Golf Guides

Guides, roundups, and features on golf across San Francisco Bay Area.

Play to Save Sharp Park: The 12th Alister MacKenzie Tournament Is September 13

Play to Save Sharp Park: The 12th Alister MacKenzie Tournament Is September 13

The SF Public Golf Alliance's 12th Alister MacKenzie Tournament tees off Sept 13 at Sharp Park — a scramble funding the fight to keep MacKenzie's muni public.
Billy Casper (right) with Gene Littler, 1970. Public domain (US) — AP wirephoto published April 13, 1970 without a copyright notice. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Billy_Casper_and_Gene_Littler_1970.jpg

The 1966 U.S. Open: Billy Casper Catches Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer led the 1966 U.S. Open at SF's Olympic Club by seven with nine holes left. Billy Casper caught him — one of golf's most famous collapses.

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The 18th green of the Olympic Club's Lake Course beside the clubhouse in San Francisco, site of Jack Fleck's 1955 U.S. Open playoff win over Ben Hogan. Photo by Thomas Hawk, 2005, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (File:Olympic_Club_18th_hole_lakeside.jpg).

The 1955 U.S. Open: Jack Fleck Stuns Ben Hogan at Olympic

How Jack Fleck, an unknown Iowa muni pro, stunned Ben Hogan in a playoff at the 1955 U.S. Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club — one of golf's greatest upsets.

Thomas Hawk

Golden Gate Bridge seen from Lincoln Park Golf Course, San Francisco. Photo by David Ohmer, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_Francisco_-_Golden_Gate_Bridge_from_the_Lincoln_Park_Golf_Course_(1165795937).jpg

Lincoln Park: A Century of Golf Above the Golden Gate

The history of Lincoln Park Golf Course — San Francisco's original muni, built over old City Cemetery, birthplace of the City Championship, above the Golden Gate.

David Ohmer

The 18th green at TPC Harding Park beside Lake Merced, San Francisco. Photo by Tinou Bao, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons/Flickr (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg).

The San Francisco City Championship: Golf's Greatest Municipal Tournament

The San Francisco City Championship is golf's greatest municipal tournament — 100+ years of history at Harding Park and Lincoln Park, from Venturi to today.

Tinou Bao

TPC Harding Park's 18th green beside Lake Merced, San Francisco. Photo by Tinou Bao, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg

How Harding Park Was Saved: The Restoration That Brought Majors Back

How TPC Harding Park went from U.S. Open parking lot to major host: the story of San Francisco's $16 million muni restoration, led by Sandy Tatum.

Tinou Bao

Laguna Salada lagoon and Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica, California, seen from the hills above. Photo by Phliar, 21 July 2012. License: CC BY-SA 2.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laguna_Salada_and_Sharp_Park_Golf_Course.jpg

Sharp Park: Alister MacKenzie's Municipal Masterpiece by the Sea

How Alister MacKenzie came to design Sharp Park, San Francisco's seaside municipal course in Pacifica — and how it survived storms, wartime, and lawsuits.

Phliar

The iconic par-5 18th hole hugging the Pacific coastline at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA. Photo by Bernard Gagnon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

The Best Golf Courses on the Monterey Peninsula, Ranked

The best golf courses in Monterey, ranked: Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill and more — our public-and-private verdicts on golf's greatest peninsula.

Bernard Gagnon

The Fried Egg

Hidden Gem Golf Courses in the Bay Area

Hidden gem golf courses in the Bay Area: a MacKenzie nine in the redwoods, his oceanside Pacifica muni, and seven more underrated designs locals gatekeep.

The Fried Egg

Best Cheap Golf in the Bay Area: Great Rounds on a Budget

Best Cheap Golf in the Bay Area: Great Rounds on a Budget

Cheap golf in the Bay Area is real: 10 affordable munis and daily-fee courses, from MacKenzie's Sharp Park to WPA-built Tilden Park and a 9-hole gem by the beach.
The Best Bay Area Golf Courses for Beginners

The Best Bay Area Golf Courses for Beginners

Beginner friendly golf courses in the Bay Area: nine short, forgiving par-3 and executive layouts — from Golden Gate Park to Pleasanton — where new golfers can learn without pressure.
dronestagr

The Best Private Golf Clubs in Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley country clubs, ranked: nine private golf clubs from Stanford's 1930 Thomas-Bell classic to Silver Creek's gated Mike Strantz redesign, with access notes for each.

dronestagr

pjkoenig

Best Ocean View Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The best ocean view golf courses in the Bay Area — from Ritz-Carlton bluff golf at Half Moon Bay to MacKenzie's seaside muni and Lincoln Park's Golden Gate views.

PJKoenig

The iconic par-5 18th hole hugging the Pacific coastline at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA. Photo by Bernard Gagnon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

The Best Golf Resorts in the Bay Area & Northern California

The best Bay Area golf resorts for a stay-and-play trip — Pebble Beach's bluffs, Half Moon Bay's Ritz-Carlton links, Silverado's PGA Tour host, and Cache Creek's Yocha Dehe.

Bernard Gagnon

The Best Golf Courses in Marin County

The Best Golf Courses in Marin County

The best golf courses in Marin County, ranked — from Alister MacKenzie's first American design at Meadow Club to StoneTree, Peacock Gap, and Mill Valley's redwood muni nine.
Pacific Grove Golf Links, Pacific Grove, CA. Photo courtesy of Pacific Grove Golf Links official course website (playpacificgrove.com).

The Best Walking Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The best walking golf courses in the Bay Area: nine flat or compact routings — from MacKenzie's Sharp Park to Pacific Grove's seaside links — built to be walked.

Pacific Grove Golf Links

bizbash

The Best Golf Courses in San Jose

The best golf courses in San Jose, ranked: seven public tracks led by 27-hole Cinnabar Hills, plus the city's three private clubs — a complete South Bay guide.

bizbash

allsquaregolf

The Best Country Clubs in the East Bay

The best East Bay country clubs, ranked — from Alister MacKenzie's Claremont and Golden Age Diablo to Jack Nicklaus's Ruby Hill and hilltop TPC Stonebrae.

allsquaregolf

staticflickr

Best Executive & Short Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The best executive golf courses in the Bay Area: par-60 to 63 eighteens and executive nines that deliver real golf — driver, doglegs and all — in about two hours.

staticflickr

Indoor golf simulator setup — cover image for the Golf Simulators in SF post

Golf Simulators in SF

From Full Swing bays downtown to Golfzon in Oakland and Toptracer in San Jose, the Bay Area's ten best indoor golf simulators keep your game sharp year-round — rain, fog, or shine.

Indoor golf simulator setup — cover image for the Golf Simulators in SF post

The 18th green at TPC Harding Park beside Lake Merced, San Francisco — home course of the city's municipal golf story. Photo by Tinou Bao (San Francisco) via Flickr/Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg

Art Spander: Five Decades on the Golf Beat

Art Spander has covered Bay Area golf since 1965 — Examiner lead columnist from 1979, with GWAA first-place awards spanning five separate decades.

Tinou Bao

Juli Inkster during the Pro-Am before the 2009 LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock. Photo by Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons (originally Flickr), licensed CC BY-SA 2.0.

Juli Inkster: The Bay Area's Hall of Famer

From a childhood home on Pasatiempo's 14th fairway to 31 LPGA wins and seven majors — how Santa Cruz's Juli Inkster became the Bay Area's Hall of Famer.

Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons

George Archer lining up a shot at the 1972 Tucson Open. Associated Press wire photo, 1972; public domain in the US (published 1931-1977 without a copyright notice). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Archer_1972.jpg

George Archer: The Masters Champion

George Archer, 1969 Masters champion, was born in San Francisco, learned golf caddying in San Mateo, and won his first PGA Tour title at Harding Park.

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Bob Rosburg lining up a shot at the 1956 U.S. Open. UPI press wire photo; public domain in the US (published 1931-1977 without a copyright notice). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bob_Rosburg_1956.jpg

Bob Rosburg: Native Son, PGA Champion, ABC's Voice

Born in San Francisco and raised at the Olympic Club, Bob Rosburg won the 1959 PGA Championship — then spent three decades at ABC inventing on-course golf reporting.

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The R&A Clubhouse and Swilcan Burn bridge on the Old Course at St Andrews, where Tony Lema won the 1964 Open Championship. Photo by Optograph, CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:R%26A_Clubhouse,_Old_Course,_Swilcan_Burn_bridge.jpg).

Champagne Tony Lema

How Tony Lema went from caddying at Oakland's Lake Chabot to winning the 1964 Open at St Andrews — the story of Champagne Tony, the Bay Area's brightest comet.

Optograph

Laguna Salada and Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica, the Alister MacKenzie municipal course Jack Fleming helped build. Photo by Phliar, 2012, via Flickr/Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laguna_Salada_and_Sharp_Park_Golf_Course.jpg

Jack Fleming: The Irishman Who Built SF's Municipal Golf

Jack Fleming, the Irish-born golf course architect and Alister MacKenzie protégé, spent 31 years building and keeping San Francisco's municipal courses.

Phliar

Harvie Ward in 1955. Public domain — work of the U.S. federal government (17 U.S.C. § 105), published 1955 in the Star Presidian, the Presidio of San Francisco Army post newspaper; via Wikimedia Commons (File:Harvie_Ward_1955.jpg).

Harvie Ward: San Francisco's Adopted Amateur Great

Harvie Ward shared the 36-hole lead at the 1955 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club, won back-to-back U.S. Amateurs, and dueled Ken Venturi at Harding Park — SF golf's adopted great.

Harvie Ward in 1955. Public domain — work of the U.S. federal government (17 U.S.C. § 105), published 1955 in the Star Presidian, the Presidio of San Francisco Army post newspaper; via Wikimedia Commons (File:Harvie_Ward_1955.jpg).

Johnny Miller follows through on a tee shot in 1975. Photo by Chuck Scardina, The Desert Sun, Feb. 6, 1975. Public domain in the US (published 1931-1977 without a copyright notice). Source: Wikimedia Commons, File:Johnny_Miller_1975.jpeg.

Johnny Miller: San Francisco's Own

Johnny Miller's San Francisco story: first swings at Lincoln Park, an Olympic Club junior badge, the 1966 U.S. Open at home, and the 63 that changed golf.

Chuck Scardina

The 18th green at TPC Harding Park, San Francisco — Ken Venturi's home course. Photo by Tinou Bao via Flickr/Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg

Ken Venturi: From Harding Park to the 1964 U.S. Open

Ken Venturi learned golf at Harding Park, won three SF City titles, survived the brutal 1964 U.S. Open — and took his final PGA Tour win back home in San Francisco.

Tinou Bao via Flickr

The 18th green at TPC Harding Park beside Lake Merced, San Francisco. Photo by Tinou Bao, CC BY 2.0 (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg

Sandy Tatum: The Man Who Saved Harding Park

How Sandy Tatum — Stanford NCAA champion, Rhodes Scholar and USGA president — rescued Harding Park from parking-lot indignity and returned San Francisco's muni to major championship golf.

Tinou Bao

TPC Harding Park golf course in San Francisco, fairway lined by cypress trees. Photo by Tinou Bao from San Francisco, USA, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0 (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TPC_Harding_Park_(15519586065).jpg

San Francisco: The Voice of American Golf

Golf broadcasters from San Francisco — Ken Venturi, Johnny Miller and Bob Rosburg — plus writer Art Spander narrated American golf for 50 years. Here's why.

Tinou Bao from San Francisco

The 18th green at TPC Harding Park beside Lake Merced, San Francisco. Photo by Tinou Bao, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (File:TPC_Harding_Park_-_18th_Green_(15332936118).jpg).

The Most Influential Figures in Bay Area Golf

San Francisco golf legends: Venturi, Miller, Lema, Rosburg, Ward, Archer, Inkster, Tatum, Fleming and Spander — the most influential figures in Bay Area golf.

Tinou Bao

golfdigest

The Oldest Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The oldest golf courses in the San Francisco Bay Area — including a course founded in 1893 and the oldest course in continuous operation west of the Mississippi.

golfdigest

pjkoenig

Top Golf Instructors and Coaches on the Peninsula

The best golf instructors and coaches on the SF Peninsula — from Stanford and Palo Alto to Menlo Park, Burlingame, Foster City, and Half Moon Bay.

PJKoenig

Golf.com

The Best Municipal Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The best municipal golf courses in the Bay Area — city-owned, budget-friendly and open to all, from PGA Tour host TPC Harding Park to Tilden Park and San Jose Muni.

Golf.com

The Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, CA - Scottish-style links hole set among restored dunes along the Pacific. Photo courtesy of GolfPass.

Robert Trent Jones Courses in Northern California

From Spyglass Hill to Spanish Bay and Silverado, explore the Robert Trent Jones courses — Sr. and Jr. — that shaped championship golf across Northern California.

GolfPass

playboundaryoak

Robert Muir Graves: The Architect Behind Bay Area Public Golf

No architect shaped Bay Area public golf like Robert Muir Graves. From Boundary Oak to Las Positas, here are the courses designed by the region's most prolific designer.

playboundaryoak

Wine Country Golf: The Best Courses in Napa & Sonoma

Wine Country Golf: The Best Courses in Napa & Sonoma

A guide to golf in Napa and Sonoma wine country — from the PGA Tour's Silverado Resort to Sonoma Golf Club, Mayacama and the coastal links at Bodega Harbour.
Scenic view of Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California. Photo by Gregory Ford Henderson, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Hardest Golf Courses in the Bay Area

Ranked by slope rating, these are the hardest golf courses in the Bay Area — from a 152-slope wine-country monster to the Pebble Beach gauntlet of Spyglass Hill.

Gregory Ford Henderson

pjkoenig

Recently Renovated Golf Courses in the Bay Area

A wave of major course renovations has reshaped Bay Area golf — from Gil Hanse at Lake Merced to Rees Jones at Corica Park. Here are the courses reborn in the last decade.

PJKoenig

pjkoenig

Best Public Golf Courses in the Bay Area

The best public golf courses in the San Francisco Bay Area, region by region — the top daily-fee and municipal courses in SF, the Peninsula, South Bay, East Bay and North Bay.

PJKoenig

Golf.com

Best Public Golf Courses in San Francisco

Every public golf course in San Francisco, ranked — from PGA Tour host TPC Harding Park to the MacKenzie muni at Sharp Park and the cliffside par-3s of Lincoln Park.

Golf.com

silveradoresort

Best Public Golf Courses in the North Bay

The 10 best public golf courses in the North Bay — Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano, from Silverado and StoneTree to the seaside links at Bodega Harbour.

silveradoresort

pjkoenig

Best Public Golf Courses on the Peninsula

The best public golf courses on the SF Peninsula — from the ocean cliffs of Half Moon Bay to Crystal Springs, Poplar Creek and Baylands in Palo Alto.

PJKoenig

logos.bluegolf

Best Public Golf Courses in the South Bay

The 10 best public golf courses in the South Bay and Silicon Valley — Coyote Creek, Eagle Ridge, Cinnabar Hills and the top San Jose–area layouts you can book today.

logos.bluegolf

golfdigest

Best Public Golf Courses in the East Bay

The 10 best public golf courses in the East Bay — from Livermore wine-country layouts to Oakland and Walnut Creek municipals you can book any day of the week.

golfdigest

About

About

The story behind this Bay Area golf guide, and how to reach Greg Egan with corrections and additions.
PJ Koenig

Top Golf Instructors and Coaches in San Francisco

The best golf instructors and coaches in San Francisco — from Presidio and Harding Park pros to modern, tech-driven coaches for every skill level.

PJ Koenig

bizbash

Top Golf Instructors and Coaches in the South Bay

The best golf instructors and coaches in the South Bay — San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Cupertino, and Morgan Hill, from PGA and LPGA award winners to junior-development specialists.

bizbash

simpleviewinc

Top Golf Instructors and Coaches in the East Bay

The best golf instructors and coaches in the East Bay — Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Walnut Creek, and the Tri-Valley, from former tour players to Golf Digest Best-in-State teachers.

simpleviewinc

pjkoenig

Top Golf Instructors and Coaches in the North Bay

The best golf instructors and coaches in the North Bay — Marin, Sonoma, and Napa — including a former PGA Tour player and a national-champion college coach.

PJKoenig

PJ Koenig

Rate Sheets and Guide to Finding a Private Club in San Francisco Bay Area

Explore the world of exclusive private clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area with our guide, helping you find the perfect blend of luxury, recreation, and community to suit your lifestyle and aspirations.

PJ Koenig

Alister Mackenzie Designed Courses in San Francisco Bay Area

Alister Mackenzie Designed Courses in San Francisco Bay Area

The Alister MacKenzie-designed courses in the San Francisco Bay Area, like Cypress Point, Meadow Club, and Pasatiempo, blend strategic brilliance with stunning landscapes, creating an unforgettable golfing experience.
PJ Koenig

Best 2 Hour Golf Road Trips from San Francisco

Best greater bay area golf courses to play within a 2 hour drive

PJ Koenig

PJ Koenig

The Best Full 9 Hole Courses in the Bay Area

Discover the Bay Area's most exquisite 9-hole golf courses, where stunning scenery meets challenging fairways, promising an unforgettable golfing experience in San Francisco.

PJ Koenig

Best Public Practice Facilities

Best Public Practice Facilities

Best Practice Facilities
Patrick Koenig

Every Bay Area Golf Course

Every bay area golf course

Patrick Koenig

Top Instructors and Coaches in the Bay Area

Top Instructors and Coaches in the Bay Area

A guide to the Bay Area's best golf instructors and coaches, organized by region — San Francisco, the Peninsula, South Bay, East Bay, and North Bay.
PJ Koenig

Most Exclusive Golf And Country Clubs In San Francisco Bay Area

Discover Exclusive Elegance: The Top 10 Golf & Country Clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

PJ Koenig

Best Par 3's in the Bay Area

Best Par 3's in the Bay Area

Prepare to embark on a golfing journey through the San Francisco Bay Area's finest Par 3 courses, offering a diverse range of experiences for golfers of all levels.
The clubhouse and course at Spyglass Hill Golf Course on the Monterey Peninsula, California.

Traveling to Monterey for Golf

The Monterey Peninsula packs more bucket-list golf into a few coastal miles than anywhere else. Here is how to plan a trip around Pebble Beach and beyond.

The clubhouse and course at Spyglass Hill Golf Course on the Monterey Peninsula, California.

Evan Schiller

72 Hours of Public Golf in San Francisco

A three-day public-golf itinerary for San Francisco: TPC Harding Park, Lincoln Park, the Presidio, and Golden Gate Park — what to play, in what order, and how to plan around the fog.

Evan Schiller

Harvie Ward in 1955. Public domain — work of the U.S. federal government (17 U.S.C. § 105), published 1955 in the Star Presidian, the Presidio of San Francisco Army post newspaper; via Wikimedia Commons (File:Harvie_Ward_1955.jpg).

NCGA Hall of Fame Class of 2026: Harvie Ward Leads a Bay Area–Heavy Group

The NCGA's 2026 Hall of Fame class honors Harvie Ward, Condoleezza Rice, Charles Schwab and Stuart Francis — three of the four with deep Bay Area golf roots.

Harvie Ward in 1955. Public domain — work of the U.S. federal government (17 U.S.C. § 105), published 1955 in the Star Presidian, the Presidio of San Francisco Army post newspaper; via Wikimedia Commons (File:Harvie_Ward_1955.jpg).

The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Lincoln Park Golf Course in San Francisco.

The History of Golf in San Francisco

From the Presidio's 1890s links to the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park: the history of golf in San Francisco — the munis, the majors, and the voices it produced.

The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Lincoln Park Golf Course in San Francisco.