San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed joined Phil Ginsberg, Executive Director of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and community stakeholders to celebrate the reopening and unveiling of the Golden Gate Golf Course and Clubhouse.
The new and completely redesigned 1,500 square-foot clubhouse features a multifunctional lounge that will welcome community members ranging from seniors and youth players of all skill levels. The new clubhouse also includes enhanced public restrooms, a new golf pro shop, food and beverage concessions, additional storage space, and an outdoor patio with seating that overlooks the course. Other improvements include two accessible parking spaces and an ADA pathway that connects the outdoor patio to the putting greens and driving range.
In 2018, the Golf Course’s clubhouse sustained extensive damage in a fire, leading to the building’s demolition. The course closed last year, as construction on the $5.9 million clubhouse project got underway. The Rec and Park Open Space Fund, General Fund, and 2020 Health and Recovery Bond financed the project.
Located in Golden Gate Park’s west end, the municipal golf course and previous clubhouse were both built in 1951. The course’s original design incorporated the surrounding cypress trees and was heavily influenced by the surrounding natural rolling sand dunes. Recently, Golf Magazine rated the course “among the finest par-3 courses in the country.”
The new clubhouse was constructed on the same footprint as the previous structure. The new design sought to maintain aspects of the original facility, while enhancing the indoor and outdoor recreational areas to increase accessibility and ensure the clubhouse remains a premier gathering space for the City’s municipal golf community.
“I am proud of the investments we have made to ensure San Francisco continues to deliver world-class parks, open spaces, and recreation centers,” said Mayor Breed. “This kind of project is exactly what we need to do to uplift our neighborhoods and ensure our diverse communities have access to enjoy and learn sports and activities they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to.”
“It’s important for us to ensure San Francisco’s diverse golf community has modern, affordable, and easily accessible places to learn and play. The upgrades will help our staff and First Tee continue to provide top-notch programming like free play, youth lessons, tournaments and more,” said Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Golden Gate Park Golf Couse is back in business and ready to change the game when it comes to municipal golf.”
San Francisco Public Works played a significant role in the clubhouse project, providing architectural, landscape architectural and engineering design services, as well as managing construction, on behalf of Rec and Park.
“The project team hit a hole in one with the new clubhouse,” said Public Works Director Carla Short. “The design and materials incorporate smart green-building practices, such as the use of climate-conscious mass timber, and the building and patio will serve as a welcoming home base for golfers before and after they play a round,” said Public Works Director Carla Short.
First Tee San Francisco, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth with life and social skills through golf, has operated the course for the last decade. The organization provides programming for underserved youth.
“Golden Gate Park Golf Course is an important program location for First Tee - San Francisco. It has been and will continue to be a vital resource in our ongoing efforts to provide impactful programs for underserved children,” said First Tee – San Francisco Executive Director Dan Burke. “Investing significant funds to upgrade the facilities for the benefit of our participants and the San Francisco community is a win-win for so many today and for generations to come. We look forward to many years of collaboration and partnership with SF Rec and Park for the betterment of our great city.”
As part of a separate project funded entirely by First Tee, the 9-hole par-3 golf course recently underwent landscaping upgrades to strengthen the natural turf while facilitating drainage and reducing maintenance.
The San Francisco Rec and Park Department maintains six public golf courses, including Lincoln Park, TPC Harding Park, TPC Fleming, Gleneagles, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and Sharp Park in Pacifica. Each course caters to players of varying skill levels with the goal of ensuring municipal golf remains affordable and accessible.
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