Tilden Park Golf Course

William P. Bell’s course uses elevation, tree corridors and contoured greens to ask for accurate approaches. Its park setting and accessible booking make it a distinct East Bay public round.

The operator course page and East Bay Regional Park District page confirm the current course, access and facilities. Back-tee length and rating are intentionally absent from the fact band because the current operator description and accessible rating leads do not agree; the operator scorecard page did not expose a readable current card in this review.

History and Design

The Park District says Bell laid out the course in 1936 and the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps helped build it during 1936–37. Its history and a contemporary 1938 golf trade account place the opening in 1937; the latter gives November 11. The district history calls the architect “Billie Bell,” and contemporary coverage names William Bell.

The operator describes rolling, tree-lined fairways and guarded greens. It identifies the elevated par-3 sixteenth as a signature view over the course. Exact hole yardages are omitted here until a current dated card is available.

Playing the Course

Tilden asks for controlled placement through narrow wooded corridors, with changes in elevation that can alter the apparent length of an approach. The park district likewise highlights rolling fairways and contoured greens. The setting is a regional park rather than a subdivision, so a player spends much of the round among trees and hillsides.

Both the current operator and Park District advertise 6,294 back-tee yards, while an indexed USGA Blue men’s par-70 row gives 6,258 yards with a 71.2 rating and 125 slope. Direct USGA access returned HTTP 403, and the operator’s scorecard page did not reveal an edition or card pixels. The older 6,258/71.2/125 combination is therefore held from structured fields until the operator or rating authority provides a current, coherent named-tee card. No current primary source confirms the former turf-species claim.

Access and Planning

The course is open to the public. Book through the operator’s tee-time page or call (510) 848-7373. The 2026 rates list 18-hole public ranges of $37–$56 Monday–Thursday, $44–$68 Friday, and $56–$86 weekends/holidays, effective January 1, 2026; the operator warns actual fees vary with demand. Standard booking is up to seven days ahead; an online 8–21-day option has a $10 per-player fee.

A lighted, covered and heated three-tiered driving range, practice putting greens, a chipping area and cart rentals are advertised on the course page. The operator says the course is walkable but hilly. Check the Park District’s venue page for seasonal hours and any road or trail restrictions before visiting.

Archival Film

The RWH Golf front-nine video is a third-party shot-for-shot round uploaded August 17, 2020. Its title and description identify this Berkeley course and the middle tees. It is useful as archival routing context, not a record of current turf, 2026 conditions or a verified present scorecard. The upload date is not a proved filming date.

Sources and Further Reading

Tilden Park operator course information

East Bay Regional Park District venue

2026 operator rates

Operator booking page

Operator scorecard page

Park District history