Martin Miller
Martin Miller
Martin Miller
Meadow Club
Fairfax, CA • Private
Overview
About a half hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Meadow Club opened in 1927 as Alister MacKenzie’s first design in the United States. Over the years, the original treeless links-style layout was lost as many trees were planted and greens shrunk, but a restoration project in the early 2000s recaptured much of MacKenzie’s original intent. Architect Mike DeVries expanded the greens to their original size and restored the bunkers to MacKenzie’s intended style. Set in a valley near Mount Tamalpais, Meadow Club once again plays as a sprawling design with large, undulating greens and well-placed MacKenzie bunkering.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 2017-'18; 2025-'26.
Highest ranking: 193rd, 2017-'18.
Previous ranking: Not ranked nationally.
2025-'26 ranking: 197th.
Best in State: Ranked 27th, 2021-'22. Ranked 28th, 2017-'18, 2023-'24. Ranked 29th, 2019-'20. Ranked inside the top 30, 1997. Ranked 32nd, 2015-'16. Ranked 34th, 2013-'14. Ranked 39th, 2011-'12.
Previous ranking: 28th.
2025-'26 ranking: 22nd.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“I didn’t have any expectations for this course as we booked the tee time since we were playing N. California McKenzie courses this week. Mountain valley setting was a pleasure and the lodge/cabin feel of the clubhouse just added to the overall scenic/classic vibe. Course note - they have been removing trees and cleaning up site lines so 2 holes were closed today."
Read More2025
Review
“Lovely course in the middle of the California mountains north of San Fran. I know they have been actively removing tree plantings from the interior and the course will only improve as this process continues. The options for going at certain pin placement or currently stifled by rows of trees."
Read More2024
Review
“The Meadow Club is the first golf course Alister Mackenzie designed in North America. It’s located in the hills of Fairfax, CA and it’s a really beautiful golf course. It’s one of only seven courses in America that you never see a house while playing the course. There are lots of families of deer throughout the course which is cool to see too."
Read More2023
Review
“Architect-Alister MacKenzie and Robert Hunter, 1927, his first course design in North America. Located in Marin County, in Fairfax, California just 30 minutes north of San Francisco. Located near the base of Mount Tamalpais and in the Bon Tempe meadow. A gem of an old school course, in a serene setting with nice elevation changes and beautifully sculpted and strategically placed bunkers."
Read More2022
Review
“A very nice club course if not a bit overrated due to the lack of other quality golf courses in Marin County. Very peaceful, lovely setting. The course has its high points, but chokes in and gets tight in too many places to be truly great."
Read More2018
Review
“Am surprised to revise my numbers upward as much as this, but it has been three years since my last visit and The Meadow Club remains a wonderful work in progress. Where many courses close to renovate, Meadow has been doing so for several years as members strive to restore Mackenzie's original intent. The course runs through a beautiful mountain meadow watershed. There are no homes. It is idyllic. Aesthetics are off the chart, but I held back with a 9. They have removed trees, opened holes, built additional tees, created more options and routes, added, and naturalized bunkers. They have shaved down the approach areas around greens, increasing both the dangers from errant shots, and also the player interest in recovering from them. Fairways are very straight-forward, laying out challenges. Bounces are fair. Bunkering is logical along the 'line of charm'. While the course lacks any one great, epic hole, it plays evenly and fairly, with a wonderful rhythm and, as a whole, is totally unique. My improved number for shot values number reflects the importance of placing balls in proper green positions on greens. They're large, complex, mystifying in places, steeply sloped, but not so fast as to be unfair. That also added to my score for design variety. We're uphill, downhill, rights, lefts, a big par-3 over water...sheesh. I would score higher for for conditioning, but bunkers were not consistent. Otherwise, perfect. High number for Ambience due to all the programs this course runs to improve golf and grow the game. It's just very cordial without being snooty. The course is easily walkable, often featuring step-downs from greens to tees. Just one panelist's opinion hoping he does not become an outlier. 7//2015 I still think this course is underrated. Top 100? Probably not. But I wanted to return based on subtle updates to the course and also our new conditioning standards. This course has done an excellent job of adapting to the California drought without impacting play. And, the new walk-off from the 11th green to the 12th teeing ground is going to be classic. MacKenzie's first course in California is quite subtle, and, in my opinion, underrated. This is just a wonderful place to play golf. Meadow Club course runs through valley and watershed on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County. MC has done a masterful job of restoration, particularly in bringing back the original bunkers, and more will follow. The course is about to begin a two year project to remove trees, open vistas, and bring more of the creeks back into play. Have played it twice, this year. Conditioning improved the second time. Not too green, nor too brown., and fair all around, with closely cut run up areas around greens. Native areas flourish between holes."
Read More2018
