Northern California's Great Golf Tradition

By: Bob Boldt

Some of the world's most famous golf courses and many top PGA and LPGA Tour professionals are from Northern California. This geographical stretch goes from San Francisco through the wine country to the Sierras and Lake Tahoe, down to Fresno, and back up the Pacific Coast through Monterey. There are 17 PGA of America chapters and an equal amount of amateur sections in the Northern California Golf Association.

Northern Californians have accrued over 230 tournament wins. They include World Golf Hall of Fame members; U.S. Amateur, British Amateur and Canadian Amateur champions, and three professionals who've shot 59 in tournament play. It's also home to some of the planet's most famous golf courses, all within a two- to three-hour drive.

Listed below are the professionals and amateurs who were either born, schooled or lived in Northern California during their golfing careers.

• Lawson Little: eight tournament wins, U.S. Open 1940, Hall of Fame - Stanford University
• Olin Dutra: 10 tour wins, PGA and U.S. Open Champion, Monterey.
• Johnny Miller: 32 tournament wins, U.S. Open, British Open, Hall Of Fame - Napa.
• Ken Venturi: 14 tournament wins, U.S. Open - Napa.
• Tony Lema: 19 tournament wins, British Open, Hall Of Fame - San Leandro.
• George Archer: 44 PGA and Senior Tour wins, Masters champion - Gilroy.
• Bob Rosburg: 10 tournament wins, PGA Champion - Palo Alto.
• Craig Stadler: 29 tournament wins, Masters winner - Lake Tahoe.
• Al Geiberger: 11 tournament wins, PGA Champion, first 59 on PGA Tour - born Red Bluff.
• Bob Lunn: six tournament wins, 3rd 1970 U.S. Open - Sacramento.
• Roger Maltbie: 12 tournament wins, Memorial tournament winner - San Jose.
• George Bayer: six tournament wins, Western Open winner - Incline Village, NV (NCPGA section)
• Rod Funseth: eight tournament wins - Napa.
• Jerry Heard: seven tournament wins, Colonial Invitational winner - Visalia.
• Bill Glasson: nine tournament wins - Fresno.
• Scott McCarron: seven tournament wins - Sacramento.
• Dick Lotz: four tournament wins - San Jose.
• Notah Begay: six tournament wins, shot 59 on the Nike Tour - Stanford University
• Bob Wynn: five tournament wins, B.C. Open winner - Danville
• Charlie Wi: seven tournament wins - University of California, Berkeley
• Peter Tomasulo: five tournament wins - University of California, Berkeley
• Don Whitt: three tournament wins - Oakland
• Mark Wiebe: three tournament wins - San Jose State University
• Michael Brannan: three tournament wins - Danville
• James Hahn: three tournament wins - University of California, Berkeley
• Nick Watney: 10 tournament wins, WGC Cadillac champion - born Dixon, Calif.
• Max Homa: one tournament win, qualifier 2015 PGA Tour, University of California, Berkeley

LPGA Professionals

• Patty Sheehan: 35 tournament wins, six majors, Hall of Fame - Reno, NV (NCPGA section)
• Julie Inkster: 39 tournament wins, four majors, LPGA Hall Of Fame, 1993 - Los Altos
• Paula Creamer: 11 tournament wins, one major - Pleasanton
• Pat Hurst: 11 tournament wins, one major - San Jose State University
• Natalie Glubis: three tournament wins, $1 million list 2005 - Granite Bay
• Christina Kim: three tournament wins - San Jose
• Dorthy Delasin: five tournament wins, World Cup winner, LPGA rookie of the year at age 19 - San Francisco

Notables Tournament Winners

• Bob Boldt: Northern California Open - Cal Berkeley, Yountville
• Rob Boldt: Newport Open Nike Tour - Walnut Creek
• Jason Boldt: 59 Vintners G.C. - Cal Berkeley, Yountville
• Kevin Sutherland: WGC Match Play winner, 59 on Senior Tour - Sacramento
• David Sutherland: Northern California Open - Sacramento
• Tim Norris: Greater Hartford Open - Fresno
• Mike Brannan: Moroccan Open - Danville
• Keith Clearwater: Colonial Invitational - Walnut Creek
• Ron Cerrudo: Moroccan Open - San Jose State University
• Mark Lye: two professional wins - San Jose State University
• Ross Randall: two tournament wins - San Jose State University
• Bobby Clampett: one tournament win, Golf Channel announcer - Monterey

Notables Amateurs

• Jack Neville: five California State Championships, designer Pebble Beach
• Casey Boyns: 16 NCGA championships - Monterey
• Randy Haag: six-time NCGA Player of the year, 14 NCGA championships
• Gary Vanier: California Amateur champion, record five San Francisco City Championships
• Sally Voss Krueger: California Amateur Champion, record 10 San Francisco City Championships
• Scott Hardy: seven NCGA Championships
• Darryl Donovan: seven NCGA Championships
• Jeff Burda: six NCGA Championships
• Tom Culligan: six NCGA Championships
• John Abendroth: Course record 62 Olympic Club, host of radio show "Hooked on Golf"

As for the golf courses, let's start from the Wine Country, proceed southwest to San Francisco, travel south along the Pacific Coast to the Monterey Peninsula, and finish our trip in the High Sierras and majestic Lake Tahoe.

Wine Country

• Sonoma Golf Club: Home of the Charles Schwab Senior Championship, Sam Whiting design, 7,082 yards, 137 slope
• Silverado Resort: Johnny Miller redesign, host of the PGA Tour's Frys.com Open and formerly the Senior Tour Transamerica, 36 Holes, North Course 7,171 yards, 139 slope, South Course 6,612 yards, 133 slope
• Mayacama: Jack Nicklaus design, 6,758 yards, 150 slope
• Vintner's Golf Club: Home of Bob Boldt, nine-hole golf course in scenic Yountville; also home of Napa Valley Hot Air Balloons, which launch from the first tee. Casey O'Callahan design, redesigned by Bob Boldt, black tees 6,013 yards, 123 slope
• Chardonnay: 27 holes, Algie Pulley design, 6,751, 137 slope

San Francisco

• Olympic Club: Host of five U.S. Opens, a real classic design, no water hazards or OBs. Sam Whitting, Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morris design, 7,087 yards, 140 slope
• San Francisco Golf Club: A.W. Tillinghast design, 6,828 yards, 137 slope
• Lake Merced: Willie Locke design, redesigned by Rees Jones, another classic course, 6,825 yards,133 slope
• California Club: classic design by Willie Locke with redesign by Kyle Phillips, 7,216 yards, 137 slope
• Harding Park: stepchild of and adjacent to Olympic Club, host of the President's Cup, Willie Watson design, redesigned by Sandy Tatum, 6,842 yards, 135 slope

Pacific Coast

• Half Moon Bay: 36 holes, designers Arthur Hill and Arnold Palmer, beautiful Oceanside location, 6,787 yards, 131 slope
• Pasatiempo: Alister MacKenzie design and where he lived, a truly great course that doesn't need 7,000 yards for its classic design; it's 6,478 with a 143 slope!

Monterey Peninsula

There is no piece of land like this anywhere in the world, home of old-style classic courses that blend into the Pacific Coast environment, picturesque settings. 17 Mile Drive, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, Monterey Peninsula C.C. (recently redesigned by Rees Jones with 14 holes bordering the ocean) and finally the Bayonet-Black Horse in Seaside, recently redesigned by Gene Bates and probably the most difficult course on the peninsula.

I have played most of the world's most famous courses - including venues for U.S. Opens, British Opens, Irish Open - and you will never see (and I hope play) any courses that compare to those on the Monterey Peninsula.

Sierras & Lake Tahoe

• Old Greenwood: Jack Nicklaus design, 7,518 yards, 140 slope, 75 course rating
• Lahontan: Tom Weiskopf design, 7,335 yards, slope 146, 76 course rating
• Edgewood Tahoe: George and Tom Fazio design, 7,426 yards, slope 142, 75 course rating, host of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship
• Incline Village: Robert Trent Jones design, 7,096 yards, slope146, 73.9 course rating
• Gray's Crossing: Peter Jacobsen, 7,466 yards, 143 slope
• Martis Camp: Tom Fazio design, 7,756 yards, 146 slope
• Schaffer's Mill Club: Johnny Miller, John Harbottle, 6,999 yards, 141 slope
• Montreux: Located in the foothills of Reno, Jack Nicklaus design, host of the PGA Reno-Tahoe Open, 7,472 yards, 141 slope.

Many of the courses here are open to the public; a telephone call or advance reservations would be advised or check the Internet for package deals.

If you are visiting the Wine Country or any other Northern California courses, e-mail me at bobboldt@gmail.com or call me at The Vintner's Golf Club at 707/944-1992.

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