A San Francisco Giant
Lake Merced Golf Club sits in arguably the most golf-rich zip code in America. San Francisco Golf Club, TPC Harding Park and all 36 holes at The Olympic Club crowd into a few square miles, and there’s no doubt that Lake Merced belongs with them. Gil Hanse’s restoration of Alister MacKenzie’s 1929 design has fully settled, and the course is playing just as the good doctor ordered. For our third visit here, we’ll spend a full day revisiting a Golden Age original that has reasserted itself as one of the Bay Area’s best.
The Lake Merced Experience
7:00-8:45 AM: Check In
Grab your gift bags, eat some breakfast, and get warmed up
9:00 AM: Shotgun Start
18 holes on Dr. MacKenzie’s beauty by the Bay
1:30 PM: Lunch
Meet some new playing partners and fuel up for the afternoon round
2:30 PM: Free Play
Squeeze in as much golf as daylight allows
Lake Merced
Members can register for this event between January 27-29. Selections will be made on 1/29 at 9AM PT.
Pricing
$875
BTS Club Championship qualifying site
Included in this experience
- 27 holes at Lake Merced
- On-course refreshments and snacks
- Breakfast and lunch
- Cocktail reception and dinner
- Beer provided by Golden Road Brewing
- Golf carts (caddies available by request)
- Awards for low gross and net teams
- Gifts from TGJ & partners
How to Register
- You must be an active Premium member to register for and attend the Lake Merced event. Not yet a member? Join here.
- Premium members can place reservation requests from January 27 at 9 a.m. ET to January 29 at 9 a.m. ET.
- You may request up to four spots.
- Singles are encouraged to place reservation requests.
- Entries must be paid within 24 hours of receiving the notification email to avoid forfeiting your position in the event.
“Lake Merced is one of my favorite golf courses in the world.”Bryson DeChambeau
An additional thank you to our event partners:
Yardage Book: No. 13 at Lake Merced
Gil Hanse tells the story of restoring what Alister MacKenzie described as one of the most beautiful par 3s in the world
FAQs
Event Registration & Waitlist Policy
TGJ Premium member events have a limited number of spots. Here’s how registration works:
How to Request a Spot
• Reservation requests open at a set time and close at the deadline.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to select your party size and enter your details.
• You must be a Premium member and logged in to your golfersjournal.com account to submit a request.
Selection & Payment
• The field is chosen by random drawing. Selected members will be notified via email or text.
• If selected, you have 24 hours to complete registration and payment.
• Failure to pay will result in automatic forfeiture of your spot.
Automatic Waitlist
• All unselected members are automatically added to the waitlist—no extra steps are needed.
• If a spot opens, a new member will be randomly selected from the waitlist.
• There is no set order to the waitlist.
• Members who miss the initial registration window are welcome to join the waitlist at anytime prior to the event..
How will I be notified?
Winners will be notified by email & SMS (if BTS text message alerts are enabled).
Sign up for text alerts to be notified first about event selections here.
How many spots can I purchase?
You may purchase up to four spots.
Does my guest have to be a member?
Yes, all guests must be active Premium TGJ members. The best way to bring a non-member guest is to gift them a Premium TGJ membership.
Can I attend as a single?
Yes, almost 50% of event attendees are singles. Bring a friend or come make some new ones. Otherwise, you will be paired with another BTS member at random.
Can I request to be paired with another twosome?
If you have another person or team you’d like to be grouped with, please submit the request on the Guest Details form on the Players Room following your purchase.
Are there handicap / skill requirements?
Players of all skillsets and handicaps are welcome to register. We only ask you are respectful, have fun and keep up with the group ahead of you.
There will be double-bogey max scoring in place.
We require a GHIN or other accredited handicap to participate in the NET division.
What is the information for booking a caddie / cart?
Caddies are extremely limited and available upon request. The caddie fee is $150 per bag inclusive of gratuity and are paid directly to your caddie in cash.
Golf carts and push carts are available but limited. Please email events@golfersjournal.com to request.
What is the nearest airport to Lake Merced?
The closest airport is San Francisco International Airport, located approximately 8 miles from the course.
For those considering alternate options, Oakland International Airport is about 26 miles away and may offer more flexible flight times or rental car availability.
- Rideshare services and rentals are available at both.
- If you’re looking to carpool with fellow BTS members, drop a note in the Clubhouse / App in the Lake Merced Player’s Room—we’re always happy to connect travelers.
What is the cancellation policy?
- If you need to cancel your spot, please email us at events@golfersjournal.com.
- Refunds will be processed minus a 5% processing fee.
- Within 30 days of the event, a 10% cancellation fee will apply to filled spots.
- Refunds inside 14 days are not guaranteed and are at the discretion of the club.
What is not included?
Airfare, lodging, caddies, and alcohol (unless specified) are not included in the price.
