Big Ball First

November 16, 2020 Off By BBF

Poppy Hills Golf Course

Poppy Hills Golf Course is a parkland golf course in the Del Monte Forest near Pebble Beach that was built in 1986. It was purpose built to be the headquarters and home course of the Northern California Golf Association. To our knowledge, the first time this happened in the United States. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. course design was embraced by the tour very quickly and over the subsequent 20 years it became a perennial favorite of the PGA tour hosting events from the Spalding Invitational, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (formerly known as the Crosby Clam Bake) and even the NCAA finals.

October 26, 2020 Off By BBF

Pasatiempo Golf Course

Five Buckets United States: California

The significance and history of Pasatiempo golf course simply cannot be overstated. When you visit and play the course, the morsels of history (and impact on golf) will be discovered while you stroll along the Santa Cruz hills routing like carefully placed Easter eggs. We understand that you might be somewhat confused as to why we are writing about a Santa Cruz golf course when we are in the middle of a series on Pebble Beach. However, the answer is somewhat simple. This is one of the only (well maintained) examples of any Alastair MacKenzie designed golf courses that the public can readily play. Yes, that Alastair MacKenzie, the one that designed Cypress Point and Augusta. Probably the most influential golf course designer since Old Tom Morris. Since most people headed to their bucket list Pebble Beach trip will be landing in the Bay Area, this golf course will literally be on the way. Given the history and significance of it, you should seriously consider adding it the mix.

October 6, 2020 Off By BBF

The Links at Spanish Bay

Two Buckets

A visit to Pebble Beach without a visit to Spanish Bay is like traveling to Disney World and not going to Epcot. A wasted opportunity. There are so many wonderful things about Spanish Bay that have absolutely nothing to do with golf. The accommodations are fantastic; it’s a lovely property with amazing views and an amazing patio, the drinks are second to none, and it’s a must visit during sunset when the bagpiper is playing. It’s also home to arguably the best restaurant in the Pebble complex… Roys.

September 22, 2020 Off By BBF

Del Monte Golf Course

Two Buckets

Del Monte is definitely the “runt of the litter” when it comes to golf at Pebble Beach. Even though it’s officially a “Pebble Beach Company” golf course, I’m not sure it even makes the “must play list” when staying at Pebble for your bucket list golf trip. For sure- if you are playing only 3 rounds it’s not the third round to be played. After Pebble and Spyglass the plan of attack would be to play Poppy Hills, Spanish Bay, Black Horse or even Pacific Grove before you play Del Monte. Another approach would be to have your round number 3 be at Pasatiempo on your way from the Bay Area to the Monterey Peninsula.

September 8, 2020 Off By BBF

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Definitive Trip Guide

Bandon Oregon Buddies Golf Trips Five Buckets

The tagline for Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is “GOLF AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE…”. While this may be true, we think the better tagline should be “The Buddies Bucketlist Golf Trip: As it was meant to be… Full Stop”. Bandon Dunes sets a bar by which every other bucket list golf trip will be measured. The nice thing about Bandon is that it just fits the bill. Everything, every detail is thought through with a lens of making it the most enjoyable buddies golf trip experience that can be. With this Big Ball First guide on to how to best plan your trip, we hope it will be just that much better.

August 31, 2020 Off By BBF

Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Five Buckets

All of the courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort are truly bucket list golf courses, and they all have their own unique personality. A few weeks back I likened Pacific Dunes to the “Star Quarterback”, handsome and the most popular kid in High School. While that is true, Pacific Dunes must have also been voted “Most likely to punch you in the face” during senior year. You see, this golf course is just a little bit louder than the others. The greens are harder, the bunkers are gnarlier, the wind feels windier and the gorse seems gorse(ier). This golf course goes to 11, for sure. Don’t get us wrong, the other courses all have elements that are this hard, this fantastic, and this majestic. It’s just the way Pacific Dunes is assembled from start to finish that can be the most completely enjoyable wire-brushing you’ve ever experienced.

August 24, 2020 Off By BBF

The Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes

Do not use this category

We debated if “The Punchbowl” should get a standalone post on Big Ball First, as it’s technically not a golf course. It’s golf adjacent, and in many ways would be more comparable to a miniature golf course than a world class bucket list golf course.

August 17, 2020 Off By BBF

Bandon Preserve Golf Course: Bandon Dunes

Three Buckets

Bandon Preserve Golf Course at Bandon Dunes is a unique 13 hole all par 3 layout that is nestled with ocean views between Bandon Trails Golf Course and Bandon Dunes Golf Course. You might think The Preserve would be a waste of your time while at the world’s pre-eminent golf course resort and wonder, “why do I want to blow time on this little par 3 course”? But Bandon Preserve is more than meets the eye on paper.

August 3, 2020 Off By BBF

Bandon Dunes Golf Course

Five Buckets

In our review a few weeks ago of Old Mac, we referred to Bandon Dunes as a “Stiff upper lipped dad” kind of golf course, when comparing it to its other family members. It’s clear we wrote that review the morning before before we played Bandon Dunes for what would be the fourth time, and honestly we don’t think we could have been more wrong. This is the golf course that started it all, if you think about the accomplishments at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (4, soon to be 5 public golf courses in the top 20 public golf courses according to Golf Digest, then Bandon Dunes deserves some serious street cred, if for no other reason, it’s O.G. full on original gangster.

July 27, 2020 Off By BBF

Bandon Trails Golf Course, Bandon Dunes

Four Buckets

I don’t think anyone would begrudge Bandon Trails if it were having a hardcore inferiority complex, or suffered from Impostor Syndrome. The third of the golf courses built at the resort after Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes is likely the least played of the bunch at Bandon. Yet it is still one of the most loved courses by die hards and caddies alike. It’s hard to talk about a genuinely world class Coore and Crenshaw designed golf course in this regard. Anywhere else in the country and this golf course would definitely be a bucket list destination golf course in its own right, in fact it even regularly breaks the top 15 public golf courses in the country.