San Francisco, California
Presidio Golf Course is a scenic, historic test where strategy and accuracy trump raw power. Its storied past and beautiful setting make it a must-play for Bay Area visitors seeking classic city golf.
Don’t miss the classic Presidio dining room tucked in the Clubhouse—it’s lined with golf memorabilia and Army artifacts that bring the course’s unique heritage to life.
Presidio Golf Course is a prime example of evolving parkland architecture: originally crafted over historic Army land, it reflects layered design input as trees matured and routing expanded. Fowler & Simpson’s substantial 1921 enlargement and irrigation added modern playability. Tighter fairways, bold elevation changes, and clever use of woodland create a city course that surprises with its classic design DNA.
The course as it plays today is most defined by Fowler & Simpson’s 1920s expansion, smartly leveraging the maturing landscape.
A welcoming but demanding opener that forces smart placement rather than brute strength from the start, threading through eucalyptus with city views beyond.
Favor accuracy off the tee to avoid the trees and set up a controlled mid-iron approach.
Stray left and you risk tree trouble; err right and recovery may be blocked by foliage.
Generally excellent for a high-traffic muni; expect variable greens and maintained fairways, with the odd rough patch.
Busy and occasionally slow during peak times and weekends—book earlier in the day for a brisker round.
Classic, lively Bay Area public atmosphere blended with historic charm.
Relaxed but golf-appropriate; standard city muni expectations.
Tee times fill quickly, especially weekends, so plan ahead for the best slots.
San Francisco’s microclimates can bring chilly fog, sun, and breezes all in one round.
You’ll walk hills and uneven lies—comfortable walking shoes keep you ready for every climb.
Factor in San Francisco traffic and plan for a quick bite before or after your round.
Initial 9-hole course founded by San Francisco Golf and Country Club on Presidio Army post.
Course expanded to 18 holes by Johnstone and McEwan.
Hosted the United Voluntary Services Open, a professional tournament.
Course opens to the public after military era ends.
San Francisco City Golf Championship celebrates 100th anniversary at Presidio.
Presidio Golf Course’s roots trace to a military post where officers and club members once shared the grounds—a piece of city, military, and golf history intertwined. You’ll stroll the same fairways where American heroes and presidents once played the game as respite.
The Presidio’s early holes were wide open, but today’s famous tree corridors came only after Monterey pines and eucalyptus matured over generations, fundamentally redefining shot values and sightlines.
From Babe Ruth to Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, the roll call of cultural icons who have teed it up at Presidio is a veritable who’s who of 20th-century stardom. Walking its fairways is like stepping into a gallery of history.
After a century of restricted military access, the post-Cold War era brought new life; in 1995 Presidio welcomed public golfers for the first time, forever changing its place in Bay Area golf culture.
Presidio’s routing overlaps former Spanish, Army, and National Park property lines.
The course’s trees were not part of the original design—they matured decades after opening.
Has hosted the oldest continually-run amateur tournament in the U.S.
Bing Crosby, Babe Ruth, and Charles Schulz all played here.
Opened to public access only in 1995 after a century as a military enclave.
Major tour pedigree and first-class muni feel just 20 minutes away.
Dramatic ocean holes and a championship resort experience on the coast.
Alister MacKenzie classic—one of California’s top public-access rounds.
Top-tier resort design and occasional PGA Tour host.
Stay near the Presidio, in Pacific Heights, or in the Marina for easy city access and shortened drives.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Torrey Pines North Course shares a memorable sense of place, making it a compelling counterpart to Presidio Golf Course.
Why it matches: If Presidio Golf Course is your kind of course, Anchorage Golf Course is worth a look because it makes the landscape part of the experience.
Why it matches: What links these two? Makes the landscape part of the experience — a familiar feeling, expressed in Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore Course)'s own setting.
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