Pebble Beach

Although the history of the Monterey Peninsula extends back to its European discovery in 1602 by Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino, the fame and preeminence of Pebble Beach can be traced directly to the early part of this century. Originally a popular "picnic spot" with the well-heeled clientele of the prestigious Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, Pebble Beach was gradually transformed into a world-class resort offering some of the finest accommodations, dining and recreation (particularly golf!) to be found anywhere amid some of the most spectacular natural beauty on the planet. Under the careful and loving guidance of the visionary Samuel F. B. Morse, known as the "Duke of Del Monte", the revered golf links of Pebble Beach (designed for Morse by amateur golfer Jack Neville), the Lodge, and much of the area's current status and eclat came into being. Known today as the site of the annual AT&T Pro-Am (formerly the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am or the "Clambake"), Pebble Beach has played host to the world's great golfers, as well as presidents, visiting nobility, celebrities, statesmen, and all manner of other wealthy and influential guests.

Author Ray March skillfully captures the essence of Pebble Beach in the following excerpt from his book, A Paradise Called Pebble Beach:

"A Bounty of Elegance on a Rough-Hewn Shore"

"Rich in style and tradition, Pebble Beach is an entity set apart from the everyday world. It is exclusive and yet accessible. Pebble Beach resorts, private residences, golf courses and the incomparable beauty of the land give a feeling of timelessness, a retreat from the outside. Its lifestyle, with its self-indulging amenities, is unlike any resort in the world: a tradition in elegance. From the earliest planning Pebble Beach was destined to be a golf resort. The challenge was in giving protection to an environment that had evolved over millions of years through a passage of time that has never been fully explored or understood. The gradual placement of golf courses, resorts and homes has been in response to what nature had already provided. By example, Pebble Beach Golf Links is a reverent comment to the landscape, and the links at Spanish Bay, with its restoration of dunes and native plants, is testimony to the shoreline's natural past.

Under other, less-concerned stewardship the natural beauty of Pebble Beach could have been forever lost. But instead the rugged coastline with the Lone Cypress standing as sentinel, the Del Monte Forest and its rare plant and animal life, 17-Mile Drive, the golf courses, resorts and private homes are symbols of a legacy to be carried forward into the future."