Northern California's Best Public and Private

[Jed Peters]

Okay, I'm trying to put together a list of all the best (hopefully coming out with a top 10 out of this) of Northern California's best, a al Matt Ward's stimulating lists.

I've listed the candidates in alphabetical order, with "*" denoting the courses I've played. The rest of the nominations are gleaned from photos and/or reputation.

Below that, I'll list the ones that are my favorites, note, not merely the courses that are the "best". I assert "favorite" to me with total golf experience, most amount of fun, etc.

CALIFORNIA GOLF CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO (PHILLIPS/MACKENZIE/MACAN)
CYPRESS POINT GOLF CLUB (MACKENZIE)
LAHONTAN (WEISKOPF)
MARTIS CAMP (FAZIO)
MAYACAMA GOLF CLUB (NICKLAUS)
MEADOW CLUB (MACKENZIE)*
MONTEREY PENINSULA CC DUNES (REES JONES/RAYNOR/BANKS)*
MONTEREY PENINSULA CC SHORE (STRANZ)*
MORGAN CREEK GOLF CLUB (PHILLIPS)*
OLYMPIC CLUB LAKESIDE (WHITING)*
ORINDA COUNTRY CLUB (WILLIE WATSON)*
PASATIEMPO (MACKENZIE)*
PEBBLE BEACH (NEVILLE/GRANT/EGAN/NICKLAUS)*
SAN FRANCISCO GOLF CLUB (TILLINGHAST)*
SPYGLASS (RTJ)*
STEVINSON RANCH (HARBOTTLE)*

Now for my "favorites" list:

1. Monterey Peninsula Club-Shore
2. Pebble Beach
3. San Francisco Golf Club
4. Pasatiempo
5. Monterey Peninsula Club-Dunes
6. Morgan Creek
7. Spyglass
8. Olympic Lake
9. Meadow Club
10. Orinda
11. Stevinson Ranch

Are there any I'm leaving out? What deserves to be on the list that isn't? Can we put together a combined top ten?

Possible Mentions:

HARDING PARK
THE PRESERVE
SONOMA GOLF CLUB
LAKE MERCED GOLF CLUB
SADDLE CREEK GOLF CLUB
TPC SAN FRANCISCO-STONEBRAE

NOTE: Norcal stretches from the Oregon Border, to the Nevada Border, south to Monterey County, and in the Central Valley, includes Fresno County to the south. Because I said so.

[Jon Spaulding]

Other mentions:

Stanford!!
Cordevalle
Green Hills
Peninsula
Claremont

[Matt_Ward]

Jed:

Sounds like a great idea !

Might be best to divide the list into different categories so you have an apples to apples comparsion ...

*Private
*Public
* Resort - those that cater specifically to people staying at the facility.
Places like Pebble, Spyglass, LInks at SB, etc, etc, all fall into this category.

One of the benefits in having a separate stand alone public list is that it gives opportunities for people to play places that are available and likely within the means of those seeking to play them.

Just a thought ...

I'll be weighing in after the more accomplished participants throw forward their comments.

Happy New Year !!!

[Kalen Braley]

Jed,

Thats a pretty good list.  A few more for perhaps HM:

Poppy Hills
Spanish Bay
Poppy Ridge

[Anthony Gray]

  I never here people praise Spyglass but it is always in the top 100. On Jed's list it is 7. And that is just for CA.

  Anthony

[Carl Nichols]

Anthony:
Top 7 in Cal is clearly top 100 U.S. Jed's list, however, is just Northern Cal.

[Adam Clayman]

Spy is the average persons favorite within the forest. The reason is that the forest holes reminds them of their home course with trees lining every hole. The aficionado appreciates the coast holes and feels let down when the route doesn't return to the coast.  There's no question about the quality of all 18 greens which is why until Lefties 62 the course record was the highest in the forest. Many will confuse difficulty with quality when reminiscing about this course. I'd place it much closer to the middle of any top 100 modern list.

[Patrick Glynn]

Jed, how can you can not include Gleneagles in this list?

From my own experiences I would rate them as follows:

SFGC
Pasa
Meadow

[Kyle Henderson]

Jed,
I am ashamed to admit I haven't played many on the list, despite playing 99% of my golf in Nor Cal..

That being said, I think Darkhorse merits consideration. I've also heard great things about White Hawk. Maybe not quite top 10, but I have a feeling that the 8-10 spots (roughly) will be highly contested.

Cypress (not played), Pebble (not played, but seen), SFGC (not played), MPCC Shore, and Pasatiempo are locks for sure.

My "favorites" (that I've played):

Cinnabar Hills (Mountain/Canyon), Darkhorse, Morgan Creek, MPCC-Shore, Olympic-Lake, Pasatiempo, Roddy Ranch, Spanish Bay, Spyglass,  Stevinson,

[Patrick Kiser]

Jed,

Thats a pretty good list.  A few more for perhaps HM:

Poppy Hills
Spanish Bay
Poppy Ridge

Kalen,

Really?  Neither Poppy Hills nor Poppy Ridge would have made it into my top 10.


Jed,

Pretty strong list there.  Tough to nudge any one of those off I'd say.

As much as I enjoy Harding, it's not top 10 in my book.

[Dan King]

I haven't been playing much golf lately, so I don't know much about any of the newer courses. About the only new course I'd consider that isn't on my list is Saddlecreek, which would be just outside of my top-10.

In no particular order -- a top dozen because I'm not wild about top-10 lists:
MPCC (Love both courses so I'll leave it as MPCC)
SFGC
Pebble
Cypress
Pasatiempo
Stanford
Cordevalle
Olympic-Lake
Half Moon Bay-New (I played this before it opened and loved it. I'm surprised it is rarely mentioned as a top NorCal course. Perhaps it hasn't lived up to its promise from back when I played it.)
Granite Bay (I also haven't played here in many years but thought very highly of its one-shotter holes. Anyone played it lately?)
Burlingame CC
Wente Vineyards

The list seems a little heavy on San Francisco and Monterey areas. I think I've played all the major courses in Napa and Sonoma and can't think of any that should crack the top dozen. I think Granite Bay is the cream of the Sacramento area. I can't think of anything that warrants consideration south of Monterey or south or east of Sacramento. I love Wawona in Yosemite, but that is more for sentimental reasons than the course itself.

I haven't seen Harding since the changes. I always liked the old Harding, just didn't like the people working or playing there.

I'm a big fan of Stevinson Ranch but don't think it belongs in the top dozen.

I now live within a mile or two of Del Paso CC in Sacramento. It looks like a course I'd like. Anyone played it who believe it might belong top dozen in Northern California?

Cheers,
Dan King

Until recently, all I had to do to get a look around a golf course was walk in the front door and tell them I worked for Pete Dye. But in Northern California, that approach only gets you a look of sympathy. because the only Pete Dye course they're familiar with is Carmel Valley Ranch, the most preposterous course Peter ever built.
 --Tom Doak

[Bill_McBride]

Everybody forget about Sonoma, or just no love?

[Chip Gaskins]

Harding Park?  Mayacama?

[J_ Crisham]

How about the simplistic Pacific Grove Muny? Is there a sportier bargain in NOCAL golf? The KP day there was a great choice last April. Top 10 ? probably not but a must if you are looking for a fun little track for a quick round.           Jack

[BVince]

Out of the ones I have played:

1. CPC
2. MPCC Shore
3. Mayacama
4. SFGC
5. Olympic Lake
6. Pasatiempo

[Jed Peters]

Jed,

Thats a pretty good list.  A few more for perhaps HM:

Poppy Hills
Spanish Bay
Poppy Ridge

I don't mean to be a jerk, but you're kidding, right?

[Jed Peters]

I now live within a mile or two of Del Paso CC in Sacramento. It looks like a course I'd like. Anyone played it who believe it might belong top dozen in Northern California?

Dan:

I have to get some guys from here out there. I know JSPayne and one other (I gotta look who) want to play there, I can play whenever I want for pretty cheap, we have an open reciprical with them.

Have you played Morgan Creek? It's WAY better than Granite Bay....even before they hacked it to shit.

[Kalen Braley]

Patrick and Jed,

Back off fellas I'm just throwing it out there...A few other guys mentioned DarkHorse, Pacific Grove, and Roddy Ranch and i'm not seeing any venom thrown thier way. 

I know there are many folks on GCA.com who really really like Spanish Bay even though they won't say it publicly. And they've told me they would likely play that over the likes of at least a few others I've seen.  But i'll let them speak for themselves.

[John Handley]

I'd say of the ones I have personally played:

Cypress Point
Pebble Beach
California Golf Club
San Francisco Golf Club
Olympic Lake
Spyglass Hill
Pasatiempo
Sonoma Golf Club
Meadow Club
Spanish Bay

I have not played MPCC Shore and I am sure it would be up there.  I have played the Dunes Course and I am not impressed.  I have not played Corde Valle, TPC Stonebrae or Maycama.

I am sure many of you have not played the "new" California Golf Club as it just reopened in July.  It is absolutely fabulous.

[Jed Peters]

I am sure many of you have not played the "new" California Golf Club as it just reopened in July.  It is absolutely fabulous.

Not many of us on this site are members, John.

And, as it's been open to guest play for only a few months...no doubt.

[Carl Nichols]

Being an East Coast guy I haven't played much in Nor Cal, but  Harding Park (which I have played) seems like it would be lucky to make the top 20. Seems like a course that gets a pass/bump simply because it's a muni.

[Jed Peters]

Patrick and Jed,

Back off fellas I'm just throwing it out there...A few other guys mentioned DarkHorse, Pacific Grove, and Roddy Ranch and i'm not seeing any venom thrown thier way. 

I know there are many folks on GCA.com who really really like Spanish Bay even though they won't say it publicly. And they've told me they would likely play that over the likes of at least a few others I've seen.  But i'll let them speak for themselves.

Huckaby doesn't count re: Spanish Bay.

Darkhorse should get a mention--and would even be there included in the "best public" category.

I think I'll take Matt's advice and put the 10 best pub, private, and resort ones together..... hmmm.....

[Bob_Huntley]

Cheers,
Dan King

Until recently, all I had to do to get a look around a golf course was walk in the front door and tell them I worked for Pete Dye. But in Northern California, that approach only gets you a look of sympathy. because the only Pete Dye course they're familiar with is Carmel Valley Ranch, the most preposterous course Peter ever built.
 --Tom Doak

[/quote]

Dan,

Leslie and I walked our two Labs from the house to the Carmel Valley Ranch,  which is less than a mile away, then up the tenth fairway across to the Holt Road gate and down to the valley floor.

There is no doubt about it, the back nine of the Ranch leaves something to be desired. However, I heard that Dye said to Gerald Barton, President of landmark Land, the developers that he could build them a world class nine hole course, but not an eighteen. Barton wanted and paid for an eighteen holer, got it and the course has disappointed ever since.

Bob

[JSPayne]

Ugh.......I'm trying to do this, and it's giving me a headache. And I have my list of the ~110 courses I've played at work, so I'll have to finish this tomorrow, but for right now, here are my nominations....the ones I've played are in CAPS and the rest are there because I've heard enough honorable mention from people whose opinions I greatly respect that I believe they should be considered.

You wouldn't think a Top 10 for an area as finite as NorCal would be that difficult, but I'm struggling simply because I've loved so many of the courses I've played, for a variety of reasons, and because I still have so many that I know are worthwhile that I can't even offer an opnion on because I haven't played them.

What's more.....I'm sure I'm leaving some very important ones out, since this list is just off the top of my head. But here are the nominations, no particular order, so that I can come back to this tomorrow and try to really narrow it down.

PRIVATES -

Cypress Point
SFGC
MEADOW CLUB
Olympic Club - Lake
Sonoma GC
MORGAN CREEK
Winchester
Del Paso CC
Monterey Penninsula CC
Del Monte CC
Martis Camp
Timlick
GRANITE BAY CC
Cal Club
Mayacama
Stanford
Lahontan
ORINDA CC

PUBLICS-

Harding Park
Spanish Bay
SPYGLASS
PEBBLE BEACH
PASATIEMPO
POPPY HILLS
Stevinson Ranch
DARKHORSE
Edgewood
OLD GREENWOOD
PAJARO VALLEY
PACIFIC GROVE MUNI
San Juan Oaks
Cinnibar Hills
Wente Vineyards
Cordevalle
TPC SF Stonbrae
APPLE MOUNTAIN
WHITEHAWK RANCH

[Adam Clayman]

How about the simplistic Pacific Grove Muny? Is there a sportier bargain in NOCAL golf? The KP day there was a great choice last April. Top 10 ? probably not but a must if you are looking for a fun little track for a quick round.           Jack

Jack, I've had the same thought. The excuses could be... The listers within this forum would never support a sub 6k yard course as great. They believe heavily size matters. Throw in a faulty hole by hole analysis protocol and you have people actually suggesting some real dogs jst because they are long and/or difficult.