Tiger Woods’ TGR Design firm is to redesign the par-three Peter Hay course at Pebble Beach, California, with an emphasis on playability for golfers of all abilities.
The project will see the routing of the course flipped to play clockwise, opening the ocean view throughout the round. This will lead into the new second hole, a homage to the seventh of Pebble Beach Golf Links that will play with the same yardage and elevation change.
In contrast, another hole is to play at a short 45 yards. Several of the greens will feature trees that players will have to navigate under or around. The course will incorporate low-cut chipping areas offering a variety of recovery options for shots that miss the contoured greens. The new developments will also be accompanied by the addition of a 16,000 square foot practice green.
“Pebble Beach has always been a special place to me,” said Woods. “Peter Hay’s founding vision for this course aligns perfectly with TGR Design’s ideals – introducing new players to the game, bringing families together, and providing a fun golf experience for players of all abilities.”
Previously, the Peter Hay course has been used to accommodate infrastructure for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Concourse d’Elegance car show. The new course will be used exclusively for golf and maintained to the same standard as the longer links course, while remaining free for children under 12.
“The feeling out here is going to be very welcoming, very friendly, very family-oriented,” said John Swain, Pebble Beach Company’s director of golf. “That’s something we share with Tiger and his design team, this vision to grow the game by lowering the barriers to entry and making it more welcoming. To do that here at Pebble Beach, it’s a very special opportunity.”
The new short course is expected to open in autumn 2020.