5 of the Planet’s Most Remote Golf Courses

remote

A friend of mine recently sent me an email asking if I knew what the world’s most isolated golf course is. He’s an Australian scientist working on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, a volcanic outcropping over 1,000 miles from the next closest land—New Zealand or New Caledonia. While jogging around the island one morning, […]

10 Great Late-Season Golf Getaways

late-season golf

The clocks have all been turned back. Daylight is ever in shorter supply. Late in the year is the most horrible time for northern golfers, when memories of warm afternoons on the links grow dim, and the specter of winter lurks all too near. We may be able to squeeze in a local round here […]

Characters: Bob Ford

Low-key club pro Bob Ford, of Oakmont and Seminole renown, provides a comforting presence to nervous U.S. Open contestants Please welcome, from Oakmont, Pa., Bob Ford. The vaguely familiar, calmly reassuring voice that greets competitors on the first tee at the U.S. Open belongs to respected club professional Bob Ford. In 2017, late in his […]

PGA Tour Q&A: The Sweetest Moment of Your Career

sweetest moment

Most golfers have a favorite course or, at the very least, a favorite hole—someplace where they tend to always play well or a spot that holds a special place in their hearts for a notable round, shot, or achievement. We assumed that the same must be true for the best players in the world, so […]

Sea Island Ups Its Game Again

sea island

Many resorts took advantage of the stillness that the Covid-19 pandemic imposed upon the world to upgrade their offerings to guests. In late summer 2023, Sea Island Resort unveiled a long list of substantial renovations to The Lodge at Sea Island. What was a five-star corner of the resort to begin with has only gotten […]

America’s Most Noteworthy “South” Courses

south courses

Some of the country’s best layouts have been branded with a certain directional moniker. Think of the four main points of a compass, and a familiar golf course should come to mind—whether it’s hosted major championships or simply continues to dazzle its guests. After looking at a handful of the country’s well-known “North” courses, we […]

Open Competitions: Bargain Golf in the UK

open

Open Competitions are the key to bargain golf in the UK Many American golfers would like to play golf in Scotland but think it’s too darned expensive. Tour operators want thousands of dollars for package tours featuring a half-dozen “trophy” courses and expensive lodging. But what if you could book top-drawer golf courses in Scotland, […]

My Favorite Public Golf Holes in America (Back Nine)

back nine holes

After previously naming my favorite front nine public golf holes in America, the back nine reveals some definite biases. There are only three par fours, which might suggest that while most of the world’s holes are par fours (and two of those listed are among my favorite holes anywhere in the world), it’s the threes […]