#PebbleBeachNameGame: Our Favorite Names For the Back Nine
Some of golf’s most famous holes have nicknames: the Road Hole at St. Andrews, the Postage Stamp at Royal Troon and Golden Bell at Augusta National are just a few.
Even at our own resort, Spyglass Hill has the likes of Treasure Island, the Black Spot and Long John Silver, while Spanish Bay includes Marsh Corner, Wee Precipice and Dune Hollow.
So that got us thinking: what would you name the holes at Pebble Beach? In this purely academic exercise, we picked your collective brains on Facebook and Instagram, soliciting creative names for each hole.
Thank you! We really enjoyed your responses. These were our favorites:
The 10th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
Matthew Vandebogert Lands End
The scenic San Francisco point coincidentally located off Point Lobos Avenue is an apt description for the southern tip of the layout perched above Carmel Beach.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
@thebeechum831 The world’s greatest backyard!
Patrick Marron Heaven’s Ledge
The 11th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
Mark Simowitz Slippery slope
Known as the most treacherous green on the course, the name is a reminder to keep your approach shot below the hole at all costs.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
@Pbgolfguy Illinois (Ed. Note: We never noticed the fairway’s resemblence to the Land of Lincoln before you pointed it out.)
@bobbygolf5 The Turn for Home
The 12th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
Nick Galante Deception (Toughest #17 Handicap In the World)
Just five years ago, No. 12 ranked as the second toughest par-3 on the PGA TOUR, only behind No. 12 at Augusta National. That No. 17 handicap certainly is deceiving.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Brian King I’d call it the pool table because it was no easy task stopping a ball on the green
Don Rittenhouse The Keyhole
The 13th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
Tom Brennan Bing’s backyard
Bing Crosby loved Pebble Beach so much that he built a beautiful home halfway down the 13th hole, overlooking Carmel Bay.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Craig Beller After 12 and before 14 … How about “Rose Between the Thorns”?
Gloria Strong Lovell superstitious beauty
The 14th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
@t_croom The Kingsroad. It’s a long challenging hole with a beautiful view awaiting on the throne.
A fun description. The 14th fairway can feel like a long and winding road, and the elevated green looks down upon the rest of the hole like a throne would.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
@cdub_golf Everest
Nick Galante “Duncan”. I would name the 14th after Mike Duncan’s legendary 2. (Ed. Note: Wow!)
The 15th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
@etsippel13 The Graveyard. Due to the deadly fairway bunkers
Talk about 6 feet under. The pot bunker in the fairway is especially grave, with stairs needed to descend to the bottom of it.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Nancy McCann Gialanella The road hole with all apologies to St Andrews…
@matt121280 Eldrick (Ed. Note: It’s true. Tiger’s hole-out highlight at the 2000 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am usually pops into your head when you reach this fairway.)
The 16th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
@lance_1st Irwin’s Alley!
A nod to perhaps the greatest shot ever hit on this hole: during a playoff at the 1984 Bing Crosby Pro-Am, Hale Irwin picked a 2-iron from the cross bunker to 9 feet for a winning birdie.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
@gpaul77 This hole is all about the 2nd shot between the two trees. Field goal!
David Kopp “Between Two Pines” (Ed. Note: They’re technically Cypress, but we chuckled at the Zach Galifianakis reference.)
The 17th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
Craig Beller Historic Hourglass
Simply put, U.S. Open history happens on this hourglass-shaped green: Jack Nicklaus’ 1-iron, Tom Watson’s chip-in, and, earlier this month, Woodland’s steely pitch from the putting surface to preserve his two-shot lead.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Steve Hamilton Event Horizon!!
@conman713 “Sea-Saw” The green hits its highest point right in the middle then falls away to either side. It’s also one of the last reminders of the incredible Sea you Saw while playing the most beautiful course in the world.
The 18th Hole
OUR FAVORITE:
@kevintreaccar Pebble Beach. Because when you’ve played this iconic hole that can involve taking on Pebble Beach, you’ve played Pebble Beach.
The coastline of the most beautiful finishing hole of the golf is the site of the original Pebble Beach, which can still be spotted just below the fairway during low tide.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Gary Perdue On the Rocks!!!
@alan.joss Slingshot Bay
The Complete 18:
- 1 – Fairway to Heaven
- 2 – Clambake
- 3 – Bunker Hill
- 4 – First Look
- 5 – The Lost Hole
- 6 – Koi No Yokan
- 7 – 7th Heaven
- 8 – Clint
- 9 – Baywatch
- 10 – Lands End
- 11 – Slippery Slope
- 12 – Deception
- 13 – Bing’s Backyard
- 14 – The Kingsroad
- 15 – The Graveyard
- 16 – Irwin’s Alley
- 17 – Historic Hourglass
- 18 – Pebble Beach