Local Knowledge: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (PGA.com)
February 10, 2010
The PGA Tour travels north up the California coast this week to breathtaking Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pro-Am. Players will be at Pebble for two reasons—1. Attempting to win the tournament; and 2. To get some homework done in preparation for June's U.S. Open. Before it all gets started, we caught up with one of our all-time favorite people in golf, the always animated Chuck Dunbar, PGA Head Professional at Pebble Beach.
PGA.com: Thanks for joining us, Chuck. I'm sure every year at Pebble Beach is exciting, but this one is particularly special. This week you will host the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and then, in June, you will host the U.S. Open. What's that like?
Dunbar: It's hard to take your eyes off the U.S. Open even with a big event this week. This week is different—I was here in 2000 for the U.S. Open—that was extremely fun. The AT&T is a golf tournament that throws a party, or, a party that throws a golf tournament depending on your point of view. There's a lot of excitement because of the field of celebrities we have this year.
Nonetheless, everyone I talk to—here we are AT&T week—we're talking about the U.S. Open just as much. This week will be a great test. We have some international players here trying to get a bird's eye view of the course. USGA officials are around this week scouting things out. The rough isn't as long this week as it will be U.S. Open week, but the fairway cuts are established. There will be some glaring differences compared to years past.
PGA.com: One thing we know from past experience, is that Pebble Beach plays considerably different early in the year with the grainy greens, etc., compared to U.S. Open week. That said, is there anything a player can learn this week that will help them in June? It sounds like those sight-lines will be similar since the fairway cuts are established.
Dunbar: Compared to the last AT&T, they're somewhat familiar with the course. But we have tee boxes that are going to turn their heads. Nos. 3, 9, 10 and 13, in particular, have all been lengthened. On 10, they won't use the same tee box this week that they'll use in June, but they're going to take a look back there and know they'll have their work cut out for them. There's some differences in length of holes and we have some new bunkering since the 2009 AT&T ended. The changes will get their attention.
PGA.com: The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is one of the more entertaining tournaments to watch on television with all the celebrities that take part. One guy I'm looking forward to seeing this week is Ray Romano—Hank Haney's new project. Do you have a good story that's fit for print about any of the celebs you've dealt with over the years at Pebble?
Dunbar: Actually, I have one specifically about Ray. This is his fifth or sixth time here. Kevin James isn't in the field this week, but they're usually a duo. The first year they both played, they were invited together and I saw what was going on.
Kevin James could be the most improved over the years, but Ray isn't far behind. The first year they played, I was watching and I immediately thought, "You have got to be kidding me—I thought there was a handicap minimum!"
But, since they've played, they've come a long way. I watch Ray's show and I saw something filmed at Riviera the other day, if my eyes weren't deceiving me, and he's come a long way.
There are all kinds of tidbits that happen through the week with celebrities. To watch Bill Murray, he's a laugh a minute. I played a practice round with George Lopez and he's great with the crowds. All of them are great with the crowds.
PGA.com: Is there a better gig in golf than being the head pro at Pebble Beach?
Dunbar: Not that I've found.
PGA.com: Not to put you on the spot, Chuck, but I guess I'm going to put you on the spot… I read a while back—and it stuck with me—that you initially aspired to be a game-show host. Obviously, that fell through and you made out OK. Can you tell us a little about that?
Dunbar: When I was going to college I was a communications media major. I was going to dabble in TV. I found that I wasn't ready to figure out what I wanted to do and I ended up traveling around working for Club Med in Mexico, tending bar. It was almost out of the movie Cocktail. After bouncing around to a few other places, I wound up in Florida and got into golf. It wasn't the kind of deal where I played with friends and slammed a 12-pack, either. I got bit by the bug and I took it seriously. That's when I decided I wanted to do something with it. And that's what I did.
I'm not going to lie though—I had aspirations of being the next Wink Martindale.
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