Golf Course Review: 5 Bay Area Golf Delights

While the fabled horse is gone, there’s still plenty of fauna remaining on the Mare Island course.

Mare Island is another of my Bay Area favorites.  Who could turn down playing a round on the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River?

From the parking lot to the pro shop to the snack bar to the driving range – the Clubhouse was built in 1936 by the WPA – the Mare Island Golf Club has a distinctly local flavor about it.  As I drive through the now largely unused Mare Island Marine Barracks, I can feel the swirl of the little island’s history around me.

And then there’s the golf course itself. Don’t let the signs around the 1st tee warning you to watch out for rattlesnakes scare you off.  I’ve never seen a rattlesnake at Mare Island and I’ve ventured beyond the short grass in search of my ball enough times to claim some experience on this matter.

The front nine at Mare Island, which was established in 1892, originally had sand greens and dry fairways. Playing through the front nine today you’ll find little evidence of the relocation of the holes that took place during World War I, or the World War II redesign of the 3rd and 5th fairways to accommodate ammunition bunkers.  You’ll just enjoy playing fairways surrounded by towering eucalyptus trees that take you to some almost Lilliputan-sized  greens that aren’t at all easy to read.

The back nine, built in 2000, opens up and takes you on an adventure to the top of the island. Look closely. You’ll see some defensive bunkers built into the hills, you’ll get a view of San Francisco Bay and the city’s skyscape that’s not typically found on postcards. And – are you ready for this? – if you plan ahead and book your tee time on-line you can play a round of golf at Mare Island for under $30!

Next: In the Heart of San Francisco: The Presidio