The Tee Shot on No. 18 at Pebble Beach

Added on March 05, 2025

Pebble Beach Golf Links has served as the backdrop for some of the most memorable shots, battles and finishes in golf history. The closing holes are particularly dramatic and if we have any luck as golf fans, this year's U.S. Open will come down to the very last hole.

The 18th hole at Pebble Beach is a 543-yard par-5 that doglegs slightly right-to-left, hugging the contours of Stillwater Cove. The entire left side of the hole is framed by the sea. Just beyond the right hand rough, a road and a menacing line of white out-of-bounds stakes is clearly within reach from the tee. Even the center of the fairway presents a challenge – the lone cypress tree that is rooted there will block out the second shots of players who drive it short and right.

No. 18 consistently ranks among the very best finishing holes in the game and it's due largely to the intimidating set of factors players face once they step onto the tee box. We wanted to know how to approach this kind of troublesome tee shot, so for some expert advice, we reached out to Titleist staff member, Justin Parsons, who shares his strategy for this type of shot and a swing thought that you can use when the pressure is on and you need a go-to shot you can rely on.

Improve Your Game

483 Videos

  1. Categories
  2. Long Game
  3. Iron Game
  4. Wedge Game
  5. Putting
  6. Mental Game
  7. Course Strategy
  8. Golf Fitness
  9. At Home
  1. Instructor
  2. Brad Faxon
  3. Dr. Bhrett McCabe
  4. Dr. Mo Pickens
  5. Me and My Golf
  6. Peter Finch
  7. Cameron McCormick
  8. James Sieckmann
  9. Mark Blackburn
  10. Michael Breed
  11. Trillium Rose
  12. Jonathan Yarwood
  13. Dave Phillips
  14. Brandon Stooksbury
  15. Joanna Coe
  16. Joe Hallett
  17. Justin Parsons
  18. Phil Kenyon
  19. Joe Plecker
  20. Layne Savoie
  21. Dr. Rob Neal
  22. Dr. Greg Rose
  23. Skip Guss
  24. Jason Baile
  25. John Kostis
  26. Jennifer Hudson
  27. Ryan Hager
  28. Corey Lundberg
  29. Tom Patri
  1. Drill
  2. Accuracy and Consistency
  3. Body/Swing Connection
  4. Bunker Play
  5. Chipping and Pitching
  6. Contact and Turf Interaction
  7. Course Management
  8. Distance, Speed and Power
  9. Drills and Practice Strategies
  10. Driver
  11. Equipment, Technology and Fitting
  12. Fairways
  13. Faults and Fixes
  14. Full Swing Technique
  15. Grip, Alignment, Setup and Posture
  16. Hybrids
  17. Irons
  18. Putting Fundamentals
  19. Shot Shaping
  20. Short Game Technique
  21. Specialty Shots
  22. Wedges
Clear All Filters
Power Stretch for Driver Speed
user icon
3 min

Power Stretch for Driver Speed

Everyone could use a few more yards off the tee, but as Titleist staff member Ryan Hager shares in this video, many...

Improve Your Ball Striking with Low Point Laneway Drill
user icon
3 min

Improve Your Ball Striking with Low Point Laneway Drill

Titleist Staff Member Cameron McCormick is here with one of his favorite drills that will help you dial in your...

Playing Golf in WIndy Conditions
user icon
4 min

Playing Golf in WIndy Conditions

Do you struggle to play good golf in windy conditions? If so, Titleist staff member Justin Parsons is here to help....

Me and My Golf - How Far Should You Stand From The Golf Ball?
New
user icon
6 min

Me and My Golf - How Far Should You Stand From The Golf Ball?

Andy and Piers demonstrate the correct way to address the ball at setup and share a great process that you can use...

Great Players Create S.P.A.C.E.
user icon
3 min

Great Players Create S.P.A.C.E.

The best players in the world create SPACE in their swings so that they can generate S.P.A.C.E. (an acronym for...

Titleist Tips: Five Drills for a World Class Short Game
user icon
3 min

Titleist Tips: Five Drills for a World Class Short Game

To improve your short game, Titleist staff member James Sieckmann stresses that you have to practice with a...

Lay Up or Go For It?
user icon
3 min

Lay Up or Go For It?

Advanced data and statistics are playing an increasingly important role in modern golf. Statistics can help...

How to Hit Your Fairway Metal from a Tight Lie
user icon
2 min

How to Hit Your Fairway Metal from a Tight Lie

For many of us, no shot is more intimidating than a fairway metal from a tight fairway lie. Having a fairway metal...

Dial in Your Distance Wedges
user icon
7 min

Dial in Your Distance Wedges

Distance wedge shots (shots inside 120 yards or so) require three ingredients. First, you need to know how far away...

How to Establish a Game Plan for Your Golf Game
user icon
3 min

How to Establish a Game Plan for Your Golf Game

Dr. Mo Pickens shares his perspective on establishing a game plan in golf. It's not simply course management. In...

To Improve Green Reading, Find the Straight Putt
user icon
1 min

To Improve Green Reading, Find the Straight Putt

Reading greens can be a very difficult skill to master. Greens surfaces are imperfect and are purposely designed...

Mastering Your Mind On (and Off) the Golf Course w/ Dr. Bhrett McCabe & Iona Stephen
user icon
42 min

Mastering Your Mind On (and Off) the Golf Course w/ Dr. Bhrett McCabe & Iona Stephen

Stop letting your brain get in the way of your best golf. In this episode, we sit down with world-renowned sports...

Results loading...
No results