For the first time since 1998, San Francisco's Olympic Club will host the US Open Golf tournament. Within the stunning confines of the country's oldest athletic club, the golf course is narrow with heavily bunkered greens, a real challenge for both professional and amateur golfers.
The Olympic Club — Photo courtesy of skinnychickblog.com
If you plan on going to the 2012 US Open, check the Olympic Club website for directions, public transportation and updated parking availability. With more than 245,000 people expected in town for this event, major roads like Highway 1 near Fort Funston and John Muir Road by Lake Merced will either be shut down or extremely limited. The weather is as predictable as the Pacific, so plan for either full sunshine or cold fog and dress in layers.
Fort Funston — Photo courtesy of hanggliding.org
The fog off the Pacific could hamper visibility, and strong winds could play havoc with golf balls, so it takes a mix of strength and finesse to beat this course. Legends such as Watson, Palmer and Hogan have faltered here in the final round, so the 2012 tournament promises to be another thrilling contest.
And....who knows? You might get to watch a certain someone on Sunday wearing his trademark red. 
Tiger Woods — Photo courtesy of mapga.com