Metropolitan Golf Links — Local services in Oakland

Metropolitan's newly-launched TV ad campaign includes the line "The course combines the look-and-feel of a Carnoustie with the challenges of a St Andrews or a Pebble Beach." Folks, let me tell you: I've played both Carnoustie AND the Old Course, and to even include 'The Met' in the SAME SENTENCE as those two courses is just about enough to make me puke.

It's a VERY pedestrian links layout (though there are no "bad" holes), pace of play is ATROCIOUS (5:00 is the norm, 4:00 is almost unheard of), but the biggest problem is that CourseCo overwaters the course to no end. You'll be lucky to get even a yard of roll on the soggy fairways & there are plenty of areas where overwatering has turned grass completely into mud. I'd guess that the fairways are a minimum of 1&1/2", which makes run-up shots and putts from anything more than a foot off the green impossible to play.

The only redeeming factor of the entire course is the only grass driving range in the inner East Bay (which is closed in favor of mats on Tuesdays--a word...

The more I play metro the more I like it. It is a walkable course (I use a push cart) unlike Chabot and Tilden. Better value for your golf dollar than Corica. There are some holes that vex me, 6 and 14 especially.

Most of the course is lovely and park-like but on the back nine you feel a bit stuck in an industrial area. If you can get an early morning tee time it is just magnificent, and there are a lot of birds, and the fox is on the 11th hole.

Metro is a long course to walk, but flat.

The greens are in good shape. Fairways get dry with the California drought. it is a low lying area so if it is raining this course will be a bit soggy.

The only grass practice area I know of. Two good-sized putting practice greens, and just about the ugliest pitching and chipping practice area you’ll ever find!

Staff is very friendly. good golf course food, I hope they add more shaded outdoor tables.

Good value, good pace of play. if you’re coming to the East Bay to play golf,...

Good, but not great course. Much like the first some reviews have said- the course is heavily overwatered, but so are all east bay munis. The course doesn't seem to handle traffic well, but I've played it in less than 4 hours- and walked off after 9 holes because it was slow.

The front nine does play like a links style course- and will let you play short of the pin. The back 9 is a little bit different. 10 is a terrible hole, 14 isn't great, but the rest are pretty good. All in all- the course is one that can drive you crazy as you play it more. One time you will play it and just eat it up, the next time you begin to wonder if you know how to play golf at all.

If you expecting Half Moon Bay- sorry- it isn't that. If you're looking for just a nice course on a weekday afternoon- this...