Corica Park Golf Course (South)

Corica Park Golf Course (South) in Alameda, California, is one of the most acclaimed municipal golf renovations of the modern era. Reopened in June 2018 after a multi-year, ground-up rebuild led by architect Rees Jones and Greenway Golf's Marc Logan, the South Course was transformed into a firm, fast, minimalist layout inspired by the sandbelt courses of Melbourne, Australia. With vast fairways, expansive sandy waste areas, and bold bunkering, it delivers a strategic, links-flavored experience that has earned national recognition while remaining fully open to the public.

Quick Facts

Course History

The South Course, also known as the Jack Clark Course, dates to 1957 and was originally designed by William Francis Bell. Built on reclaimed land near San Francisco Bay, the layout served for decades as a well-used but aging municipal track before Greenway Golf secured a long-term operating agreement with the City of Alameda and committed to a comprehensive reinvention.

The transformation was a monumental undertaking: crews moved more than one million cubic yards of fill to raise the low-lying, former-landfill site an average of roughly eight feet above the water table, improving drainage and enabling the new sandbelt-style contouring. Reopened in June 2018, the revamped South Course was named Golf Magazine's top municipal renovation of the year and has since been widely celebrated for both its playability and its sustainability.

The Design & Architecture

Rees Jones, working with associate Steve Weisser and Greenway Golf's Marc Logan and team, drew direct inspiration from the sandbelt region of Melbourne, Australia. The result is a minimalist, ground-game-friendly design defined by wide, gently contoured fairways, large flowing greens, and dramatic sandy waste areas and bunkers with rugged, naturalistic edges. Sand-capped surfaces speed drainage and firm up the turf, while drought-tolerant grassing reduced water use significantly, reinforcing the course's reputation as a sustainability standout.

Signature Holes

The par-3 5th is the shortest hole on the property - just 133 yards from the black tees and as little as 89 yards from the forward markers - yet it is one of the course's most talked-about holes. There is no water or lost-ball hazard, only bunkers and ground contour, so its difficulty swings dramatically with the day's pin position. The 8th, a drivable par 4 of barely 300 yards from the back tees, keeps that same risk-reward spirit, while the 11th flips the script entirely: a massive par 3 stretching to 248 yards from the tips (185 from the middle tees).

On the back nine, the reachable par-5 15th (495 yards from the black tees) is guarded by a significant bunker complex between the landing zone and the green - design associate Steve Weisser has called it shaper Marc Logan's favorite hole. The 579-yard par-5 17th features a rise in the ground about ninety yards short of the green that invites a classic running approach, setting up a closing stretch that finishes par 3, par 5, par 4.

Playing the Course

Stretching to 6,874 yards with a par of 72, the South Course plays to a rating of 73.2 and a slope of 129 from the tips. The generous fairways invite aggressive lines off the tee, but the real strategy lies in angles of approach, firm running conditions, and the temptation of the ever-present sandy waste and bunkering. Bay-area breezes add another variable, rewarding creative, low-flighted shots and a strong short game around the sprawling greens. It is a layout that flatters players of all abilities while still challenging the accomplished.

Know Before You Go

• Fully public, city-owned facility - tee times can be booked online at coricapark.com/teetimes.

• A practice range is on site, along with the separate Earl Fry North Course and the Mif Albright par-3 course at the complex.

• The sandbelt-style firm turf favors bump-and-run shots; expect wind off San Francisco Bay to influence club selection.

• Located at 1 Clubhouse Memorial Rd, Alameda, CA 94502; call (510) 747-7800 for details.