San Francisco No Golf Sadly

US Open Course at THE OLYMPIC Lakeside

As mentioned previously, I had been very much tied by dictates of the travel side as well as the Golf and San Francisco proved to be the most difficult to arrange. During our 3 days there, I had considered as usual the two main criteria for the Social Golfer.

Closest to the city, in this case the Presidio.....

Walking in the footsteps of heroes...... Hardings Park a Public Course that hosted the last Presidents Cup, The Olympic, regular US Open destination and the top twenty rated San Francisco Golf Club.

A mixture of atrocious weather, it hardly stopped raining and once again private non reciprocal arrangements... ie members only made it impossible to get a round in the small window of opportunity I had.

The Presidio redesigned by Arnold Palmer and open to the public since 1995 meanders thru the hills overlooking the city and golden gate and Alcatraz. For less than $90, George Fuller in Calafornia Golf places it in the top 30 in the State and describes it as a MUST PLAY. I tried but the weather beat us. A rolling Thunderstorm of the bay put paid to that.

Narrow fairways of The Presidio

According to all info I collected on San Francisco, The 3 finest courses were all located on a small stretch of land in South San Fran along The Pacific Coast. This terrain clearly similar to the Sandbelt in Melbourne hosts The Olympic, Hardings Park and The San Francisco Golf Courses.

Hardings Park, good enuff for Tiger, would be for me

It is also San Franciscos most affluent of Residential Areas. The former and latter are Private Courses and I was simply unable to sort out a Tee Time in the timescale we had. Hardings Public, was sadly another victim of the Terrible weather.

Hardings Park was available at the amazing price of $88 for a round, what value.

The Olympic has two courses. The Lakeside which hosted the Us Open in 1955,67,87 and 98 and the shorter,tighter and still highly rated Ocean Course. Guests can only play with a member.

San Francisco is rated the best of the three in all ratings I examined prior to the trip. Tom Doak renovated the course in 2002 and its now accepted as a true great. Hosted the 1974 Curtis Cup Match which no doubt the USA thrashed GB. Again Guest can only play with a member. Again disappointingly there is no reciprocal policy in place.

A place I must re visit in good weather and tie in with a trip up North to Oregon and Bandon Dunes perhaps. Dont tell Matron.

San Francisco, pretty and highly rated but not easily accessible