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Golf in Palo Alto comes down to three names. Baylands Golf Links is the city's public course on the edge of the bay. Stanford Golf Course in the foothills is one of the most admired university courses in the country, but it is not open to the general public. Shoreline Golf Links just over the border in Mountain View is the other full-length public option nearby. Each has a very different feel and the access rules matter more than anything else when you plan a round.
This page covers the history and character of each, who can play and practical tips. Rates and tee time policies change often, so we link to the official sources rather than quote prices.
Baylands Golf Links
Baylands Golf Links sits at 1875 Embarcadero Road, inside the city's Baylands district east of Highway 101. The City of Palo Alto owns it. Day-to-day operations are run by a management company and the course appears on the Troon list of managed courses.
From muni to links
The course began as the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, designed by William F. Bell and opened in 1956. Like the nearby airport, it was built on former marshland that had been filled decades earlier. For years it was a plain, flat city course that locals simply called the muni.
The rebuild started as a flood control project. San Francisquito Creek runs right along the course and has a long history of flooding nearby neighborhoods. To make room for the creek work, the project shifted the creek closer to the course and raised the levees. The city used that opportunity to redesign the golf course as well. Architect Forrest Richardson reworked Bell's layout and the course reopened in 2018 as Baylands Golf Links after a renovation of nearly two years that cost close to $12 million, according to the course's operator.
What changed
The redesign turned a parkland course into something closer to a links. According to a 2017 report on the project in Golf Course Architecture magazine:
- More than 600 non-native trees were removed, opening the views to the bay and the hills.
- About 40 acres were replanted with native trees and grasses and wetlands were restored.
- Nearly 500,000 cubic yards of soil were moved to reshape the ground.
- The 18 holes include five par threes and five par fives.
- Holes 3 and 15 share a 20,000-square-foot double green. Hole 14 has two greens, one a punchbowl and one on a peninsula in a wetland.
Golf Digest lists the course at 6,681 yards from the longest tees. The wetlands and native grass have made the course friendlier to birds and wildlife and it is common to see egrets and hawks between shots. Our birdwatching guide covers the rest of the marsh.
Playing it
The course is flat and walkable, but wind is the main defense. Breezes off the bay pick up in the afternoon, so morning rounds play shorter and calmer. Small planes from the Palo Alto Airport next door pass overhead, which most golfers stop noticing after a few holes. Book through the course's own website or the major tee time services and check the course website for current rates and rules.
Stanford Golf Course
Stanford Golf Course opened on January 1, 1930, when the first foursome teed off. It was designed by George C. Thomas Jr. and William "Billy" Bell. The Bell name also appears on Palo Alto's muni, which is credited to William F. Bell. The course climbs through oaks in the foothills off Junipero Serra Boulevard and is home to Stanford's varsity golf teams. Tom Watson and Tiger Woods both played for Stanford.
Who can play
The course says it is open to current Stanford faculty, staff, students, members, alumni and their guests. There is no general public daily fee play. If you have no Stanford connection, the realistic route is an invitation from a member or affiliate.
The Learning Center
The practice facility is a different story. The Stanford Golf Learning Center is open to the public seven days a week. It has 50 driving stations, five target greens and lights for night practice. The listed address for the course is 91 Links Road, Stanford. Our Stanford Golf Course page has more on the course and its history.
Shoreline Golf Links, Mountain View
Shoreline Golf Links at 2940 North Shoreline Boulevard is the closest full-length public course to Palo Alto. It is a municipal course owned by the City of Mountain View, designed by Robert Trent Jones II and built in 1983. It plays as an 18-hole, par 72 layout of roughly 7,000 yards from the back tees.
The course sits inside Shoreline Regional Park, which Mountain View built on a former landfill and opened in 1983. It shares the park with Shoreline Lake, the historic Rengstorff House and miles of bay trails. The park is a protected wildlife area and does not allow pets anywhere inside the gate, even in cars. See our Mountain View guide for the rest of the city and our paddling guide for the lake.
The three courses compared
| Course | Owner | Who can play | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylands Golf Links | City of Palo Alto | Public | Flat bayside links, wind, wetlands |
| Stanford Golf Course | Stanford University | Stanford affiliates, members and guests | Classic 1930 foothill course among oaks |
| Shoreline Golf Links | City of Mountain View | Public | Par 72 bayside course in a regional park |
Planning a first round in Palo Alto
If you are in town for a few days and want one round, Baylands Golf Links is the obvious choice. It is about ten minutes from downtown by car, it is public and the bay views are unlike anything else in the area. Book a morning tee time, then walk the boardwalk at the nature center afterward.
If you only want to hit balls, the Stanford Golf Learning Center is the easiest public practice facility near the university, with lights for evening sessions. Pair it with dinner downtown.
If your group wants a longer course, drive south to Shoreline Golf Links in Mountain View, which plays to roughly 7,000 yards from the back tees. If you are traveling without clubs, ask the pro shop about rentals and carts before you book, since equipment and policies can change.
Private clubs
The hills west of town hold several private country clubs, including the one in the Palo Alto Hills neighborhood. These are members only, with guest play by invitation. If you are visiting for business, ask your host whether guest play is possible.
Tips for golfers
Good to know
- Book ahead on weekends. Morning tee times at both public courses go first.
- Expect wind by the bay. Both Baylands and Shoreline get breezy in the afternoon. Morning is calmer.
- Weather is golf-friendly year round. Rain falls mostly from November to March. See our weather guide.
- Getting there. Neither public course is close to Caltrain. Most golfers drive. Our getting around guide covers rideshare and transit.
- Rates and rules change. Check the course websites for current prices, resident discounts and dress codes before you go.
After a round at Baylands, the rest of the Baylands Nature Preserve is a few minutes away for a sunset walk on the boardwalk.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a public golf course in Palo Alto?
Yes. Baylands Golf Links at 1875 Embarcadero Road is the city-owned public course. It replaced the old Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course after a rebuild led by architect Forrest Richardson that was finished in 2018. Tee times and rates are on the course's booking pages.
Can the public play Stanford Golf Course?
Not as walk-up daily fee golfers. The course says it is open to current Stanford faculty, staff, students, members, alumni and their guests. The Stanford Golf Learning Center, the practice facility, is open to the public seven days a week.
Why was the Palo Alto golf course rebuilt?
The course sits beside San Francisquito Creek, which has a long history of flooding. A flood control project moved the creek and raised the levees, which meant reworking the golf course. The city used the work to redesign it as Baylands Golf Links with restored wetlands and native plantings.
What other public golf courses are near Palo Alto?
Shoreline Golf Links in Mountain View is the closest full-length public course. It is a Robert Trent Jones II design owned by the City of Mountain View, with 18 holes at par 72. It sits in Shoreline Park beside Shoreline Lake.
Is Baylands Golf Links windy?
Often. The course sits on the edge of the bay and wind usually builds in the afternoon, especially in spring and summer. Morning tee times are calmer. Bring a layer even on warm days.