| Challenging and beautiful golf courses are | | | | reservation. To make an advance reservation, |
| open to everyone in Northern California. Here | | | | call the Harding Park Pro Shop at |
| are three you can play next week, including | | | | 415-664-4690. If You Are Staying In SF |
| Harding Park home of the 2005 World Golf | | | | Consider Playing These One-Of-A-Kind Bay Area |
| Championships and Berkeley's Tilden Park with | | | | Golf Courses. Lincoln Park Golf Course, 300 |
| its notorious 420-yard par 4 straight uphill | | | | 34th Ave, San Francisco, (415)221-9911, is |
| to an elevated green, first hole. Part of the | | | | easily one of the two or three most beautiful |
| fun of city golf is having a San Francisco | | | | courses in northern California. Lincoln is |
| limo or car service pick you up at your hotel | | | | the oldest course in this list; its 18 holes |
| and deliver your party to the course. Then | | | | were built in 1908, designed by Tom Bendelow. |
| when your game is over, your driver awaits, | | | | Located west of the famous bridge, several |
| just as he does of Tiger. It's always smart | | | | fairways provide postcard views of the |
| to call several weeks ahead for tee times, | | | | Pacific and Golden Gate. If you play this |
| deposit requirements and to reserve a | | | | course carry a camera in your bag. City of |
| Quicksilver Towncar or Suburban to pick you | | | | San Francisco golf info: Tilden Park Golf |
| up at the airport. (800) 486-9622 The | | | | Course is located across the bay in Berkeley |
| Suburban easily holds four golf bags and all | | | | at the intersection of Grizzly Peak and |
| your luggage. Harding Park San Francisco was | | | | Shasta Road, above the University of |
| designed by architect Willie Watson in 1925. | | | | California campus. (510)848-7373. This is a |
| Among its kudos are a Top 50 US Courses | | | | challenging hillside course. Tilden Park's |
| ranking by Golf Digest and a place among "Top | | | | signature first hole is a 420-yard par 4, |
| 100 You Can Play" by Golf Magazine. Harding | | | | straight uphill to an elevated green. My |
| Park played host to the 2005 World Golf | | | | father-in-law compared it to playing the |
| Championships-American Express Championship. | | | | Royal Course in Nepal. The 18 hole course was |
| The American Express event in October of | | | | built in 1937 and designed by William P. |
| 2005, which saw Tiger Woods defeating John | | | | Bell. Tilden is notorious for its hills and |
| Daly on the second playoff hole. Harding Park | | | | natural setting. According to one report, the |
| Golf Course is located next to the private | | | | front nine is fairly forgiving, but things |
| Olympic Club course which has been host to | | | | change on the back nine, which starts with a |
| many U. S. Open tournaments and is less than | | | | vertigo-inducing tee that recalls Olympic ski |
| one mile from the Pacific Ocean and the San | | | | jumps, followed by narrower fairways. There |
| Francisco Zoo. Harding Park's layout follows | | | | are many golf courses in the Bay Area, but we |
| the original 1925 plan, using the property's | | | | suggest trying these courses which are open |
| existing topography, contours and vegetation. | | | | to the public, inexpensive and well know to |
| Features include the towering Monterey | | | | your Quicksilver Towncar driver. |
| Cypress trees and a view of Lake Merced where | | | | |
| high school crews practice on a dogleg 2k | | | | SF Bay Area Transportation Expert As |
| course. Tee-times for Harding Park Golf | | | | President of Quicksilver TownCar Service ( |
| Course are available 8 - 30 days in advance. | | | | Phil Macafee knows all of the freeways and |
| A non-refundable deposit is required for | | | | most of the byways from Carmel to Sacramento |
| advance booking at the time of the | | | | to the wine country. |