Pebble Beach might be one of the most iconic golf courses used on the PGA Tour but for Smylie Kaufman, there are better out there.
Pebble played host to the AT&T Pro-Am this past week as Rory McIlroy battled the elements and came out on top with a fine display of golf.
Indeed, such is the grandeur of the coastal venue, that Jack Nicklaus picked it above Augusta as his favourite golf course to play one more time if he had the chance.
However, while Pebble Beach will always have a special place on the PGA Tour, for former player Smylie Kaufman, TPC Sawgrass is very much on par or even above it on his list.
Why TPC Sawgrass is a better golf course than Pebble Beach
Kaufman was speaking on the latest episode of his Smylie Show podcast and was tasked with putting a list of the top PGA courses together.
And according to Kaufman, TPC comes out on top over Pebble due to a few factors.
“I mean, people just think about it like it’s an it’s incredible. It’s an iconic venue like we talk about. It’s but it’s a lot of wet shots, really, really small greens,” Kaufman commented.
“The weather kind of has to play a factor for it to be somewhat difficult. You know, you could play Pebble when it’s firm. And that’s when it’s great.
“Like when Pebble’s firm, it’s great. But when we watch it on TV for this event, this was the firmest I’ve seen it, it actually had like a bit of bounce to it.
“But for the most part, you’re zipping things back. So we’re comparing this Pebble Beach AT&T week. I think the players is a better golf course for when they play it. Now, if you say the US Open Pebble Beach, it’s above the stadium. Got it.”
Pebble Beach always comes up on top course discussions
It’s always interesting to hear the perspective of players who have played the courses and Kaufman’s take on Pebble Beach is very valid indeed.
Still, the course itself is one of the best around and regularly features in conversations among players on what is the best out there.
Indeed, Wyndham Clark ranked Pebble above both Augusta and St Andrews, calling it the home of golf in the USA.
“I mean, I was just talking about it on the radio show. I mean, outside of probably Augusta and Saint Andrews, there’s–honestly, I would even put this place ahead of that,” Clark said last week.
“This is kind of one of the most iconic places, kind of the home of golf in the U.S. in my opinion. It’s my favourite place in the world. So for me, it’s, yeah, maybe number two behind my U.S. Open. I just hope it lasts. I hope it’s not a 12-month course record. If it is broken, I hope it’s me, not someone else.”
Pebble Beach, then, will very much still be on the PGA Tour schedule for years to come.
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