San Francisco Golf Club

About the club

This profile contains information gathered from publicly available sources and historical records. Due to the private nature of the club, some details may not be fully verifiable or may have changed. San Francisco Golf Club was founded in 1895 and is one of the most exclusive private membership clubs in the United States. The club was founded by four homesick Scots on the Presidio military base. In 1905, the club left the Presidio and leased 120 acres from the Spring Valley Water Company. The club moved to its present location in 1915, at the southern border of the city. The original routing was done mostly by a trio of club members, who first staked out the course in 1918. A.W. Tillinghast remodeled the course in 1923, establishing its signature greens and bunkering. Tom Doak described San Francisco Golf Club in his 1996 *Confidential Guide to Golf Courses* as "Tillinghast's first masterpiece." The 2006 restoration included unearthing the famed "Tarantula" bunker, buried by layers of soil between the 14th and 15th fairways. The par-3 seventh hole is known as the "Duel Hole" because its location marks the spot of the last legal duel in America. On September 15, 1859, David C. Broderick, U.S. Senator from California, and David S. Terry, Ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California, faced off with dueling pistols. Broderick's hair-trigger sent his bullet at Terry's feet, allowing Terry to mortally wound him moments later. The restored par-3 13th hole is known as "Little Tilly" after the architect. 2. LINKS Magazine - Tom Doak Redesign of San Francisco Golf Club 3. LINKS Magazine - Classic Course: San Francisco Golf Club 6. Golf Digest - San Francisco Golf Club 33. The Travelling Golfer Australia - San Francisco GC 41. Tiger Golf Traveler - San Francisco Golf Club 42. Golf Tripper - San Francisco Golf Club