When the PGA TOUR arrives at Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the world’s attention turns to the dramatic coastline, iconic holes, and championship-caliber competition. But for turfgrass professionals, the real story unfolds underfoot.

This year’s tournament once again showcases the precision, planning, and professionalism of the agronomy teams at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course—two vastly different tests unified by elite turf management.

Pebble Beach Golf Links: Precision on the Edge of the Pacific

Under the leadership of Pete Bachman, GCSAA, Pebble Beach continues its legacy of championship conditioning on one of golf’s most recognizable landscapes. With 18 years of GCSAA membership and five professional events as superintendent, Bachman oversees a property where agronomic detail is magnified by global visibility.

Pebble Beach plays to 6,989 yards (Par 72)—one of the shortest layouts on TOUR—but its agronomic setup makes it one of the most exacting.

Turf Profile:

• Greens: Poa annua maintained at .125”

• Fairways: Ryegrass / Poa annua at .450”

• Rough: Ryegrass / Poa annua at 2–3”

• Average Green Size: 3,500 sq. ft. (smallest on TOUR)

• Bunkers: 116

Those 3,500-square-foot greens demand elite surface consistency. With smaller targets and firm, coastal conditions rooted in sandy loam soils, green speed and smoothness are critical. The Poa annua surfaces—so synonymous with the California coast—require attentive moisture management, particularly with effluent water sources and Pacific winds influencing evapotranspiration rates.

Since last year’s championship, the No. 10 green has been renovated and the championship tee on No. 6 repositioned, further refining tournament presentation and playability.

A team of 29 agronomy staff members, supported by 20 tournament volunteers, executes championship preparation in a setting where sea level finishing holes meet elevated inland terrain. From sunrise maintenance shifts to final championship setup, execution must be flawless.

Spyglass Hill: Scale, Strategy, and Championship Detail

Just minutes away, Sean Sherbert, GCSAA, leads the agronomy team at Spyglass Hill. A Penn State turfgrass graduate and second-year superintendent at the property, Sherbert prepares a course that contrasts Pebble’s coastal exposure with forested corridors and strategic water hazards.

Spyglass plays slightly longer at 7,071 yards (Par 72) and features:

Turf Profile:

• Greens: Poa annua at .120”

• Fairways: Perennial ryegrass / Poa annua at .400”

• Rough: Perennial ryegrass / Poa annua at 3”

• Average Green Size: 5,000 sq. ft.

• Bunkers: 62

• Water in Play: 4 holes

Recent renovations to the No. 15 green complex expanded the putting surface by approximately 1,000 square feet, nearly doubling pinnable area and introducing new strategic elements near bunkers and a pond. Additionally, 50 trees were planted to enhance play corridors and long-term course architecture.

With 24 agronomy team members and 35 tournament volunteers, Spyglass’ sand-capped fairways and multiple water sources (effluent, reverse osmosis, microfiltration) reflect the technological and environmental sophistication required in modern turf management.

By the Numbers: Pebble in PGA TOUR Context

Among 2025 PGA TOUR venues:

• Pebble Beach featured the smallest greens on TOUR

• Ranked 3rd in total bunkers

• Was one of only two courses under 7,000 yards

Yet despite its shorter yardage, scoring resistance often comes down to firmness, green contour, and Poa annua performance—reminding us that agronomy plays as significant a role as architecture in championship golf.

Elevating the Profession on a Global Stage

For Ohio superintendents and turfgrass professionals, events like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am serve as a powerful reminder: championship conditions are not accidental. They are the product of educated leadership, dedicated crews, precise mowing heights, calculated moisture management, and countless hours of preparation.

From Poa annua greens maintained at tournament heights to sand-capped fairways and renovated green complexes, the agronomic execution on display each February represents the very best of our profession.

While spectators see crashing waves and dramatic finishes on No. 18, turf professionals see surface consistency, rootzone management, bunker edging precision, and a team operating at the highest level.

That’s the beauty of tournament golf through the superintendent’s lens — the details matter, and the turf tells the story.