TPC Harding Park – San Francisco, California
During a recent trip to the west coast, I found myself in San Francisco and TPC Harding Park was on the top of my list of golf courses to play. Harding Park Golf Course opened on July 18, 1925 and was named after U.S. President Warren G. Harding. Designed by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, TPC Harding Park is situated along the shores of Lake Merced, in San Francisco’s southwest corner. Often overshadowed by The Olympic Club, its neighbor across Lake Merced. However, most people fail to realize that the Olympic Club Lake Course and Harding Park were both designed by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting within a year of each other. Both courses have a rich history and pedigree but TPC Harding Park is the only one open to the public.
Upon arrival you’ll notice that TPC Harding Park consists of 27 holes not 18
When you visit TPC Harding Park the first thing you’ll notice is that the golf course is actually located within Lake Merced Park and there is a lot going on besides people playing golf. Lake Merced Park consist of 614-acres of land that is popular with not only golfers but boaters, hikers, bicyclists, and birdwatchers. The second thing you’ll notice is that TPC Harding Park consists of 27 holes not 18. The Fleming 9 is a nine-hole golf course named after former city golf caretaker Jack Fleming. This nine-hole course was added to the interior of the Harding Park Course in 1961. A short but challenging par-30 golf course which measures 2,165 yards from the member tees and 1,865 yards from the forward tees. If you have enough time, make sure to play the Fleming 9. It makes for a great appetizer or dessert, but rest assured the Harding Course is the main entrée.
TPC Harding Park has gone through many changes over the years including a major renovation that occurred in 2005 with the primary objective of being able to better suit the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events. The restoration of Harding Park focused on adding 400 yards of distance while maintaining the integrity and unique characteristics of the original course layout. The additional 400 yards was needed to make the course ready for PGA TOUR action. More recently, in December of 2013, the course underwent a greens renovation with the course reopening in 2014. The renovation work has been well received as Harding Park has since hosted several premiere events including; WGC-American Express Championship (2005), Presidents Cup (2009) and Charles Schwab Cup Championship (2010, 2011, 2013). The future’s bright for TPC Harding Park, the golf course is set to host the 2020 PGA Championship and the President’s Cup in 2025.
Needless to say, you’ll be hard pressed to find a golf course with a better pedigree that you can actually book a tee time on. After playing TPC Harding Park, I can honestly say the golf course is nothing short of spectacular. The course challenges you at every turn and birdie chances are hard to come by. Starting off on the first hole you don’t get the cold shoulder but it’s not as if Watson and Whiting rolled out the welcome mat either. The first hole is a straight-ahead cypress tree lined Par 4, playing just shy of 400 yards from the championship tees. Unfortunately, if you can’t get off to a good start it only gets tougher from here. The first is followed by a long par-4, a challenging Par-3, and the hardest hole on the course, a brutal Par-5 playing at more than 600 yards from the back tees. After this opening stretch of four holes you’ll have a good idea for what TPC Harding Park has in store.
As you make the turn and tackle the back nine, after a few holes you’ll come to realize that you’re actually making your way around the perimeter of the park
For me the beauty of TPC Harding Park is in the course routing, in particular the routing of the back nine. As you make the turn and tackle the back nine, after a few holes you’ll come to realize that you’re actually making your way around the perimeter of the park. During this walk thru the park you’ll get to enjoy views of the city and Lake Merced. In fact, as you make your way from the 13th green to the 14th tee box you’ll have a great view of the Olympic Club’s Lake Course. It’s debatable which of the eighteen holes at Harding Park represent the signature hole. However, most conversations seem to start and end with the eighteenth. A spectacular finishing hole, the 440-yard Par-4 features a challenging tee shot which will require you to cut the corner and carry water in order to have any shot at reaching the green in regulation. If you play it safe off the tee the best you can hope for is Par and you’d better stick the approach shot. Like so many of the complex greens at Harding Park, it’s a challenge to putt well.
TPC Harding Park Course Rating 4.5 out of 5 Stars
A day in the park, TPC Harding Park is a standout member of the TPC Network of courses. TPC Harding Park is a must-play during your next visit to San Francisco. As iconic as the city it calls home, Harding Park has a rich history that continues to grow. TPC Harding Park does an excellent job of providing players with a taste of the PGA Tour experience. The golf course is well cared for and has a management staff invested in protecting the course legacy while keeping the course enjoyable for everyone. TPC Harding Park has excellent course routing which makes walking the course easy and enjoyable. The biggest surprise at Harding Park was the pace of play, from the time the starter called us up to the first tee box and the time I signed my scorecard, I never had to wait for the group in front. The course does a great job spacing out tee times and making sure the pace of play is maintained, this only adds to the natural enjoyment of the golf course and something more courses should try to duplicate.