The stunning ‘Little I’ par-3 course is a standout challenge at The Institute Golf Club
‘Exclusive’ is a word all too readily thrown around when it comes to aspirational golf clubs, all eager to elbow their way to the top table of the sport’s most treasured establishments.
Yet for The Institute Golf Club, tucked away in the breathtaking Morgan Hill area south of San Jose, the word seems particularly inadequate, and now the ultra-private venue is setting its sights on staging tournaments befitting such a stunning layout.
It’s a dramatic switch in outlook for a club which counts global sporting superstars and Silicon Valley leaders of industry among its membership of fewer than 50, but for owners the Fry family, patriarchs of the Fry’s business portfolio, hosting marquee events is a natural next step.
First built in the mid-1990s, this 8,069-yard venue has been curated and updated with the Fry family’s vision in mind, to create one of the world’s most stunning golf courses where privacy, patience and restraint are the watchwords.
“The family business dominated my life but now this is my labour of love. The Institute has matured into something quite special and it’s the moment in our journey when we want the world’s best to enjoy this amazing place,” said Randy Fry.
The clock is ticking…The Institute’s Golf Club feels it is time it became a championship venue
“We valued privacy and comfort for our members above all else and that will continue to be a guiding philosophy, but this course now merits a tournament spotlight and we are encouraged by the conversations we are having with various bodies that this dream can be a reality.”
In the next few months, the club looks to roll out an expanded proprietary membership and plans are afoot and discussions started with governing bodies to host tournaments on its rolling, tree-lined layout.
And the idea has some considerable weight behind it.
VOXA founder and two-time Major winner Suzann Pettersen played the course recently and was an immediate convert.
“I loved playing The Institute,” said the former Solheim Cup-winning player and captain. “Beautifully designed and great fun to play. It’s a very special place and my day there was an exceptional experience. There’s no question in my mind that one day it will be hosting some incredible tournaments.”
Club President Jeffrey Sanchez spent five years as tournament director running the Fry’s Open on the PGA Tour and is a credentialed Member of the PGA of America as well as a Certified Club Manager.
“It very much stands up to the litmus test of what is needed for a tournament venue. It feels ready in every sense,” Sanchez said, adding that patience, legacy, and restraint had supported the vision behind the course’s management.
“We are working with Robert Trent Jones Jr. and his team to finesse parts of the course to an even higher level, and improvements are something Trent Jones Jr. and team are constantly considering. We never sit still, everything is geared to improving the member experiences and developing The Institute as an unforgettable facility.”
Working with Trent Jones Jr himself and agronomy partners Turfgrass, the club added a nine-hole par three short course in 2025 dubbed ‘Little I’ while in the past year the 2nd, 6th, 9th and 10th holes have been reconstructed under the watchful eye of Brad Owen and Adam Moeller, a former overseer of the USGA Championships.
The course is curated and maintained like any world-leading venue, except this one includes as a consultant Owen, a 38-year veteran of manicuring the hallowed contours of the Augusta National Golf Club.
“We want to protect and elevate the qualities that make The Institute special,” Sanchez added. “But we are gearing up for tournaments now and we’re excited about what the future holds.”
