The story is, during the 98th US Open, Harding Park Golf Course reached a new low when used as a parking lot by across the lake host site Olympic Club. But how times have changed. The Lake Course at Olympic Club is still the track to play in San Francisco, but Harding Park is now a bona fide championship caliber course.
It has hosted the 2005 WGC-American Express Championship, the 2009 Presidents Cup and the 2010 and 2011 Charles Schwab Championship. Now operated by the PGA Tour through an agreement with the City of San Francisco, Harding is officially Tournament Players Club (TPC) Harding Park. Stewark Cink tweeted during the Presidents Cup that Harding is his favorite municipal golf course. Yes, Harding has come a long way since 1998.
But not their website! Where's the yardage guide and the course flyover? Harding is my home course, I know the layout very well so this lack of information does not affect me. But imagine a visiting golfer playing Harding for the first time. I cannot think of one decent, higher end public ($100+) golf course which does not have some sort of hole-by-hole guide or tour.
Luckily for visiting golfers, I have a lot of time on my hand. Here's my unofficial guide to Harding Park taken from the official yardage guide. I have also taken the liberty of addig in my personal comments and tips (shown in italics). Take it for what its worth, I'm not a great golfer (~13 handicap at time of this writing) and generally play from the white tees. Enjoy your visit to TPC Harding Park! And tell them to update their website!
Click on photos for larger size.
Course Overview
Traditional, tree-lined course with fairly generous fairways. Greens are pretty firm but not paricular fast. Rough is not too punitive but if you play in the morning it can be deceiving because the dew makes it thick. Weather is generally cool and overcast in the mornings (gloomy). By 1pm the sun starts to come through if you are lucky. It's south San Francisco, bring a jacket! Wind can be a factor in the late afternoon.
There's a relatively small, unattended driving range w/ articial mats and a chipping area as you enter the course. The driving range takes credit cards and cash. Near the club house is a large practice putting green (no chipping). The club house is modest but nice, with a restaurant/bar right next to the proshop.
The course is easy to walk and fairly flat. I don't recommend riding because it's cart path only. If you don't want to carry they do have pull cart rentals. On weekends, if you tee off before 9am you can generally finish in 4-4:15 hours. Tee off after 11am and all bets are off (5 hour round). There are generally two cart girls riding around.
The course is challenging but not unplayable or unfair. There are no blind shots or forced carries. You won't 4 putt from 10 feet. There will be no massacre at Harding. That said, it is a championship caliber golf course and probably not fun if you are a 25 handicap (from past personal experience). If you are not straight off the tee there is a good chance you might lose a ball or two in the trees.
Hole 1
Your first shot of the day will want to be down the left side of the fairway. Let the subtle roll bring the ball back into the center of the fairway. If by chance you find yourself on the right side, the overhanging tree limbs may affect your approach.
Hole 2
Depending on your natural swing, try to play your tee shot directly towards the left fairway bunker, and let the ball fade back into the center, or play a draw off the edge of the tree-line on the right. A well placed drive should leave you with an easy mid-iron to the green. With a front pin placement be aggressive and play a little longer shot than you think...otherwise keep the ball below the hole.
Hole 3
This is a very simple tee shot. With an uphill shot and the breeze coming off Lake Merced play at least one club longer and make a smooth pass at the ball. If you leave it short, the bunkers and the different contours of the green will make this hole difficult to score well.
The 3rd hole is generally when I make my first par of the day. It's a straight forward hole if you play enough club. I generally play about 1.5 club more.
Hole 4
The dogleft left corner off the tee is deceiving. Play your tee shot directly towards the tallest pine you see through the center of the fairway. If you tend to draw the ball you might have a chance for two shots to the green. If your tendency is to fade or length is not your game, play for three shots. A well placed second shot to the right side will leave you with an easy short shot into the green.
Now the fun begins. I don't think the 5th is the 1 handicap hole, but it is tough. The problem is you have to draw the ball off the tee. If your ball doesn't turn it might run through the fairway and possible get stuck behind the trees. Of course if you want to play a straight shot there's a chance you might pull it into the trees on the left or into the 5th hole's green.
Hole 5
This tee shot is as narrow as it looks. Confidence in your game will give you a very short second shot. The smart play is a long iron that will give you a very easy mid-iron shot to a green that is very deep. Be aggressive with your approach. Good putters will win the skin on this hole.
The key to this hole is don't underestimate it because it's a 15 handicap hole. Even if you are playing from the white tees, it might be fun to play from the blues on this one. Entirely different view and shot required.
Hole 6
The narrow neck off the tee dictates that you hit a straight shot down the fairway. If you try to do too much you may be finding your ball under the limbs of the trees that line the rough. Your approach into the green might play a little longer than it looks, so don't be afraid to play an extra club.
I find this to be 2nd most difficult hole on the course, especially true if you are playing from the blue tees. I'm pretty consistent and straight off the tee but this tee shot gets my full attention. A par on this hole feels like a birdie for me.
Hole 7
Know where the flag is before you tee off. Placing your tee shot is critical to scoring on this hole. If you play both your tee shot and approach shot correctly, you have a great chance at birdie. Miss one or the other and par becomes difficult.
I generally find that a miss to the left is better than to the right. Pay particular attention to your lie, there's signicant undulation in the fairway that the ball maybe above or below your feet.
Hole 8
Our longest par 3 is one of the best tests on the course. The wind might have more of an affect than you think. Play straight at the flag and keep it low. The green will be the true test. The more accurate you can be off the tree, the better chance you have to score. If the flag is in front or on the right side, you may want to play short and left of center so the bal can kick and roll to the right.
Generally a left to right wind. Don't fight it, use it to your advantage. Take an extra club, it's a long par 3.
Hole 9
Let the ball fly off the tee. Bunker trouble right will force a third shot. With a tee shot on the left you might have an awkward lie on your second shot. The best angle to play your third shot is from the right, and letting it run up to the flag will give you a great scoring opportunity going into the back nine.
Easiest hole on the course. Wide open fairway, relatively short. Just avoid the bunkers, that's all you have to do on this hole. Very disappointing if you don't par this hole.
Hole 10
The golf course really takes on a different character for the back nine. Because of the tree and hazard line all the way down the left, the best line off the tee here is to the right. Depending on your length, play short or long of the bunkers. If you find yourself in them, get out quickly. Scoring well on this hole can be only be had from staying in the short grass. be care of the pot bunker in the back, and the slope of the green from one side to the other.
There seems to be always a helping wind into the green so I play about a half club to a club less.
Hole 11
This is possibly the toughest of our par 3s. The line to take is for the center of the green. With the prevailing wind, you may want to play your tee shot over the center of the front right bunker. This green's difficult terrain will test your ability with the flat stick, and can make or break your round.
What the yardage book doesn't show is there's a fence all around the left and back side. The miss is to the right and short, otherwise you might be taking a drop or re-teeing.
Hole 12
This is a true championship hole. The sweeping dogleg left may force you to eek a little as you make your tee shot. Play for the center of the fairway and you'll be quite pleased. Out of the fairway, you might be able to go for it. out of the rough, you can get lucky, but don't count on it. The second shot set up for the pin placement is critical. If the pin placement is back left, play for three shots into the green.
What the yardage book doesn't show is there a busy street to the left side so the tendency is to push right. Lately I've been playing a 2 hybrid off the tee to find the fairway since it's a 3 shot hole for me anyways.
Hole 13
The left side of this fairway is off limits. A good tee shot will fly right over the center of the fairway bunker and stay to the right side of the fairway. The overhanging trees on the left not only narrow the fairway, but make for a much more difficult approach shot. The green is similar to that of #12, with a little change in terrain.
This can be either a very easy hole or a very difficult hole depending on the wind and the pin position. No wind and a front pin location it's very easy. But often there's a 20 yard head wind. And if the pin is back left, forget about it.
Hole 14
Stamina will now start playing a role as you head into the home stretch. As you might guess, the slope from right to left will kick your tee shot left...the question is how much. There is a small shelf on the left but if you miss that, the drop off on the left will force a very difficult second shot to a hole that's already elevated. This green is not forgiving for those that play above the hole.
One of my favorite holes. Everybody seems to miss right here, probably due to the wind. Club up.
Hole 15
The best line off the tree here is the left edge of the fairway bunker. Finishing left of center is ideal for an easy uphill wedge or short iron into the green. Left of the fairway is no man's land and if by chance you find yourself in the fairway bunker, that's not the only bunker you'll have to content with. The approach over the greenside bunker may be the more difficult part of that shot. The green tends to slope off left toward the lake.
Hole 16
Take dead aim for the first fairway bunker on the left. If you tend to fade the ball, be careful. The winds may carry your ball too far and lock you behind the trees on the right. Stay short of the bunkers and you have a routine short iron to the majority of the green. If the flag is on the left, and unless your tee shot was placed perfectly you will need to play a tight shot over the bunker or the branches. This green is tough to read and par is a very good score.
As long as you don't get stuck behind the trees on the right this is an easy hole.
Hole 17
Looks can be deceiving, and this hole can seem very easy if you play the wind correctly. Club selection is critical and staying focused over the putt will render a possible birdie to take to the 18th hole.
There's a tree on the left side that sticks out just enough to cause problems.
Hole 18
This is what you have been waiting for! Our signature hole is a big dog with a loud bark and bigger bite. Take your drive deep towards the left fairway bunker. If you can draw the ball a little you might take a little off the approach shot. An accurate mid-iron into the green will make par possible, and with a little luck, a birdie will finish your day off just right.
Great finishing hole. Often there is a helping wind. Becareful not to push your drive into the parking lot!
