One week a year, the 18th hole at Pebble Beach becomes a parking lot for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of rare cars. It’s a unique situation where the golfers allow the car people to play through. Monterey Car Week has become a gathering that has somehow managed to outshine America’s most iconic public golf course, at least for a short time. It’s during these days that you will find me, a rare golfer, bellied up at the bar in The Tap Room, fending off inquiries about my round (no game was played) in one of the best lunch rooms in golf.
My presence at The Lodge at Pebble Beach before the start of Monterey Car Week was a mission of service to a friend who was a day behind me on his drive up. My task was to make a reservation at The Tap Room for the following night, when he and his family would be arriving. Either of us could have called, either of us could have used an app, but where's the fun or (delicious draft beer enjoyment) in that? The experience of going to check out the newly remodeled bar and having a quiet solo drink at the bar before all the crowds arrived sounded good to me. Besides, when trying to make a last-minute reservation during the busiest week of the year for the Monterey Peninsula, it helps to be able to throw in some manners and a smile along with the request for a table for 5.
With the reservation secured, I bellied up to the bar for a drink and a Tap Room burger. The room was packed, but the conversations I caught bits and pieces of had nothing to do with the upcoming auctions, concours or even cars at all. They were all about golf. It was a stark reminder that while the week of August 10th is all about passion for the automobile in my community, it's just another week for golfers, albeit one where Pebble Beach shuts down on Sunday. I particularly enjoyed a conversation with a group that had no idea what Monterey Car Week is. They were simply excited to have played Pebble two days in a row and to have a round at Spyglass the following day.
Why anyone who isn't obsessed with cars would choose to come to Monterey or Carmel during MCW is beyond me. Logistically, it's a nightmare from Wednesday through Sunday with the sheer volume of people flooding into the peninsula and the road closures that have become the norm in recent years. That being said, if you're into cars and golf, I can't think of a better place to be come mid-August. Playing any of the courses on the peninsula during MCW means having a unique front-row seat to spotting some of the rarest cars in the world. It'll certainly test your ability to focus on the game. Even more unique is a round at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, where the sounds of racing drift over the hill from Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Raceway Laguna Seca.
If in fact you are mutually afflicted by a passion for both golf and autos, there are other events throughout the year that are worth a look as well. There's even a growing recognition by automakers (and perhaps more importantly, their creative agencies) that professional golf and the golf community have changed dramatically in recent years. The conversations about golf that I've had over the years with brand representatives and executives were typically brief and their attitude hesitant, if not dismissive. That has notably changed in the post-pandemic era. Automakers (particularly legacy luxury brands) have struggled to connect with younger buyers, and golf has exploded in popularity.
Will this mean more support of the game by automotive brands? One can only hope so. There's certainly a huge opportunity for golf brands to take advantage of all the attention destinations like Monterey receive during events like MCW. For example, Malbon hosted a well-attended event at their store in Carmel-By-The-Sea early in the week. I hope to see more of this at automotive events, as well as collaborations that make sense (I'm a sucker for a good collab). There's so much overlap between these communities, especially at their respective spiritual cores. Don't just take my word for it, make a plan to check out some of these car shows and get a round or two in while you're at it.
Cars on Golf Courses:
The Quail A Motorsports Gathering & The Quail Golf Club
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance & Pebble Beach Golf Links
The Bridge Hamptons & The Bridge
Moda Miami & Biltmore Championship Golf Course
