Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach has been selected as the 2006 National Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owner’s Association. The NGCOA Course of the Year award recognizes a course that epitomizes exceptional course quality and management excellence while making consistent and meaningful contributions to its community and the game of golf. The recognition comes as Poppy Hills celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The NGCOA provides course owners with the tools they need to succeed in the complex and competitive golf business. The association was founded in 1971. Past winners of the National Course of the Year award include World Tour Golf Links in Myrtle Beach, SC, Bay Hill in Orlando, FL and last year’s winner, Saratoga National in Saratoga, NY.
Poppy Hills was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr and opened in 1986 as the first course owned by a regional golf association. The Northern California Golf Association commissioned Jones to build a venue suitable for championship play. Jones responded with a 6,833-yard, par-72 course that weaves through the Del Monte Forest. Poppy Hills became the third host course for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1991 solidifying its reputation nationally.
In 2005, Poppy Hills made numerous improvements including the addition of Global Positioning Systems to its golf carts and an Inpractis 4View video system for the driving range. Course conditioning has also been a priority with noticeably firmer and drier conditions now more prevalent. "We’re honored to have been given this award considering the numerous qualified courses across the country," said Poppy Hills General Manager Tyler Jones. "The hard work that (superintendent) Manny Sousa and (assistant) Kregg Bush have put into course drainage and design improvements is really paying off."
Contact:
Hilary Howard
831/625-4653
