Special Report: Pebble Beach Golf Links’ Miracle Workers
The placid fairway at left leading to the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links becomes a mob scene during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The grounds crew quickly returns it and other course sites for golf use by the following morning after the conclusion of the show. (Both, Tewy / CC-BY SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
Golfers of any ability or duration instantly recognize Pebble Beach Golf Links’ par-5 18th hole due to its history as one of the top finishing holes in golf. Golf superstars like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Tiger Woods have had several championship moments here. The course has also been the home of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament, formerly the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (aka Crosby Clambake), in which professional golfers and celebrities are paired in tournament play. However, since 1950 a large number of non-golfers know it as the location of the climactic end of Monterey Car Week, where each August the award of Best Of Show for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance takes place.
The 18th green becomes a space to display cars that often reflect a particular theme. The Bertone BAT 9 (Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica) at right was one of three original 1950s concept cars by Alfa Romeo displayed in the 2005 Concours. (Left, Tewy / CC-BY SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; right, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
One of the challenges for the course’s grounds crew is that prior to the concours they must create a firm surface for the cars to park as well as making sure to mark utility and irrigation lines. Once that work is done, they monitor the event’s setup as cars are brought in for display on the 18th green and other areas of the course in which exhibits and attractions for spectators are also set up. Bentley, Ferrari, and Lexus are some of the brands who annually bring fleets of new, vintage, and concept vehicles onto various portions of the course. There are also booths set up on the 18th fairway offering the approximately 15,000 attendees everything from concours merchandise to picnic lunches, with an area set aside for enjoyment of the latter. Concept cars are brought in for display on the putting green as a centerpiece of the show. This is a revered location where players warm up before teeing off on the first hole in front of the Wall of Champions.
Immediately following the show, the crew has to work quickly to return the areas utilized for the concours back into a renowned golf course. They replace damaged patches as well as aerify impacted fairways and putting greens while also overseeding to prepare the grounds for all of the following day’s tee times. They must ensure that the fairway meets resort standards when it opens for business on the next day for players paying $675.00 each plus cart fees and other expenses per 18-hole round. After years of practice, the grounds crew have a well-deserved reputation for successfully returning Pebble Beach Golf Links from the greatest automotive spectacle in the world to the number one public golf course in North America literally overnight.
Prior to the Concours, the grounds crew installs a ramp off the back stairs of The Lodge at Pebble Beach for award winners and finalists for Best Of Show to drive up for presentation of their trophies. (Top, Bernard Gagnon / CC-BY SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; bottom, courtesy of Web-Cars.com)
