In 1937 Bing Crosby started the “Crosby Clambake” as just a golf outing for some of his closest friends on the Monterey Peninsula.
Bing is long gone but his intimate shindig has turned into the $6.5 million AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and will offer $1.1 million to the winner.
Celebrities from the entertainment world and sports stars are paired with the professionals and they play as a team over the first three rounds.
Three courses are used in the AT&T National Pro-Am. All golfers play one round each at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Spyglass Hill Golf Club and Pebble Beach. Spyglass Hill is the most difficult of the three courses but Pebble Beach is the course that everyone wants to play.
Much has been written about the beauty and history of Pebble Beach. Former winners here include the world’s best; Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Ken Venturi, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson and even Tiger Woods.
Pebble Beach has hosted the U.S. Open on five different occasions.
Jack Nicklaus won the 1972 U.S. Open. Tom Watson beat Nicklaus with a chip-in on the 71st hole in 1982. Tom Kite survived difficult playing conditions in 1992. Tiger Woods blew away the field in 2000 by 15 shots and Graeme McDowell won in 2010.
There is nothing on earth quite like the walk around Pebble Beach and playing up that 18th hole with the Pacific Ocean running all along the left side.
One of the problems at Pebble Beach is the poa annua grass on the greens. It gets very uneven and bumpy, especially in the afternoon rounds. Three-foot putts can become an adventure.
Players have to deal with the unique greens at Pebble Beach and accept the odd roll and missed putt.
Phil Mickelson who just won last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is the defending champion at the AT&T National Pro-Am. He beat Tiger Woods by 11 shots last year in the final round to claim the title.
Jack Nicklaus has said that if he only had one round of golf left to play he would want to play it at Pebble Beach.
Pebble Beach is a true national golf treasure. Golf fans can enjoy the incredible views on their television screens this weekend.
Golf Channel will air the coverage on Thursday and Friday 3:00-6:00 PM ET. Golf Channel begins early coverage on both Saturday and Sunday 1:00-2:30 PM ET. CBS picks up the live coverage 3:00-6:00 PM ET on Saturday and 3:00-6:30 PM ET on Sunday.