Pebble Beach #8 - the most terrifying hole we played

Without a doubt, the most knee-knocking hole we played in the three days of The Testosterone Open was #8 at Pebble Beach. This hole plays slightly uphill, so from the tee box you are completely unaware of what lays ahead.

Double click the picture to get a better perspective of the horror.

Unbelievably, this is rated as only the third hardest hole on the front side. #6 and #9 are both rated harder.

Once you reach the Landing Area, then the lurking terror of the hole reveals itself. Your second shot must traverse over the cliffs and the Pacific Ocean to either a very narrow Lay-up Area ... or if you are very brave ... about 175 yards to a fairly small green guarded by three bunkers.

The fiendish course architect did not want players laying up on this hole. The fairway Lay-up Area short of the green is SO, SO narrow as to be almost unhittable. But the alternative of gunning your second shot to the bunker-infested green -- and flying over the deep ocean chasm for 90% of the shot -- is just suicidal.

I believe that Jack Nicklaus has called this the "best second shot" in golf. Or maybe he said that this was the "scariest second shot" in golf. Whatever. This is a shot that very few amateurs have.

Prudent course management (read that as my "wimpishness") had me lay up -- over the chasm but unfortunately into the rough by the Lay-up Area. I bladed my third shot -- off of a severe downhill lie -- just over the green. Took a double bogey. But I lived to write this blog!!! And I can report that no one in our group had either a wet ball or made better than double bogey.