The setting, along the shores of the Pacific Ocean, is both breathtaking and dramatic.  The elements of the drama come in many forms, but perhaps most noteworthy is the wind which, coming off the water, can be as gentle as a breeze or as vicious as a gale. Many have charged that American golf lacks the winds that the Scots consider so essential to the game.  Yet Pebble's rare oceanfront setting provides powerful winds that rival those of any course in any country.  While many golfers are familiar with the par five finishing hole that bends around the ocean, the 17th hole that yielded Watson's chip in to defeat Nicklaus in 1982, or the famous seventh where Tom Kite holed out for birdie en route to the 1992 U.S. Open title, Pebble has much more in its repertoire than merely a select number of signature holes.

The first two holes may lack the drama of the finishing stretch, but certainly help to work the golfer into his round.  Players should take advantage of the short par five second, because it presents the best birdie opportunity on the front nine.

One gets the first sense of the true Pebble Beach upon arrival at the third tee.  The sharp dogleg par four sweeps down and to the left, exposing the golfer to the Pacific Ocean behind the small green.  The approach - generally with a mid to short iron - to this tabletop green which falls off on all sides, leaves a devilish chip if missed. A play to the center of the green should give the golfer a reasonable chance at par, but that is easier said than done.

The fourth and fifth holes turn south along the ocean; both these short holes are scenic and strategic.  The fourth requires a well-placed tee shot and a short approach below the hole.  The fifth is one of the more interesting stories in modern golf architecture. Until 1999, the hole occupied a blind, uphill piece of land, and was considered a weak link in the layout.  When the Pebble Beach Company purchased the oceanside land adjacent to Stillwater Cove, they called on Jack Nicklaus - 1972 U.S. Open champion at Pebble - to design a new par three, which Golf Digest has said contributed to Pebble's bumping of Pine Valley from top spot on its most recent Top 100 rankings. This new hole is a medium-length par three that hugs the cliff and requires a fade - either along the ground or in the air - to get close to the pin.  Five is now the beginning of the most famous stretch of oceanside holes in golf.

Continuing along this run of wonderful holes, the par five sixth is remarkably different from the images captured on television.  The elevation change from the green relative to the fairway is incredible, moving steeply uphill along the cliffs of the Pacific. A strong drive down the fairway leaves one with a lay-up that must be struck long and high to carry to the next plateau.  From there the golfer faces a short approach that is made difficult by the ocean behind the green, which can throw off focus and depth perception.

Pebble Beach truly begins to bare its teeth at the seventh hole. Most serious golfers can identify this hole from its photograph, and it may be the most famous short par three in the world. Stretching only 106 yards, the hole demands from a 3 iron to a wedge depending on wind direction.  The green is diminutive, which translates into a relatively short birdie putt if the tee shot is properly negotiated.

After the spectacular seventh, the view from the eighth tee does not give a true appreciation of this next hole.  The blind tee shot is over the marker stone, and from there the drama of the hole unfolds.  Nicklaus has called this his "favourite second shot in golf" because it plays from an elevated fairway over the Pacific Ocean to the green below.  The green is small and heavily sloped, which means that long iron approaches have difficulty settling close to the hole.

If eight begins the famed "Cliffs of Doom" holes, nine and ten are equally difficult.  The 466-yard ninth is a grueling par four that will test any golfer.  The ocean is a distraction, running the length of the right side, and can come into play if the approach shot drifts to the right.

10 is the last Oceanside hole before the 18th, and while the ocean provides a backdrop, it really should not be a factor.  The highlight of the hole is the view down the beautiful beach towards Big Sur.  The course turns inland at eleven, beginning a series of holes often called the "Achilles Heel" of Pebble Beach, but there is a good mixture of quality golf holes in the stretch.

13 has an ultra-challenging green for a first-time player. 14 is a long par five, and a pin cut on the left side of the green takes away virtually any chance of a birdie.  The par four 15th, where Tiger made an eagle two in his comeback over Matt Gogel in the 2001 AT&T Pro-Am, is the easiest hole coming in and offers a good birdie opportunity.

16, which begins Pebble's trek back toward the Pacific for the finale, has lost a bit of its mettle.  Technology has rendered the highly original bunker in the centre of the fairway virtually obsolete, but this hole's strategic key is still in play for the shorter hitter.  The best angle is to the left side of the fairway, offering an unobstructed approach to another small and undulating green.

The 17th hole is a testy par three, especially if the wind is blowing into a player's face (as it often does.)  The hourglass green is another Pebble trademark, though the seven bunkers - including the massive front bunker - are equally notable.  From 208 yards, a pin in the back left is virtually impossible to attack, making both Jack Nicklaus' 1 iron off the flagstick in 1972 and Watson's birdie chip in from the nearside long rough in 1982 all the more remarkable.    

The walk up 18 must surely be one of the most cherished moments in American golf. The dogleg 543-yard par five literally bends around the Pacific, with out-of-bounds guarding the right side.  The previously unreachable par five now offers a variety of strategic options for the good golfer who can threaten the green with his second shot.  With the tree that stood guard on the right side of the fairway now gone, there is more room for the long hitter to play a strong draw into this green.  This beautiful closing hole, which many call the best finisher in the game, is simply an experience to behold. 

Many musings of amateurs playing Pebble for the first time relate to the small greens, which require pinpoint control to leave the ball below the hole.  The dramatic elevation changes, which television cameras can never capture, especially on the uphill holes, provide extra length and reward strategic play.  All of this simply reinforces the mantra that you don't know a course until you've seen it first-hand.  No matter how familiar we are with this course from golf history, its rugged beauty has to be seen to be truly appreciated.  Pebble Beach has persevered through the years and is now the best public course in the United States, and quite possible the best public course in the world.