Sharp Park: This 6,494-yard course was voted the best course in the Bay area by the San Francisco Chronicle. The course is designed by Alister Mackenzie, the co-designer of Augusta National. This course is pretty simple and tends to be patchy on the fairways, but you can't beat the $36 weekend greens fees.
Highway 1 & Sharp Park Rd.
Pacifica, CA 94044
(650) 359-3380
sharpparkgc.com
Presidio: This 6,477-yard course became public in 1995 and is considered a top destination in the Bay area because it plays right through the rolling hills of the city. It has some of the tightest fairways in the state.
300 Finley Rd.
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 561-4670
presidiogolf.com
Lincoln Park: This 5,416-yard course is one of the shorter layouts in the area, but it gives golfers the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The sloping greens can catch you off guard, such as at the par-3 eighth, which measures just 170 yards without bunkers but still manages to play the toughest on the course.
3139 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 221-9911
lincolnparkgc.com
Harding Park: This 6,845-yard course is nestled right up on the Lake Merced shoreline. Your ball will get a great view of the lake if you hook it left off the tee on either 16 or 17. The course underwent a redesign in 2002, which replaced a lot of the simplicity with greenside bunkers.
99 Harding Rd.
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 664-4690
harding-park.com
Crystal Springs: This 6,628-yard course offers some of the most uneven lies in California. Take the 488-yard, par-5 fifth hole, for example. This hole runs all the way uphill, with a blind bunker in front of the green. Then on the sixth, you'll crush a drive since it's a dogleg left downhill, but you're left with a second shot on a sloped fairway. Not the easy approach shot.
6650 Golf Course Dr.
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 342-4188
playcrystalsprings.com
Tilden Park: This 6,294-yard course is another hilly layout, set in scenic Berkeley. It has more trees than the normal SF course, and the greens play slower than most. The complex also has a three-tiered driving range, which is a nice addition.
10 Golf Course Dr.
Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 848-7373
tildenparkgc.americangolf.com
Poplar Creek: This 6,042-yard championship course was overhauled in 2000 and it shows. It contains five rock-edged lakes, waterfalls and some of the biggest greens in the state (average green is 5,500 feet). The elevation changes aren't as steep as others in the area and the trees are spread out enough to allow a mishit off the tees.
1700 Coyote Point Dr.
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-522-GOLF (4653)
poplarcreekgolf.com
Mariner's Point: Night golf is becoming more and more popular for the casual ball whacker, and there are no better views than the ones you'll get under the moon at this nine-hole, par-3 course. The Point offers great scenery, as the bay is just yards away from the greens.
2401 E 3rd Ave.
Foster City, CA 94404
650.573.7888
marinerspoint.com
Visit the most notorious prison in American history. The boat ride from the city to the island takes about 15 minutes, but you can stay all day if you like. Just make sure to catch the last boat back to the city. The day tour is most popular, but there is also a night tour. Be on the lookout for seagulls flying over head, they tend to target visitors. The worst time to take a trip is early summer, when it reeks of stinky seagulls.
First-time visitors must visit the Wharf, which is the waterfront area on the north side of town. You can even take another SF "moving landmark," the streetcar, to get here. Walk along Pier 39 and stop by fish markets and some of the world's best seafood restaurants. Castagnola's and Alioto's are highly recommended. At the Wharf you can also visit the Maritime Museum and the Cannery Shopping Center. Also at Pier 39, you can get a glimpse of sea lions and other marine life. It's the complete San Fran experience.
