Learn How the Grounds Crew at Pebble Beach Helps Host the Famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Ingrained in every golfer’s mind, the famed 18^th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links has long been recognized as one of the premier finishing holes in golf. Every August, it hosts an event where the word “drive” means something very different.

Since 1950, the 18^th fairway has been the main stage for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, one of the premier automotive shows in the world. Greats of the game like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods have had their championship moments here and last summer Allisen Corpuz became the first U.S. Women’s Open champion at Pebble Beach. Each August car collectors bid for their own Pebble victory in the form of the coveted Best of Show Award.

While the 18^th is the main attraction, several other areas of the course are used to set up exhibits and attractions for thousands of spectators admiring hundreds of vintage collector cars, brand-new debuts and concept cars from luxury auto brands. The first fairway is covered by a fleet of Ferraris. Pete Bachman, Superintendent of Pebble Beach Golf Links and his team work quickly to ensure the fairway meets resort standards for opening tee shots the following day.

A few hundred yards away, more cars are on display at the penultimate hole where several iconic championship moments have unfolded. Like the opening hole, Bachman and team have it in top form in a matter of hours as guests try to create their own shot of a lifetime.    

Before players strike their opening shots, many roll their final warm-up putts as the Wall of Champions and first tee loom. The practice putting surface is a centerpiece of the Concours where concept cars are staged over the weekend. Once these automobiles roll out, the crew quickly slides in for aeration to relieve the compaction created by the parked cars. With the help of Toro equipment, Bachman and his team quickly return Pebble Beach Golf Links from the greatest automobile spectacle in the world, to the No. 1 Public Course in North America.

Ahead of the event, the crew works to create a firm surface for the cars to park, marking utility and irrigation lines along the way while monitoring the overall event setup. 

Immediately following the show, damaged patches are quickly replaced, and crews begin aerifying impacted fairways and putting greens while overseeding to prepare the grounds for the following day’s tee times.

“It’s a big effort for my team, as well as the landscape team, to get everything cleaned up in time for the following day’s tee times,” says Bachman. “But we host several golf tournaments a year, so my crew is used to it. It’s still a challenge, but I’ve got a great team and they’re good at what they do.”

This year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the 73^rd edition and took place Sunday, August 18.

For more information on Toro or Toro equipment, go to toro.com.

For more information on The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, go to pebblebeachconcours.net.

For more information on the Pebble Beach Company, go to https://www.pebblebeach.com/.