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Sunken Gardens Golf Course

3.5 star rating
based on 37 reviews

Category: Golf  [Edit]

1010 S Wolfe Rd
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408) 739-6588
Good for Kids:
Yes

37 reviews for Sunken Gardens Golf Course

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Photo of Hogan W.

Elite '09

399

136

Hogan W.

Los Altos, CA

5 star rating
10/7/2009

I'm only reviewing their driving range here. Simple and Cheap.

I came here today after thinking of what to do. It was a nice sunny afternoon around 3pm and there was a light breeze, so I figured what the heck and drove myself to this hidden location. When you drive along Wolfe Rd, it's easy to miss. So just drive slow after El Camino Real and look for the sign on the right if you come from Hwy 280.
Surrounded by residential homes, their driving range is nothing out of the ordinary. The markers stop at 200 yards and if you can drive your ball any further, the high nets catch your ball. If you can drive the ball higher than and past the nets, I want to meet you. The driving range stalls are divided by nets. The nets won't let you hit a ball stray, but its great for practicing to hit a ball straight. They have rubber mats, and make sure you bring some rubber tees. Most of the time, extra tees are left out and about. A bucket of balls is cheap. I always get the $8 bucket for 110 balls. Nowhere else is that cheap. If you don't bring exact change, you have to walk over to the golf shop. No demo clubs are available. They have a small restaurant which I've never tried. Public restrooms are outside and stinky most of the time.

Overall, if you're just looking for a golf range to practice hitting/driving a ball straight, this is the place for you. Most of the people that play here are beginners from what I've gathered. Good for groups.

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Photo of Flo R. K.

 

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29

Flo R. K.

Sunnyvale, CA

5 star rating
9/9/2009

What can you say about a cheap municipal white trash-friendly golf course that hasn't already been said?

It's not perfect, but if you want perfect you go somewhere owned and run privately.

My party was running on the slow side (however, we were still within our 2 hr slot) and got heckled by some drunk retired dudes. So I'll give it a +1 star just for the heckling.  The trick to drinking for free/cheap here is to know that they serve canned domestic beers (e.g. coors). You are allowed to drink beers on the course "purchased at the bar" - meaning if they can't figure out you brought it, it's a go. Just call ahead and make sure they have "your beer" at the bar.

Now that you are sufficiently inebriated you can golf in this fine 3 star muni golf course at your leisure. Rent clubs for $9 more/person, and at $16/person it's still not too bad for a game of 9 hole. I haven't tried the driving range yet.

The staff is... less than impressive. I mentioned to them that our party was heckled (mostly to see what their "complaint" process was) and the two staffers started a)implicitly accusing us of provoking them ("What did you say to them?!") and b)copping a super bad attitude and engaging in a Nixon style cover up. I was basically told there was nothing we could do, that the other party "had a reservation" and that we were "slid in".  Hell, I should give them another star for their dramatics. Shit, I will. This is a 5 star course!

So, in addition to bringing your own cheap beer masked as course beer, I recommend making a phone-res so you can get the counter drones to cover up for your drunken boorishness (should anyone complain).

Do it for the lulz.

Photo of Jonathan D.

Elite '09

164

158

Jonathan D.

Berkeley, CA

3 star rating
8/4/2009

Good practice course because it is almost all short game with only one hole where a driver made any sense at all.  Small greens and relatively tight fairways make for fun short game play.  There were eight of us and we spent more time on the beach than we had hoped (they had imported some kind of magnetic sand that literally pulled the ball into the sand trap as it sailed overhead).

Simple fun course, good start to a bachelor party.

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60

annie c.

Palo Alto, CA

4 star rating
10/27/2009

great short course for new golfers. the course itself feels surprisingly serene for being in the middle of sunnyvale. as the name would suggest, the course has some drainage problems after a rain.

the practice putting green is huge and very smooth. one of the best practice greens i've seen. the driving range is pretty small and has all this netting to keep you from balls off the range. the range balls feel kinda weird. i tihnk they're some sort of limited flight balls.

Photo of Joe P.

 

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17

Joe P.

Sunnyvale, CA

3 star rating
8/15/2009

The driving range at Sunken Gardens is probably the worst range in America. The infamous nets that extend from every mat make it difficult to aim anywhere but dead straight. Even worse are the balls. These are the deadest balls I have ever hit, they are way worse than even normal range balls. Last is the lack of targets on the range. No flags, no greens, nothing to aim at except for three metal signs at 100, 150 and 200 yards. Would it really be that hard to put up a few flags? It's like they aren't even trying.

Even though the range sucks, the course is pretty decent. There is no twilight discount though which kind of sucks. Go here on a weekend evening and the course is almost empty.

Overall this is a three-star kind of place. Crappy range, ok course.

Photo of Jakob G.

 

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100

Jakob G.

Simsbury, CT

3 star rating
7/3/2009

The course itself is nice for an nine hole executive, but everything else needs work. Like Jack C. and other said, the nets on the range serve no purpose. The putting green needs to have holes, not stakes stuck in the ground. The prices, however, are quite reasonable.

TIP: USE TWILIGHT HOURS.

Photo of jayme n.

 

3

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jayme n.

Honolulu, HI

4 star rating
5/28/2009 2 photos

As a complete beginner I had a great time here.  There is a condominium at the end of hole 3 (or 4) that  made a nice WHONK sound when my friend hit it, so I'd recommend this course on entertainment value alone.  It's also crowded enough so that you will have ample opportunity to yell "Fore!" when you sink one ----- right into a bunch of people. (not recommended, but same friend did this.)  Let's see....lots of trees to hit, swing lightly near the trees or you might get your head taken off by ricochet (different friend, same day).  

Basically, at Sunken Gardens, you will have people like me there, so this review should tell you quite a bit about the kind of golfers that the course attracts.  Additionally, the animals at Sunken Gardens (i.e Squirrels) all have bad limps, no kidding...!  Although they are handicapped, they do their best to keep your golf ball from going out of bounds, as evidenced when my girlfriend nailed a squirrel on a shot that should have been out-of-bounds had the animal not sacrificed for her. Don't feel bad...squirrels stink, spread disease and are responsible for a shortage of walnuts last year. (ever checked out those prices??)

Definitely not a snobby golf course, lots of drunk rednecks in the bar, yelling for no reason (there wasn't even a game on).  In fact, I think that our group were the snobby ones there as evidenced by our unanimous complaining amongst ourselves about the "drunks making too much noise"........now isn't that sad?

Minuses- No food!
Lunch counter was closed, on a Sunday!  No food, save to say some  plastic carton deli sandwiches that reminded me  of the moldy sandwiches and milk dinner that Tom Cruise ate in Minority Report after he had his eyeballs swapped out, which is how I felt later on after 2 beers on an empty stomach in the hot sun.  On the other hand -

Pluses - No food!
The unavailability of food and the decently priced beers ($4 bucks for Sierra Nevada Ale) will give you a lot of mileage from your post-golf beers.

I will definitely be playing here again next time I'm in town....
I think I shot a 72 , so not too bad huh...only about 45 over par!

Sunnyvale....Watch Out!

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Jack C.

San Jose, CA

1 star rating
3/5/2009

I've played and practiced at Sunken Gardens a long time ago.  Recently went back to hit some balls.  They've made a few unfavorable changes in their practice area.

Range:
You want help with narrowed vision?  This is the place.  They have nets that stretch out to silo each station.  Hate it.

The golf balls: some type of a two piece ball that's hard like a rock.  Patricia N. said that it was some kinda heavy ball.  I think it's not the weight, but rather the type of ball.  

Beginners, avoid this range at all cost, unless you wanna gain memories of your clubs buzzing hard on your palms on every ball contact.  Practice somewhere else, but play here is ok.  My pitching wedge carry 20 yards shorter.  My driver carries 70 yards shorter.

Range Ball Price:
$6 = 44 balls
$7 = 55 balls
$8 = ?? balls

My opinion: Rip-off!!

Putting:
They've also closed out the entire putting green.  It would be nice if they at least leave half open while restoring the other half.  Fairly flat putting surface.

Chipping:
Non-existent unless you're taking classes.  They do not allow unauthorized general public access to the chipping and sand trap area.  Bummer.

This practice range would be a place to AVOID.

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Photo of Mike M.

Elite '09

3

103

Mike M.

Santa Clara, CA

3 star rating
9/10/2009

Pretty standard 9 hole executive course here.  There are only two holes (2 and 6) that require a driver or fairway wood.  All other holes are par 3's, anywhere from 110 yards to 160 yards.  The layout is straightforward, except for the 6th hole, which is a slight dogleg left with some elevation change.  Conditions were average, about what you would expect for a local muni.  Green fees are reasonable ($16 for weekdays; I think it was $18 for the weekend).  Play went reasonably fast too; I wrapped up my round in a little over 1 1/2 hours.  Also, I liked the driving range although I know people have mixed feelings about them here.  The separate stalls are nice and the protective nets are there to keep people safe.  If you're hitting your ball into the net, there's no need to see where it goes since it'll be offline anyhow.  Overall, I'd say the place is suited more for beginners.  If I need a fix, I'll probably go to Pruneridge instead since it's comparable and a bit closer to where I live.

Photo of Keith M.

Elite '09

52

120

Keith M.

Santa Clara, CA

3 star rating
9/7/2008

This is a great place for beginner golfers like me, where you can better enjoy the game with less pressure and commit only a 1/2 of your busy day to.  Its a 9-hole public/municipal course, with shorter holes, mostly par-3's, costing $18.50 on weekends.  There are no power carts, but you can rent a pull cart for $2.50. They also have a 20-tee driving range, and putting greens.

Its kinda neat the way it is "hidden" right there behind Wolfe Rd. and El Camino, unable to see the course at all from the road on either side because it is truly "sunken", lower than the surrounding area (for whatever reason).

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Photo of Jeannette Z.

Elite '09

236

128

Jeannette Z.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
8/15/2008

I did something today that I've been wanting to do for a while now...
I dusted off the good ole golf bag and hit the driving range.

Step 1: JZ goes to ball dispenser...it only takes cash. Walks to the ATM at the Pro Shop.
Step 2: Walks back to ball dispenser...but it only takes $1 and $5.
Step 3: JZ walks back to the pro shop- has a nice little chat with the shop employee. Walks back to the driving range.
Step 4: JZ pays $6 for 55 balls and whacks the shit out of them. (ok ok. Some of them only went about 5 feet in front of me...)

Nice driving range (new mats and plenty of tees) plus I was able to grab a spot in the shade.

I can't remember if I've played here. All the courses are a big mess of grass in my head (result of old age + shitty alcohol). But I'll definitely come back since it's pretty close to my office.

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Photo of Quy L.

 

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Quy L.

Brisbane, CA

3 star rating
6/30/2009

Played on a weekday afternoon when there was no one there so I was able to play on my own and play multiple balls per hole to get some extra practice. :)

It's a decent 9 hole course with two 267 yard par 4's with the rest of holes being par 3's. The fairways are narrow and the greens are pretty small so I found it pretty difficult to find the green on some of the holes but hey, it's there to practice your pitching and chipping.  You are doing pretty good just to make bogey on every hole.  They have a small driving range there also.

I've also played at the 9 hole Golden Gate Park course and I like this course better, especially since you can at least pull out your 3 or 5 wood.

Photo of Brian E.

 

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Brian E.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
9/27/2008

Sunken Gardens is a fun little course hidden in Sunnyvale with seven: PAR 3's and two: PAR 4's with an appealing course layout designed by Robert Dean Putman in 1959. This is a beginner's course but at the same time it's more challenging and in better condition than Blackberry Farm and a lot better priced than Pruneridge.

My favorite holes here are the 5th which a short par3 with a raised tee box and usually hidden pin placement and the 6th which is a short par4 that dog legs left which is always fun to try and birdie. The greens are always in good condition and grass is green and beautiful...

Overall: the course is fun, the practice green is stellar, the staff is kind, the price is great, and the beers are cold.

peace and enjoy.

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Photo of Esther T.

 

29

124

Esther T.

CA

4 star rating
8/4/2008

I heart this place! If you don't know about it or are looking for it for the first time, it's really hard to find. I love how tucked away and private it is even though you're right in the middle of Sunnyvale.
Great memories. Learned how to play golf here when I was itty bitty. So I highly recommend their kid's golf classes during the summers.

The driving range doen't have a ton of mats but enough so that there isn't more than a mayyybe one person wait on a Sunday afternoon. I think it's $6 for a small bucket, $7 for a medium, and $8 (110 balls) for a large- so it's a dollar or so cheaper then it's competitors.
The range itself is great. It feels a little bit squished and like you are right along the next hole, but it's kept up really nice and it's never spotty or brown anywhere.

Golf shop is super small and they don't have golf carts =( But everything else about it I love and super recommend..

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Rosie C.

Santa Clara, CA

4 star rating
12/7/2008

I like this place! Who would have known this hidden 9-hole gem was nestled off of El Camino & Wolfe Rd?? It's perfect for beginners (as everyone has mentioned) and/or those who haven't stepped foot on a golf-course in ages.

Everyone on the green was respectful of each others' tee time & I didn't feel pressured or rushed. Perfect for small groups (probably 2-3 ppl. Anything larger might hold up the line)

I'd definitely go again.

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130

Ryan D.

San Jose, CA

5 star rating
2/10/2009

I love Sunken Gardens!. It's definitely the place to golf, especially if you're a beginner since it's an 9 hole course and it's mainly par 3's, they have a great driving range too and it's only 8 bucks for a full bucket of balls which is like 115 balls or so and it's 16 bucks to play a round of golf so it's very cheap and fun of course!. The golf ball machine at the driving range only takes cash so make sure you bring cash if you are going to use the driving range. You will not be disappointed!!

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Photo of Michael S.

Elite '09

706

70

Michael S.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
3/19/2009

This is a fun course I'd chose over its Pruneridge any day of the week especially if you can play with a Sunnyvale resident.  Its right in the middle of the Valley but tucked away so you can turn your blackberry off and forget about work for an hour or so.  Its a true pitch and putt so don't expect any long holes but don't expect to have to cut back on groceries just because you played here!

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Kevin N.

Milpitas, CA

3 star rating
9/25/2008

An executive 9 holes course for beginner. the course is pretty short and slow pace since everybody is a beginner.

they have a range, but what is the deal with the net???? there is a huge putting green and i think it the best thing there.

majority of peoples playing are senior folk and some of them are really good and you can learn from them too.

other then the putting i wouldn't come here to practice.

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Carlo L.

San Carlos, CA

3 star rating
9/7/2008

For a 9 hole par 3 course, Sunken Gardens can be seen as middle of the road.  What it lacks in the quality of the tee boxes and fairways, it more than compensates for the greens.  They're firm on the approach but for some reason, they're moist when putting...so weird.  Anyways this is the selling point for this course.

Layout is pretty standard, nothing to get excited over.  

I don't see how anybody could live in thee houses that surround this golf course...it's pretty much a death wish considering the type of golfers the course tends to draw.

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King L.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
4/27/2008

Great place for beginners like me.  I've always hit well here when comparing to other 9-holes.

2 par-4, 7 par-3 that can be "replayed" as 18-holes, the layout is fairly flat with just a slight rolling fairway on par-4 hole 6.  Easy to walk; fairways are mostly wide open with some mature trees to work around 2 doglegs.  No water hazards and not much wind during the late mornings.  Dogleg 128yds on hole 5 par-3 will test your draw shot (if you're right handed).  NCGA course/slope 56.8/90 as of 12-2005.

About 25 range stalls with 5 reserved just for irons.  3 tiers for range ball bucket sizes, and balls are in average condition just like the mats.  I thought it was strange that they had netting to guide your shot for the first 10 yds or so.  Reminds me of those "bumpers" they use on gutters when you go bowling as a kid!

Pace is typically slow (2.5+ hrs), but can usually just walk-in without too much of a wait here.  You can always practice your putts on the practice green, but there's no range or chipping as I recall.

$19 for weekends is a bit pricey, the course is maintained ok during normal season.  Ate a hot dog at their cafe and it was average.

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Elite '09

58

94

patricia n.

San Jose, CA

2 star rating
12/25/2008

we were suppose to go around on short-course this past
rainy saturday. that, unfortunately didn't follow thru. so, instead
we just hit some balls at the range.

the ball is heavy... or something. it just does not fly as
it's suppose to. is this ball rigged?? i'm a tad unhappy about that...
*argh*

$8 @ 115balls

price is not bad at all. the space here is limited so its first come
first serve. i'm just not content with the ball... argh  but other
than that, it's not a bad place to hang.

i will also suggest the diner available on site. they serve
food, snacks, alcohol. quite a variety for a small place. its
a nice place to kill time during the rainy day.

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Photo of Tony L.

 

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Tony L.

Sunnyvale, CA

3 star rating
5/5/2009

under street level nine hole that's fun to play with a driving range with nets that teach you how to drive straight.

the price is right here.  buckets are cheap, as are the fees.

oh, and it's true, the range balls here are the deadest balls you'll ever hit in your life.  i've only been golfing for a year and i already know that.  the distance you hit at this range with their balls does not accurately reflect your true unharnessed power you have within.

you are a killing black panther, don't let this range fool you into thinking you're a domestic declawed housecat.

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Yale P.

Sunnyvale, CA

3 star rating
7/16/2009

short nine hole where you can pull out your driver on two holes if you want, but I usually pull out my 4 hybrid and get pretty close.  great place to learn for beginners and they just finished fixing their tees in june.  i don't like the practice mats at the driving range, but it's generally not crowded and i like hitting the driver here, not so much with the irons.

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Topher C.

Fremont, CA

3 star rating
9/22/2008

Bottom Line: Great place for beginners and short game practice. Not great for more advanced golfers.

Good for kids and noobs.  It's an executive course (all par 3's).

There's a putting green, and a driving range.  Small bar and snack bar.... the basics.

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Elite '09

107

138

Ron S.

Sunnyvale, CA

4 star rating
10/8/2007

A nice executive 9 hole golf course. This was my first introduction to 9 hole courses. If you don't have a half day to play a full 18 holes, try the shorter ones like Sunken Gardens. You can complete it in less than 2 hours (depending on crowds).

This is a quiet course tucked away just off of Wolfe Road in Cupertino. There's plenty of shade with all the trees. We have always been paired up with nice people there. This place is well maintained. The greens are clean and not too difficult. Beginners to intermediate golfers would like this place. They have a decent lounge, bar, & restaurant w/ an outdoor patio.

The golf shop is tiny, but I never needed anything from them. I just check in with the desk. Sunken does have a driving range but it's kinda weird with the nets on both sides of you. The practice putting area is located in front of the golf shop. No chipping or sand bunkers that I've seen yet.

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Michelle B.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
6/12/2007

What I want to tell you is that I shot a decent game of golf here but we'd be starting this relationship out with a lie.  So here is the truth- this course is aptly named as it resembles a sink hole of greenery, thus a sunken garden.

Tad pricey for nine short holes at twilight on a Sunday; if it was five bucks cheaper per person I would say it was worth it.  The players were stacked- I mean STACKED on top of each other.  Dude in the duo behind us was whistling from 300 yards back when my quartet was waiting for the people in front of us to play.  

Folks, here's a little golf etiquette for the masses- DO NOT WHISTLE OR HARASS THE PEEPS AHEAD OF YOU.  IF THEY ARE ABLE, THEY WILL LET YOU PLAY THRU.  OTHERWISE YOU SHOULD GET TO THE COURSE AT 7AM FOR AN EARLIER GAME IF YOU ARE THAT MUCH OF AN ANTISOCIAL PRICK.

(To his credit, perhaps dude wasn't an anti-social prick but merely a frustrated prick because his wife played better than he did)

We enjoyed RUNNING from the 5th and 7th tees back to the clubhouse for more beers.  Ok, another lie.  It would have been nice to see a bar cart circle us even once like a buzzard to some roadkill.

By the time we finished playing (did I mention the players were so stacked it took us 3 hours to play a nine!?)  -the bar was closed.  Come to find out, it was closed because the bartender got such a heat on he could no longer serve.

Avoid the snack bar- there is no A/C and it smells like ass.......ass that's just played nine holes of golf on a 90 degree summer day.

All in all, a decent little course if there's no tee times open in the valley.

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Robert M.

Redwood City, CA

3 star rating
2/20/2007

This is sort of a mixed-bag, if you will.  I've played here a number of times, each time with a different result.  The course is not terribly well kept, but it's not a dog track either.  I've ended up playing with some genuinely wonderful people here and with some absolute raging jerks.  The tee times are WAY too close to each other for a par-3 course resulting in huge backups at the first tee.  The drainage is horrendous after a rain, but the course is usually in good condition when it's dry.

While the course is definitely set up for the novice golfer, the pressure of people waiting behind you, people straggling in front of you and some strange layouts can prove to be just a little daunting.  (One hole requires you to practically nick the edge of an apartment building to get it on a completely blind green.)

If you're a moderately okay golfer, you've got a couple bucks and some time to blow, then I say go for it.  Otherwise, save your money for lessons or a box of Pro V-1s.

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Don W.

Half Moon Bay, CA

4 star rating
5/8/2006

Golf is a tough sport and playing a full 18 holes at a tony golf  course can be extra initimidating for a beginning golfer.

My Dad is a good golfer and, for most of my life, I golfed with him about once every two years - my only golf practice. One time, at his golf club, in front of a gaggle of onlookers, I tee'd off at Hole #1 with a massive swing, drove the ball into a nearby tree and watched the ball bounce and dribble back to my feet. After the laughter subsided, I played the course vowing never to golf again.

I eventually got over my embarassment and took-up the sport with gusto. After 5-6 years, I can golf embarassment-free. Not great, but embarassment-free.

The best sort of golf course for beginners to get their bearings and confidence is their local 9-hole "par 3" or "pitch and putt" type course where they can have fun, get a lot more strokes in and do so for less than $20.

Sunken Gardens is fantastic. When you pull into the entrance off of Wolfe Road, you'll drop down into a large crater formed in the late 19th/early 20th century by a rock quarry. Somewhere in the 1950's or 1960's, the City of Sunnyvale turned the rolling impression into a 9-hole course with small pro shop, bar and restaurant.

The local crowd is friendly, burgers are good and the bar can get lively and loud. The course is fairly easy, but not boring. No water hazards, but sand traps/bunkers are on every hole. This  is my favorite par 3 course in the Bay Area.

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david m.

San Jose, CA

2 star rating
3/6/2006

If you have the urge to play some cheap golf where you can almost always walk on, then this play will do.  The course isn't in that great of shape and it certainly is not long or spectacular, but it does allow you to get in ur quick golf fix.
The practice putting area is decent.  It's the type that doesn't have holes, but rather poles that you aim at.
The driving range is cheap, but it isn't very big at all and can get crowded.

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hinling y.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
10/22/2007

First time played golf and Sunken Gardens gave me a decent experience.  My friend is an experienced golfer so he reserved the time at 10:45am on a Saturday morning since most of the people are still in bed after a wild and exciting Friday night (including me...it's ALSO really hard for me to get up that early..).  The early effort pays off as I don't feel rushed or have to wait for a long time for the people in front to finish.

This is a very good beginner's course. Not too far between each hole. Since most of the people play here are beginners, You don't have to worry too much about being yelled at if you play too slow.

It rained the night before so the whole course was kinda wet. Couple of times I was stepping into a puddle of muddy water.  (*yuck*)

Another downside about this place is the rental equipments are not that great. The golf bag was old, kinda dirty and could not stand up on its own. So every time I had to pick it up from the ground which made it even dirtier. The clubs were really old.

The allover first time golfing experience was not too bad. Many many thanks Benny for setting it up :)

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Kimberly C.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
7/11/2008

Great place for beginners. This is a course anyone can play and have fun. The pro shop is small but has everything you might need. The restaurant / bar looks original like it has not changed since Sunken Gardens was opened in the 50's or 60's. It closes early too early if you ask me. Overall a good bang for the buck.

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Aaron T.

Sunnyvale, CA

4 star rating
5/10/2009

Nice place tucked away.  Not crowded, and the ball machines take bills not meaningless tokens.  The veggie burger and potato salad at the clubhouse was very good.

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1130

Rick H.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
3/25/2006

This is a little 9-hole executive course, similar in circumstances and difficulty to Blackberry Farm in nearby Cupertino. Its a little pocket of green recreation space in the midst of dense residential development on all sides.  Pretty good little course, not too challenging.  The result of a natural depression, the place's topographic and geologic situation hold true to its name, as it is indeed sunk 15-20 feet below the surrounding neighborhoods.  Very unique.  I recall the food in the clubhouse as having been quite good when friends and I would play here years ago.

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Shooter M.

Santa Clara, CA

2 star rating
5/12/2008

This course has grown on me somewhat but it's still nothing to write home about. The greens have been fast as lightning lately and it costs $16 for non-Sunnyvale residents on weekdays.

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Mary C.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
3/1/2008

This is where I took lessons when I was a little kid, this is where my dad and I would play together until dark, this is where I go to relax and enjoy the summer evening. Can't help but love this place, so many good memories to have and be made :)

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Rich R.

Santa Clara, CA

4 star rating
9/17/2008

- Great place to work on your short game.
- When you get to this golf course, don't park along the right hand side (along hole #9), tee shots from #9 sometimes head into the parking lot dinging cars!  Sorry!  I've sent a couple there myself.
- There is no marshall.  This is good in that if you're a beginner no one is going to require you to speed up play or pick up your ball.  This is bad in that if you're pressed for time, you may not finish the course if there are slow groups ahead of you.
- So, I suggest going here if you can spend up to 2.5 hours to play.
- If you're an morning person (like me), get there on a weekday morning, and you'll probably get to play solo.  I was able to finish in 65 minutes at my own pace and hitting only one ball.
- If you're playing as a single, call ahead to make sure there's no tournament in progress.
- If you're playing as a two-some or more, get a tee time before heading over.
- There's a practice green but no chipping is allowed.
- Compared to most courses, all the greens are usually very slow.
- $16 to play first time, $11.50 to play again the same day.
- Of course you'll want to hit it long and straight on every shot, but here's a hole-by-hole rundown of the trouble areas.
- Hole #1, if you're going to miss, miss to the left.  There are less trees on the left and the fence on the right can mess you up.
- Hole #2, if you're not going to carry the sand (about 190yds), aim to the right of the sand.
- Hole #3, don't miss to the left, it is very difficult to get on the green if you're any where near the large tree between the fence and the sand trap.
- Hole #4,  I think hitting too short is better than hitting too long, the area behind the green is prone to fat chips.
- Hole #5, regardless of where the flag is that day, aim at the center of the green.  This is the worst place to slice your tee shot, so don't!  Hook it if you have to.
- Hole #6, the fairway is very wide, it will accommodate most slices.  If you can hit it straight the first 120 yards, you'll find a good view of the green.  This hole has the smallest green and the most slope of the course, so it requires some touch and luck to hit and stay on the green.
- Hole #7, this is the shortest hole, don't hit it over the green.  If you do, you'll have a difficult shot trying to hit high enough to get on to the green but low enough to miss tree branches.
- Hole #8, on this hole, I say ignore the sand trap completely, do your best to hit it straight.  The lips on that sand trap are very low and the sand is usually in good condition so compared to other sand traps, this is the easiest one to get out of.  And in any case, every golfer should test out their sand shot once in a while!
- Hole #9, use one less club than you would normally use for this distance because the tee box is fairly high above the green.  The palm trees along the left provide some excitement, the base of their trunks have a concave slope, so they sometimes bounce balls toward the fairway and the green.  I've seen it happen many times!

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Darren I.

Irvine, CA

1 star rating
11/21/2006

The absolutely worst golf course I have ever played.  Expensive for 9 holes of golf, $18.50!!! and it took 3 hours to play.  No marshall allowed for a foursome in front of us to hit 2 balls each and each shot went 10 yards!!! Outrageous!!!  Save your bucks and go to Deep Cliff in Cupertino.

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