Many championship tournaments have been played on public courses, notably Bethpage Black, Pinehurst No. 2 and Pebble Beach. Golfers of all abilities have the opportunity to test their skills on these challenging public courses, but tee times must be secured well in advance, and on some of the more popular courses, almost a year in advance. Not all public courses are inexpensive; some of them are quite pricey with fees well in the hundreds of dollars for a round of golf. Cart and caddy fees are additional.
The Pebble Beach Golf Links in California is famed for its beauty as it winds around the coastline, hugging the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. In 2010 the course will host the U.S. Open Championship. The course is an 18 hole, par 71, with a 75.5/slope 145 and 7,040 yardage for the Championship. The 2010 fees for the course are $495, cart included, if you are staying at one of the three resorts; The Inn at Spanish Bay, The Lodge at Pebble Beach or Casa Palermo. The fees if not a resort guest are $495 plus cart fee. The three other courses are Spyglass Hill, the Links at Spanish Bay and the Del Monte Golf Course. The fees for those courses are significantly less.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
1700 17 Mile Drive
Pebble Beach CA 93953
800-654-9399
pebblebeach.com
Pinehurst is located in North Carolina and is a renowned golf course, hosting many championships since its inception in 1902. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark. There are eight courses that comprise the Pinehurst Resort area--the No. 2 Course is regarded as the most challenging. It is an 18 hole, par 72, with 7,040 yards. The greens are demanding, defended by deep bunkers and narrow approaches. The 2010 fees are $375.
Pinehurst
1 Carolina Vista Drive
Pinehurst NC 28374
866-291-4427
pinehurst.com
The Ocean Course is located at the Kiawah Island Resort in South Carolina. It is an 18 hole, par 72, with 7,972 yards of play. The Kiawah Island Resort area is home to five golf courses, and The Ocean Course is noted for sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from all 18 holes. The winds make this course challenging, as they are constantly unpredictable. The course will host the 2012 PGA Championship. There is a walking-only policy until noon. The 2010 fees are $375.
The Ocean Course
1 Sanctuary Beach
Kiawah Island SC 29455
888-854-2924
kiawahresort.com
