Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
California Golf Club of San Francisco
South San Francisco, California, United States
18 Holes · Par 72 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About California Golf Club of San Francisco
California Golf Club of San Francisco occupies rolling terrain in South San Francisco, with long views across the Bay Area. Willie Locke and A. Vernon Macan laid out the original routing, which opened on May 26, 1926. Alister MacKenzie followed in 1928, redesigning the bunkering and some of the greens. After the club lost acreage to road expansion in the 1960s, Robert Trent Jones rearranged the opening holes on the front nine. Kyle Phillips then carried out a restoration and partial redesign in 2007 and 2008, adding a new par-4 seventh hole on vacant land. Phillips also regrassed the fairways with fine fescue and colonial bentgrass, so the course plays firm and fast, which sets it apart in Northern California. Today it plays to par 72 at 7,216 yards from the longest tees. The club is private, with no published green fee, and guests play with a host member, whose account is charged for any guest play. Walking is permitted and caddies are available, so ask your host what suits your group. Ken Venturi is among the golfers most often linked with the club.
- The original course by Willie Locke and A. Vernon Macan opened on May 26, 1926, and the club still plays over that ground.
- Alister MacKenzie redesigned the bunkering and some of the greens in 1928, a couple of years after the course opened.
- Kyle Phillips completed a restoration and partial redesign in 2007 and 2008 that included a new par-4 seventh hole built on vacant land.
- Fine fescue and colonial bentgrass fairways give the course a firm, fast surface that is rare in Northern California.
- The course plays to par 72 at 7,216 yards, and both walking and caddies are available to guests.
History of California Golf Club of San Francisco
Cal Club's course opened on May 26, 1926, to a routing by Willie Locke and A. Vernon Macan. Two years later Alister MacKenzie was brought in to redesign the bunkering and some of the greens. In the 1960s the club lost acreage to road expansion, and Robert Trent Jones rearranged the opening holes of the front nine to fit the land that remained, which left the routing feeling cramped and out of step with the older work. Kyle Phillips addressed that in a restoration and partial redesign completed in 2007 and 2008. It added a new par-4 seventh hole on vacant land and restored the bunkering in the MacKenzie manner. He also regrassed the fairways with fine fescue and colonial bentgrass, giving the club a surface that plays firmer than most in the region. Ken Venturi is among the golfers linked with the club. Play remains by member or guest only.
Signature holes at California Golf Club of San Francisco
The seventh is the hole that best shows what Phillips did in 2007 and 2008. It is a par 4 that did not exist before the renovation, built on land that had been vacant, and it was one of the most visible changes to the routing. Beyond that hole, the bunkering stands out, drawing on MacKenzie's 1928 work and Phillips's restoration, and the firm fescue fairways reward tee shots played with care. Views of the Bay Area open up across the rolling terrain.
When to play California Golf Club of San Francisco
The San Francisco peninsula has a mild climate, and golf is possible for most of the year. The firm fescue fairways are at their best when the weather is dry, which usually means late spring through early fall. Summer mornings can be cool and breezy on the peninsula, so bring layers. Because Cal Club is private, the season you choose matters less than getting an invitation from a member, so agree a date that suits your host first.
Playing California Golf Club of San Francisco: tips
California Golf Club is private and does not publish a green fee, so guests play with a host member, and any charges go to the host's account. Walking is the norm here and caddies are available on request, so ask your host what suits your group. South San Francisco lies on the peninsula south of the city; confirm the route from your arrival airport with your host. Firm fairways are part of the character here, so ask your host about conditions and how the course is playing before you go.
— Weather at California Golf Club of San Francisco
Approximate conditions · Observed · Open-Meteo
Visit California Golf Club of San Francisco
844 W Orange Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080
South San Francisco, California, United States
— Facilities
Practical Information
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about California Golf Club of San Francisco
Can the public play California Golf Club of San Francisco?
No. It is a private club with no public tee times and no published green fee. Guests play with a host member, whose account covers any charges.
Who designed Cal Club?
Willie Locke and A. Vernon Macan designed the original course, which opened in 1926. Alister MacKenzie redesigned the bunkering and some greens in 1928, and Kyle Phillips renovated the course in 2007 and 2008.
What did Kyle Phillips change at Cal Club?
Phillips carried out a restoration and partial redesign that included a new par-4 seventh hole, and he regrassed the fairways with fine fescue and colonial bentgrass. The result is a firmer, faster course.
How long is Cal Club?
From the longest tees it plays 7,216 yards to a par of 72. The fine fescue fairways run firm and fast, which is unusual in Northern California.