EP16_72-85_Wineries-Sports.qxp_Layout 1 9/11/16 5:29 AM Page 80
yet the 18-hole, 6,515-yard par 72 course, opened in 1924, offers not only an engaging wildlife refuge but also a challenging test for golfers. no matter what your score, be sure to pause at the fifth green and the sixth tee box for a beautifully serene view overlooking the reservoir and hills. The back nine includes steep ascents and descents until the terrain levels considerably on the 16th and 17th holes, with the 18th green perched atop a final short but steep climb. Green fees from $69 on weekends to $28 for super twilight. additional fee for cart. [Burlingame: 6650 Golf Course Dr.; 650-342-4188. playcrystalsprings.com]
POPLAR CREEK GOLF COURSE
if your first priority upon arriving here is to play golf, no course is more convenient than poplar Creek. its setting directly off highway 101 less than five miles south from San Francisco international airport means you can be teeing off within minutes of your arrival. But convenience is only one of the attractions of this most local of the peninsula’s public clubs. playing at poplar Creek immerses you in appealing scenery; the 15th tee in one direction affords a view of the bay with the San Mateo Bridge arching gracefully across it and in the other direction sailboats and motorboats harbored at Coyote point Marina. The Coyote point recreation area, a popular place for board and kite sailing, is directly adjacent to the course. Stretching just over 6,000 yards from the back tees, the course (par 70 for men, 71 for ladies) first opened in 1933 before being remodeled and renamed in 2000. a new driving range, added in 2015, makes the course a complete golfing facility. Five artificial lakes and two waterfalls along the course, including one that streams into a lake next to the third green, enhance the setting. This pGadesignated family golf course is flat and easy to walk, while the smooth greens present a fair opportunity. Green fees from $38 to $53; twilight rate $27; early morning back nine, $24-$28. [San Mateo: 1700 Coyote Point Dr.; 650-522-4653. poplarcreekgolf.com]
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SHORELINE LINKS
Situated within Shoreline Mountain View park, this 7,000-yard, par 72 course offers bay views and a challenging 16 acres of water hazards. The abundant bird life adds to the appeal of playing here. The course includes four par threes, two of which must be reached over intimidating water obstacles and rough, while another, the par three eighth, rests directly above a bunker. if you glance back from the ninth fairway on a clear day, you’ll see a vista of lick observatory atop Mount hamilton across the bay. This relatively flat course is ideal for walking, and the stroll up the 10th fairway offers a lovely view of the park’s 50-acre sailing lake. The sloped green on the par four 12th hole makes for a challenging approach shot and
PoPlar creeK golf course
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putting surface. Green fees from $40 to $56; super twilight rates as low as $19; early morning back nine green fee, $27-$30. [Mountain View: 2940 North Shoreline Blvd.; 650-903-4653. shorelinelinks.com]
HALF MOON BAY GOLF LINKS
half Moon Bay Golf links consists of two courses. Considered a true links test, the dramatic ocean Course offers inspiring views of the pacific ocean from 14 of its 18 holes. Knockdown shots are often required on this par 72 (71 for ladies) course opened in 1997, which plays 6,649 yards from the back tees. Challenging the hazards presents a risk-reward scenario in which you may find yourself closer to the green with an easy approach shot, or mired in a bunker or oB and looking at a bogey (or double). The final four holes demand a strong finish, including the windswept par three 17th along the bluffs and a dogleg left par five 18th finishing atop an elevated green reached only by avoiding the bunkers along the ocean side of the course. The old Course, established in 1973, winds through trees and homes, with the par four 18th offering a vista of the ritz Carlton and the ocean. This par 72 course plays just over 7,000 yards from the back tees. if one is lucky and approaching the 18th on either course at sunset, the sound of live bagpipes enhances the Scottish ambience. Green fees range from $65 to $250. [Half Moon Bay: 2 Miramontes Point Rd.; 650-726-1800. halfmoonbaygolf.com]