Shoreline Golf Links opened in 1983 as the centerpiece of Mountain View's 750-acre Shoreline regional park, built on land reclaimed from a closed municipal landfill at the edge of San Francisco Bay. Robert Trent Jones Jr. and his associates designed the course, and the layout was refined in a 1987 renovation that sharpened its links character. The course remains city-owned; Touchstone Golf ran daily operations from 2011 until KemperSports took over the management contract after acquiring Touchstone in 2025.

On the course

This is genuine links-style golf by Bay Area standards: flat, nearly treeless, and fully exposed to the afternoon wind that pours off the bay. The scorecard stretches to 7,008 yards at par 72 with a 74.2 rating, among the longest public setups in the South Bay, though the 129 slope tells you the ground itself is not the enemy. Wide fairways and doglegs invite the driver, some 16 acres of water hazards punish the careless, a 50-acre sailing lake borders the tenth hole, and two-tiered greens put a premium on approach distance control.

Who it suits

The flat terrain makes Shoreline one of the easiest walks in the region, and walking is welcome. Reviewers are honest about the trade-offs: wind can turn the course into a different animal after noon, pace slows at peak times, and the resident geese and ground squirrels leave their mark on fairway lies. Play in the morning for calmer air and better pace. It suits long hitters wanting a full-length test and anyone who enjoys flighting shots in the wind.

Practice facilities are comprehensive, with a driving range, putting green, chipping area, and practice bunker, plus group classes and private lessons through the golf shop. Michaels Bar & Grill handles food and drink beside the course. Choose Shoreline when you want maximum yardage and true wind golf in the middle of the tech corridor; if you need shelter and trees, this is not that course.

Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr. · Opened: 1983