Poppy Hills Golf Course
Pebble Beach, California
6,857 yards, par 72
Green Fees: $55-$218
831-622-8239
poppyhillsgolf.com
SERVICE
There's a straightforward
bag drop and no
overbearing starter,
and the cart girl comes
around right on schedule.
It's the kind of treatment
intended for the average
Goldilocks golfer: not too
cloying, not too stingy,
but just about right.
PACE OF PLAY
Like other famous courses
on 17-Mile Drive, Poppy
shoots for four-hours-thirty
but rarely hits that
number. Unless you
rise with the roosters,
expect to linger behind
a corporate outing or a
sluggish group of tourists.
Welcome to Monterey.
QUALITY
The pros absolutely hate
the bumpy greens and
doglegs that take the
driver out of their hands
here, but this pine-shaded
course is a pretty sweet
test for the average
golfer. Plus, those bumpy
greens are pretty standard
out here, anyway.
VALUE
Poppy Hills is the poor
stepchild in the AT&T
rotation, but it's still
enjoyable and priced
accordingly. Savvy shoppers
should join the Northern
California Golf Association
before playing: membership
is $40, but you'll save
$145 on the round.
VERDICT
This course is kind of like
a Jennifer Aniston in a
neighborhood of Angelina
Jolies: not a big star like
Pebble, and not as good
as Spyglass. But for all
that, it's pleasant and
well priced. And besides,
let's face it — you're
no Brad Pitt.
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