Justin Thomas doesn’t like what is going on at Pebble Beach. The famed course hosts a regular PGA Tour signature event and will also host the 2027 U.S. Open. Before that, the historic course is undergoing some changes, and one decision from the course management has baffled Justin Thomas.
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“Some minor changes to the 16th hole at Pebble Beach,” Joel Stewart, a golf enthusiast who talks about course architecture, revealed on Instagram. “The right tree that previously made the goal post has been removed. My guess is the USGA, in preparation for next year’s U.S. Open, asked them to remove it.”
The before and after picture showed the Cypress tree on the right has been removed, which marked the entry point for the green. Both the trees used to guard errant approach shots from landing on the green and penalizing pros. Justin Thomas, who missed the cut the last time Pebble Beach hosted U.S. Open (2019), felt the decision made no sense and engaged in a long back-and-forth to make his point.
“Such a great hole. Makes no sense to me why they’d do this,” Thomas said, commenting on the post. “When are places going to realize getting rid of trees is not the answer to making courses better, haha?”
Stewart replied that the trees were removed to avoid a bug infestation, with concerns that it could spread. He also noted that the tree on the 16th was not part of the original layout. It was planted years later and did not fit the character of a course built in 1919. However, Thomas wasn’t happy with that explanation.
“Natural stuff like that happens,” Thomas wrote back. “I hope not for the sake of the tree (that felt weird to type), but I hope so for the sake of the decision to take it down haha. I’ll die on the hill [that] trees are a major part of golf course strategy, and they help get rid of the bomb and gouge game plan.”
JT was referring to “bomb and gouge” plans, which have been a vogue in the PGA Tour, with players prioritizing distance off the tee, hitting the ball as far as possible. Most parkland PGA Tour courses favor distance over versatility, with players easily attacking the green after a long tee shot.
Pebble Beach has resisted it due to its nature and exposure to ocean wind, which makes controlling ball flight difficult. JT believes the removal of the tree will let more players get away with bad shots. Regardless, Thomas’ comment attracted pushback from a fan.
The fan acknowledged that the green contours create a challenging approach but also noted that, given players’ ability to control spin, what made the 16th “great,” as Thomas said.
“Agreed,” Thomas wrote back. “But can’t really control the weather and humidity [in the] places we play, which has a huge impact… course design and setup is the biggest factor to lack of strategy anymore, imo. Fairways are being made wider, greens bigger with crazy slopes, run-ups to greens, get rid of a lot of trees…. That’s not the recipe. Shrink the fairways, shrink the greens, add doglegs, etc. That’s what makes us think about how to play holes.”
Notably, Pebble Beach Golf Links was last significantly modified in 2016 with a renovation by Arnold Palmer and Thad Layton. Jack Neville and Douglas Grant originally designed it in 1919. The 16th, in fact, has been altered radically many times. Recent changes and restorations at Pebble Beach Golf Links aim to restore its original design, enhance strategic play, and prepare it for future major championships.
Comparing a few pictures shared by Joel Stewart, it can be seen that the hill behind the 16th green has almost been flattened. A ravine in front of the green was filled in and has now been converted to a bunker. Pebble Beach will host the U.S. Open next year, and JT, by virtue of his 2022 PGA Championship win, is already exempt into the field.
Notably, Justin Thomas withdrew from this week’s Biltmore Championship. He was supposed to use the tournament as his final competitive preparation before the Presidents Cup. Thomas will now head into the Presidents Cup without having played since the BMW Championship. His withdrawal leaves questions about his readiness heading into the Presidents Cup, where he was to represent the U.S. under captain Brandt Snedeker.