Reinvented layout in Pebble Beach, CA now open for public play
PEBBLE BEACH, CA (April 3, 2014) … Now officially reopened for public play, Poppy Hills Golf Course is welcoming back golfers who have been waiting patiently to experience the Robert Trent Jones, Jr. redesign that already has received rave reviews by those getting sneak peek at the new par 71 in Del Monte Forest.
Among the invited guests to the Opening Day Celebration on March 20 was a legion of golf media from across the country, whose reactions to the new Poppy Hills were highly complimentary:
• “… Pretty close to perfect.” – Mike Bailey, WorldGolf.com (Golf Channel)
• “Like Bandon Dunes? You’ll love Poppy.” – Pete Wlodkowski, AmateurGolf.com
• “Poppy’s eye-popping … so dramatically transformed, it now appears as a different creature altogether.” – Josh Sens, Golf.com (GOLF magazine)
• “At certain points it feels like Pinehurst, other times like Augusta, with dashes of Pine Valley …”
– Vic Williams, Golf Getaways magazine
• “This is definitely a part of anybody’s itinerary going to the Monterey Peninsula.”
– Matt Ginella, Golf Channel
And as another writer put it, “The (Poppy Hills) tee sheet is going to be full for a long while, so get on it ASAP.”
Indeed, tee times already are more than 90 percent sold out through much of April. The fee at Poppy Hills is $210 per player, with a significant discount for NCGA members. Golf carts are $25 per player.
Reservations are accepted up to 30 days in advance; groups of 12 or more can be booked one year in advance. For more details about Poppy Hills Golf Course and to reserve tee times, visit www.poppyhillsgolf.com or call (831) 622-8239.
Taking only 13 months to complete the comprehensive renovation, Jones rejuvenated Poppy Hills by restoring each hole to its natural elevation along the forest floor, softening doglegs and contours, and redesigning all 18 greens with bentgrass.
The catalyst for the renovation was to find a way to improve drainage while conserving water. The introduction of native waste areas reduces irrigated turf by nearly 25 acres, while a 20 percent more efficient irrigation system was installed. The entire course was sand capped to enhance drainage and rough also was eliminated, further promoting firm-and-fast play, as well as more imaginative shot making.
“It has been gratifying that the response to the new golf course has been so positive,” said Brad Shupe, General Manager of Poppy Hills Golf Course. “And it’s exciting to see golfers come off the course smiling and have them come up and say they can’t wait to play it again.”
Apparently the PGA TOUR has the urge to play it again, too, announcing that the all-new Poppy Hills will co-host the Champions Tour’s Nature Valley First Tee Open, teaming with its esteemed neighbor, Pebble Beach Golf Links, from Sept. 22-28.
Shupe added that initial comments about the new Poppy Hills have included golfers noting, “a more natural feel to the golf course, that the redesign was extremely well thought out, and that it’s fun.”
Images of Poppy Hills are available upon request at evyeda@hunter-pr.com.
About the Northern California Golf Association
The NCGA is one of the largest regional golf associations in the country, with more than 150,000 members throughout Northern California and into Nevada. The NCGA is the only golf association in the country to own two courses – Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach and Poppy Ridge in Livermore.
Since 1901, it has been the NCGA’s mission to support and promote the game of golf in Northern California. The NCGA provides official handicap indexes, conducts more than 50 championships annually, rates courses throughout Northern California, publishes NCGA Golf magazine and operates a Foundation to support deserving youth. The NCGA Foundation’s Youth on Course program allows juniors to play more than 100 courses in Northern California for just $5. For more information visit www.ncga.org.
About Poppy Hills
Poppy Hills was the first golf course to be owned and operated by a regional golf association in the country. Built in 1986 by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Poppy Hills hosted the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991 through 2009, as well as the Callaway Invitational for four years. Poppy Hills has also hosted the 1991 NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship, and has been the tournament home for NCGA championships. It is the headquarters of the NCGA. For more information visit www.poppyhillsgolf.com.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan Ed Vyeda Scott Seward
Hunter Public Relations Hunter Public Relations Northern California Golf Association
(908) 963-6013 (831) 375-1747 (831) 625-4653
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com evyeda@hunter-pr.com sseward@ncga.org
