| Challenging and beautiful golf courses are | | | | non-refundable deposit is required for |
| open to everyone in Northern California. Here | | | | advance booking at the time of the |
| are three you can play next week, including | | | | reservation. To make an advance reservation, |
| Harding Park home of the 2005 World Golf | | | | call the Harding Park Pro Shop at |
| Championships and Berkeley's Tilden Park with | | | | 415-664-4690. |
| its notorious 420-yard par 4 straight uphill | | | | |
| to an elevated green, first hole. | | | | If You Are Staying In SF Consider Playing |
| | | | These |
| Part of the fun of city golf is having a San | | | | |
| Francisco limo or car service pick you up at | | | | One-Of-A-Kind Bay Area Golf Courses. |
| your hotel and deliver your party to the | | | | |
| course. Then when your game is over, your | | | | Lincoln Park Golf Course, 300 34th Ave, San |
| driver awaits, just as he does of Tiger. | | | | Francisco, (415)221-9911, is easily one of |
| | | | the two or three most beautiful courses in |
| It's always smart to call several weeks ahead | | | | northern California. Lincoln is the oldest |
| for tee times, deposit requirements and to | | | | course in this list; its 18 holes were built |
| reserve a Quicksilver Towncar or Suburban to | | | | in 1908, designed by Tom Bendelow. |
| pick you up at the airport. (800) 486-9622 | | | | |
| The Suburban easily holds four golf bags and | | | | Located west of the famous bridge, several |
| all your luggage. | | | | fairways provide postcard views of the |
| | | | Pacific and Golden Gate. If you play this |
| Harding Park San Francisco was designed by | | | | course carry a camera in your bag. City of |
| architect Willie Watson in 1925. Among its | | | | San Francisco golf info: |
| kudos are a Top 50 US Courses ranking by Golf | | | | |
| Digest and a place among "Top 100 You Can | | | | Tilden Park Golf Course is located across the |
| Play" by Golf Magazine. | | | | bay in Berkeley at the intersection of |
| | | | Grizzly Peak and Shasta Road, above the |
| Harding Park played host to the 2005 World | | | | University of California campus. |
| Golf Championships-American Express | | | | (510)848-7373. This is a challenging hillside |
| Championship. The American Express event in | | | | course. Tilden Park's signature first hole is |
| October of 2005, which saw Tiger Woods | | | | a 420-yard par 4, straight uphill to an |
| defeating John Daly on the second playoff | | | | elevated green. My father-in-law compared it |
| hole. | | | | to playing the Royal Course in Nepal. The 18 |
| | | | hole course was built in 1937 and designed by |
| Harding Park Golf Course is located next to | | | | William P. Bell. |
| the private Olympic Club course which has | | | | |
| been host to many U. S. Open tournaments and | | | | Tilden is notorious for its hills and natural |
| is less than one mile from the Pacific Ocean | | | | setting. According to one report, the front |
| and the San Francisco Zoo. Harding Park's | | | | nine is fairly forgiving, but things change |
| layout follows the original 1925 plan, using | | | | on the back nine, which starts with a |
| the property's existing topography, contours | | | | vertigo-inducing tee that recalls Olympic ski |
| and vegetation. Features include the towering | | | | jumps, followed by narrower fairways. |
| Monterey Cypress trees and a view of Lake | | | | |
| Merced where high school crews practice on a | | | | There are many golf courses in the Bay Area, |
| dogleg 2k course. | | | | but we suggest trying these courses which are |
| | | | open to the public, inexpensive and well know |
| Tee-times for Harding Park Golf Course are | | | | to your Quicksilver Towncar driver. |
| available 8 - 30 days in advance. A | | | | |