My 10 Favorite Public Courses in Michigan
For a state with an annual snowfall that’s measured in feet, Michigan has a lot of avid golfers—and more than 800 courses for players to choose from when the snow finally melts. From the Motor City of Detroit in the state’s southeastern corner, to its long Lake Michigan shoreline in the west, to its Upper […]
Great Holes of the British Isles: 8th, Royal Troon, “Postage Stamp”
Champion golfer Gene Sarazen is probably best known for the “Shot Heard ’Round the World”—the double-eagle he scored on the 15th hole in the 1935 Masters that earned him a spot in a playoff, which he won. But if you could ask The Squire which of his career shots was the most satisfying, he just […]
Pubs and Clubs of Dublin
The golf is heady and the bars sublime—or is it the other way round—in Ireland’s wonderfully welcoming capital city The first time I visited Dublin’s boisterous Temple Bar neighborhood after a windswept day on the links, I thought its name fitting—maybe even redundant. Bar-going is a religion in Dublin, as it is throughout much of […]
5 Myths About the Masters
The Open Championship’s older, and the U.S. Open a more grueling test, but no major has endeared itself to golf fans quite like the Masters. The genteel traditions and rich history of Bobby Jones’s annual jamboree in the Georgia pines have earned it a singular place in the annals of golf. Ever since it was […]
New Clubs or Used Clubs?
Each year, club companies large and small attempt to make a buzz by rolling out something new to dangle in front of consumers, club professionals, and media outlets. The manufacturers are hopeful that their innovative offerings (bolstered by marketing and advertising efforts) will prove irresistible to players who are in the market for new clubs. […]
Golf in Costa Rica is HOT
Actually, the climate is much closer to perfect—as is the opportunity to play really good golf and have a really good time The Ticos, as Costa Ricans fondly refer to themselves, have an expression they use 50 times a day: pura vida. It serves a variety of purposes. Sometimes it’s a way of offering a […]
Modern Classics: Ardfin
It’s not easy getting to the Scottish isle of Jura, but this dramatically challenging layout—which roams from beach to cliffs—is worth the effort The whispers started in 2010: “Someone’s going to build a course on Jura.” At the time, I was traveling to southwest Scotland often—to the Mull of Kintyre, home of the two fine […]
Great Holes of the British Isles: 17th, Prestwick, “Alps”
The story of Prestwick Golf Club begins in 1851, when a group of friends gathered at the Red Lion Inn decided to create a golf club. Old Tom Morris was hired to be its first greenkeeper, and he competed in the first 12 Open Championships held on his then 12-hole home course, winning four times. […]
Great Holes of the British Isles: 15th, North Berwick (West), “Redan”
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the 15th Hole at North Berwick’s West course has much to be proud of. The original “Redan” hole has been copied dozens of times, and wherever this hole’s unique design appears, it’s always a highlight of the round. No one’s 100 percent sure who created the original […]
Professional Golfers with Their Own Wine Brands
Many a golf pro has put their name on a bottle of wine. Only a few have put their heart and soul into creating truly special vintages. Greg Norman enjoyed a vintage year in 1995. The Great White Shark captured three tournament titles, carded the Tour’s best scoring average, topped the annual—and career—money lists, and […]
