Spyglass Tips

[Skulled Birdies]

Hey Y'all.

I was able to book a tee time at Spyglass this month at a discounted rate due to COVID-19. Unfortunately due to the world being on fire there won't be any caddies to help with course management. I checked Greenskeeper.org and there isn't much info about it at all. 

I jumped on it because a buddy said one of his friends organized a round at Pebble. After I told him I booked it he told me Spyglass was definitely the harder of the two and to tell me how it goes and I though, well s***. Any of you fine gentleman have any insight on how to play? From what I'm hearing it it's foggy or windy add 300-500 yards to the course, know your carry distances,  find the fairway at all costs and the greens are fast AF. Anyone have more to add in what surely will be a scenic shitshow of a round?

[THEZIPR23]

So much of it depends on the weather. I've played it blowing 25+ and spitting rain (probably hardest round I have ever played) but also with just a breeze and sunshine. I wouldn't be scared of the rough, it can be brutal, but it's worse trying to lay back and hit longer clubs into the greens. Yes know your distances and add more than you think to uphill ones. And whatever you do make sure you hit it to rt front of #4 green. 

Tee time easy to get? Keep looking at email NCGA sent with reduced rates.

Enjoy yourself!

 

[robd]

Par 4’s are almost all uphill except #4.  Par 3’s take you back down.  Played with a fore caddy once who said the course plays 500 yds longer than the tee.  Front nine has ocean views on the first few holes then it goes up into the hills.  Awesome course.  

pay attention to your surroundings particularly where the high point of the hill is, as some greens look very sloped one way but if you look around it’s either wrong or not nearly as much as it looks

[Skulled Birdies]

4 hours ago, THEZIPR23 said:

So much of it depends on the weather. I've played it blowing 25+ and spitting rain (probably hardest round I have ever played) but also with just a breeze and sunshine. I wouldn't be scared of the rough, it can be brutal, but it's worse trying to lay back and hit longer clubs into the greens. Yes know your distances and add more than you think to uphill ones. And whatever you do make sure you hit it to rt front of #4 green. 

Tee time easy to get? Keep looking at email NCGA sent with reduced rates.

Enjoy yourself!

 

Here's how it went down for me.

I saw the half off email for NCGA, like, a week ago. I get home today and I get a text from a buddy of mine who also happens to be my sales rep. He texts me a picture of Pebble and I know exactly what he was going to say. I tell him I'm in and he explains he was just letting me know about the deal and they already had 4 for the 22nd at Pebble. FML, but then I think "You're an adult! Take advantage of that ish." So I hope on the horn and call Spyglass and ask what they had for that day. They had the first 4 tee times available that morning and then this single for 11. They're not opening the clubhouse or practice greens, the range is available. You're getting a Quarantine baggie with some wipes, tees, Spyglass bag tag (not sure the quality) and one more thing I can't remember also it'll be one person per cart but they may not have enough so I may have to walk. I do hope I get a cart so I can smoke a cigar though. I asked and there are quite a few spots open but with the month coming to close I'm not sure anymore

But if you're playing Spyglass on May 22nd at 11 or so you'll be teeing it up with yours truly.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Skulled_Birdies

[Skulled Birdies]

1 hour ago, robd said:

Par 4’s are almost all uphill except #4.  Par 3’s take you back down.  Played with a fore caddy once who said the course plays 500 yds longer than the tee.  Front nine has ocean views on the first few holes then it goes up into the hills.  Awesome course.  

pay attention to your surroundings particularly where the high point of the hill is, as some greens look very sloped one way but if you look around it’s either wrong or not nearly as much as it looks

Thanks for hills. I'm terrible about being split on whether or not the hill slopes a certain way. I use an abbreviated version of Aimpoint Express, I say abbreviated because I've never formally had a lesson on it and fumble around on my own, but I'm forcing myself to pace and walk around the hole to feel. I watched the Golfaholics youtube channel and they played a round there, I saw how the greens rolled. Looked like the greens very greatly by grain and every green is three putters' purgatory. 

[Gsh12095]

Let us know how it goes guys! I'm playing spyglass on the 31st! And I'd love to get any info I can! You know... Without overthinking it...

[The 19th Hole]

When I last played there was in a turni I qualified for through NCGA. I think we were playing the white tees and found that on a couple of the doglegs me and a friend kept trying to cut the corners and ended up through the corner and fairways and thus blocked out by trees. I suggest just hitting it to the corner and taking the longer shot into the green. 

[Skulled Birdies]

On 5/20/2020 at 9:02 PM, Gsh12095 said:

Let us know how it goes guys! I'm playing spyglass on the 31st! And I'd love to get any info I can! You know... Without overthinking it...

What I can tell you is that the first 4-5 holes are breathtaking. It is a beautiful course and it was a beautiful day. I played with an older couple who seemed to frequent the area. They had already played Pebble and they were playing again Tuesday. They expressed how nice it was and how windy it usually was. The breeze was coming off the coast so those holes were definitely affected by the wind. I had a great rough day. I couldn't get out of the tee box with my driver due to my dreaded hook which compounded my issues. I ended up shooting 90 because of how many extra strokes I lost to OB. My 2 iron was and mid irons saved me. Bring some KY for the back nine as you will rarely will have a level shot, lots of elevation change.

I have a fairly good memory of the place because it was awesome, very unique design and it'll haunt my nightmares because I worked for that 90.

Hole 1

Long par 5 into a breeze. Keep the ball in play. You will not get there in 2, angle your third shot to the right for the best angle as bunkers occupy left and right.

Hole 2

Do. Not. Use. Driver. Even if you're playing from the tips. I played golds and used my 2-3 irons because it gave me the best angles which is how this course plays. Most holes penalize distance, position is key, especially on this hole. It's short and 215-225 is plenty long enough to go into this hole with a 9 iron or less up the hill. 

Hole 3

Downhill par 3 that always plays into a headwind and will play true to yardage unless you hood it

Hole 4

Fudge this green. This green is 8-9 paces wide and forever long. Another hole you want to keep the driver in the bag for 220-230 at or just left of the sprinkler box in the distance. If the pin is in the middle land it to the front, if the hole is in the back land it in the middle as it slopes severely front middle to back. If you're gonna miss the green right is best.

Hole 5

Uphill par 3 into the wind, front pin is a sucker pin.

Hole 6

Now you can let the big dog eat. Playing gold, it's 230 to clear the bunker on the left. Green slopes back to front so you won't get much roll after

Hole 7

Par 5, aim for right side of the pond in the distance. Shots that land on the green shoot left due to the green sloping towards the water.

Hole 10

Downhill par 4, tee shots need to be right center as there's a tree that blocks you out. Down hill shot guarded by front bunkers.

Hole 11

Dogleg right par 5 you may need to cut the corner if you're long off the tee. Large ridge in the middle where short right goes right and visa versa

Hole 12

Another downhill par 3 that again plays into the wind and it DOES PLAY TO YARDAGE. When in dough wind look at the moss in the trees.

Hole 14

Straight forward par 5, If the pin is in the middle aim left, shots will run off of the slope back to the hole from here.

Hole 17

Another hole you don't need driver on, 225 is plenty long for a wedge in. 

That's all I remember. Pay attention to the grain it has a huge influence on speed. Fairways are great but also fluffy so you won't get the roll you're used to and remember it's the hardest of the 3 courses. Take more pictures than I did.

 

 

 

[martymar112]

Greens are HARD. Good luck have fun!

[Gsh12095]

On 5/23/2020 at 8:39 PM, Skulled Birdies said:

What I can tell you is that the first 4-5 holes are breathtaking. It is a beautiful course and it was a beautiful day. I played with an older couple who seemed to frequent the area. They had already played Pebble and they were playing again Tuesday. They expressed how nice it was and how windy it usually was. The breeze was coming off the coast so those holes were definitely affected by the wind. I had a great rough day. I couldn't get out of the tee box with my driver due to my dreaded hook which compounded my issues. I ended up shooting 90 because of how many extra strokes I lost to OB. My 2 iron was and mid irons saved me. Bring some KY for the back nine as you will rarely will have a level shot, lots of elevation change.

I have a fairly good memory of the place because it was awesome, very unique design and it'll haunt my nightmares because I worked for that 90.

Hole 1

Long par 5 into a breeze. Keep the ball in play. You will not get there in 2, angle your third shot to the right for the best angle as bunkers occupy left and right.

Hole 2

Do. Not. Use. Driver. Even if you're playing from the tips. I played golds and used my 2-3 irons because it gave me the best angles which is how this course plays. Most holes penalize distance, position is key, especially on this hole. It's short and 215-225 is plenty long enough to go into this hole with a 9 iron or less up the hill. 

Hole 3

Downhill par 3 that always plays into a headwind and will play true to yardage unless you hood it

Hole 4

Fudge this green. This green is 8-9 paces wide and forever long. Another hole you want to keep the driver in the bag for 220-230 at or just left of the sprinkler box in the distance. If the pin is in the middle land it to the front, if the hole is in the back land it in the middle as it slopes severely front middle to back. If you're gonna miss the green right is best.

Hole 5

Uphill par 3 into the wind, front pin is a sucker pin.

Hole 6

Now you can let the big dog eat. Playing gold, it's 230 to clear the bunker on the left. Green slopes back to front so you won't get much roll after

Hole 7

Par 5, aim for right side of the pond in the distance. Shots that land on the green shoot left due to the green sloping towards the water.

Hole 10

Downhill par 4, tee shots need to be right center as there's a tree that blocks you out. Down hill shot guarded by front bunkers.

Hole 11

Dogleg right par 5 you may need to cut the corner if you're long off the tee. Large ridge in the middle where short right goes right and visa versa

Hole 12

Another downhill par 3 that again plays into the wind and it DOES PLAY TO YARDAGE. When in dough wind look at the moss in the trees.

Hole 14

Straight forward par 5, If the pin is in the middle aim left, shots will run off of the slope back to the hole from here.

Hole 17

Another hole you don't need driver on, 225 is plenty long for a wedge in. 

That's all I remember. Pay attention to the grain it has a huge influence on speed. Fairways are great but also fluffy so you won't get the roll you're used to and remember it's the hardest of the 3 courses. Take more pictures than I did.

 

 

 

Nice memory! I can't wait to get out there this weekend!

[Skulled Birdies]

11 hours ago, Gsh12095 said:

Nice memory! I can't wait to get out there this weekend!

Avenge me. I couldn't get off the tee box. And the greens may feel soft under your feet, don't let that ish fool you. They roll. Again pay attention to the grain, it does affect the ball.

 

[Skulled Birdies]

On 5/20/2020 at 9:02 PM, Gsh12095 said:

Let us know how it goes guys! I'm playing spyglass on the 31st! And I'd love to get any info I can! You know... Without overthinking it...

How'd you play?