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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - I found Andy Bugas on the terrace of the Lodge at Pebble Beach, admiring the view out to the 18th green.
Although his firm has held annual meetings at Pebble Beach Resorts for years, this particular moment stood out in his memory. He'd never seen a December morning so calm, sunny and crystal clear on the Monterey Peninsula.
"I can't believe there's no wind," he exclaimed.
Better still, no one else dared to intrude on our solitude. It was just us and a golf painting come to life.
Although nothing will ever top the scenery outside, the upgrades unveiled inside the Lodge at Pebble Beach this fall have impressed guests and visitors alike. Everything from the public spaces to its four restaurants has been enhanced in a nine-month renovation project that started after Rory McIlroy won the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last winter. The Lodge celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019, yet somehow looks brand new.
"They've taken a bit of heaven and somehow improved it," Bugas said. "They've got the greatest people in the world out here. They've got the greatest piece of property in the world and somehow they've taken the sense of belonging and comfort and specialness and ratcheted it up another notch."
I've long trumpeted that December is a sneaky good time to visit Pebble Beach Resorts. I know some publications and pundits rank Bandon Dunes as the top golf resort in America. There are lots of reasons to love the Bandon life - the links golf, the sheer number of courses, the slightly more affordable green fees - but Pebble Beach just exudes that "it" factor. I can't really explain "it", other than relay the sense of wonder, excitement and anticipation people feel when they're on property. The Lodge enhancement truly does take the iconic resort to another level. Inside or out, there's no better place on earth for a golfer. For a really fun tour down memory lane, check out the old photos posted on Instagram below.
Inside The Lodge at Pebble Beach
I first walked through the front doors of the Lodge more than two decades ago. That overwhelming first impression is even more grand today. All eyes are immediately drawn to Stillwater Cove out the back windows from an expanded room just off the lobby called the Terrace Lounge, which comes to life in the evenings with live music, open bar and scaled-down menu.
I know it's hard to focus on the refreshed interior when you're spellbound by what's outside, but everybody should spend a little while exploring. The main hallway is decorated with display cases and replica trophies that celebrate a long and storied history of tournament golf. With the 2027 U.S. Open up next, there's already a shop selling merchandise in the courtyard outside.
The Lodge's three main dining spaces all closed at various points for updates this year. The Bench (best known for its outdoor fire pits) reopened in June, followed by The Tap Room in October and Stillwater in November. They've all been refreshed with stylish decor and adjusted menus. Don't worry, staples like the short rib chili and coconut cake at The Tap Room are still popular choices.
The Tap Room doesn't look much different by choice. The green and brown tones and leather seating still vibe toward a traditional 19th hole. The biggest changes are the addition of the new Champion's Room, a private space that can be cordoned off or opened up to seat 24 extra people, and vastly improved acoustics. In the old space, noise reverberated throughout the bar, making it hard to have a simple conversation. New golf memorabilia adorns every wall, including one of golf's most iconic clubs: Tom Watson's wedge that holed a chip on the 17th green during the final round of the 1982 U.S. Open. One of golf's best hangs just got cozier and more inviting.
Behind the scenes is a modernized, larger kitchen that makes life easier for the most important people at the resort - the chefs. They elevate golf comfort food ... oysters, meatloaf, burgers, ribs and more ... for all Tap Room patrons.
Dining at Stillwater for breakfast, lunch or dinner serves a more refined atmosphere and taste (kids menus are available). An elegant central bar offers ocean views through the windows that run from the floor to the vaulted ceilings. A glass-enclosed wine room, brick arches and a school-of-fish sculpture add a level of sophistication. A new 24-person private dining space, The Lone Cypress Room, is available for corporate groups and special gatherings.
Featured dinner dishes force tough decisions between Snake River Farms pork loin (with a side of corn-bread-crusted mac & cheese), charred zabuton steak and many other options, complemented by rare bourbons, elite wines and premium tequilas.
I never leave without stopping by for a drink or something to eat at Hay's Place, the popular indoor-outdoor retreat next to The Hay, home to the Tiger Woods-designed par-3 course and free putting course. Its Mexican-infused tin can nachos and roasted elote (corn) haunt my dreams.
All the lodge rooms were updated prior to the 2019 U.S. Open won by Gary Woodland. A fireplace and complementary snacks and sodas are just a few of the amenities that make a stay feel like home.
Pebble Beach's secret weapon for couples
The Spa at Pebble Beach is one of only 124 spas in the world to receive the coveted Forbes Five-Star Award. If you need a day off from golf, this is the place to be. Both the men's and women's wet areas are stocked with a private sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools, whirlpool and ionization room with inverted chairs. Using these facilities before or after a treatment can help release tense golf muscles and clear your head. Guests can unwind lounging at the private outdoor pool or next to a fire inside the hexagonal sanctuary. Therapists are expertly trained on dozens of treatments. Hot towels during a couples massage release pressure points in the back, neck and feet. The masseuses apply just enough stretching techniques to unlock unhealthy toxins and pinch points in the body. For more relaxation, all resort guests have access to the indoor steam room and sauna and outdoor pool and whirlpool at the Beach & Tennis Club between the fourth tee and the 17th green.
Playing golf at Pebble Beach Resorts
This coming 2026 season is a big one in the evolution of the resort's golf scene.
The Links at Spanish Bay will close March 18 for a redesign and reopen in the spring of 2027, a few months before the U.S. Open will be held at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the seventh time. I said my goodbyes to Spanish Bay last year, and can't wait to see what architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner are allowed to do with such a special piece of coastal land. (Read more below.)
I teed it up most recently at Spyglass Hill, the course that gives golfers incredible views and nothing else. Every par, or bogey, must be well earned. It's an incredible test, one that even takes a bite out of the pros who play it once during the pro-am. So many uphill holes and elevated greens require premium shot-making. Being on the right side of the hole is non-negotiable. Three golfers in my foursome ended up above the pin on the ninth hole. Sadly, all three of us putted off the front of the green. There was simply no way to stop the ball near the hole.
The hazards come in three waves. The first five holes wander through the dunes. Any ball off-line finds questionable lies in unkept sand.
Your fortunes on the back nine are partially determined by three ponds, two of them manageable on short, downhill par 3s at nos. 12 and 15. The water guarding the narrow, perched green on the par-5 14th feels much more menacing. This back nine loop explores the Del Monte Forest, creating a serene natural walk through the trees.
Golfers who time their rounds right can return to the Lodge to savor the sunset from the outdoor patio at The Bench and balcony of the Terrace Lounge or listen to the bagpiper who serenades golfers at Sticks outside the Inn at Spanish Bay. Like most decisions made during a visit to Pebble Beach, there are no wrong answers.
