Three Public Golf Challenges In San Francisco And Berkeley

Challenging and beautiful golf courses are open to everyone in Northern California. Here are three you can play next week, including Harding Park home of the 2005 World Golf Championships and Berkeley's Tilden Park with its notorious 420-yard par 4 straight uphill to an elevated green, first hole.

Part of the fun of city golf is having a San Francisco limo or car service pick you up at your hotel and deliver your party to the course. Then when your game is over, your driver awaits, just as he does of Tiger.

It's always smart to call several weeks ahead for tee times, deposit requirements and to reserve a Quicksilver Towncar or Suburban to pick you up at the airport. (800) 486-9622 The Suburban easily holds four golf bags and all your luggage.

Harding Park San Francisco was designed by architect Willie Watson in 1925. Among its kudos are a Top 50 US Courses ranking by Golf Digest and a place among "Top 100 You Can Play" by Golf Magazine.

Harding Park played host to the 2005 World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. The American Express event in October of 2005, which saw Tiger Woods defeating John Daly on the second playoff hole.

Harding Park Golf Course is located next to the private Olympic Club course which has been host to many U. S. Open tournaments and is less than one mile from the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Zoo. Harding Park's layout follows the original 1925 plan, using the property's existing topography, contours and vegetation. Features include the towering Monterey Cypress trees and a view of Lake Merced where high school crews practice on a dogleg 2k course.

Tee-times for Harding Park Golf Course are available 8 - 30 days in advance. A non-refundable deposit is required for advance booking at the time of the reservation. To make an advance reservation, call the Harding Park Pro Shop at 415-664-4690. http://www.harding-park.com/view.asp?id=129&page=1727

If You Are Staying In SF Consider Playing These
One-Of-A-Kind Bay Area Golf Courses.

Lincoln Park Golf Course, 300 34th Ave, San Francisco, (415)221-9911, is easily one of the two or three most beautiful courses in northern California. Lincoln is the oldest course in this list; its 18 holes were built in 1908, designed by Tom Bendelow.

Located west of the famous bridge, several fairways provide postcard views of the Pacific and Golden Gate. If you play this course carry a camera in your bag. City of San Francisco golf info: http://www.sfgov.org/site/recpark

Tilden Park Golf Course is located across the bay in Berkeley at the intersection of Grizzly Peak and Shasta Road, above the University of California campus. (510)848-7373. This is a challenging hillside course. Tilden Park's signature first hole is a 420-yard par 4, straight uphill to an elevated green. My father-in-law compared it to playing the Royal Course in Nepal. The 18 hole course was built in 1937 and designed by William P. Bell.

Tilden is notorious for its hills and natural setting. According to one report, the front nine is fairly forgiving, but things change on the back nine, which starts with a vertigo-inducing tee that recalls Olympic ski jumps, followed by narrower fairways. http://tildenparkgc.americangolf.com/

There are many golf courses in the Bay Area, but we suggest trying these courses which are open to the public, inexpensive and well know to your Quicksilver Towncar driver.