Not every round at Pebble Beach needs to be a four-hour, four-figure proposition. The Hay is the short course that gives a trip its loosest, most fun afternoon, and it’s worth building into the itinerary for that reason alone.
The History
Peter Hay was the longtime head professional at both Pebble Beach and Del Monte, and a relentless advocate for junior golf on the Monterey Peninsula going back to the 1930s. In 1957, he teamed up with Pebble Beach co-designer Jack Neville and General Robert McClure, the architect behind nearby Bayonet, to build a nine-hole par-3 course where beginners, juniors, and families could play without the pressure of the championship courses next door. The course that opened that year, called Peter Hay Golf Course, was one of the first short courses built in the country, debuting a full year before Augusta National’s famous par-3 course.
For decades it served double duty, hosting junior tournaments and rounds for newcomers while also getting commandeered as staging grounds for major championships and events like the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. After the 2019 U.S. Open, Pebble Beach Resorts brought in Tiger Woods and his TGR Design firm for a full reimagining of the site, and the new course, renamed The Hay in honor of its creator, opened to the public in April 2021.
The Golf
The Hay plays nine holes ranging from 47 to 106 yards, with most greens connected directly to the fairway so the course can be played entirely with a putter if you want. The one exception is the 2nd hole, an exact replica of the par-3 7th at Pebble Beach Golf Links, right down to the green shape and the bunkering. The other eight holes each carry a yardage tied to a significant year in Pebble Beach history, with tee plaques telling the story, like the 47-yard 4th hole marking 1947, the year Bing Crosby brought his Pro-Am to Pebble Beach.
Four of the holes play straight at the water, with views of Stillwater Cove and Carmel Bay from several tees. Alongside the course sits a 20,000-square-foot putting course, free to play, that rotates through more than a dozen routings.
It’s a genuinely fun add-on for a group, whether that means a serious skins game or just settling the day’s bets on the 19th hole.
Want to add a round at The Hay to your Pebble Beach trip? Coastal Golfaway has been packaging stay-and-play golf vacations since 1986. Reach out and we’ll put it together.
