Is It Really Worth Paying The High Prices For Pebble Beach Golf Links?
Huge Fan Of Golf, But Wondering If The Famous Pebble Beach Golf Course Is Really Worth The Super High Cost?
Golf has been in my family for generations (my father’s even a pro), I played in college, and I’ve visited Pebble Beach multiple times, so I can give you an honest golfers opinion on whether or not it’s really worth the money to play Pebble Beach, plus a few ways you can enjoy the Pebble Beach area while avoiding some of these higher costs.
⛳️ Why Pebble Beach Is Worth The Money
In short, the costs to specifically play Pebble Beach Golf Links are fairly ridiculous (more details on this in the next section), but anyone that’s obsessed with golf and has dreamed of playing a course like Pebble Beach will not be disappointed by the golf itself, and I believe they’ll find that it’s worth playing at least once in their lives for a couple of reasons.
*️⃣ Golf Tip: after finishing a round at any Pebble Beach course, don’t forget to grab your free ball marker from the pro shop (each course has their own)
Famous World-Class Course
Pebble Beach has continuously ranked as the number one public golf course in the US, and though world rankings vary, it typically sits around the 14th greatest golf course in the world, so it’s officially worth it according to the golf world.
The course also carries such a high price tag because it’s a famous course with a long history.
Bucket-List Public Course
Pebble Beach is the kind of course golfers dream about playing all their lives and it really does live up to the hype in terms of quality so it’ll be worth it just for the golf.
Usually a course of this quality would be private, but all Pebble Beach courses are open to the public (though there’s a catch for Pebble Beach Golf Links that I’ll explain further in the next section).
Beautiful With Wonderful Golf Weather (in the right season)
Outside of actually playing golf, Pebble Beach is worth visiting just for its beautiful oceanside views, and while it’s possible to see some coastline on the 17-Mile Drive, the course offers even better ocean views (be sure to watch for whales and other marinelife).
Weather in Pebble Beach can be quite cold and rainy, but at the right time of year (summer season, May through September), it can be perfect golfing weather.
Easiest Pebble Beach Course
How hard Pebble Beach Golf Links plays depends on skill, but from the perspective of a professional golfer (my dad), it’s one of the easier Pebble Beach courses because it plays a little shorter and it’s less penalizing for miss hits (in comparison).
The official course rating from the back tees is 74.9 with a slope of 144, and on a scale of 1 to 10 it would still rate around a 6 or 7 for difficulty so it’s not easy but it’s easier than the other Pebble courses.
Top-Notch Resort
To play Pebble Beach Golf Links, it’s necessary to stay onsite (more details on this below) and although it’s quite expensive, they’re top-notch hotels. I’ve stayed at the Lodge at Pebble Beach and The Inn at Spanish Bay, and both met my OCD cleanliness standards.
❌ Reasons Why Pebble Beach Might Not Be Worth It
While Pebble Beach is beautiful, renowned, in perfect condition, and a bucket-list kind of course, it’s quite expensive and virtually impossible to get a tee time without staying onsite, so it’s valid to wonder whether or not it’s really worth it.
The Overall Cost
A tee time for Pebble Beach Golf Links specifically requires a stay at one of the resorts so you’re not only paying for the golf, but also the hotel, the caddy, and any other travel expenses.
To play Pebble Beach Golf Links it costs $625 for a round of golf, around $250 for an optional caddie, and a minimum of $1,000 for one resort night, so one single round at Pebble Beach could cost a minimum of $1,875 (this alone makes many think Pebble is not worth all that money).
Impossible Tee Times For Non-Hotel Guests
Those that have resort reservations can book tee times for Pebble Beach Golf Links up to 18 months in advance, while non-hotel guests have to wait until 24 hours prior, by which time there are typically no openings left.
Somewhat Inconvenient Location
The Monterey Airport is closest to Pebble Beach (about 20 minutes), but flights are typically more expensive here, so the San Jose Airport is the next closest at about an hour and a half drive or San Francisco at about two hours.
🏌️ How To Enjoy Pebble Beach Without Paying The Super High Cost
The entire Pebble Beach, Monterey, and Carmel area is beautiful (plus the nearby Big Sur coast) and there are more than 20 golf courses to choose from, so if Pebble Beach Golf Links is too expensive but you still want to visit this beautiful area, there are other ways to enjoy it.
- Pebble Beach Golf Links Day Of Tee Times – it’s a long shot but for everyday you’re in the area, try to get a tee time for $680 (solo golfers have the best chance)
- Try The Links at Spanish Bay – another links style Pebble Beach course (the best in my opinion) with a much lower price tag $335-$390 and typically easy day of tee times
- Try Spyglass Hill – a traditional style Pebble Beach course slightly more expensive ($465-$520) but still lower than Pebble
- Check Del Monte Golf Course – another traditional style Pebble course at just $155 a round
- Get A Taste Of Pebble At The Hay – this fun 9 hole Pebble Beach course is only $65-$75 and it still has great views, plus a replica of the famous Pebble Beach hole number 7
- Drive The 17 Mile – there is a fee to drive into the Pebble Beach area, but you can see the beautiful coastline and some parts of the golf courses on this route
🔁 Sum Up: Is Pebble Beach Worth It?
If you’re golf obsessed and have saved up for the entire Pebble Beach experience, it is totally worth playing at least once in your life (I’ve never met anyone here that was disappointed by the course), but it is quite expensive, so you could play one of the other Pebble Beach courses that are a little cheaper and don’t require a resort reservation for a tee time and still have a nice Pebble Beach experience.
