History

Harding Park began hosting major amateur tournaments soon after opening–most notably, the USGA National Public Links Championship, and the San Francisco City Championship, the oldest consecutively played competition in the world.

In 1944, the course began hosting PGA TOUR tournaments with the Victory Open. Shortly after, the course established itself as one of the top golf courses on the West Coast; where it became a regular stop for PGA TOUR events up until the end of the decade, when budgetary cuts caused the course to fall into poor conditions. The course further deteriorated, reaching its lowest point in 1998, when it was used as a parking lot during the U.S. Open at Olympic Club.

At the turn of the century was thus born the roller coaster known as the renovation of Harding Park. In an effort to restore Harding Park to its former glory, Frank “Sandy” Tatum, a respective lawyer, accomplished golfer, and former USGA President, rallied together local businesses and political leaders, the USGA, the San Francisco Recreation and Park, and the PGA TOUR’s Tim Finchem. Tatum played his game right, thoughtfully utilizing his resources and strategically holding a tournament there to quickly pump some serious cash into the local economy. Finchem enjoyed the idea of re-establishing a presence in the Bay Area market, and also entertained the idea of playing high-profile tournament at a truly public course. Negotiation ensued to gain approval from mayor Willie Brown, allowing Arnold Palmer Golf Management to renovate and operate the park. Further disputes opposed, in fear that Palmer’s involvement would represent privatization of a municipally-owned golf course, later causing Palmer to back out.

Finally, convincing the board that the renovations would generate revenue for the city by attracting the PGA TOUR to host professional golf events, Proposition 12—passing in 2000 to fund parks across California—would alleviate debates over funding.

Combined efforts resulted in a $16 million restoration in 2002-2003 featuring a complete re-design to the course. The result was a highly acclaimed championship course that maintains the character and integrity of the original layout, but incorporates design elements and infrastructure to accommodate today’s players. The 15-month project to expand the course from 6,743 yards to nearly 7,200 yards in length, enhancing the driving range, clubhouse and restaurant, upgrading the nine-hole layout of Fleming, and later establishing the First Tee of San Francisco in 2004, a unique youth development program that uses golf to teach students life skills and values. Harding Park Golf Course officially reopened August 22, 2003. Since its recent renovations, TPC Harding Park is championship-worthy once again, hosting several PGA TOUR events such as, the WGC-American Express Championship, the President’s Cup, and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in 2010 and 2011.

Through it all, Harding Park culminated its remarkable rebound by recently being added to the PGA TOUR’s prestigious TPC Network of clubs in November of 2010. TPC Harding Park became the 32nd club in the TPC Network of courses. Entering a partnership between the PGA TOUR and the City of San Francisco, TPC Harding Park is operating under no management fees; thus, allowing both the city and the TOUR to give back to local communities through charitable donations.

Past Champions

Charles Schwab Cup Championship
The 2013 tournament marks the 24th Anniversary of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and as the event celebrates two decades, tournament officials are pleased, to return over $750,000 to local Bay Area non-profit organizations, which brings the cumulative giving total to more $3 million.  After a year away, TPC Harding Park will once again play host to the culminating event on PGA TOUR Champions.  Join us November 2013 to see the Top 30 players of the season compete in the final event of the year!  Both a winner of the tournament, as well as the year-long Charles Schwab Cup winner, will be crowned at TPC Harding Park on November 3.

San Francisco City Championship
The San Francisco City Golf Championship is an annual golf tournament hosted by the City of San Francisco. Inaugurated in 1917, the event is the country’s oldest municipal golf tournament. The field for the tournament is broken into three separate divisions: Men’s Championship, Men’s Senior, Women’s, and an Open Division.

The tournament is a multiple day event taking place at two historical San Francisco Municipal Golf Courses – TPC Harding Park and Lincoln Golf Course. The field is primarily comprised of Northern California’s finest amateur golfers; however, players of national and international heritage occasionally compete for the title simply known as “The City”. Golfers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to compete in this long running historical tournament.

Past champions include 1964 US Open Champion Ken Venturi, 1999 US Women’s Open Champion Julie Inkster, and 1969 Masters Champion George Archer. For more information on this year’s event and how to sign up, please visit www.sfgolfchampionship.com