Playing Pebble

Pebble Beach teaching pro Laird Small offers a guided tour of the 7th hole - a stunning par-3 and one of the most historic and photographed holes in the world.

A massive par 4, No. 8 starts with a blind tee shot that demands a careful strategy and a healthy rip. The second shot, played over a rocky ocean cove, rewards smarts over recklessness. Laird Small walks you through the do’s and don’ts of playing this stunning hole and shows you how to enjoy the killer view without becoming one of its victims.

When Jack Nicklaus hit the flagstick here en route to winning the 1972 U.S. Open, he said he felt the wind change and made a quick adjustment—on his downswing! Pebble Beach pro Laird Small proposes a more feasible strategy: Pick a shot you know you can hit, and commit to it. Missing in a good spot can be the difference between having a putt for par or... something else.

Of all the memorable shots in a round at Pebble Beach, none is more challenging and nerve-racking than the final tee shot. Pacific Ocean on the left; bunkers and out-of-bounds right. Hit a good one, Laird Small says, and the fun is just beginning. Finishing a round at Pebble calls for guts and shot-making savvy—an exhilarating test on a course full of them.