EXCLUSIVE: Day Two at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Pat Hamill

Eight-handicap Pat Hamill—the founder and CEO of Oakwood Homes and founder of the Colorado Open Golf Foundation and The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch—is playing in his seventh AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am this week. Each day he will share insights with Contributing Editor Ted Johnson into playing the most prominent pro-am tournament in America—if not the world.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 – Scroll down for more photos!
 
I played a practice round today at Pebble Beach, but it was only nine holes. This is my seventh year, and I have seen so many guys who, as play in this thing, play golf so many days in a row they burn themselves out. Today was great.

 
The highlight was when Peyton Manning, who is a member at Castle Pines, showed up for the pairings party. What a class act.

The pairings party was held in the new hospitality facility. Having played in this tournament for seven years the thing that comes clear is that they try to make it better and better every year.

Then we went to the dinner that Pebble Beach hosted for their invited guests that had Peter Ueberroth, Clint Eastwood and Dick Ferris. I had a long talk with Paul Spengler, the former director of golf there.
 
By the way, a glass of 25 year-old Macallan single malt is $150 at Pebble Beach. At Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, which I own, we sell it for $30. I had two.
 
Fans have come out. There were a lot of fans out here for a Tuesday. It was hopping out there.

 
The pairings laid out the schedule so my pro, Matt Every, and I will play Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore course on Thursday, then Pebble Beach on Friday and Spyglass on Saturday. I’ll take it easy on the practice round at MPCC on Wednesday, relax and have some more drinks.
 
I’m staying at The Lodge, and a lot of people when they come here they want to stay on the 18th hole. But with the grandstands you can’t see anything. I take a room on the first hole, just a short walk to the first tee.
 
The thing about Pebble Beach is, if you had to pick a course to play your last round, there aren’t many courses you’d put above it. Graeme McDowell is playing, and he’s paired with his dad. And the old man said this is the one tournament he wanted to play in with this son. That’s pretty special.

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