The Olympic Club - Cliffs Course

Designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf and opened in 1994, it is the club's short course, offering members and their guests a scenic, wind-swept test that emphasizes precise iron play and delicate short game rather than raw length. Though modest in yardage, the exposed coastal setting and frequent ocean breezes make it a deceptively demanding round.

Course History

The Olympic Club, founded in 1860, is one of the oldest athletic clubs in the United States and is best known for its championship Lake and Ocean courses. The Cliffs Course was added in 1994 as a nine-hole par-3 layout, giving the club a shorter complement to its famous full-length tracks. Created by the design partnership of Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf, it occupies the club's ocean-facing property in San Francisco's Lake Merced area. In 2020 the course was renovated under Tom Weiskopf, a project that enlarged the greens, expanded the fairways, added new bunkering, and re-routed the seventh hole to modernize the layout.

The Design & Architecture

As an all par-3 course, the Cliffs asks players to hit a variety of short and mid-iron shots to well-defended greens rather than driver off the tee. The Morrish–Weiskopf design routes the holes across bluff-top terrain overlooking the Pacific, framing greens with bunkers and using the natural slope of the land. The 2020 renovation enlarged the putting surfaces by roughly a third so they tie more naturally into the surrounding bunkers, and widened the fairways to introduce additional strategic bunkering. Bentgrass greens paired with poa annua fairways provide the firm, coastal playing conditions typical of the region.

Playing the Course

Do not let the modest yardage fool you. The Cliffs is the most exposed of the Olympic Club's courses, and the wind coming off the ocean can turn a short iron into a much longer club and swirl shots off line. Accurate distance control and a reliable short game are essential, as missing these greens leaves tricky recovery shots around the enlarged bunkers. It plays as an enjoyable, quick round that still rewards precision, making it a favorite for warm-ups, practice, and casual play among members.

Know Before You Go

• The Olympic Club is a private club; access to the Cliffs Course is generally limited to members and their guests.

• Located at 599 Skyline Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132, on the club's ocean-side grounds near Lake Merced.

• Coastal wind is a constant factor, so bring an extra layer and plan for conditions to play tougher than the yardage suggests.

• As a nine-hole par-3 course, it is ideal for a quick round, practice, or warming up before the Lake or Ocean courses.