It’s not every day you get to tee off at one of golf’s most storied landscapes, but on a whim and a clear day, that’s exactly what my friend and I managed at the Pebble Beach Golf Links—an American icon in the world of golf. Nestled on the rugged California coast, the course offers more than just a game; it offers an experience etched in natural beauty and thrilling challenges.
Normally, playing at Pebble Beach requires booking an expensive room at the lodge onsite, a price many are willing to pay for the prestige. However, there’s a little-known secret that can get you onto the greens without the hefty accommodation tag. If you call the ProShop the day before and they have open spots, they’ll let you play. The catch? You need to get there quickly.
That’s where my friend’s Mooney airplane came into play. After a successful call secured us a coveted tee time for the next day, we didn’t hesitate. We dashed to our small plane and set off from Southern California, bound for Monterey. The flight was brisk, and we landed as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the coastal town.
The next morning, standing on the first tee at Pebble Beach, I felt a rush of excitement. Despite having played here before, the course never fails to amaze. Each hole is a blend of beauty and strategic demand, with the ocean crashing against the cliffs just a mis-hit away.
The highlight, as always, was the iconic par-3 7th hole. It’s a surreal spot, dramatically different from the buzzing atmosphere during the 2019 US Open when Tiger Woods clinched a birdie. This time, it was just us and the serene landscape—though the challenge was no less diminished.
I came tantalizingly close to a hole-in-one on the 17th, where my ball struck the flag and leapt out, leaving me a kick-in birdie (literally, but missed, lol). While not quite making history, it was a shot to remember.
On our journey back, a steady onshore wind aided our takeoff to the west. This gave us a breathtaking aerial view of Cypress Point and Pebble Beach itself. Jokingly, we imagined landing our plane on the 18th fairway, stepping out with a wedge in hand to finish the hole. Would such a stunt land us on the cover of Golf Magazine, or in jail? Thankfully, we didn’t have to find out. Later, a flight simulator experiment confirmed that the fairway wasn’t nearly long enough for such antics.
If you ever dream of finishing the 18th with a flourish, my advice remains traditional: keep your tee shots on the ground. Pebble Beach is a place where the surreal meets the sublime, and every shot, every hole tells its own story. For us, it was a whirlwind adventure—one that combined the thrill of flight with the timeless allure of golf.
