IMI’s signature hospitality event provides a haven of high living at Pebble Beach’s historic Canary Cottage, where “class with a glass” harkens back to the days of the Crosby Clambake, now one of golf’s most storied golf tournaments — the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
By Mark Crosby
For two years running, the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am enjoyed unseasonably warm days of sun and mild ocean breezes. But this year, the infamously fickle weather of the “Crosby” Pro-Am lived up to its reputation. On the morning of the tournament’s first day, clouds of gunmetal grey clotted the sky. Wind streaked Carmel Bay with foam, and the surf crashed against the outcroppings of rock on the shores of the Pebble Beach Golf Links.
It was a Shakespearian day.
As anyone knows, wet and windy conditions make creature comforts all the more desirable. And that meant hospitality was at a premium for all those who endeavored to take in the tournament firsthand. This may explain, in part, the record crowds and special feeling in the air at this year’s IMI hospitality event at Pebble. On the other hand, it might simply be that having put on the best show in town for 10 years running, IMI’s reputation comfortably preceded itself, and favored guests simply know where the best venue is come tournament time. Of course, much has to be done ahead of time to pull off a flawless event year in and year out, and IMI truly put its shoulder to the task this year.
The set-up
As always, several days prior to the opening of the Pro-Am, a veritable IMI army descends upon the same unassuming, four-bedroom cottage with sweeping views of Carmel Bay. Known as Canary Cottage from when it was first built and given a bright yellow coat of paint nearly a century ago, it sits just a few yards from the fabled 18th green, offering a secluded venue in the heart of the action. Well prior to the first tournament tee time, IMI brings about a complete transformation of Canary Cottage, adding to the back of it a handsomely decked-out banquet tent whose rear wall opens onto a specially constructed, wooden promenade complete with fire pits, an undulating putting green and dozens of cedar Adirondack chairs, lined up to face the bay. Inside, a towering, four-sided, mahogany bar anchors the action, while spread throughout are welcoming suites of plush sofas and armchairs.
Call it premonition or simply unsparing preparation, but IMI’s choice well ahead of time to add an adjoining tent — one that houses a cutting-edge (indoor!) golf simulator and a Nike pro shop with unheard of deals ranging from a sleeve of golf balls to Nike’s latest “square-headed” drivers — could not have been more well-timed nor more well-received. The simulator would prove phenomenally popular, with more than a few “longest ball” bets being settled barter-style in the adjoining Nike shop.
By tournament’s eve, Pebble as a whole was all abuzz with the frenetic activity that accompanies an event as well-known and celebrity-packed as the Pro-Am. The generally serene Lodge at Pebble, at the epicenter of it all, was jammed with guests and celebrities, while just outside its main entrance, correspondents gave their on-the-scene reports from impromptu lighting sets. Velvet ropes, limousines, clamoring crowds and an actual red carpet graced the entrance to the Lodge. The only thing missing was the sweep of search lights overhead. Perhaps this is what comes of a golf tournament conceived and nurtured into stardom by Bing Crosby and now overseen by Clint Eastwood as chairman of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the sponsoring entity of the Pro-Am. It may also be the singular format of the event as well.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am remains a unique stop in several respects on the PGA Tour. For starters, it’s played not on one course, but across three — all part of the Pebble Beach complex of courses: Spyglass, Poppy Hills and the famous Pebble Beach. And as always, amateurs team up with pros to play, not one but all days of the competition, with the top 25 pro-am teams competing on Sunday.
Countless celebrities have teamed up with the pros through the years, some famously. For 25 years in a row, Jack Lemmon tried to make it into Sunday’s final round but never did. Lately, the resident favorite is Bill Murray, who among other things this year, constantly raided the concession stands to toss out “free” snacks to the crowd. Other celebrities swinging away this year included actors Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia and Ray Romano; musicians Huey Lewis, Glen Campbell and Michael Bolton; and numerous television personalities, including Carson Daly, George Lopez, and Stone Phillips. A slew of professional athletes joined as well, among them football greats Tom Brady and Emmitt Smith. Even world surfing champion Kelly Slater took part.
