A Pictorial: The Olympic Club - Cliffs Course!!!

[Ryan Farrow]

Why so much turf???

Looks pretty cool though, great setting, never heard of it before now.

[Joey Chase]

I just returned from a week out in CA and was fortunate enough to get to play the Cliffs course.   I played it in a fairly stout wind that made several of the holes more than enough of a challenge for me.  Several of the other posters were right in saying how lucky the members are to have such a nice addition.  It is a perfect place for younger or new players to work on their game, yet fun for better players (I wouldn't necessarily put myself into the latter group however).  I really liked the added smaller course as it gives even more variety to an already interesting place. 

[Ronald Montesano]

...

[Carson Pilcher]

I was blessed enough to live in SF for three years.  During that time, I was heavy into golf (even more than now).  Played a couple of qualifiers on the Lake.  However, I was friends with two members.  We would go play the Lake, grab a "hotdog burger" at the shack on the way towards the Cliffs, and then go play the Cliffs.  It was a great way to end a round.

I haven't seen pictures since then.  Thanks for posting.

[Sven Nilsen]

For anyone that has played both, could you compare and contrast the Cliffs Course and The Preserve?

Sven

[Joey Chase]

Sven,

Having only played the Cliffs the one time, I am certainly not an authority.  I would say that the views are as good as any and the golf is good and plenty fun. I think the Preserve strives for a similar goal, in that, they want to add something beyond an 18 hole scorecard course.  They both succeed, although in a different way.

[Ron Csigo]

Now you're just showing off your skills, Kyle  

Exquisite photos!  Thank you for posting.

[Josh Stevens]

Um, don't mean to be rude, but while the views and the terrain look good, the bunkers are awful looking things.  WHo on earth did them?

[Joel_Stewart]

Um, don't mean to be rude, but while the views and the terrain look good, the bunkers are awful looking things.  WHo on earth did them?

The Cliffs course is now close to 15 years old?  The course was originally designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf and listening to Morrish one day it seems like Weiskopf did most of the design.  I've stated it before but this course was originally designed to take pressure off the big courses and they hoped seniors would play it.  Somebody forgot to put cart paths on it and that eliminated 98% of the seniors from playing it.   

The club only dedicates 2 and sometimes 3 people to maintain the course and they also have to maintain the range, front entrance and public areas.  The superintendent now GM doesn't care about this course and dedicates about .00002% of his time thinking about it.

The 4th hole fell into the ocean 10 years ago and that was rebuilt by renowned architect William (Bill) Love.  He did such a fabulous job that they gave him the keys to the kingdom and allowed him to work on the entire property.

So Josh you are not being rude.  You had a poor design process, a GM who doesn't care and its understaffed in terms of maintenance.  Typical Olympic Club.

[Josh Stevens]

I can see how it possibly isn't the most relaxing place to play.  Hard against a freeway and if you get distracted by the views you risk toppling off the cliff.

However its slightly sad that lack of cart paths is sited as reason for the old duffers not to use it.  Presumably if its usage would be light, are cart paths necessary to prevent damage.  Is the turf that fragile or the terrain that tough?  It doesn't look that hard a walk

[David_Tepper]

"I can see how it possibly isn't the most relaxing place to play.  Hard against a freeway and if you get distracted by the views you risk toppling off the cliff.

However its slightly sad that lack of cart paths is sited as reason for the old duffers not to use it.  Presumably if its usage would be light, are cart paths necessary to prevent damage.  Is the turf that fragile or the terrain that tough?  It doesn't look that hard a walk"


Josh -

I have played the Cliiffs Course 10-12 times a year over the past 8-10 years. The course gets far more play than it used to. On the weekends there is often a backup on the 1st tee.

The traffic noise from Skyline Blvd. is rarely a distraction at all. Whether the spectacular views are a distraction or not is a personal matter. It is a wonderful (and relaxing ) place to be on a clear day.

There is a fair amount of movement in the terrain. Given how compact the property is, there is little room for cart paths.

DT

 

[Mark McKeever]

Very cool tour of a track I have never seen photos of.  Thanks for sharing!

Mark

[Kyle Henderson]

Um, don't mean to be rude, but while the views and the terrain look good, the bunkers are awful looking things.  WHo on earth did them?

I thought the same thing. Beyond the seeming lack of artistry in some of the bunker shaping, there is a gross mismatching of several different styles.

The photo I took which appears earlier in this thread depicts the ovular fronting bunker on the 4th hole which sticks out like a sore thumb.


I hastily created this rough rendering several years ago to illustrate the point by changing  the shape of the bunker in the foreground to more closely match the "unkempt" character the bunkers behind the 4th green (I forget who took the original photo).

[Kevin_Reilly]

The deep bunker to the left of the 5th green is playable even for a young kid.   

http://youtu.be/UqJBoIgfvwU

PS: Name the GCAer briefly shown near the end for bonus points.