The California Golf Club of San Francisco: A pictorial!!! (18th hole posted)

[Kyle Henderson]

A short par 3 (adding nice variety to the 1-shotter set), the 16th demands proper club selection.


Left is the safest miss. Long is all wrong.


A look back up to the teeing grounds, with the 17th fairway exiting right.

[Patrick Kiser]

... and a strong par 3 at that from my recollection.

I'm normally not a big fan of short downhill par 3s, but this one feels solid.  Add to this the timing of this little bugger on the final stretch, the swirling wind in this area of the property, and it makes for a really good match play hole.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Kirk,
I hope the USGA stays well away from the Cal Club of SF. I fear they would muck it up.

I believe the suggestion was for amateur events and qualifiers.  Changes aren't made for those events.

The Cal Amateur would be a good event to host (assuming another course nearby could serve as a qualifying co-host).  Same for the Pacific Coast Amateur.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kirk,
I hope the USGA stays well away from the Cal Club of SF. I fear they would muck it up.

I believe the suggestion was for amateur events and qualifiers.  Changes aren't made for those events.

The Cal Amateur would be a good event to host (assuming another course nearby could serve as a qualifying co-host).  Same for the Pacific Coast Amateur.

Kirk's suggestion was for the Cal Club to host "USGA Amateur and US Open Qualifying events." The USGA is notorius for growing up the rough, narrowing fairways, etc, etc. Olympic is the place for that in SF. The Cal Club is a different animal and I would prefer that  it remain so.

The Cal Amatuer would be less likely to elicit unwise changes in the club's maintenance practices.

[Kirk Moon]

Al,
Thank you for those insights.

Kirk,
I hope the USGA stays well away from the Cal Club of SF. I fear they would muck it up.

Did the USGA "muck up" Lake Merced or Harding by using them for US Open Qualifying this year?  I played at Harding throughout that period and didn't notice anything dramatic.  The fairways were a bit narrower and the rough a bit longer than usual, but nothing dramatic (and these changes had already been put in place for the Charles Schwab Championship held there in November.  

Lake Merced, a course which, IMHO, doesn't come close to the quality of the Cal Club (no offense to any Lake Merced partisans in the crowd), has hosted Multiple US Open and Women's US Open Sectional Qualifiers, the 1990 US Junior Amateur, the upcoming US Girls Junior Amateur, the 2009 California State Amateur championship, the 2009 NCAA Men's Division 1 West Regional Championship, multiple NCGA Junior Championsips, and other high school level championships.

I agree that it would be a bad idea to host any tournament where the organizing body wanted to make alterations to the course.  But there are lots of important competitions that wouldn't come with that baggage.  

Don't you think it would be a good thing for the club to host events like that?  

[Kirk Moon]

I believe the suggestion was for amateur events and qualifiers.  Changes aren't made for those events.

The Cal Amateur would be a good event to host (assuming another course nearby could serve as a qualifying co-host).  Same for the Pacific Coast Amateur.

These are exactly the kinds of events that I am thinking of.  Seems as though they would be a perfect fit for the club.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Kirk's suggestion was for the Cal Club to host "USGA Amateur and US Open Qualifying events." The USGA is notorius for growing up the rough, narrowing fairways, etc, etc.

What negative things are done at Pasatiempo as a result of its hosting of a US Open qualifier?

[Kyle Henderson]

Kirk, Kevin,

Qualifiers are a bit safer, but I MANY in our circles have told me that Merion and Chambers Bay (both held U.S. Amatuers recently) were both ruined with rough growing and mismanagement of green speeds. I played the Valley Club the day before they held last year's qualifier for the Cal Am. The fairways were soaked to reign in distances. Frequent mud balls resulted. My host said the fairway ALWAYS play much firmer and better.

I'll flip the question (and then maybe we should get back to chatting about the golf course):

What positive things are done to golf courses as a result of hosting a US Open qualifier?

[Sean Leary]

Looks delightful.

How difficult is it for the average citizen to get a game here?

Not difficult at all as long as you know a member....

[Kirk Moon]

Kirk, Kevin,

Qualifiers are a bit safer, but I MANY in our circles have told me that Merion and Chambers Bay (both held U.S. Amatuers recently) were both ruined with rough growing and mismanagement of green speeds. I played the Valley Club the day before they held last year's qualifier for the Cal Am. The fairways were soaked to reign in distances. Frequent mud balls resulted. My host said the fairway ALWAYS play much firmer and better.

I'll flip the question (and then maybe we should get back to chatting about the golf course):

What positive things are done to golf courses as a result of hosting a US Open qualifier?

Not talking about just US Open Qualifiers but other amateur competitions as well.  Also NOT talking about hosting the actual US Amateur champoinship - that is too big an event and the USGA would undoubtedly come in and mess around with the course for that event.  I'm talking about hosting events like those mentioned above, where the course would be left as is, in all its glory.  

What would doing this accomplish?  Increase the profile of the club a bit.  Establish its props amongst a large array of competitive golfers and other golfing cognoscenti locally and more widely as an important and challenging venue.  I know that this has happened somewhat already as a result of the renovation, but not nearly to the extent that I think it should.

Increased profile would almost certainly increase the reputation of the club and would presumably also increase "desirability" of the club which should have a beneficial impact on membership queries, particularly from serious golfers.  

I just think the course is too good to not be recognized more widely than it currently is.  I never cease to be amazed when I tell local golfers about the Cal Club and get a blank stare from them, followed by "never heard of it...where is it?"

[Mike Benham]

Kirk, Kevin,

Qualifiers are a bit safer ...

Kyle -

I find it interesting that there is a fair amount of concern from non-members about fear of the course being altered, or lured away from its current direction.

I say blame Kiser ...

Mike

[Kyle Henderson]

Kirk, Kevin,

Qualifiers are a bit safer ...

Kyle -

I find it interesting that there is a fair amount of concern from non-members about fear of the course being altered, or lured away from its current direction.

I say blame Kiser ...

Mike

I may not be heavily invested in the Cal Club at this juncture (maybe someday I'll be lucky enough to join), but I am invested in the idea of golf courses becoming more enjoyable, thus I would love for other clubs to follow this one's example. More courses renovated and maintained like Cal Club (or conceived in a similar mold) = more places I (and others that share my preferences) can fully enjoy the game.

As a mediocre golfer, I am not invested in top-tier amateur championship play.

[Patrick Kiser]

I say blame Kiser ...

Normally a wise move 

But -1 nonetheless...

[Kyle Henderson]

Kirk, Kevin,

Qualifiers are a bit safer, but I MANY in our circles have told me that Merion and Chambers Bay (both held U.S. Amatuers recently) were both ruined with rough growing and mismanagement of green speeds. I played the Valley Club the day before they held last year's qualifier for the Cal Am. The fairways were soaked to reign in distances. Frequent mud balls resulted. My host said the fairway ALWAYS play much firmer and better.

I'll flip the question (and then maybe we should get back to chatting about the golf course):

What positive things are done to golf courses as a result of hosting a US Open qualifier?

Not talking about just US Open Qualifiers but other amateur competitions as well.  Also NOT talking about hosting the actual US Amateur champoinship - that is too big an event and the USGA would undoubtedly come in and mess around with the course for that event.  I'm talking about hosting events like those mentioned above, where the course would be left as is, in all its glory.  

What would doing this accomplish?  Increase the profile of the club a bit.  Establish its props amongst a large array of competitive golfers and other golfing cognoscenti locally and more widely as an important and challenging venue.  I know that this has happened somewhat already as a result of the renovation, but not nearly to the extent that I think it should.

Increased profile would almost certainly increase the reputation of the club and would presumably also increase "desirability" of the club which should have a beneficial impact on membership queries, particularly from serious golfers.  

I just think the course is too good to not be recognized more widely than it currently is.  I never cease to be amazed when I tell local golfers about the Cal Club and get a blank stare from them, followed by "never heard of it...where is it?"

Such an outcome would be fantastic but I still think there are risks, as described above. Maybe time will tell.

[Kyle Henderson]

There is no let-up at the finish, with a couple of demanding, strategic and beautiful holes to close the round.

The 17th is a par 5 that begins with a drive up-and-over a small ridgeline.


The approach is downhill and often with the wind, so bombers may reach with their second…


…but staggered bunkers and uneven lies will complicate long approach efforts.


While there is room to run shots aboard, approaches must carry to within 15-20 yards of the green to avoid the short/left traps.

[Patrick Kiser]

While there is room to run shots aboard

You got that right...

I played my best shot of the year here with a 3W that cleared the bunker we see well short of the green and it just ran up beautifully and turned towards the back / middle right pin.  Awesome to watch!  Don't ask me about the putt.

I think this shot showed to me more than anything how the type of grass makes so much difference.

Also, off the tee we don't necessarily see this, but like on the 1st ... if you challenge the bunker showing at the top of the ridge to the right and clear it ... then the reward is a power boost right to left turn we can somewhat see in the 2nd & 3rd photos.  Solid risk/reward strategy on this one.  It's just a wonderful sweeping hole with the fairway right to left and then left to right at the green.

[Kyle Henderson]

The semi-blind tee shot at the 18th is a bit unnerving for first-time players.


From the landing zone, the fairway drops precipitously before climbing again to the green.


For those that avoided this tree near the 12th green, the last hole offers another chance to earn a barkie.


Thanks to the Phillips’ renovation, approaches that miss short/left of the green will no longer find a watery grave.


One last retrospective

[Patrick Kiser]

Nice job Kyle.

Some say the finish at Olympic is one of the best, but I think the finish at the Cal Club is right up there.

I'm guessing the bombers can clear the ridge with a wedge in, as long as they're not on that steep down slope.  But for me, the approach from the top of the fairway is more appropriate.

As one walks up that fairway and sees the approach open up, it is definitely a Wow! moment.

Challenging green as well from my recollection.  Micro movements on the green can really play tricks.  Recovery from the back is actually quite fun as well.

Just a very cool finish.

[Kirk Moon]

Thanks for a very nice tour, Kyle.  Great pics and nice analysis of the holes.

It's a very cool course and the members and staff are great. 

I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I'm out there.

[Kyle Henderson]

Thanks for a very nice tour, Kyle.  Great pics and nice analysis of the holes.

It's a very cool course and the members and staff are great. 

I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I'm out there.

Thanks Kirk. I haven't had the chance to see the San Francisco Golf Club, but after my visit to the Cal Club, I really can't imagine a finer place to play golf on the peninsula.

[Matthew Mollica]

Thanks so much Kyle for putting the time and effort into another wonderful tour.
I've really appreciated your perspective on a course I was luck enough to visit in April.

It is indeed a fine course!

MM

[Kyle Henderson]

Thanks so much Kyle for putting the time and effort into another wonderful tour.
I've really appreciated your perspective on a course I was luck enough to visit in April.

It is indeed a fine course!

MM

How is it that every Aussie I know has played more great golf coursesin my home state than I have?

[Matthew Mollica]

I suppose the Californians just take pity on us

[Carl Nichols]

Kyle-
Thanks again for the great pictures.  The area below the clubhouse where the 10th tee, 11th green, 12th tee, and 18th green all converge is one of my favorite places in golf.

[Edward Moody]

I'm up in the friendly skies beta testing fly-if on my JetBlue flight back home to Austin so I thought it would be a good time to post to this thread!

Just had my first visit to SF and on my 2 day stay I was fortunate to play Cal and SFGC.

I was very stoked to see Cal because of the comments and profiles on GCA. I obviously didn't see the course before the work but man this track is so good.

I really like how 4 and 5 bend around the hill. It is a cool view from 5 tee. As the posters mentioned earlier 6 is a brute. The pin was back middle and my approach caught the lip of the front left bunker. I hit a decent bunker shot but it landed a bit past the flag and took one hop and bounded over. Needless to say I was one of the head shaking double bogey makers.

7 was stunning. Loved 8 and really liked how 4 fairway comes back into 8 green. I also looked back after we finished 8 and loved how you can't see the tees.  All you see is a big hill.

My favorite spot on the course was the approach to 11. What a view!  I loved seeing those greens and the bunkers and the clubhouse. Very good look. It was also neat to walk off 11 and up the hill to 12 tee.   The seamless blend of fairway and green surrounds flowing into tee boxes is a great feature around Cal. As I marched up to 12 tee I couldn't help but wonder if that similar to the walk from 11 green to 12 tee at Augusta.

Cal was a treat. My host was superb and the members I met in the bar were so welcoming. I met the GM too and he was most accommodating.   This course immediately jumps high on my list.