Graveyard of Champions. That’s the nickname hanging in the Olympic Club’s grand clubhouse. It hints at the heartbreak and foiled favorites that define this storied golf course. Welcome to the Olympic Club Golf Course in San Francisco.
Founded in 1860, the Olympic Club wasn’t always about golf. It started as an athletic club. It built a reputation for elite amateur teams in football, basketball, and rugby. Golf came later in 1918. The downtown-based club took control of the Lakeside Golf Club. It was on the western fringes of the city. In 1924, the single course expanded. It became two 18-hole layouts. These are the Lake Course and the Ocean Course.
Since then, the Olympic Club has become a legendary venue. It has staged two Tour Championships. Three U.S. Amateurs also took place here. Plus, there was the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. The U.S. Open has been held here five times. All were on the Lake Course. This was in 1955, 1966, 1987, 1998, and 2012. The Olympic Club welcomed its first U.S. Women’s Open in the summer of 2021.
In 1955, Jack Fleck, a municipal course pro from Iowa, beat Ben Hogan. Hogan sought his fifth U.S. Open title. Gene Sarazen congratulated Hogan. But Fleck birdied two of his final four holes. He forced an 18-hole playoff. Fleck won by three the next day. A photo shows Hogan hacking out of the rough.
In 1966, Arnold Palmer led by seven with nine holes to play. He staggered through that stretch. Billy Casper caught him. Palmer lost in a playoff.
In 1987, Tom Watson fell to Scott Simpson by one. In 1998, Payne Stewart closed with a 74. Lee Janzen won his second U.S. Open. On the 5th hole, Janzen’s drive nested in a cypress tree. The ball dropped to safety.
In 2012, Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell played in the final pairing. Both came undone. Furyk hooked a 3-wood into the bushes on the 16th. Webb Simpson won. A man in a colorful outfit photo-bombed the trophy presentation.
The Olympic Club is private. It is not the city’s most exclusive course. Access can be difficult. The problem isn’t stuffiness. It’s supply and demand. There are limited guest tee times on the Lake Course.
The Ocean Course is more player-friendly. The Cliffs Course is a 9-hole par-3 course. It overlooks the ocean. The shortest course at the Olympic Club is entertaining.
The Lake Course is hard. The opening hole is a par-5. Descriptions mention holes that dogleg. The par-4 4th bends left but tilts right. The par-4 5th shapes the other way.
Many trees have been removed. The course plays through cypress and eucalyptus. Missing the fairway is not recommended. Driving is important. There is only one fairway bunker.
Members speak of signature looks. The right side of the opening hole offers views. You can see the ocean, the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Lake Merced lies to your right. TPC Harding Park is on the other side of it.
After the opening hole, the next par-5 is the 16th. A small tee box was used in 2012. It stretched the hole to 671 yards.
Birdie-binges are uncommon. Feasting is encouraged. The burger dog is served at the 10th green. It is a hamburger on a hot dog bun. It’s nothing fancy but singular.
The Olympic Club is more than a golf course. It’s an athletic powerhouse. The Olympic Club is about sports and competition, not social climbing.
Lost in the playoff of 1966 was the fact that Tony Lema finished fourth. Teenager Johnny Miller finished tied for eighth.
People talk about the Olympic Club being a short course. They haven’t dealt with the damp air and thick trees. They don’t know the endless dogleg par-4s.
The trees have been thinned over the years. The greens were resurfaced with bentgrass.
Miller predicted the Open will be won by a player who can hit fairways. There are few level lies. The rough is always tough. Expect the unexpected. Remember the “Graveyard of Champions.” The Olympic Club Golf Course offers both heartbreak and hope.