The lack of good, affordable public courses in the immediate Bay Area has been frequently mentioned on this site, and with good reason. I maintain that given the non-golf activities in the area, it’s not worth it to bring your clubs on a visit if you do not have access to the local private heavyweights.
However, if you are a diehard golfer and you lack access, I would suggest Monarch Bay. The course is quite convenient to the city, lying right on the Bay a bit south of the Oakland airport. (Note for Tom, and he is correct...the course is in San Leandro, although I listed it as being in Oakland). Holes 1, 9, 10, 11, and 18 are relatively tree-lined, while the other 13 holes are situated on reclaimed landfill and few trees have been planted. I usually play the course in the afternoon to take advantage of twilight rates, which is also when the winds off the Bay really kick up. A 2-3 club afternoon breeze seems to be the norm. The cool temperatures and sea level location mean that this course probably doesn’t play as fast and firm as some here would prefer, although the wild wind makes this a fun place to play. As always in the Bay Area, the course plays longer than the yardage.
With a critical eye towards GCA, there are a few drawbacks. Three of the four par 3s (#4, #7, and #17) are long and play directly into the prevailing wind, making them feel a bit repetitious. And the course is routed so that almost every hole is primarily upwind/left to right or downwind/right to left. Only #14 plays with a crosswind. Still, this is a very challenging course that I enjoy playing.
Course routing below. The red arrow shows the direction of the prevailing wind, although in my excitement about figuring out how to add shapes to a jpg I plotted the arrow a bit inaccurately. The prevailing wind blows closer to 4 o’clock than 5 o’clock like I have it. Note that this is the prevailing SUMMER wind, in the winter it blows the other direction. My comments throughout the pictures are made in with respect to the summer wind.
Pics of the course, and quite honestly I’m a little disappointed in how they turned out. I took them from the tee, approach, and green.
Holes are as follows…I’ve given yardages from the “Professional” and “Championship” sets (7,015/6,567)
Holes 1, 2, and 3 get the course off to a mild start as they all play downwind.
Hole 1 (413/403) is a straighforward opener.
Hole 2 (409/385) Driver is not necessary but if used the player must avoid the bunker on the right side. A fairway wood can be used, but that brings the bunkers on the left into play although the fairway is wider. The approach is uphill, and it can be tough to hold the green with the hole playing downwind.
Hole 3 (443/402) is a nice slight dogleg right with several diagonal fairway bunkers.
Would be nice to cut the fairway closer to the edges of the bunker to really bring the sand into play...
Banks of bunkers are not quite shaved, but do allow for balls to trickle in...