Gracious and spacious, this Pebble Beach home seems too hard to give up.

Ernie and Dorothy Singleton’s home is in a woodsy greenway a few steps from the 18th hole at Spy Glass Hill Golf Club. Dorothy says, “Did you know the word ‘golf’ came from ‘Gentlemen Only, Ladies Prohibited.’ Who could imagine?” she laughs. If golf is not one’s favorite, the Equestrian Center is only three blocks away. The home eschews showiness, is tailored, elegantly conceived and located in a stellar location even for Pebble Beach. The property is genuinely pretty. It’s also very private, although there are no massive gates, perimeter walls or long vanishing driveway to scout in search of the house.

From the car parked by the garage doors (three), a short path between flowering shrubs and colorful ground cover planted and tended by Dorothy (she has won many awards) leads to a wooden wall through which an amazingly special courtyard 64 feet long and nearly 14 feet wide reveals potted trees and deep green foliage artfully defining different moods within it. Near the front portico, a huge birdbath fed by a quiet fountain attracts beautiful bathers. There’s a magical quality to the courtyard.

“Ernie and I felt so good the first time we saw this house,” Singleton says. “Everything we wanted for our ‘forever house’ was right here.” It’s undeniably gracious, the core design confidently simple, laid out on one level with spacious rooms, high ceilings throughout and windows overlooking either the courtyard in front or the 84-foot deck in back. From the foyer, the large living room runs laterally as if with wide-open arms. On the far side of the room, two tandem glass walls with sliders brace the sizable fireplace. Wonderful built-ins fill another wall.

Further examples of design success are the three master suites – two at one end of the house and the main master a world unto itself at the other. Singleton says, “If we ever needed in-home care, those suites are perfect.” Their own master is a treasure. The big window panes and a single glass door face the deck and big garden below. Aside from the roomy bedroom, there’s a sitting room, studio or office, his-and-hers dressing rooms with mirrored sliders and a set of his-and-hers sinks. Beyond is the full bath, half bath, bidet and resort amenities. Like the entire house, the master is a breeze to move around in.

In the dogleg hall outside the suite, there’s a half bath then the entry to the kitchen, where big windows and a door face the courtyard. A large breakfast cove is great for meals or to sit and sip. The kitchen has well-placed built-ins, pantry, Thermador stove and oven and Sub-Zero fridge. Singleton says, “I love this kitchen if I’m cooking for 30 people or two.” The layout definitely is right for ease of operation. It recently was remodeled and painted in a soft moss-green shade. For some, it may seem small and any hi-tech gadgets would need to be installed, but one wonders if it could be nearly as pleasing.

A small bar and wine cooler sit between the kitchen and the formal dining room, where a table for many has plenty of room. The windows, as in the kitchen, are large and look out on the courtyard. One’s first and last question is a resounding “Why ever leave?”

“We’re moving to a senior community in PG,” Singleton smiles. “This house is our love but we know the next family will love it just as much.”

PRICE: $2,495,000. 1214 BRISTOL LANE, PEBBLE BEACH. CONTACT JACK GELKE, ALAIN PINEL REALTORS, 622-1040.