Winter-2022

124 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 2 “That’s been a home run,” Sawin says. “We worked together to lay out the property with the putting course right there at the entrance, the restaurant, Hay’s Place, right at the top with the best view, the ninth green and the first tee situated next to the patio, and then the golf course with all the holes reoriented…so that you are maximizing the most number of shots you can hit toward the water and so that you are looking at the water as often as possible.” Besides being a great experience for resort guests, Pebble Beach Company wanted the course to continue to be the home of junior golf. In October,Woods joined children at the inaugu- ralTGR JR Invitational, a three-day event co-host- ed by TaylorMade Golf and Pebble Beach Company, with 30 boys and 30 girls.The qualify- ing rounds occurred at The Hay, with champi- onship rounds played at The Links at Spanish Bay. Pebble Beach also partners with the non- profit First Tee of Monterey County, which teaches children the etiquette and skills of golf at a nominal cost. The second annual “Day at the Hay” tournament was held in September to raise funds for the program. Besides tournaments and other programs for children, the essentials of the original Hay remain intact. “We kept the same policies in place: juniors 12 and under play for free,” Sawin says. “It’s so cool to see these kids come out and have a fantastic experience at no cost. Teenagers can play for $5 if they are a member of the non- profit Youth on Course, which Pebble Beach Company supports. They join for a very affordable annual fee and then they get to play the course as often as they like for $5.” In the first year of being open, nearly 60,000 rounds were played at The Hay. “It was almost double what we were expecting,” Sawin says. “10,000 of those rounds were played by kids. That’s a winning for- mula for us.” Hay’s Place, the restau- rant adjacent to the course, has also proven to be extremely popular, with a Mexican-based menu and items like Tiger’s Fajitas, craft cock- tails and stunning views of Stillwater Cove. “The quality of the experience at The Hay is now Pebble Beach quality,” Sawin says. “We’re excited to continue building on the momentum out there.” For more information call 831/622-8651 or visit www.pebblebeach.com/golf/the-hay. “We wanted a course that anybody and everybody can play and enjoy…whether you’re three years old or 83 years old, and whether you’ve played your whole life or never held a club before.” Kids play The Hay for free if they are 12 and under, and Youth on Course allows for teenagers to play for $5 with a membership. The short course is designed with all ages in mind. Photo: Jeff Marsh