
Tony Lema Course
Monarch Bay Golf Club


About this course
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.
Quick facts
- Location
- San Leandro, CA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 2001
- Holes
- 18
- Designer(s)
- John Harbottle III, William Francis Bell
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 7,015 yards
- Difficulty
- 74.1/128
- Course Vaults score
- 6.3
Getting there
Most visitors to Monarch Bay Golf Club arrive through Oakland International Airport, just fifteen minutes north across the bay's industrial flatlands, though San Francisco International offers a slightly longer but equally viable gateway from the west. The drive traces the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay along Interstate 880, where container cranes and wetland preserves share the horizon in quintessentially East Bay fashion. As you exit toward San Leandro's residential hills, the urban grid quickly gives way to winding streets that climb into the eucalyptus-dotted ridgeline, where Monarch Bay reveals itself as an unexpected sanctuary perched above the sprawl - a municipal course reborn with championship ambition and sweeping views that stretch from the bay to the distant peaks of the Diablo Range.

FAQ
Common questions about Tony Lema at Monarch Bay Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Tony Lema at Monarch Bay Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 6.3 out of 10 based on 15 logged golfers.
Tony Lema was designed by John Harbottle III and William Francis Bell.
Yes. Tony Lema at Monarch Bay Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Tony Lema is 71.
Tony Lema plays 7,015 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Tony Lema is 128.



