Tony Lema at Monarch Bay Golf Club

Tony Lema at Monarch Bay Golf Club occupies a hillside site in San Leandro, part of the East Bay region southeast of Oakland. The course was designed by John Harbottle III and William F. Bell and takes its name from the professional golfer Tony Lema, a Bay Area native who won the 1964 Open Championship at St Andrews before his death in a plane crash in 1966. The layout reflects the work of Bell, a prolific California architect whose designs from the mid-twentieth century often emphasized playability across varied terrain, and Harbottle, who contributed to several Northern California projects during the same era.

The routing works across rolling topography with elevation changes that provide views of the surrounding East Bay hills and, on clear days, glimpses of San Francisco Bay. The design incorporates natural contours into hole strategy, with doglegs and approach angles shaped by the land. Tree-lined fairways define playing corridors, and greens feature modest undulation typical of the period's architectural style.

Monarch Bay serves as a public facility, making the course accessible to a broad range of golfers in the East Bay. The layout offers a straightforward test without excessive length, suitable for regular play and local competition. The Tony Lema name connects the course to regional golf history and honors one of the area's most accomplished players from the 1960s.