599 Skyline Drive,
Daly City, California 94015
The Course:
45 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Some slopes to climb
Surroundings:
Woodland, seaside and residential.
Designer:
Lake course: originally designed by William "Willie" Watson and built by Sam Whiting (1924); subsequently redesigned by Sam Whiting in 1925/6 after severe winter storm damage. Later modifications by Robert Trent Jones (1953) and Bill Love (2016).
Ocean course: originally designed by Willie Watson (1924); substantially remodelled by Sam Whiting (1927); completely redesigned by Tom Weiskopf (2000), and renovated by Bill Love (2012).
Cliffs course: 9-hole par-3 course designed by Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish (1994).
Above distances are for the Lake course. Also at The Olympic Club is the 18-hole Ocean course (par-71; 6926 yards from back tees), and the 9-hole Cliffs course (par-27; 1800 yards).
37.709191
-122.494892
7 miles SW of San Francisco centre
From I-280 / Hwy 1, just north of Daly City, take exit 49A and head west on John Daly Blvd. After 2 miles turn right onto route 35 (Skyline Blvd North) direction San Francisco Bay. After o.9 miles, Olympic Club's entrance is on your right.
Olympic Club
The Olympic Club: This illustrious private golf club (exclusive to its members and their invited guests) is home to the world renowned Lake and Ocean courses, as well as the nine-hole par-3 Cliffs course.
The Lake course, one of the most famous layouts on the US Open Championship roster, is laid out on the lake side of a sandy ridge, which lies between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Merced. This mainly tree-lined, parkland layout, occupies sloping terrain that offers little in the way of flat lies.
As the layout sweeps down towards (but never quite reaches) Lake Merced, the many gently dog-legging holes are full of golfing challenges, not least a plethora of bunkering and clinging rough around the lightning fast and very testing greens. If you do ever get the chance to play the Lake course, you will perhaps be surprised to discover the layout is devoid of water hazards, while totalling up the number of fairway bunkers is also a rather quick task - there is but one!
Complementing the majestic Lake course, and occupying the ocean side of the sandy ridge, is the aptly named Ocean course (which was originally known as the Pacific Links). More open and less tree-lined than the Lake, it is another fine layout guaranteed to fully test your game.
Private club; guests may only play if hosted by a member.
Excellent
Historical notes: In 1918, the Olympic Club took over the Lakeside Golf Club, which had opened in 1917 but was struggling financially. Lakeside's 18-hole course was designed by Wilfred Reid, but following additional land purchase the Olympic Club decided to replace it with two courses. These were designed by Willie Watson, a well-known Scottish architect, and opened as the Lake and Ocean courses in 1924.
Not long after its 1924 opening, the Ocean course was damaged by landslides. Sam Whiting, who had managed the construction of the Lake and Ocean courses, was asked to remodel and rebuild both courses in 1927. He remained the Olympic Club's golf course superintendent until 1954.
The Lake course was modified by Robert Trent Jones in preparation for the 1955 US Open. Altered several times over the years, the Ocean course sustained heavy storm damage in 1996, and was completely redesigned by Tom Weiskopf, reopening for play in 2000.
The Olympic Club's Lake course has hosted numerous top level golf tournaments, including several US Opens and US Amateur Championships (see our Tournaments section >by Venue >Olympic Club).
2019/20 Golf Digest rating: Lake course rated 33rd best course in the USA and 5th best in California.
Tournaments:
2021 Opens: whether by accident or design, four of the top five mens’ Open Championships played in the British Isles occupy consecutive weeks in July: the Irish Open (1-4), Scottish Open (8-11), The Open (15-18) and Wales Open (22-25). The recently relaunched English Open is scheduled for early-August.
Hoag Classic: Ernie Els defends his title in this prestigious PGA Tour Champions event, played since 1991 at the Newport Beach Country Club, CA (Mar 5-7).
Who's Who:
Brooks Koepka: won his second Phoenix Open title, with a chip-in eagle at TPC Scottsdale’s short par-4 17th included in his final round.
Annika Sörenstam: the legendary Swede makes a return to the LPGA Tour in the Gainbridge LPGA, to be played at Lake Nona, her home club (Feb 25-28).
Nicklaus Design to create new course for Qiddiya development in Saudi Arabia
Layout is first of two planned for country club within residential community.
Chart Hills Golf Club: On Christmas Eve 2019, the course became part of the Ramac Group also the proprietors of the famous Prince’s Golf Club, in Sandwich on the Kent coast. Read more ...
Oú sont les femmes? Why there are so few women in golf course architecture.
Dundonald Links Scotland: Construction work is in progress on new practice facilities and course changes at Dundonald Links in Irvine, Scotland, as part of a £25 million investment by new owners Darwin Escapes that also includes the construction of a new clubhouse with rooms, plus eighteen lodges. Read more ...
R&A submits planning application for new golf facility in Glasgow.
Look up the Top Golf Courses in Scotland.
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