San Francisco Golf Club

A.W. Tillinghast's only original design west of Texas: wide, tumbling fairways, bold bunker complexes and the Duel Hole, on the site of California's last legal duel.

The San Francisco Golf Club dates to 1895 at the Presidio and moved twice before settling in the southwest corner of the city. A.W. Tillinghast designed the current course, which opened around 1918 and is his only original layout on the West Coast. Tom Doak later called it Tillinghast's first masterpiece. The club is also one of five that rotate the members-only SCAPS matches with Seminole, Cypress Point, Pine Valley and Augusta National.

The fairways are wide and rolling, the bunker complexes are large and varied, and the bentgrass greens are quick. Doak renewed the greens in 2001, and a 2006 project restored three original holes on the back nine, uncovering the Tarantula bunker and opening sightlines. There are no yardage markers, and rangefinders are not allowed. The club is famously low-key: weekend groups of five and six, ready golf and a classic locker room. It hosted the 1974 Curtis Cup and otherwise keeps out of tournament golf.

Holes to know

7

Par 3 · 189 yd

The Duel Hole plays downhill to a two-tiered green almost ringed by bunkers, near the site of the 1859 Broderick–Terry duel.

2

Par 4

An early par 4 often singled out with the 7th as the best on the course.

Championships

• Curtis Cup 1974

Design history

• 2001: Tom Doak green renewal
• 2006: Restoration of the original 13th, 14th and 15th holes, including the Tarantula bunker, plus tree removal