Gleneagles Golf Course opened in February 1962 as McLaren Park Golf Course, the youngest of San Francisco's municipal courses and the most expensive nine-hole build of its day at more than $500,000. Jack Fleming, who ran construction for Alister MacKenzie at Cypress Point, cut the layout into the southern slope of McLaren Park. In 1980 the city leased the struggling course to Erik de Lambert, who renamed it after his favorite course in Scotland, added a second tee box on every hole to allow 18-hole play, and opened a Scottish-style pub in the clubhouse. Tom Hsieh's group took over in December 2004 and rebuilt the failing greens in bentgrass in 2010.

On the course

The par-36 nine plays every bit of its reputation. Fairways are narrow, tree- and brush-lined, and canted so severely that flat lies are rare, while kikuyu rough grabs anything offline. The course's own notes call the 577-yard dogleg-left sixth perhaps the most difficult par 5 in Northern California, and the ninth climbs 442 yards uphill into the wind to a two-tiered green with a few paces of usable depth per tier. Fleming's small greens run firm and fast and tilt in every direction, and afternoon wind and fog make everything play longer. Dual tees stretch 18 holes to just under 6,000 yards at par 72.

Who it suits

Long dubbed the toughest nine holes in America, a line Lee Trevino is said to have endorsed, Gleneagles is where San Francisco golfers go to be examined. Fees are modest for the challenge, the nine-hole walk is hilly but short, and the clubhouse scene of regulars and money games is part of the draw. Reviewers call it far harder than the yardage suggests; beginners should expect a stern day.

There is no driving range, only a practice putting green, so the course itself is the education. The clubhouse pub pours an extensive single-malt selection at friendly prices plus craft beer, and the bartender doubles as the tee-time desk. Pick Gleneagles for the sternest, most characterful nine in the city and a proper 19th hole.

Architect: Jack Fleming · Opened: 1962