Shoreline Golf Links

Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Shoreline Golf Links in 1983, then returned in 1986-87 to push the course further toward the links aesthetic he originally had in mind. The result is a layout that behaves unlike most Bay Area public courses: wide, wind-influenced, and built around ground conditions rather than aerial precision. The fairways run through the 750-acre Shoreline at Mountain View Park, a wildlife refuge directly adjacent to the San Francisco Bay, which means wind off the water is a consistent presence that adds difficulty well beyond what the yardage suggests. The 4th hole is a 164-yard par 3 over a duck pond to a green that slopes back toward the water — one of the more demanding short holes on any public course in the South Bay. The 10th hole borders a 50-acre sailing lake that comes fully into play for the approach.

The course features 16 acres of water hazards distributed across the layout, plus pot bunkers and a general firmness underfoot that rewards bump-and-run play rather than high, stopping iron shots. The City of Mountain View took over operations as a municipal facility in December 1995 after previous financial difficulties, and has since reinvested steadily — Robert Trent Jones Jr. provided design input for several green rebuilds, a new pro shop and cart storage facility opened in 2005, and the practice area now includes 29 tee stations, a 16,000-square-foot putting green, and a short game area with practice bunker. The championship tees play to 7,029 yards with a rating of 74.6 and slope of 130, restricted to players carrying a verifiable index of 5.6 or lower.

Because the course sits within an active wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary, waterfowl on the fairways are a documented local rule reality, particularly in winter and early spring. Mornings play significantly faster and firmer than afternoons. Shoreline is currently managed by KemperSports and Michael's Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch on site before and after rounds.