Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
San Francisco Golf Club
San Francisco, California, United States
18 Holes · Par 71 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About San Francisco Golf Club
San Francisco Golf Club is a private club on the southern edge of San Francisco, California, where it has stood since 1915. The club itself was founded in 1895. A.W. Tillinghast designed the course and returned in 1923 to remodel it. Tom Doak has called it Tillinghast's first masterpiece, and he carried out restoration work on it in 2001 and 2006. The course is a par 71 of about 6,830 yards from the championship tees, and its bunkering is extensive, with numerous large bunkers. The best-known hole is the par-3 7th, called the Duel Hole because it marks the site of an 1859 duel between a U.S. senator and a California Supreme Court justice, the last legal duel in California. The club keeps to old-school rules, with no carts, no yardage markers on the sprinklers and a caddie for every round. It is private and invitation-only, so play depends on a member hosting you, and no green fee is published. Most golfers will know San Francisco Golf Club by reputation rather than from a tee time.
- The club was founded in 1895 and has stood on the southern edge of San Francisco since 1915.
- A.W. Tillinghast designed the course and returned in 1923 to remodel it; Tom Doak calls it Tillinghast's first masterpiece.
- The par-3 7th, the Duel Hole, marks the site of the last legal duel in California, fought in 1859.
- Tom Doak carried out restoration work on the course in 2001 and 2006, decades after Tillinghast's remodel.
- Play is on foot with a caddie, with no carts and no yardage markers on the sprinklers.
History of San Francisco Golf Club
San Francisco Golf Club was founded in 1895 and has occupied its present site on the southern edge of the city since 1915. A.W. Tillinghast designed the course, and he returned in 1923 to remodel it. Tom Doak has called the result Tillinghast's first masterpiece, and in 2001 and 2006 Doak carried out restoration work of his own. The best-known piece of local history sits on the 7th hole. An 1859 duel between a U.S. senator and a California Supreme Court justice was fought at the site, and it was the last legal duel in California. The par-3 7th takes its name, the Duel Hole, from that event. The club remains invitation-only, and the way it is played, on foot and with a caddie and without carts, is part of the tradition it has kept. Its members and their guests play under rules that leave out yardage markers on the sprinklers.
Signature holes at San Francisco Golf Club
The par-3 7th is the hole that every account of the course mentions. It is called the Duel Hole, and it overlooks the site of the last legal duel in California. It also shows what the course asks of a player: the bunkering is extensive, with numerous large bunkers, so most of the trouble on any hole is sand you can see from the tee. The course is a par 71 of about 6,830 yards from the championship tees, so length is not the whole test. Because there are no yardage markers on the sprinklers, a caddie's judgment of distance carries real weight, and the bunkers are where that judgment gets tested.
When to play San Francisco Golf Club
San Francisco Golf Club is private, so the practical question is not when to go but whether a member has invited you. There are no public tee times, and no green fee is published. Because the round is played on foot with a caddie and without carts, allow a full, unhurried day and ask your host how the club runs its tee sheet. Plan around your host's schedule rather than around the calendar.
Playing San Francisco Golf Club: tips
San Francisco Golf Club is a private club, so a round begins with a member's invitation. The address is 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94132, on the southern edge of the city. San Francisco International is the nearest major airport. Expect to walk with a caddie, since carts are not used, and do not expect yardage markers on the sprinklers. Ask your host about dress, arrival time and how to arrange a caddie, because the club publishes no visitor guidance for outside players.
— Weather at San Francisco Golf Club
Approximate conditions · Observed · Open-Meteo
Visit San Francisco Golf Club
1310 Junipero Serra Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132
San Francisco, California, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about San Francisco Golf Club
Can the public play San Francisco Golf Club?
No. San Francisco Golf Club is private and invitation-only, and outside golfers play only as the guest of a member. There are no public tee times and no published green fee.
Who designed San Francisco Golf Club?
A.W. Tillinghast designed the course and returned in 1923 to remodel it. Tom Doak later carried out restoration work in 2001 and 2006, and he has called it Tillinghast's first masterpiece.
What is the Duel Hole at San Francisco Golf Club?
The Duel Hole is the par-3 7th. It marks the site of an 1859 duel between a U.S. senator and a California Supreme Court justice, the last legal duel in California.
Are carts allowed at San Francisco Golf Club?
No. Play is on foot with a caddie, and the club has no yardage markers on its sprinklers. Ask your host how caddie arrangements work before you arrive.