The Official Golf History
by Company Historian
Neal Hotelling
The Monterey Peninsula, unique for its beauty and history, was first declared the "Golf Capital of the World" in 1947 when it hosted the PGA and the USGA in the same year. Little known is that its tradition of great golf began much earlier with the founding of Pebble Beach Resorts.
Consistently among the top-ranked golf resorts in the world for nearly 100 years, here is the official golf history of the golfer's paradise known throughout the world as Pebble Beach. This book was written by company historian Neal Hotelling who was given unprecedented access to photos, archives and the living treasures of Pebble Beach.
Not only does this coffe-table size book illustrate the development of the Pebble Beach sports empire, you'll find the inside stories of the winners and near winners of more than 400 top tournaments played here.
In addition to never-before-seen photos from the past, internationally-recognized golf photographer Joann Dost captures the drama and beauty of Pebble Beach with spectacular photos throughout the book. Hardcover, 252 pages.
Pebble Beach - the most storied golf venue in the world. Nearly every legendary golfer of the past 100 years has played there. Great champions have been crowned there. Great Champions have lost there. Hollywood movies have been filmed there, and the stars have played there. U.S Presidents and royalty from around the world have visited and played on its legendary fairways. And yet from the beginning it has been a sports and golfing paradise open for everyone to enjoy - men and women, young and old. This new book from award-winning writer/historian Neal Hotelling brings to life countless tales of past championships as well as the underlying history of that spectacular meeting of land and sea. Deftly sifting the facts from the myths and unearthing stories long forgotten, Hotelling sheds light on the property owners from the original Mexican land grants and the original `Big Four' railroad tycoons through the long reign of S.F.B. Morse and on through the famous foursome that own it today - Peter Ueberroth, Richard Ferris, Arnold Palmer, and Clint Eastwood.
This new book also captured the history of the tournaments as never before. Pebble Beach Golf Links will host the 2010 U.S. Open for a fifth time, more than any other venue since 1970. The past champions - Nicklaus, Watson, Kite, and Woods - are household names to anyone that's replaced a divot. But Hotelling also tells the stories of the other USGA Championships played on the peninsula, including two young ladies who faced off in the 1952 Girls Jr. Championship on the Dunes course at Pebble Beach and are now in the World Hall of Fame - Mickey Wright and Judy Bell. The professionals have been coming to Pebble Beach annually since Bing Crosby kicked off his clambake there in 1947, but do you remember that the LPGA came in 1950 and 1951 with Babe Didricksen and Patty Berg taking the top prizes?
They are all in the book, as are some of the top amateur contests that have been played from the first record tournament at Del Monte through the latest visit of the pros and amateurs at the 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. For instance, most golf historians can tell you that Lawson Little is the only golfer to have won the U.S. and British Amateurs in the same year twice (1934 and 1935). But did you know that just before his unprecedented string of undefeated match play victories, he also wont he 1934 Pacific Coast Intercollegiate, a match play championship at Pebble Beach? It's in the book, which includes an appendix that for the first time tries to capture the top finishers in all of the significant national and regional championships that have been played on the courses at Pebble Beach.
Pebble Beach: The Official Golf History
About the Author
Neal Hotelling
From Grand Rapids to Pebble Beach & Monterey.
Neal was born and raised near Grand Rapids, Michigan where he developed a keen interest in history and community involvement. There he graduated from Aquinas College with a degree in Business Administration. Most of his children and grandchildren still live in Michigan.
Neal and his wife Bettina relocated to the Monterey Peninsula in 1985 and have been perpetual tourists ever since—always learning new things about the area.
Neal has been with Pebble Beach Company since 1991. Beginning as Golf Operations Manager, he is currently Director of Licensing and Special Projects; in addition to directing third-party use of company trademarks, he is Executive Editor of Pebble Beach–The Magazine, and manages the company’s historical archive. This latter role affords him the title of Pebble Beach Company Historian.
On his own, Neal has amassed a wonderful personal collection of books and other ephemera related to local history – especially Pebble Beach and John Steinbeck. He has met and interviewed many individuals in search of an understanding of the area’s past.
In addition to his books, Neal has published several articles and is a sought after speaker and guide. He has been interviewed on local history by CBS, CNN, The Golf Channel, the History Channel, the UK’s SkySports and others. He also edited a series of “Bedside Readers” for Pebble Beach Resorts featuring writers of the Monterey Peninsula, wrote the copy for a U.S. Open Viewers Guide on Pebble Beach Golf Links that was distributed by Titleist in 2000, and wrote and directed a video tribute on Samuel F.B. Morse, the visionary founder and head of Pebble Beach Company for its first 50 years.
Neal donates much of his time to organizations in the community, and is a past President of the Monterey Heritage Society, Monterey County Mensa, and the Cannery Row Foundation. Neal was awarded as 2005 Preservationist of the Year by the Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists for his significant role in preventing the demolition of the former Hotel Del Monte in Monterey.
Pebble Beach: The Official Golf History
About the Photographer
Joann Dost
Joann Dost has practiced the art of golf photography since the late 1970's, traveling across America, the British Isles, the Far East and Australia to capture the essence of golf course architecture and the spirit of the game with her camera.
Born in Washington D.C. and raised in Vienna, Virginia, Joann grew up in a family who loved the outdoors and sports. A competitive atmosphere existed in the Dost household with Joann's father a former Olympic speed skater and a brother who grew up to play professional baseball for the New York Mets.
Little wonder that, when introduced to the game of golf at the age of 15, Joann pursued it with a passion. PGA Professional, Morgan Tiller, along with her father, nurtured Joann's love and mastery of the game. In 1968, drawing on a mere two years of experience, Joann was playing like a seasoned champion, winning the Maryland State Junior Girls' Championship, the DC Junior Girls' Championship and the Tournament of Junior Champions.
Joann became a teaching professional after marrying a golf pro in 1970. By 1973, Joann's competitive juices were stirring and she began pursuing the life of a playing professional. In 1974, she was off to Australia to play the Australian Tour for a year. Returning back to the USA, Joann played the West Coast Group Fore Tour and then placed a respectable third in the LPGA Qualifying School. 1976 was the year in which Joann achieved what few have and many dream of - she became a Touring Professional on the LPGA circuit. During Joann's five years on the LPGA Tour, she had several top-ten finishes, shot a low round of 66 and finished third at the Ping Championship in Portland, Oregon.
Moving to Pebble Beach in 1977 turned out to be a major turning point in Joann's life. The magnificence of the Monterey Peninsula heightened Joann's love of the game in a different way, as she discovered another way to shoot the golf course. After purchasing a Mamiya Sekor camera, it was through the eye of the lens that Joann staked her future. Through a combination of self-instruction, practice and classes from such photography masters as Ansel Adams and John Woods, her skills increased and her photographic vision was revealed to the world.
Over the years, Joann has received many awards for her photography. Her work can be seen in national and international magazines and her fine art is available through better galleries worldwide. Joann currently resides in Pebble Beach, by the links, with her cat "MacKenzie."
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