Deciphering the Hole Names at Royal Troon
The five Scottish courses that made it into the first edition of the World Atlas of Golf, published in 1976, were the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, and Turnberry. Royal Troon didn’t make the cut. The 2008 edition, published by Hamlyn, did include Royal Troon, but the first couple of sentences […]
9 Best Par Threes on the Open Championship Rota
Ever since eight competitors first encountered Prestwick’s 167-yard 3rd hole—called Tunnel (Red)—at the inaugural Open Championship in 1860, par threes have played a significant role in the outcome of golf’s oldest major tournament. Only 12 holes then, Prestwick expanded to 18 holes in 1882, then fell off the Open Rota after 1925, but its challenging […]
Is Royal Troon the Weakest of the Open Rota Courses?
Let’s make one thing clear from the start: the Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club is one of western Scotland’s premier links. It wasn’t chosen to host the Open Championship 10 times for nothing. Its seaside location in Ayrshire, its long and proud history, the warmth of the club’s welcome, and the number of […]
Top 10 Fun Facts About Royal Troon
Since its earliest days in the 1870s, Royal Troon has epitomized a traditional club environment and proper championship golf. Yet, as this storied venue on the west coast of Scotland prepares to host its 10th Open Championship, the one constant has been change, in a desire for improvement. With an eye on the soon approaching […]
6 Historical Public Golf Courses Across New England
Across much of New England, you’ll find a bevy of golf courses that are steeped in history. Recent U.S. Opens provide proof of that—The Country Club in Brookline enjoyed its latest time in the spotlight a few years ago and, more recently, Newport Country Club took front-and-center as the Tillinghast classic hosted the world’s best […]
My 10 Favorite Par-Three Holes at Bandon Dunes
Bandon Dunes celebrated its 25th anniversary this year with an event that coincided with the grand opening of the resort’s seventh course, a 19-hole Par-3 course which trundles over a parcel of land that is captivating yet too severe to accommodate a full-length layout. Named in honor of the land’s previous caretaker, this new addition—Shorty’s—is […]
Great Courses of Britain & Ireland: Royal Dornoch Golf Club
History and mystique distinguish the most natural links in the world Dornoch is a supernatural place. It was here in the 18th century that Janet Horne, “the last witch in Scotland,” was summarily executed. Ever since, Royal Dornoch has cast a spell over golfers. Situated in the far north of Scotland, Dornoch is 600 miles […]
Top 10 Courses: France
Here’s our list of the top 10 courses in France 1. MORFONTAINE (GRAND PARCOURS), Mortefontaine Arguably the finest (and most exclusive) course in Europe, this 1927 masterpiece by flamboyant Englishman Tom Simpson unfurls in an idyllic forest an hour north of Paris, its holes weaving artfully through tall pines. 2. LES BORDES (NEW), Saint-Laurent-Nouan […]
Classic Courses: Essex County Club
For well more than a century, this Donald Ross gem has required having the full repertoire of shotmaking skills When Essex County Club hosted the 1938 Curtis Cup match, it represented a homecoming of sorts. Harriot and Margaret Curtis began their golfing lives at Essex, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., about 30 miles north of Boston. The […]
5 of Canada’s Top Golf Resorts
A glance at the top ranks of players on the PGA Tour these days brings many red Maple Leaf Flags to the forefront. Any given week, it’s likely that a good chunk of the Tour’s top 50 players will be Canadian born. Yes, the Canucks are coming on strong at the professional level, but when […]