2026 Play With Pete Invitational at Pasatiempo Golf Club: All the Details and How to Sign Up

Pasatiempo Golf Club is one of the most enduring masterpieces of golf course architecture the game has ever known.  Architects and historians consider it one of the finest expressions of golf course design ever created.  And this Crown Jewel showcases the purest and most influential ideas of legendary architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie arguably even more fully than his other famous Golden Age designs Augusta National Golf Club and Cypress Point Club.

Across the years Pasatiempo has gathered the stories of all who played here beginning with the first shots hit on Opening Day in 1929 by founder Marion Hollins and celebrated amateur Bobby Jones.  Major champions Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Tom Watson, and Tiger Woods have all competed here.  And on May 19th four of you will become part of Pasatiempo's storied 97-year history in the 2026 Play With Pete Invitational at Pasatiempo.

MacKenzie's Pasatiempo in a Nutshell

Pasatiempo's architecture is poetic mayhem.  It is MacKenzie at his most brilliant.  It is also Mackenzie at his creative peak.  Endlessly undulating greens, rugged natural bunkering, strategic lines of play, and elevation changes and property movement make this Mackenzie gem equal parts Shakespeare and tornado.

 

I'll try to post a detailed hole-by-hole course review before PWPIPasatiempo begins to show you how Mackenzie's design principles make Pasatiempo a thinking golfer's playground that tests your swing and interrogates your decision-making.

But there are three general characteristics about Pasatiempo I want to highlight a bit now to give you a taste of what the players and livestream viewers can expect at PWPIPasatiempo.

The Pasatiempo Greens 

Pasatiempo greens feature dramatic ridges, spines, swales, and bowls inside the putting surface and are among the most complex MacKenzie ever designed.  He believed a great green requires thoughtful play and creative imagination.  And each green at Pasatiempo is almost a puzzle-like experience.

Contours are visible enough to be fair but subtle enough to still fool you.  Putts are rarely straightforward with multi-directional slopes that feed balls naturally towards certain areas.  And pin positions can be diabolical on small shelves, just beyond ridges, or near false edges.

 

Pasatiempo greens are also a masterclass in variety of size, shape, and orientation.  Some greens are tilted plateaus forcing approaches from specific sides.  Others are multi-tiered surfaces that separate greens into different putting zones.  Shapes resemble amoebas, clovers, and hourglasses.  Some are indented, elongated, and pinched.  And all create psychological pressures and visual deceptions both putting and on approach.

To survive Pasatiempo greens you have to read the breaks, feel the speeds, and meditate on every inch.  Or just accept three-putts will be part of your enlightenment.

The Pasatiempo Bunkers 

There's a distinctive artistry and mischievous personality to MacKenzie's bunkers at Pasatiempo that make them some of the most unique hazards in the world.  They hide in plain site daring you to outsmart them.  Until your ball proves otherwise.

On the one hand the bunkers are tactical instruments that define Pasatiempo with clever complexity.  And your wayward swings will pay the price.  Some bunkers are deep with steep faces making recovery shots demanding and penal.  Others are deceptively shallow or contoured in a way to mislead about difficulty escaping.

 

These same bunkers also guide player decisions, encourage calculated risks, and complement the genius of Pasatiempo's putting surfaces.  Challenge fairway bunkers and you gain advantages of closer, more open angles to pins.  Challenge greenside bunkers and you gain advantages of landing on correct tiers, avoiding multi-break putts, and less need to judge aggressive undulations.

But these thrilling invitations for glory quickly descend into brutish pits of despair if you don't execute.  Pasatiempo bunkers essentially ask, "Do you dare play this line?  Or do you settle for safety?"

The Pasatiempo Terrain and Routing

When MacKenzie designed Pasatiempo he allowed the property to dictate strategy and flow rather than forcing holes onto the course.  And the natural elevation changes, amphitheaters, and deep barrancas create spectacular views, escalating drama, and unmatched variety on every hole.

 

When you play Pasatiempo it feels inevitable, like the holes were always there transitioning from ridge to valley to plateau.

Pasatiempo's routing constantly changes direction, elevation, and width.  And this is why every hole feels distinct.  Tee shots determine angles.  Angles determine difficulty of approach.  The slopes and contours create natural risk-reward options. Wind matters more.  A rhythm exists between short and long holes, uphill and downhill holes.  And you rarely hit the same type of shot twice in a row.

 

Pasatiempo is to MacKenzie what Piano Concerto No. 1 is to Tchaikovsky.  Early holes are the passionate opening movements introducing themes.  Fairways and rolling terrain are the triumphant full orchestral strings.  Green complexes and bunkers are punctuated brass and percussion hits.  Risk-reward shots are the swelling crescendos that heighten tension.  And signature holes are the climactic passages.

Pasatiempo is Piano Concerto No. 1 and MacKenzie is the virtuosic composer.  Terrain provides the instruments.  Routing provides the structure.  And we as players perform the fiery emotional music shot by shot with the round becoming our own quintessential masterpiece.

Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo Date and Schedule of Events

The inaugural Play with Pete Invitational was at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2018 and it's grown astronomically ever since.  So much so that we're looking at something like a PWPI Tour much sooner than later, with events multiple times a year from historic courses all around the country.  We've had PWPI now at Scioto Country Club, Inverness Club, the Lake Course at The Olympic Club, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, and the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort to name a few.  And interest keeps growing from courses, sponsors, partners, and of course the stars - you, to be part of PWPI.

What is the Play With Pete Invitational all about?

Allow @xai Grok to explain. 💯🔥😁 pic.twitter.com/zAVR9eMNhB

— Pete Pappas (@PGAPappas) April 3, 2024

The last few years alone I've received over 1,000 emails and DMs on X and Instagram to participate in each Play With Pete Invitational and I'm especially excited about this year's edition from Pasatiempo Golf Club.  If you google search "best golden age golf courses" you'll see Augusta National, Cypress Point, National Golf Links of America, Pine Valley Golf Club, Royal Melbourne, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and of course Pasatiempo come up.

 

And Pasatiempo will be hosting Final Qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills a fortnight before PWPIPasatiempo so our players will be getting an extra boost of championship-level conditions.

 

Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo will take place on Tuesday May 19th, 2026 with a mid-afternoon tee time.  When the players arrive they'll meet and greet and I'll start handing out some of the swag they'll be receiving (more on that below).  And hopefully we can all get together for a pre-round late breakfast or early lunch at the MacKenzie Bar & Grill or Hollins House inside the club.  After our round is finished we'll all regroup back at the MacKenzie Bar & Grill or Hollins House to have dinner, drinks, and share stories about the day in our traditional PWPI Roundtable.

Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo Partners and Livestream

Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo players are also going to experience what it's like to be a professional golfer for a day because they're going to be sponsored by some of the biggest names in golf.  And you want to buckle up for this one.

🚨 PGA Show Breaking News 🚨

The first Play With Pete Invitational of 2026 will be at Pasatiempo Golf Club!

And we’ve partnered with Callaway to provide the players with new custom fit Quantum drivers AND new Odyssey Ai DUAL putters! 👀👀

PWPIPasatiempo Coming baby! 😁👍 pic.twitter.com/sbJMD9bD7v

— Pete Pappas (@PGAPappas) January 21, 2026

All PWPIPasatiempo players will receive the hottest selling drivers and putters on the market today.  Callaway Golf will be providing the players with brand new, custom fit Quantum drivers so they can hit those specific fairways locations on Pasatiempo that MacKenzie intended for maximum second shot advantage.  And Odyssey Golf will be providing the players with brand new, custom fit Ai-Dual putters so they have complete confidence to drain any putt Pasatiempo throws at them.  The players will also receive two dozen new Callaway Chrome Tour golf balls.  And yes the PGAPappas logo returns and will be on all balls.  #LogoUP baby!

PRG Golf getting crazy creative with Version 1 Pasatiempo headcovers for Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo. Each player will receive a driver and putter headcover.

Should we go Pasatiempo logo on one and PGAPappas logo on other? Both logos on same headcovers (front and… pic.twitter.com/nO04793wMU

— Pete Pappas (@PGAPappas) March 4, 2026

PRG Golf will be providing all the PWPIPasatiempo players with official Pasatiempo Golf Club driver and putter headcovers.  And for the first time in PWPI history the headcovers will also be adorned with the PGAPappas logo.  The headcovers will come from the 2026 PRG Golf Union Collection, a premium line featuring a blend of classic and modern styles utilizing materials like waxed canvas, sherpa, herringbone, and linen.

If you're going to play golf at a prestigious club revered for its classic pedigree and challenging, thoughtful design then you're going to also need timeless threads with elegant looks and elevated feel.  So Turtleson Apparel is providing all the PWPIPasatiempo players with a polos, quarter-zips, and hoodies that are crafted to perfection and designed for distinction.  And the PGAPappas logo theme continues as all apparel will feature embroidered PGAPappas logos.

Official apparel partner for Play With Pete Invitational at Pasatiempo is locked in.

We’ll have Turtleson for all the PWPIPasatiempo players. And yes, with embroidered PGAPappas logos. 😀👍 pic.twitter.com/c8PwoBp0Uu

— Pete Pappas (@PGAPappas) February 23, 2026

Like always I'm going to capture all the action not only for the players but also for everyone following along.  The entire PWPIPasatiempo event will be live-streamed on X/Twitter and I'll also have pics, videos, player interviews, jubilant triumphs, crushing defeats, and some incredible insight into Pasatiempo's Golden Age personality throughout the day.

And we'll even have chances for all of you following along on the PWPIPasatiempo livestream to win prizes.  We'll have Callaway Golf Chrome Tour PGAPappas logo prizes for every hole.  We'll have a Callaway Golf Quantum driver prize for a specific hole or holes.  We'll have an Odyssey Golf Ai Dual putter prize for another specific hole or holes.  And you know I have more surprises up my sleeve for both the players and viewers.  It's going to be an absolutely unforgettable day and insanely amazing experience for all!  

How to Sign Up for Play With Pete Invitational: Pasatiempo

So how do you enter to join the Play with Pete Invitational at Pasatiempo Golf Club?  Same as it's always been.  Just leave a comment here on my blog or on X/Twitter or Instagram, or DM me, or email me and tell me why you want to be one of the four players to join this event and play Pasatiempo.  (NOTE: Because of the volume of entries coming in and wanting to read and reply to all of you I'll only be able to accept entries from Friday March 6th through Monday March 9th).

 

Over the last five years I've read messages from people in every state in the U.S., and even from other countries wanting to participate in the Play With Pete Invitational.  And again for PWPIPasatiempo I welcome everyone from all over the world.  You'll have to make your own transportation to get here but once you step on the Pasatiempo grounds it's all taken care of and just get ready for the time of your life.  It's that simple.  I'll read every single comment, DM, and email, and announce the four players on Monday, March 16th.

When you play Pasatiempo Golf Club it's like stepping onto a living chessboard carved into its rugged land.  Every hole has personality that tempts your imagination.  Every green complex has attitude that seems to whisper, "Think you've got me figured out?"  At Pasatiempo the question isn't merely "Can you hit the shot?"  The question is "Do you have the nerve to try it?"  Dr. Alister MacKenzie.  Play With Pete Invitational.  Down the rabbit hole you go.