By Ed Travis
Bayonet and Black Horse are two golf courses you don’t want to miss. Located on the Monterey Bay a few miles from Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Poppy Hills, and Spanish Bay in the City of Seaside on the land formerly part of the Fort Ord military base are two outstanding tests of golf that are open to the public
The Bayonet course was designed by General Robert McClure who played left-handed and had a severe slice, so he laid out the course to fit his game. For example, holes #11 through #15 are tagged “Combat Corner” mainly for the exacting shots needed to score well. Today Bayonet is known for narrow fairways which place a premium on accuracy from any of the four tee sets and bent grass greens that call your best efforts with the putter. From the back it is a challenging 7104 yards with a 74.9 stroke rating and 137 slope but the gentler most forward tees are 5,229-yards and both are par-72.
Bayonet is considered by many to be as challenging as any course on the Monterey Peninsula.
The sister course is Black Horse named in honor of the 11th Cavalry Regiment (nicknamed “Black Horse”) which was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey from 1919-1940. Black Horse was designed in 1964 by General Edwin Carnes, the Commanding General of Fort Ord from April 1963 until June of 1965. With the most breath-taking views of the Monterey Bay imaginable, the most recent renovations transformed Black Horse into a longer, more challenging “championship golf course.” With long rolling fairways, “championship golf tees,” and alluring panoramic views of the Monterey Bay, Black Horse will not only take your game through its paces, it will also captivate your soul. Black Horse is now 7,024 yards long, with four sets of tees; a par 72, with a slope of 141 and a rating of 73.7.
General Manager Pat Jones told us that “Bayonet Black Horse are now under new ownership and managed by Troon Golf. The courses are in the best condition in the 15 years I have been here.” He went on to say part of the extensive renovation recently done was to improve turf conditions by converting tees and fairways from bent grass to rye grass. In addition, Jones said, “To reduce the watering footprint and to do our part to conserve water we removed 55 acres from Black Horse. They were turned back to dunes with sand that came from the property, and we used drought resistant plants.”
The rich history of Bayonet and Black Horse includes play by some of golf’s greats like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw who have all teed it up here as have several former U.S. Presidents including Gerald Ford.
We talked with a club member to get his perspective of the facility and Steve Phillips was very enthusiastic with his comments. He started by saying he played three or four times a week and as a matter of fact, was heading from his home, which borders the course, to play after our conversation.
Phillips said, “The whole place is pristine condition…really first class. The greens are rolling great but here everything is a sand base so when it rains, even if it’s a hard rain, it drains quickly so you can drive your cart on the fairway.”
“The green complexes are great,” he continued, “and the greens have lots of slope.”
“It’s kind of like one of those hidden gems.”
It comes as no surprise that the courses particularly Bayonet has received numerous awards from national magazines as being among the “Best Courses You Can Play.” Plus, prestigious tournaments are a fixture at Bayonet Black Horse with the Trans-Miss Four-Ball Championship and Sectional Qualifying for the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur in the recent past. Twice the PGA Professional National Championship, a competition between the best of the club pros nationwide, has been contested here as well as the Senior PGA Professional National Championship.
Last summer Bayonet Black Horse was also the site of a Drive, Chip & Putt qualifier for youngsters wanting to compete in the national event at Augusta National before the Masters.
It’s rare to have insiders such as tournament operators talk with no reservations about the excellence of a tournament venue. This, however, is the case with Bayonet Black Horse as we found out from comments made by two of the most experienced operators in the state.
“The NCPGA has been coming to Bayonet & Black Horse golf courses for years, said Shawn McEntee, PGA the NCPGA Tournament Director. “A great facility like Bayonet and Black Horse course is more than just fairways and greens, it is a blend of challenge, beauty, and the dedication of those who shape it, creating a place where every round is an experience to remember. If you get the chance, go play this great facility. Our NCPGA Pro’s do!!”
Strong praise indeed and echoed by Joe Wagner Tour Director of the US Am Tour: “I have been operating 36-hole stroke play championships at Bayonet & Blackhorse for close to 20 years and prior to that played there a fair amount while playing college golf at Santa Clara. The course conditions within the past year have gotten to a point where they are the best I have ever seen – which is really saying something because typically they are very good. Now, they are exceptional. The staff there of Michael McDonald, PGA Head Professional Scott Adams, and Pat Jones General Manager are as amazing as the venue and they are all outstanding people. Exceptional course and exceptional experience at Bayonet & Blackhorse.”
Jones, acknowledging the respect players have for the facility, pointed out their forward-looking philosophy was captured on their website, “Continuing to honor past traditions while building for the future.”
STAY AND PLAY PACKAGE – Bayonet and Black Horse and Embassy Suites by Hilton. Stay & Play – Bayonet
For more information visit www.bayonetblackhorse.com
