Claremont C.C.

[Andy Silis]

I will be playing Claremont C.C. in Oakland on my upcoming trip to the Bay Area. Any info regarding this course, architecture, history etc. would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[David_Tepper]

I am not an expert on Claremont, but here are a few things I do know:
1) Alister Mackenzie design, but course had major rennovation work on greens & bunkers about 15 years ago. I do not know who did the work or how faithful it is to the original design.
2) Course is very compact, par 68, with several fairways that cross over each other on the front-9.
3) Course has two par-3s (#2 & #13) that play 200+ yards.
4) Sam Snead won the Oakland Open on the course.
I have not played the course in many years, but I remember it as a very charming place.

[Tom_Doak]

We are now doing a bit of work to the course, in fact Jim Urbina is starting there on Tuesday.

The course is a wild layout with a couple of crossovers, squeezed onto a very tight property (less than 100 acres).  The crossovers actually preceded MacKenzie's work; he just made modifications to the bunkers and the greens.

One of the greens that was done fifteen years ago (the seventh) didn't fit in at all, and we rebuilt it for them last year.  This time we are out to soften a couple of greens (11th and 12th) which have about six percent tilt to them, and are just unplayable today.  The par-four eleventh is undoubtedly one of the best holes, an uphill second shot into a punchbowl setting created by quarrying into a rocky hillside.

It's not a great golf course but it is fun to play, and quite an interesting design study.  It would be a perfect subject for the "Aerial of the Day" -- you'd probably have a hard time connecting all the dots!

[Joel_Stewart]

Not much for me to add but since I live about a mile from the course I can add 2 cents.  Its an old club (especially the membership) and you will hard pressed to see any Mackenzie in the course.  The photos in Tom Doaks book on Mackenzie are an interesting comparison to what it is now.   It has a wonderful collection of par 3's (six I think?) with the 2nd hole being essentially a dog leg par 3.  Some people are put off by the cross over holes but it doesn't bother me at all and I consider it almost whimsical.

As Tom said it is on only 100 acres but plays bigger then it appears.  Its fairly hilly and has alot of trees many of which are redwoods which are sacrilegious to cut.

Some of the old photos in the clubhouse are fun to look at.

[Andy Silis]

David,Tom,Joel:   Thanks for the info regarding Claremont. I grew up in the Bay Area and Claremont is one of the few courses I have never played there. Tom: I'll be playing there on Tues. April 8th. I'll try an look up Jim Urbina if he's there that day. I met him at Pasatiempo when he was just starting to chalk outline the bunker work on No. 10. Claremont sounds like it's fun and quirky and I'm looking forward to enjoying the day!