130 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 5
She's a cheap date, too. Golf 's cult of exclu-
sivity is par t of its problem, and the courses
within the Del Monte Forest area don't exact-
ly help public perception, whether they are
obscenely expensive to join ($275,000 at
Monterey Peninsula Countr y Club), wildly
overpriced to play ($495 at Pebble Beach), or
so aggressively private that the everyday golfer
never even gets a glimpse (Cypress Point, with
its NO TRESPASSING signs cluttering 17-Mile
Drive). But Poppy shares the same bracing sea
air, lovely pine trees and sandy soil, and can be
played for as little as $70. "It is an impor tant
(Above) While Poppy Hills
plays through the beautiful Del
Monte Forest for all 18 holes, it
is easy to forget that Pebble
Beach and the ocean are just
two miles away. (Left) The sec-
ond hole is a daring par-3 over
the riparian corridor.
Photo: Joann Dost
Photo:
Terry
VanderHeiden
