Subpar Ghirardelli Square – San Francisco, CA

Played on November 3, 2018

Reviewed by the Pink Putter

When I knew I’d be in San Francisco for the weekend, this new location of Subpar was definitely on my radar. Back in 2015, Mr. Tee and I went to visit my sister in the Bay Area for Thanksgiving and we all went to play Subpar Alameda. Unfortunately, the original location just closed a few weeks ago and is gone forever. The new Ghirardelli Square course is Subpar’s only location. I’m so glad I got to play the original as well as this newer version, and both with my sister!

Rating

Birdie – The new Subpar in Ghirardelli Square is sleek, clean, color-coordinated and definitely reminiscent of its original location in Alameda. The Alameda location had local theming that tied directly into fun game play and unique obstacles, all surrounded by meticulously painted wall murals. The new location rebuilt some of my favorites from Alameda including holes themed around the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, the Painted Ladies and Lombard Street and mixed them in with new hole designs themed around Golden Gate Park, the Castro, the Bay Ferry and Twin Peaks, to name a few. The space is modern and lit with colored lights that match the colors on the scorecard and the overall palette of the course. The hole signs were made using digital fabrication technology which nods to the greater tech industry of Silicon Valley. The view out the front window is breathtaking. But the new location is missing the slightly hodge-podge, artsy personality of its original counterpart. While the game play is still fun, the whole space feels cleaner, more refined and just a little less exciting than the Subpar original.

Lasercut and routed signage with cupholders for Hole 1

Hole 4 is the San Francisco Ferry Building with view of Coit Tower at Hole 6

Hole 9, the Palace of Fines Arts, was quite a challenge

Hole 12 was my favorite from the Alameda location, the double loop Golden Gate Bridge

Hole 17 included Sutro Tower (not pictured) and Twin Peaks

Subpar Website

Pros
New course with sleek design
Clean and well-maintained
High tourist area location with local theming
Unique designs with fun, challenging game play

Cons
Immersive theming is a bit plain compared to the original Alameda location

Nerdy Notes