Sharp Park Golf Course

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Sharp Park Golf Course
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Laguna Salada at Sharp Park Golf Course
Club information
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Coordinates 37°37′31.85396″N122°29′9.63341″W / 37.6255149889°N 122.4860092806°W / 37.6255149889; -122.4860092806
Location Pacifica, California, United States
Established1931;93 years ago (1931)
TypeMunicipal
Owned by Government of San Francisco
Operated by San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Total holes18
Website website
Designed by Alister MacKenzie
Par 72
Length6,494-yard (5,938 m)
Slope rating 127

Sharp Park Golf Course is a public golf course in Pacifica in Northern California in the United States. It was designed in 1931 by Alister MacKenzie and is owned and operated by the city of San Francisco. It is the only public oceanside golf course designed by MacKenzie in the United States. [1]

Contents

U.S. Open champion Ken Venturi described the course as "Dr. MacKenzie's great gift to the American public course golfer." [2]

History

The park was originally owned by George Sharp a wealthy lawyer who came to San Francisco from New York in 1849. The coastal property bequeathed to the San Francisco Park commissioners Reuben Lloyd and Adolph Spreckels in 1917 by George Sharp's widow Honora Sharp. [3] She stipulated it was to be used as a “public park or playground.” [4] At the time of its donation, the site primarily consisted of wetlands, artichoke fields, and sand dunes. Through 1931, the property's ocean lagoon was deepened and converted into a fresh-water lake, and fairways and tees were sited on islands and spits. [3] [5]

In 1930, Golden Gate Park Superintendent John McLaren commissioned the Scottish course architect Alister MacKenzie to design San Francisco's third municipal golf links. [3] The course was built on 120 acres and was designed by MacKenzie in-between designing his two most famous courses, Cypress Point Club and Augusta National. [3] MacKenzie included several of his signature design tropes, including cross bunkering, double fairways, multiple tees, mounded greens, undulating fairways, and optical illusions. [3] The course was opened to the public in 1932. [5]

The Spanish Revival-style clubhouse was designed by an associate at Willis Polk's architecture firm and includes murals by the Works Progress Administration. [3] The course debuted in 1932.

In the early 1940s, large storms washed out parts of MacKenzie's original routing, resulting in the construction of a seawall to protect the course. [6] From 1942 until 1946, the area east of the golf course was used by the War Relocation Authority as a Japanese internment camp. [7] In 2011, San Francisco mayor Ed Lee vetoed a measure for the National Park Service to take over operations at Sharp Park. [8] [9]

Layout

Sharp Park's routes feature Monterey cypress, with views of the Pacific headlands and surrounding mountains. [3] [10] Twelve of the course holes retain their original routing. Changes have included an added seawall at holes 12 and 16, which are directly on the shore, as well as an additional four holes designed in 1934 which are accessible via a tunnel. [6] [11]

Historic Status

In 2017, Sharp Park Golf Course was designated a Historic Resource Property under the California Environmental Quality Act. [12] In a statement to NBC, architect Jay Blasi stated, "They are not making any more MacKenzies near the Pacific... This is a one-of-a-kind in the world of golf." [6]

Environmental concerns

The area around the course is home to two endangered species, the San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog. [13] As a result, the city of San Francisco faced multiple lawsuits by environmental organizations to protect the species, sparking what became known as the “Save Sharp Park” movement. [14] [15] [16] In 2017, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 9-to-1 to certify an environmental impact report to modify three holes to protect the species' habitats. [17] [18]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Sens, Josh. "14 of the best municipal golf courses you can play in the United States". Golf. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Sharp Park". San Francisco Public Golf. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sharp Park Golf Course". The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  4. ↑ Blasi, Jay. "Saving Sharp Park: Time to restore Alister MacKenzie gem in California". Golfweek. USA Today. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Kamiya, Gary (August 19, 2022). "The dark past of San Francisco's Sharp Park". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Deegan, Jason Scott. "Saving Sharp Park, the neglected cousin of Augusta National". Golf Pass. NBC. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  7. ↑ Kamiya, Gary. "The dark past of San Francisco's Sharp Park". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  8. ↑ White, Bobby. "Big Wedge Over Sharp Park's Future". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  9. ↑ "SF Mayor Lee vetoes plan to restore Sharp Park". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ Keyser, Tim (1991). Golfing Northern California. Pelican Publishing. ISBN   9780882897455 . Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  11. ↑ Deegan, Jason Scott. "Sharp Park Golf Course: A historic walk near San Francisco, California". Golf Pass. NBC. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ Deegan, Jason Scott. "Vote likely ends the long political fight over the future of Alister MacKenzie's Sharp Park Golf Course". Golf Pass. NBC. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  13. ↑ Plater, Brent. "Take a mulligan at Sharp Park". SF Gate. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  14. ↑ Zito, Kelly. "Sharp Park Golf Course sued over red-legged frog". SF Gate. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  15. ↑ Nevius, C.W. "Sharp Park Golf Course fight an endless bogey". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  16. ↑ Loomis, Graylyn. "The Dream California Golf Road Trip". Links Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  17. ↑ Diaz, Jaime. "The fight over Sharp Park isn't just about saving one golf course, but muny golf overall". Golf Digest. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Sharp Park Wins Battle for Preservation, Restoration". USGA. Retrieved June 26, 2023.

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