Stanford Golf Course

George C. Thomas and William Bell designed Stanford Golf Course in 1930, and their names deserve context: Thomas also designed Riviera Country Club and the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, two of the most respected layouts in California. Construction began in May 1929 after university controller Almon Roth persuaded Stanford's Board of Trustees to fund it, with great care taken to preserve the existing oak trees — only 75 were removed from the site. The resulting course sits below the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, flanked by mature oaks and San Francisquito Creek, which comes into play on nearly half the holes. From the elevated 18th tee, San Francisco is visible about 30 miles to the north on clear days.

The course has been home to the Stanford Cardinal golf programs since it opened, and the list of players who developed their games here is not typical for a university course. Tom Watson played here. Tiger Woods played here in the early 1990s before turning professional. Notah Begay III played here, as did Casey Martin. Sandy Tatum and Grant Spaeth — both former USGA presidents — are Stanford golf alumni. In 1993, Golf Magazine ranked the course 88th in the world. John Harbottle completed a significant renovation in 2008, and in 2018 all bunkers were rebuilt and several holes were modified. The current par-70 layout plays 6,727 yards from the back tees with a slope of 138 and rating of 73.6.

The signature hole is the 12th — a 427-yard par 4 where three large trees bisect the fairway at staggered distances from 186 to 300 yards out, forcing a decision off every tee. The opener drives over Junipero Serra Boulevard from a tee elevated roughly 40 feet above the fairway below. Access is restricted to Stanford students, faculty, staff, and alumni with current ID, plus their guests. If you have a connection to the university, this is among the better things that connection can get you.