Evan Schiller
Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company
Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company
Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Pebble Beach, CA • Public
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Spyglass Hill and Stevenson Dr.
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
United States
Telephone
Overview
Given the task of designing a course just up the 17 Mile Drive from Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, Robert Trent Jones responded with a combination of Pine Valley and Augusta National. The five opening holes, in Pine Valley-like sand dunes, are an all-too-brief encounter with the Pacific seacoast. The remaining holes are a stern hike through hills covered with majestic Monterey pines (which, sad to say, may someday disappear to pitch canker, but are being replaced in some areas with cypress trees). Add several water hazards that hearken back to the 16th at Augusta (a hole which Trent Jones designed, by the way), and you have what some panelists consider to be Trent’s finest work. Others say it’s the best course never to have hosted a major event (though it was conceived to do so). After all, even Pine Valley and Cypress Point have hosted Walker Cups.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 1969.
Highest ranking: 26th, 1993-'94.
Previous ranking: 67th.
2025-'26 ranking: 76th.
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since inaugural edition in 2003.
Highest ranking: 5th, 2003-'04.
Previous ranking: 12th.
2035-'26 ranking: 13th.
Best in State: Ranked 7th, 2011-'22.
Previous ranking: 8th.
2025-'26 ranking: 10th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“An overall great golfing experience from start to finish. Holes are designed in a variety of ways to keep your interest peaked from hole to hole and demanding a variety of different types of shots."
Read More2025
Review
“A beauty in Monterey. RTJ presents the challenge well with a focus on golf and a transition from coastal beauty to wooded challenge. Players must focus given the difficulty presented throughout the layout with the pins of the day dictating strategy. A great test."
Read More2025
Review
“Spyglass was something that showed out in a couple of different ways. The start heading down towards 17 mile drive into heavy fog and around the cliffs for the first 5 holes is an extremely difficult start. However, all of the holes are birdie holes if you are willing to play a bit more on the risky side. As you begin to climb inland the course shows a ton of undulation changes and the routing through the pines was something that was kept challenging first and the conditioning was on par with its sister courses near by. The par 3's were beautiful on the back side, but both provided a similar yardage and slope change with a water hazard short and short left of both. This was one of the few things that added to its beauty but took away in layout variety. Overall the course is extremely fun and the risk reward options were some of the best I have played on the west coast."
Read More2024
Review
“A very difficult course with amazing views and tremendous elevation changes. Some of the largest putting greens around."
Read More2024
Review
“Bucket list kind of course. First few holes remarkable."
Read More2024
Review
“This is a difficult course to play the first time. Blind shots that would be better if the course had been played 3-4 times to know where to hit the ball."
Read More2023
Review
“If you are in Carmel, it is a must play!"
Read More2023
Review
“Difficult and challenging golf course featuring two distinctly different types of terrain impacting the way holes were viewed and played. The first five holes were played through sandy seaside dunes down to and along the Pacific Ocean. These holes required accurate safe placement of shots to score and avoid various penalty areas. Additionally, while hole 4 was a fairly short par 4 it plays to one of the of most unique greens in golf: 24 yards long and 10- 20 feet wide. The remaining 13 holes were played through and amongst towering pines and forest many playing to elevated greens and deep well-placed fairway and green side bunkers. Additionally, several water features on these holes impacted play notably on 12, 14 and 15. When played fairways were firm but did not run out as expected given recent heavy rains. Greens were medium to large in size with subtle ridges and rolling surfaces which lead to putting challenges. While a challenging course, the layout variety and shot options lead to a very enjoyable round of golf."
Read More2023
Review
“Spyglass is a tale of two courses. Holes 1-5 play through spectacular coastal dunes with ocean views while 6-18 rolls through a beautiful parkland setting. Long-hitters will love the course as it has plenty of room off the tee and receptive greens. One of the very best public access courses anywhere. Don’t miss it when in the area."
Read More2023
Review
“Spyglass is a great course with a lot of variety. The first 5 holes run toward the ocean and then the last 13 holes play through the trees. It's a sterner test than Pebble Beach and usually in better condition."
Read More2023
