The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is one of America's premier seaside lodges, a five-star beacon atop California's cliffs. The hotel is surrounded by 36 holes of golf, 18 traditional holes by Arnold Palmer and 18 linksy ones by Arthur Hills. Three gas fireplaces overlooking the Pacific Ocean serve as gathering spots for S'mores, enjoying a cocktail…
While San Francisco may be better known for its private clubs such as U.S. Open venue Olympic Club or San Francisco and Lake Merced golf clubs, there are a few public gems in the immediate area and a wealth of daily fee courses in the metropolitan area. Within San Francisco, the famous TPC at Harding Park, where the late Ken Venturi developed his game, is probably the best known.
At one time, there was talk of shrinking Corica Park to just one regulation course. With the reopening of the South course by Rees Jones and its Linksoul Lab pro shop, a brighter future is in store for the 45-hole municipal facility in between the Oakland Airport and the San Francisco Bay.
After a long four-year wait, residents of the city of Alameda will get their brand new South course at Corica Park. The opening in May will also include a Linksoul Lab in the pro shop.
Most of the really great courses in and close to San Francisco are private, but there are a few public courses that are fairly easy to get to if you happen to be in the Golden Gate City.
The chance to play the Olympic Club in the new U.S. Amateur men's Four-Ball Championship finals May 2-6 motivated 2,234 teams to attempt to qualify. The event could have an impact at courses around the country.
There are plenty of options where you can tee it up competitively in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2014, including Northern California Golf Association and Golf Channel Am Tour-sanctioned events. Here a calendar of some of the top events open to amateur golfers of all handicaps this year.
All eyes turn to San Francisco as Harding Park Golf Course hosts the 2009 Presidents Cup. Though among America's most storied golf courses, Harding Park withered in the 1970s and 80s. A recent revamp has returned it to championship form, Brandon Tucker writes.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors certified a Final Environmental Report for a Sharp Park Restoration Plan that recognizes the historical significance of the 85-year old links designed by Alister MacKenzie.
The transformation of the old Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course into the Baylands Golf Links has taken nearly seven years since the city approved the project in 2011. Jason Scott Deegan toured the course with architect Forrest Richardson.
The transformation of the old Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course into the new Baylands Golf Links took nearly seven years and $12 million to complete. The wait was worth it.
The celebrated Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay -- in California -- could easily be perched on the rugged west coast cliffs overlooking the Atlantic in Scotland or Ireland. With 36 holes of stellar play, it's well worth seeking out.
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay opened in 2001, but the six-story castle-like resort feels like an escape to another time -- with all the modern conveniences. The two golf courses are spectacular, and the resort is luxurious and about as good as it gets, Mike Bailey writes from northern California.
Jason Scott Deegan's top 10 public golf courses in northern California are spread throughout the region from the rocky coast of Monterey to the mountains near Lake Tahoe.
If you're looking for a terrific links golf experience at a reasonable price, the Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links should be on your radar. With Pebble Beach down the coast a bit, Half Moon Bay is accessible and affordable. And you don't have to stay at the Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton to play the course, although combining both is highly recommended. The ocean and cliffs are visible from many parts of the golf course, but those views become monumental as you reach the finishing stretch, Mike Bailey writes.
California's water woes continues to wreak havoc on golf course owners and operators. The latest victim is Roddy Ranch Golf Club in Antioch, which closes for good after Aug. 11.
Most golfers know about TPC Harding Park, a historic San Francisco municipal that has hosted several big-time events. Presidio Golf Course, another muni by the bay, is another San Francisco treat.
2020 PGA Championship host TPC Harding Park is a rare championship venue that's friendly for any handicap. There's really no water to contend with, just a steady dose of doglegs through spectacular trees.
The Lake Course at The Olympic Club in San Francisco has always been one of America's premier tournament venues. It will add to its legacy by holding the first U.S. Amateur men's Four-Ball Championship May 2-6.
Sharp Park Golf Course might be the most beloved three-star course in America. Modern design trends involving length and excessive fairway bunkering and shaping don't apply at the historic seaside muni. Jason Scott Deegan has more.
In an area of the country where great golf and luxurious digs are abundant, the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and Half Moon Bay Golf Links can most certainly hold its own.
The Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links sits on a windswept, open expanse along the bluffs of the Pacific, 30 miles south of San Francisco. Omnipresent ocean views and firm-and-fast conditions certainly help this Arthur Hills design look and play like a links. A blind shot, sounds of the bagpipes and gloomy, overcast weather all help deliver a fully authentic links experience.