Historic Pacific Coast Golf
A Stellar Quartet of Northern California Golf Experiences You Can Play.
(Photos courtesy of On The Tee magazine)
With so much attention being focused on the USGA Men’s and Women’s Open championships being held in California this month, it brings focus to just how many outstanding golf courses can be discovered in the Golden State. So much history can be found along the Pacific, whether it be at the world renowned private clubs, those that fill our TV screens annually as part of the professional tour schedules or the lesser known courses dotting the cities and coves of the coastline. Watching the ladies at Olympic with the backdrop of San Francisco and awaiting the return of the men to Torrey Pines and the San Diego bluffs took me back to a trip I made a few years ago to Northern California where I got to experience some memorable golf while some of the rich, centuries-old history found within the region.
San Francisco Bay is one of the world’s most remarkable natural harbors. It has been a place of sanctuary, shelter and commerce dating back to the 18th Century. It is a destination for millions of visitors each year who flock to Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. The city has a wealth of elite private clubs, but does offer a number of remarkable publicly accessible facilities. If you aren’t fortunate enough to gain access to the restricted tee sheets at Olympic, San Francisco and The Cal Club, there are many other fine golf options in the city.
The Presidio Golf Course: Very few North American golf courses can boast a history like that of The Presidio Golf Club in San Francisco. The course was built on the former Presidio army base, which has existed since 1776 when the Spanish arrived in the bay. After the Spanish, Mexican and American troops have occupied this strategic hillside. The original Robert Wood Johnstone nine-hole course built in 1895 was expanded in 1910 and lengthened in 1921. When the military base became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area the former private club became accessible to the public in 1995. Its rugged topography and massive seaside trees makes the round challenging, yet peacefully serene given its proximity to one of the world’s major cities. Combined with a visit to the military park, the Presidio is a can’t miss experience.
TPC Harding Park: Harding Park was built in 1925 by the architects who also designed the highly acclaimed Olympic Club just a few miles down the highway. The course is the crowning jewel in San Francisco’s portfolio of municipal courses. Now part of the TPC brand, the course has a long and distinguished history of hosting professional tournaments. The historic layout underwent a significant renovation and rebirth in 2002, bringing the course up to current tour standards. Massive trees line the tight fairways and challenging green complexes, which recently saw Colin Morikowa win the 2020 PGA Championship. TPC Harding Park hosted the 2009 President's Cup Matches and will again in 2025. Not often does the public have access to a course with such an acclaimed pedigree, offering a wonderful opportunity to walk in the footsteps of so many great professional champions before.
A short drive south along the coast brings you to Santa Cruz, and a little further south you arrive in the seaside city of Monterey. As we all know, golf in this region of California is synonymous with the remarkable cluster of courses that make up Pebble Beach Resorts and Cypress Point. There are, however, other fantastic courses in the area that are not only accessible to public play, but offer spectacular routings, while being more affordable.
Pasatiempo Golf Club: Alister Mackenzie is a name synonymous with some of the world’s most highly acclaimed course designs. Pasatiempo Golf Club is one of those regularly mentioned with his finest work. Located in Santa Cruz the once private course has a rich history of hosting prestigious tournaments and being the home of Dr. Mackenzie. It was during a round here that Bobby Jones was so impressed with Mackenzie’s work that he offered to collaborate on a design project on a certain former nursery in Augusta Georgia. Stark elevation changes and sprawling bunkers add to the fascinating green complexes. Not long by today’s standards, Pasatiempo is a shot makers paradise, stunningly visual and devilishly challenging.
Pacific Grove Golf Links: The Monterey Peninsula is widely considered one of the premier golf destinations on the planet. Boasting some of the world’s most famous courses, the region is also home to unique and affordable treat. Coined “The Poor Man’s Pebble,” Pacific Grove Golf Links is located on the northern tip of the peninsula. The municipality owned course opened in 1932 as a nine-hole layout designed by H. Chandler Egan. Jack Neville, of Pebble Beach fame, offered to design a second nine on a stunning piece of land that surrounds the Pacific Grove lighthouse and provides a backdrop rivalled by few other courses. Routed through expansive seaside dunes and buffeted by the ever present winds off the Pacific, this is the perfect place to connect with Monterey seaside golf on a budget.
There are so many golf options to explore in California. Many of the state’s private clubs rival for deserved placement on the “Best in World” lists to which we all dream of being provided access. There is also a wealth of fantastic golf to be found at the numerous resort, public access and municipal facilities found throughout the state. You merely need to see the ultra private Olympic and municipal Torrey Pines being selected to host the most cherished events on the USGA calendar to understand the depth and variety of golf possibilities in the Golden State.
This blog article is an update from those originally published by On The Tee magazine.
