“In the year 2525…”, oh wait, that is the title of a song. But in the year 2026, the Northern California Golf Association will mark four milestones: 125 years, 60 years, 40 years and 30 years.
On April 5, 1901, the NCGA was formed when five regional golf clubs – Menlo CC, Oakland GC (now Claremont CC), Presidio GC, Linda Vista (now San Jose CC) and San Francisco GC – joined forces with the specific purpose of entering the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, one of the earliest major amateur golf competitions on the West Coast. Each of these clubs has had a rich history and has made many contributions to the NCGA.
Moving ahead, it was on June 1, 1986, that the directors of the NCGA realized their strong desire to provide world-class golf for its members. And with that, Poppy Hills was born. Poppy Hills has since become the home of numerous NCGA championships. But it also has hosted other marquee events such as the 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where it served as one of the courses in the rotation from 1991 to 2009. The course continues to shine following a major renovation in 2014 that transformed it from good to great.
In 1996, Poppy Ridge was opened to the world. Originally a 27-hole complex in the beautiful hills of the Livermore Valley, Poppy Ridge like Poppy Hills has been the main connection to the NCGA for many members. The course underwent a complete redesign last year under the watchful eyes of architect Jay Blasi and Steve Schroeder, COO of Poppy Holding Inc.
Today, all 230,000-plus NCGA members have a second world-class golf facility they can call home. This July, to take things full circle, Poppy Ridge will host the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship.
It is only fitting that the NCGA hosts the tournament that catalyzed our existence. Without this tournament and the foresight of those five original clubs, the NCGA would not be the organization we are today.
As you can see, 2026 is a banner year for milestones. We will crown champions, enjoy traveling to distant golf destinations and host major golf events. And more importantly, be the organization that gets to serve the greatest group of golfers there is—the NCGA membership.
Before I forget, let me explain the fourth milestone. In the summer of 1976, I joined the NCGA as a 15-year-old to obtain a Handicap Index so I could play in tournaments. Now, 50 years later, I have the incredible honor of serving as the 98th president of the NCGA. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever imagine I would be where I am with the wonderful game. Golf is truly a game for a lifetime
Thank you for your membership! I hope you join us in celebrating what will be a year of milestones.
