Gil Hanse’s Architecture 101: The Trouble With Trees
No architect wants to remove them from a golf course, but it’s often the best solution I am frequently asked what is the most difficult part of restoring Golden Age golf courses. My answer is always the same: trees. People look at trees wistfully, even romantically, and their opinions are always subjective. But when we […]
Best of the NFL: Where to Play Golf Near the Cities of Super Bowl Champions
For golf-playing football fans, each season on the gridiron is filled with dilemma—a choice between attending big games or squeezing in Sunday rounds. Fear not—you can easily have the best of both worlds, especially in markets littered with quality golf courses in close proximity to NFL cities. Tee it up in the morning and then […]
Great Rounds in the 5 States with the Fewest Golf Courses
While some travel goals are unlikely—teeing it up at every U.S. Open venue, for example—playing golf in every state, on the other hand, is an achievable objective. According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), about 75 percent of all golf courses in the United States are open to the public, so you’ll always have options […]
10 of the Top Redan Holes in the U.S.
Golf architect Tom Doak has suggested the most-imitated hole in the world is the par-three 15th hole at North Berwick in Scotland, a hole known as “Redan”—a French word for a projecting feature in a fortification. The Redan is a popular template typically featuring a plateau green that’s higher on the front right, slopes away […]
LINKS Golf Podcast Ep. 97: Inside the Fall 2021 Issue of LINKS with George Peper
Is it time we stop glorifying Golden Age architects? LINKS Editor George Peper is back to break down his column on that topic and more from the Fall 2021 issue on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. You can subscribe to the LINKS Golf Podcast in iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. _______________ What […]
8 States Where the Best Golf Might Actually Be Public
Three-quarters of the U.S.’s roughly 16,000 golf courses are open to the public. You’d hope a good number would show up on the country’s most widely read top-100 course ranking, but there’s room for only 17 of them. The second-most searched top-100 list includes a few more courses where “Joe Schmo” can book a tee-time, […]
The Brilliance and Beauty of Bland Golf Holes
Last year, Colton Craig learned an important lesson about golf course architecture in the most unlikely of places. Walking through the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, full of what he calls “wild exhibits that stimulated the artistic side of my brain,” the Oklahoma City-based designer came to an empty room with white walls. “The vacant […]
6 Hidden Gems in Northern Europe
There are “Royal” clubs and European Tour venues on the Belgian, Dutch, German, and Danish coastlines, so calling them “hidden gems” might be a bit of a stretch… but this is northern Europe we’re talking about. Here’s half a dozen beauties in northern Europe which most definitely warrant a visit. Royal Ostend (Belgium) Unlike its […]
LINKS Golf Podcast Ep. 96: 4 Courses to Play at Walt Disney World Resort
With its one-of-a-kind experience as “The Most Magical Place on Earth” and four unique layouts that have hosted the PGA Tour, LPGA, and PGA Tour Champions, Walt Disney World Resort serves as a high-caliber public golf destination for vacationers, locals, and avid players alike. As the resort celebrates its 50th anniversary, Digital Editor Al Lunsford […]
Best Public Golf of Las Vegas
Known primarily for its abundance of entertainment after dark, Las Vegas may actually be one of the more underrated golf travel destinations in the country. With more than four dozen golf courses just a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip, travelers can easily tee it up daily before they take in a show and […]
