An aerial view of Spanish Bay, one of the courses within the Pebble Beach Company's golf portfolio. ... [+]
It was well over a year ago that the Pebble Beach Company announced that Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner would oversee a major renovation of The Links at Spanish Bay, a layout generally slotted third in the pecking order among the Monterey Peninsula courses in the Pebble Beach golf portfolio.
Now a timeline has officially been set. In spring 2026, Hanse, Wagner and their Hanse Golf Course Design will dig in on the reimagination of a course that opened in 1987 and was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., eight-time major champion Tom Watson, and former USGA President Sandy Tatum.
Spanish Bay will close on March 18, 2026, and reopen in spring 2027, a few months before the U.S. Open is contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the seventh time.
“Working with Pebble Beach Company in a world-class setting like this is a can’t miss opportunity for our team,” said Hanse, whose course design and renovation dance card has been exceedingly busy in recent years. “Golf on the Monterey Peninsula is an unrivaled experience, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to put our stamp on one of the most spectacular backdrops in the world.”
The first green at Spanish Bay sits right along the ocean. The course, which opened in the 1980s, is ... [+]
Hanse and his team have become well-known for major restoration and redesign projects, among them Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course, Lake Merced and the Olympic Club near San Francisco, Baltusrol and Plainfield (New Jersey), Sleepy Hollow and Winged Foot (New York), Oakmont, Merion and Aronimink (Pennsylvania), and Yale Golf Course (Connecticut).
Hanse and Wagner have also been busy creating some of the game’s top new courses in recent years, among them Ladera (California), PGA Frisco East (Texas), and Ohoopee Match Club (Georgia).
They’re now tasked with overhauling a popular resort course that boasts rolling, sandy terrain and expansive ocean views, but isn’t held in the same esteem as its neighbors. Pebble Beach Golf Links is ranked No. 1 in GOLF magazine’s latest list of Top 100 public courses, with Spyglass Hill ranked 23rd.
“The focus of this project is to further enhance the golf experience at Pebble Beach Resorts,” said Pebble Beach Company CEO David Stivers. “Partnering with Gil, Jim, and their team gives us the utmost confidence that Spanish Bay will be a ‘must play’ on par with its fellow courses.”
Spanish Bay in past years has been ranked among the top resort courses in the country.
Hanse and Wagner took a similar approach at another prominent destination golf property, as their reimagination of the No. 4 course at the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina was met by rave reviews. That course is currently 25th in the latest top public course ratings from GOLF magazine, two spots behind Spyglass Hill.
Another part of the project scope will begin earlier — before Hanse and his team return to the Monterey Peninsula. Prior to the renovation, the iconic Spanish Bay boardwalk, which had been damaged in recent storms, will be reconstructed starting this spring. The boardwalk provides public coastal access and majestic views between the golf course and beach.
A bagpiper at Spanish Bay at sunset. The bagpiper is the logo of the course.
