Sharp Park golf course is a unique, rare municipal links in Pacifica, California. Originally designed by Alister MacKenzie, the course had different routing. In 1941, a storm damaged four holes adjacent to the beach. The current routing instead has those for holes in the valley east of the course. This is also why the turn of the course occurs at the 10th hole instead of the 9th.
The course surrounds Laguna Salada, a lagoon which is home to two endangered species: the San Francisco garter snake, and the California red-legged frog. There are marked environmental penalty areas surrounding this lagoon, and golfers may not enter the area for the protection of the wildlife.
In 2014, Golfweek Magazine listed Sharp Park as one of America's 50 Greatest Municipal Courses.
"The municipal courses in San Francisco are far superior to most municipal courses. The newest, which we constructed at Sharp Park, was made on land reclaimed from the sea, similar to the Lido course...
The course now has a great resemblance to real links land. Some of the holes are most spectacular... In designing and constructing the course, we had the greatest assistance from Mr. John Maclaren, the designer of the Golden Gate Park. John Maclaren is an artist, and his help not only in the artistic planting of trees but in creating other delightful features was most valuable."