From Great Golf to Exquisite Events, the Berkeley Country Club Marks a Century of Innovation

In the early years of the 20th century, UC Berkeley professor Robert Hunter had an idea for a startup: bring a group of like-minded golfing enthusiasts and liberal thinkers together and create a remarkable golfing destination and social clubhouse. It would be located in the verdant hills not far from the UC campus, and its design would rival the greatest courses of Scotland and Ireland.

Buoyed by their shared love for the game, a passion for fine food and drink, and an appreciation for open and lively discussion, Hunter and 12 friends – aided by renowned golf course designer William "Willie" Watson and Bay Area architect Walter Ratcliff, Jr. – went to work on their Golden Age masterpiece. The result: a beautiful and challenging golf course anchored by a Tudor-style clubhouse that would serve as their social "hearth and home."

This summer, as the storied Berkeley Country Club prepares to officially mark its centennial, it is this founding spirit of competition and camaraderie that continue to define the member experience.

First, the Golf…

Superbly routed over natural terrain and incorporating breathtaking 360º views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate, Mt. Tamalpais and Wildcat Canyon, the Berkeley Country Club golf course is unmatched in Northern California sporting circles. The course underwent a comprehensive restoration in 2011 that received national praise and recognition, including the "Award for Excellence" from the prestigious American Golf Architects Association.

The 18-holes, Par 72 course features 6,508 yards of golf from the longest tees, with a slope rating of 133 on Rye grass, and deceptively difficult greens. Playable for all skill levels, the terrain offers no shortage of challenge or character, with the hills and mature trees shaping the layout and making for rounds that have always been breathtaking and are never boring.

"The Berkeley Country Club is one of the best kept secrets in Northern California. The course is absolutely superb and a challenge for golfers of every ability."