Olympic Club Ocean Course
The Ocean Course is the quieter of the two great eighteens at San Francisco's Olympic Club, rooted in 1920s work by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting and rebuilt by Tom Weiskopf in 2000. A par 71 of about 6,926 yards, it threads tree lined hills above the Pacific beside the famous Lake Course.
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The verdict
The Olympic Club is one of America's grand old clubs, and while its Lake Course carries the US Open fame, the Ocean Course is the other half of a remarkable golfing property above the Pacific at Lake Merced. Its bones trace to Willie Watson and Sam Whiting in the 1920s, after which storms and landslides forced repeated rebuilds, the most thorough a full redesign by Tom Weiskopf that reopened in 2000.
The Ocean plays through the same dense stands of cypress, pine and eucalyptus that define the club, tumbling over hilly ground with cooling fog and ocean air never far away. It is a par 71 of just under 7,000 yards, a stern, atmospheric members course in its own right rather than a tournament stage. A further overhaul by Jim Urbina is underway from 2026, set to honor the original Watson design. Access is private, so plan through a member or a reciprocal arrangement.
Olympic Club Ocean Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1924, rebuilt 2000
- Designer
- Watson and Whiting, Tom Weiskopf
- Type
- Coastal parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,926 yds
- Green fee
- Members
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from The Olympic Club and leading course databases. The Lake and Ocean courses opened in the 1920s to work by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting; the Ocean Course was redesigned by Tom Weiskopf and reopened in 2000, a par 71 of about 6,926 yards, with a further overhaul by Jim Urbina underway from 2026. The Olympic Club is private; visiting golfers play through a member or reciprocal arrangement, so always confirm access directly before planning.
The holes worth the trip
The Ocean Course climbs and falls through the dense cypress, pine and eucalyptus that give the Olympic Club its hushed, cathedral feel, the hilly ground and tight tree lines putting a premium on shaping the tee shot. There is little flat lie to be had, so command of the ball on uneven stances is essential.
Cool coastal air and the fog that rolls off the Pacific keep the turf soft and the ball flight honest, taking away the easy carry and rewarding the player who controls trajectory. The greens are firm and sloped, asking for measured approaches rather than aggressive ones.
It is a quieter course than the championship Lake, but no soft option, a stern, atmospheric members test that earns its place on a great property. With Jim Urbina's redesign underway from 2026 to echo the original Watson layout, the Ocean Course is a piece of San Francisco golf history in a new chapter.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; visiting golfers generally play as a member's guest or through a reciprocal club arrangement |
| Green fee | No published public green fee; any guest or reciprocal rate is arranged through the member or the club (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange access well ahead through a member or your home club's reciprocal program; tee times are limited |
| On the day | Caddies are available and walking is encouraged; coastal fog and cool air can linger, so pack a layer |
| Getting there | Lake Merced on the southwest edge of San Francisco, about 20 minutes from downtown and SFO airport |
| Best months | Late summer through autumn for the clearest, warmest San Francisco weather and the firmest turf |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; the Olympic Club is private and the Ocean Course is undergoing a redesign from 2026, so always confirm access and course status directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
San Francisco is the natural base for golf at the Olympic Club, a world class city of hotels, restaurants and sights barely twenty minutes from the first tee at Lake Merced. The western and southern neighborhoods nearer the coast offer quieter, convenient lodging close to the club.
For a wider trip, a San Francisco base pairs the Olympic Club with the storied courses of the Monterey Peninsula a couple of hours south. It is an ideal region to build a Northern California tour around, combining city golf with the great coastline at Pebble Beach and beyond.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Olympic Club Ocean Course.
Build a San Francisco golf trip
We arrange access at the Olympic Club where member or reciprocal play allows, pair it with the best of Northern California and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Olympic Club Ocean Course questions
Who designed the Ocean Course at the Olympic Club?
The Ocean Course traces to 1920s work by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, was redesigned by Tom Weiskopf and reopened in 2000, and is undergoing a further overhaul by Jim Urbina from 2026.
What is the par and length of the Ocean Course?
The Ocean Course is a par 71 measuring about 6,926 yards from the championship tees, a hilly, tree lined course above the Pacific beside the club's Lake Course.
How is the Ocean Course different from the Lake Course?
The Lake Course is the Olympic Club's US Open venue, while the Ocean Course is the club's second eighteen, a quieter but stern members course on the same coastal property at Lake Merced.
Can visitors play the Olympic Club Ocean Course?
The Olympic Club is private. Visiting golfers generally play as a member's guest or through a reciprocal club arrangement, so arrange access well in advance and confirm course status before travelling.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; access arrangements verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.