Out of the four big courses around Lake Merced, Harding Park occupies the least impressive land. However, it does afford some awesome views of Lake Merced and the surrounding Bay Area. You can see Twin Peaks, Olympic Club, Mt. Tamalpais, and some great city scenes from around the course. Now I realize that this is the cities course, and that it is spoken of with great reverance. However, there are alot of mediocre golf holes on the course.
It is, and will continue to be a great test for the pros because from the tips it plays as a par 70, and is plenty narrow. Some of the fairways look extremely goofy because the hole corridor is 60 to 70 yds wide, yet the fairway is 15 to 20 yds. wide as cut down for the AMEX. The greens are fairly typical, besides the uphill 3rd and finishing 18th. The greens will also test the pros in coming years because there are some very tight and tucked pin locations on the greens. As far as architecture goes, their are some sound, thought provoking holes, but their are far to many holes where the player is simply trying to hit it long and straight, and where very little thought is given to the next shot.
Some of my favorite holes. I liked the par 3 3rd. It is a 180 yards, uphill to a green that has valley running through the middle of it. This valley is not visible from the tee and surprised me when I got to the green. Another good hole is the short par 4 7th, which Tiger, amazingly, CARRIED a drive onto this green.
I believe its about 330. UNREAL This is one of the better greens on the course, as the back left portion is tucked behind a rather deep bunker, which forces the player to think about where he is playing his shots to gain the best angle, or yardage, for the easiest approach.
As unoriginal as it is to simply loop the back nine around the perimeter of the course, IMHO it is the better nine. Eight of the nine holes I enjoyed, I thought 14 was a bit odd. Wide Corridor, skinny fairway, just plain didn't fit with the rest of the back nine. The last four holes are very strong, with the 16th and 18th down right good. Below are some better pictures from the day to give you a feel what the course is like. Hope you enjoy!
Nice movement throughout the 18th green. One of the best greens on the course.
Approach to the 18th from 170 yds.
Teeshot on the 18th. When playing for the first time you are really not sure where to aim. It is about 310 yards to the bunkers on the right from the very back tee.
Par 3 17th
Short and and Perplexing Par 4 16th. This is where John Daly missed his little 3 footer to lose to Tiger in the playoff of the AMEX.
Great teeshot on the dogleg left par 4 15th.
Par 4 14th Extremely narrow fairway / Wide corridor
Par 4 13th Green Setting.
Interesting Green at the Par 5 12th 490 yds. Played as Par 4 during AMEX
Par 5 9th. Once again this hole played as a par 4 for the AMEX.
Long, Beautiful Par 3 8th. 220ish
Green of the short Par 4 7th. Tough Pin!
Long Par 4 6th Green Setting. Some of the better, more artistic bunkering at Harding.
Par 4 1st Green
