hours, which I believe is the recommended pace. And that’s with playing at a comfortable pace, with few pictures taken here and there.
As others have pointed out, greens are fast. Pair that with some challenging slopes, a danger for the dreaded 3-​putts is evident in many holes. I did okay though… even sank two fairly long ones. It was my lucky day. But it turns out that I wasn’t all THAT lucky. A bird poo-​ed on my back. I suppose it could’ve been worse. like on my head.
Anyway, great golf course, great service (shoe cleaning after the round!), beautiful scenery = great time out.
Pictures can be seen here:

I loved the Links at Spanish Bay. I had the pleasure of playing back-​to-​back rounds at Spyglass and Spanish Bay.
Absolutely stunning views and a wonderfully maintained course. It is very, very difficult though. It is narrow and incredibly undulated up and down the fairways. Almost every shot is a bad lye, or blind. A great final touch is the old Scot playing his bagpipes at sunset. I felt like William Wallace a few times coming down the final fairways. Where’s my blue war paint?
All in all, a great place — but definitely not a place for beginning golfers…

Slump busting — go to the bar and pick up on ugly girls, baseball players bunt for a base hit; just do anything to break your slump.
I’ve been in a Unilocal slump, with three one-​star ratings in the past month. Not in my character to visit one star places, but hey… I didn’t plan it. What to do?
The Links at Spanish Bay is part of the Pebble Beach Resorts located in beautiful Monterey, CA. With over half the holes either on the ocean or within view of the ocean, this championship caliber course truly is worth its $ 260 (walking) green fee. But me? $ 135 plus a bonus $ 50 gift card. That’s the special they have every so often for NCGA members. The gift card was to compensate us for green aeration, but with my putting stroke, it didn’t make a difference.
The course is not overly hard or long, and even if you don’t hit in the fairway all the time you can still scramble and get a decent score. Greens are quick, fairways roll, but the rough is not impossible to hit out of. And the service? First class.
What I saved on the course was quickly paid for after our round. Five beers, onion rings, and fried calamari put me out $ 100, but hey… I was happy.
Five stars all the way… that’s the way to break out of slump.

My favorite course to play in the Monterey Area for the following reasons:
— As much on the ocean as Pebble (7 holes on or very near the ocean, 3 more holes with great ocean views)
— not as rigorously tough as Spyglass
— not as expensive as Pebble and Spyglass
— service at the same level as the other two
— I enjoy the links style of courses
Why only 4 stars:
— layout is a little goofy at times
— some holes seem a little strangely positioned or organized
— rates were raised to $ 250
Is Pebble a grander and more beautiful course? Yes. Is Spyglass a true golf challenge is a beautiful setting? Yes. Is Poppy a much better deal? definitely.
But with the class and character (and for the occasional splurge) of a great course Spanish Bay is easier to get on, less expensive (hard to say that with a straight face when fees are $ 250) than it’s sister courses, and has as much scenery as the others.
IT is still very challenging for every golfer.
Blue Rating: 74.1/Slope 146; Yardage — 6,821
Gold Rating: 72.0/Slope 137; Yardage — 6,422
White Rating: 70.3/Slope 129; Yardage — 6,043
Red Rating: 72.1/Slope 129; Yardage — 5,332