Baylands Golf Links

About the club

Re-designed by renowned architect Forrest Richardson, the City of Palo Alto welcomes you to Baylands Golf Links. Formerly the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, Richardson led the reconfiguration of the original William F. Bell design, which opened in 1956. Proudly managed by OB Sports, Baylands Golf Links will open to the public May 26, 2018. The re-designed golf course will feature 55 acres of native Baylands vegetation and wetlands areas, a 40% reduction of managed turf areas, a 35% reduction of potable water use, an additional 10.5 acres added to the Baylands Athletic Center for future recreational use, and 7.4 acres of land converted into in-stream marshland terrace habitat within an expanded San Francisquito Creek for increased flood protection. Construction began in mid-July 2016, with removal of most of the non-native trees throughout the golf course. Tree removal was mitigated through the planting of 300 new native trees on the reconfigured course, along with the planting of two acres of native bay ecosystem habitat in Byxbee Park, as well as the protection and monitoring of 500 naturally-occurring oak saplings in the Pearson Arastradero Preserve. The site was recontoured using soil from the large on-site stockpile, which created an undulating landscape and elevated scenic views of the Baylands and San Francisco Bay that will enhance the golf experience. The golf holes will be separated by large natural areas planted with wetlands plant species that improve habitat for birds and wildlife, and integrate the golf course into its Baylands setting. Founded in the mid 1950's, the municipal course is operated by the City of Palo Alto as part of its Baylands Nature Preserve District, adjacent to the coastal land bordering Palo Alto along the San Francisco Bay. The San Fransisquito Creek, a historic waterway, runs along the course and is a major flood conveyance stream.