Lake Merced Golf Club – Played May 2018
- Rankings: None of the four lists
- Location: 2300 Junipero Serra Boulevard, Daly City, California
- Year: 1922
- Original Architect: Willie Lock
- Additional Work By: Alister MacKenzie, Robert Graves, Rees Jones, & Steve Weisser
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Green: 6,925 yards, Par 72, 74.3 Rating/133 Slope
- Black: 6,613 yards, Par 72, 73.0 Rating/129 Slope
- Blue: 6,309 yards, Par 72, 72.0 Rating/128 Slope
- Blue/White: 6,123 yards, Par 72, 71.2 Rating/126 Slope
- White: 5,915 yards, Par 72, 70.2 Rating/124 Slope
- White/Red: 5,498 yards, Par 72, 72.1 Rating/126 Slope
- Red: 5,109 yards, Par 72, 69.8 Rating/121 Slope
After our lunch at SFGC it was off to our second round of the trip at Lake Merced Golf Club.
The club has a place in the history of golf in San Francisco for sure. Founded in 1922, within a year of opening it hosted a match between Gene Sarazen and the reigning British Open champion, Arthur Havers. Quite an event for a young club!
Later in the 1920’s Alister MacKenzie did some redesign work. Moving into the 1930’s the club was a frequent host to the San Francisco Open. The arrival of Interstate 280 in the 1960’s caused more change. Subsequent work on the course has been done by Robert Muir Graves and Rees Jones. A 2010 switch from poa annua to bent grass greens is a highlight of these changes.
Lately the club has been a multiyear host to the LPGA Tour, which has increased its profile. I urge you to check out more of the club’s history at it’s website www.lmgc.org.
We were warmed up from our morning round so we didn’t need to visit the practice facility. Our host, Andrew, led us to the first tee to begin the round. He’s a fellow golf blogger that you can check out here. We played the black tees so all yardages will be from those. Let’s get into Lake Merced Golf Club.
Hole 1 – 412 yards – Par 4 – Foghorn
I’m always happy to see a course that names its holes. Foghorn is a great name to start us off. The hole is a slight dogleg left guarded by trees up the left and right off the tee.
The approach opens up a little on the left, but trees continue all the way on the right and behind the green. The proper miss is short of the green.
Here is a closer look at the green.
Hole 2 – 368 yards – Par 4 – Lakeview
The second tee shot plays to a hidden landing area. At this yardage, driver is not a requirement. A slight draw off the tee works well here due to the large tree on the left.
The second shot progresses slightly downhill to a green open in the front. The green is surrounded by bunkers situated just below the putting surface.
Hole 3 – 145 yards – Par 3 – Pine Cone
I like a good downhill, one shot hole. This is Lake Merced’s version. You can see all the sand ready to grab wayward shots. What the photo doesn’t quite show is the grade of the slope in front of the green. Shots coming up short will roll back a good bit.
Hole 4 – 392 yards – Par 4 – Expedition
The yardage is not the true measure of this hole. You can get some roll on the tee shot by hitting it over the hill, but the approach plays right back up another slope. The bend of the land is to the right making a fade off the tee the desired play.
The smallish green sits at an angle to the fairway. The bunkers provide the main defense.
Hole 5 – 375 yards – Par 4 – Landfall
I liked this hole because of the options it gives you. Long hitters can take the aggressive line down the left side with a high shot. Shorter hitters can aim for the wider corridors of the entire fairway.
As you make the turn around the corner the green comes into view. It sits slightly lower than the fairway with long being a no-go zone.
Here is a view of the green with the green from the third in the background.
Hole 6 – 479 yards – Par 5 – Cypress
A short hole on the card, but a bit of a brute in real life. It plays up the hill and into the wind on this day. It would take me two solid shots to get into scoring position for my third. Encroaching trees make accuracy paramount.
Once you get to the green the benign slopes allow for makeable putts for birdie.
Hole 7 – 413 yards – Par 4 – MacKenzie
With the large tree on the left, you are somewhat forced into a draw or straight shot unless you hit it super high. The downhill slope should give a boost to your distance which is much appreciated in the heavy SF air.
Below is a look at the approach.
The slope of the green is revealed below. The slope rises to the middle and then plateaus towards the back right.
Hole 8 – 159 yards – Par 3 – Cork Oak
The main challenge on this hole is not the tee shot. You will most likely have a middle iron in your hands playing to an ample target. If you can miss the sand you will be in good shape. The real challenge comes at the green.
The green is wide and features plenty of interior slope. If your direction if off you can have some long birdie putts that will test your distance control.
Hole 9 – 500 yards – Par 5 – Highway
This hole gets its name due to the thoroughfare down the left side. The tree lines favor a fade off the tee peeling away from the road.
Here is a look at the second shot with the green in the distance towards the wonderful clubhouse.
If you watched the 2018 version of the LPGA’s event here you would’ve seen Lydia Ko’s masterful three wood on this hole to win the tournament. They still have this makeshift plaque in the fairway since it had only been a few weeks since they played. I would imagine a more permanent remembrance is in the works.
The green sits right next to the parking lot so long or left is not advisable. The right bunker sits well below the putting surface and presents a difficult up and down.
Hole 10 – 367 yards – Par 4 – Golden Gate
The back nine starter has a mildly tight tee shot with dense trees down the right. Hitting the fairway is important here.
A deep bunker guards the front of the green. Distance control is important as going over the green is not desirable.
Hole 11 – 359 yards – Par 4 – Sea Breeze
You should be thinking of a straight shot here whether it is with driver or a shorter club. Drop one in between the trees and you’ll be in good shape.
The hole bends slightly to the right as it goes down the hill to the green. The putting surface sits at an angle to the fairway.
Hole 12 – 162 yards – Par 3 – Plateau
This is a pretty hole, but don’t let that beauty fool you. The challenge is evident. The yardage is a bit misleading as the hole plays a little uphill. The bunker on the left sits well below the green and is not the place to miss.
Hole 13 – 355 yards – Par 4 – Tightrope
The tee shot here plays to a semi-blind landing area. A drive up the right side is the best line.
Here is a look at the green from the left side of the hole. This photo evidences the slope of the hole.
Here is a closer look at the green.
This view from the back of the green gives you a view of the slopes within.
Hole 14 – 480 yards – Par 5 – Elbow
At this distance, birdie is a definite opportunity. A good drive is the first step. With a relatively open fairway, your thought should be to send it!
The green is slightly elevated and protected by a deep bunker on the right. Be careful not to put too much spin on the shot here.
Hole 15 – 178 yards – Par 3 – Fortress
The photo got a little washed out here, but it is a longish tee shot. The bunkers on the left are absolutely dead, avoid them at all costs.
The green serves as a large target, which can be a blessing and a curse with long putts.
Hole 16 – 309 yards – Par 4 – Alcatraz
I’m a big fan of this hole. I imagine long hitters have a chance to go at the green, but I doubt that is the percentage play. Something hit 200 yards will give you a green light to the green.
The putting surface is set down among the hills and surrounded by sand. I liked the amphitheater setting here.
Hole 17 – 351 yards – Par 4 – Hawk’s Nest
You can’t see the fairway where you’ll ball will land, but if you get one straight out it will catch a downslope and get a big bounce forward.
Here is the view standing at the top of the hill. A good drive will leave you with an uphill approach that will need to split the bunkers.
The green has a lot of contouring as evidenced below. Knowing the slope here will help you determine where to position the approach.
Hole 18 – 505 yards – Par 5 – Riverbed
Big scale, framed fairways must be a San Francisco thing. Cal Club, SFGC, and now Lake Merced all have their versions. An elevated tee will help on your drive.
The hole bends around to the right to reveal the raised green that abuts the clubhouse.
From the lower vantage point you can really see how elevated the green is. It almost looks like the flag is next to the building.
Lake Merced is a real pleasure to play. Our host mentioned they could do with some tree management, which I tend to agree with. They could be trimmed back to open some corridors. Overall though the course is really fun. The conditioning was superb and the greens rolled true. If you get an invite, be sure to say yes!