TPC Harding Park facts for kids
Aerial view from north in 2018
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| Club information | |
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 Location in the United States
Location in California
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
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| Coordinates | 37°43′26″N 122°29′35″W / 37.724°N 122.493°W |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Established | 1925, 100 years ago |
| Type | Public |
| Owned by | San Francisco Public Utilities Commission |
| Operated by | PGA Tour Golf Course Properties |
| Total holes | 18 holes |
| Tournaments hosted | WGC-American Express Championship (2005), Presidents Cup (2009), Charles Schwab Cup Championship (2010, 2011, 2013) WGC-Cadillac Match Play (2015), PGA Championship (2020) |
| Greens | Bentgrass (007, Tyee) |
| Fairways | Poa annua, bentgrass, and ryegrass |
| Website | tpc.com/hardingpark |
| Designed by | Sam Whiting Willie Watson |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,169 yards (6,555 m) |
| Course rating | 74.1 |
| Slope rating | 129 |
TPC Harding Park is a well-known public golf course in San Francisco, California. It used to be called Harding Park Golf Club. The city and county of San Francisco own this course.
It is now part of the PGA Tour's network of courses, called the Tournament Players Club (TPC). This partnership started in 2010. The course is located in the southwest part of San Francisco. It sits next to San Francisco State University and is surrounded by Lake Merced.
Contents
History of Harding Park Golf Course
When Did Harding Park Open?
Harding Park Golf Course first opened its doors on July 18, 1925. It was named after Warren G. Harding, who was the President of the United States. President Harding loved golf and had passed away in San Francisco just two years before the course opened.
Who Designed the Course?
The course covers about 163 acres along the shores of Lake Merced. Two designers, Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, created the plan for Harding Park. They also designed another famous course nearby, the Olympic Club's Lake Course.
Harding Park's Early Days
In its early years, Harding Park became quite famous. It hosted important golf tournaments like the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 1937 and again in 1956. In the 1960s, it was a regular stop for the PGA Tour, hosting the Lucky International Open.
Challenges and Decline
After 1969, the PGA Tour stopped coming to Harding Park. The course started to get run down because of city budget cuts. Things got so bad that in 1998, the course was even used as a parking lot for another big golf event nearby.
Bringing Harding Park Back to Life
Around the year 2000, a man named Sandy Tatum, who was a lawyer and a champion golfer, decided to help. He wanted to make Harding Park great again. He worked with city leaders to get approval for a big renovation project.
At first, there were some disagreements about how the project would be managed. But eventually, a plan was approved to use special grant money from California to fix up the park. Many people believed that a renovated course could bring big golf tournaments back to the city.
The Renovation Project
The renovation finally began in the spring of 2002. It was a big project that took 15 months to complete. The course was made longer, and the practice areas and clubhouse were updated to meet high standards. The city of San Francisco still owned the course.
On August 22, 2003, the Harding Park Golf Course officially reopened. Since then, it has hosted many professional golf tournaments. The course now has a modern clubhouse, a restaurant, and a full-sized practice range. There's also a smaller, fun nine-hole course called The Fleming 9. San Francisco residents get a discount to play there.
Major Golf Tournaments Hosted
Harding Park has been the home to several exciting professional golf tournaments.
- 2005: It hosted the WGC-American Express Championship.
- 2009: The course welcomed the Presidents Cup, a major team golf event.
- 2010, 2011, 2013: It hosted the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which is a big event for older professional golfers.
- 2015: The WGC-Cadillac Match Play tournament took place here.
- 2020: Harding Park hosted the PGA Championship, one of golf's four biggest tournaments.
Course Details
| Tee | Rating/Slope | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total
TPC Harding Park is an 18-hole golf course. It is known for its beautiful views and challenging layout. The course has a par of 72, which means a good golfer is expected to finish the 18 holes in 72 strokes. The total length of the course for championship play is about 7,169 yards. |
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