Olympic Club (Ocean) - California - USA

45th California - Best in Area
Olympic Club,
599 Skyline Blvd,
San Francisco,
California (CA) 94132,
USA

  • +1 415 587 8338

California Best In State Golf Courses

When the Lakeside Golf Club ran into financial difficulties just after the end of the Great War in 1918 the Olympic Club stepped in to take over the club’s affairs and quickly acquired additional land to fashion two new 18-hole golf courses. The Pacific Links, as the Ocean course was originally called, debuted in May 1924.

Just months after this Willie Watson design was first unveiled, winter storm damage resulted in the renamed Ocean course being remodelled, with some of the Lake course holes incorporated into the new layout, and it reopened for play in 1927, thanks in no small part to the efforts of superintendent Sam Whiting.

The Ocean course has been altered a number of times down the years, including a comprehensive reconstruction by Tom Weiskopf at the start of the new millennium and a renovation by Bill Love in 2012, after the US Open was held on the Lake course.

Highlight holes include the downhill, left doglegged 446-yard 7th, rated the toughest par four on the layout, and the slightly uphill 470-yard 15th, which features a large Cypress tree in the middle of the fairway. Short par fours at the 6th and 13th are also highly regarded holes on the Ocean course.

A number of state, regional and national championships have been held on the Ocean course, including the 2004 US Junior Amateur, the 2007 US Amateur, and the 2015 inaugural US Amateur Four-Ball, which replaced the US Amateur Public Links on the USGA’s annual roster of national championships.

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Reviews for Olympic Club (Ocean)

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Description: Regarded as the main attraction when the Olympic Club’s golf facility first opened in the 1920s, the Ocean has long since been overtaken in prominence by the Lake course. Rating: 6 out of 10 Reviews: 2
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Evan Lee

As a mid-handicapper who doesn't hit high iron shots, the Ocean course is much more enjoyable than its fabled sibling, the Lake. The previous reviewer is quite right that the Ocean course became considerably less aesthetically dramatic when it lost its holes west of Highway 35 in the late 1990s due to erosion. But, aside from the weak par-3 5th (a simple pitch down a steep hill), this course retains excellent shot values and is a real test of skill. The 18th is actually a longish par-4 with out-of-bounds on the left and trees blocking anything on the right. There is a cavernous dip in the fairway in front of the green. Toughest hole on the course, and a great finish for tournament play.

November 28, 2016
6 / 10
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Andy Newmarch
I was lucky enough to visit the Olympic Club in 2011 and had a day of 36 holes to remember. The Lake course is the main event but the Ocean course is also very enjoyable with some memorable holes. Unfortunately there are no real ocean sightings as four holes that once had dramatic views were lost to erosion in the late 90’s which is a shame. Favourite holes on the front-nine include the lush feeling 8th and 9th (par-4 and par-5); the 9th being a long sweeping right to left dog-leg (great halfway house here too). The back-nine is stronger; starting with a tough par-3 around 210 yards and then a great uphill par-4 at the 11th. A tip for the drive at the 13th… there is plenty of room to the right, do not let the bunkers down the left catch your ball. The par 15th is as close the ocean as you get on the course and this is a tough hole; a large tree on the left-side of the fairway needs plenty of attention. The closing hole is worth a mention; a fairly short par-5 to be honest but the dip in the second half of the fairway means that par is still a very good score. All eyes will be on the club in June of this year, when the new world no. 1 golfer defends his US Open title on the Lake course; add in Augusta, Royal Lytham and Kiawah Island and we really have got Major courses to savour in 2012.
March 05, 2012
6 / 10
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