Golf’s Most Intimate Layouts
Small wonder: Merion (East) is golf’s most intimate championship layout Unquestionably, the freedom to smash drives all over the yard is liberating. On occasion, however, it’s cathartic not to have to swing out of your shoes. Sometimes it’s fun to play small ball, to place thoughtful shots in the proper spots aboard a course with […]
Underrated Sibling Courses at Pebble Beach Resorts
The ultimate American public-access tee time for history, drama, and scenery, Pebble Beach Golf Links never fails to enchant our senses. Every red-blooded golfer alive yearns to play Pebble—but high demand and a special occasion green fee mean that not everybody can. Fortunately, Pebble Beach Resorts serves up a collection of sibling courses that are […]
5 of America’s Top Golf Course Landmarks
When one thinks of golf course features, chances are that fearsome bunkers, lurking water hazards, and unique green complexes come to mind first. But sometimes a golf facility has a manmade landmark that’s instantly recognizable, eminently memorable, and—for many golfers—obligatorily Instagram-able. Outside the U.S., there may be no better example than the Swilcan Bridge at […]
Where to Play Golf and See the Northern Lights
I’m sometimes told that “man does not live by golf alone.” Granted, the people who say that aren’t the rabid golfer that I am, but it’s true that including other activities in a golf trip can make it an even more rewarding adventure. Seeing the Northern Lights (a.k.a. the Aurora Borealis) is a bucket-list experience […]
Notable Regulation Courses Under Par-70 in the U.S.
When the newest course at Sand Valley Golf Resort opens this year, it will be very different from the other offerings at the Central Wisconsin destination. Unlike the wider corridors at Sand Valley and especially Mammoth Dunes, Sedge Valley is tighter and shorter, a par-68 layout designed by Tom Doak on an intimate piece of […]
7 Exceptional Golf Destinations Celebrating 25 Years in 2024
Inspired by memorable rounds of golf played at Royal Dornoch, Ballybunion, and other courses in the British Isles, Mike Keiser set out decades ago to build a championship-caliber 18-hole layout on the windswept shores of southwestern Oregon. As he embarked on that venture, Keiser had a single objective: to create an honest and pure golfing […]
America’s Most Noteworthy “West” Courses
More than two centuries ago, early Americans looked (and headed) west in pursuit of a more prosperous life. These days, golfers can do the same—at least in a manner of speaking—as a number of “West” courses (in name, anyway) offer memorable playing experiences. Prosperity on these fairways and greens may be harder to come by, […]
6 Great Double Dogleg Holes
During the first few decades of the 20th century, architects A.W. Tillinghast and C.B. Macdonald often engaged in good-natured debates about course design. While Macdonald favored the strategy of implementing template designs, Tillinghast most often let the natural land dictate a hole’s inherent shape and strategy. That said, Tillinghast—who garnered the nickname “Tillie the Terror” […]
New International Course Openings for 2024
If you haven’t caught some of the jaw-dropping images and videos of Cabot Saint Lucia’s Point Hardy Golf Club that have been circulating in golfers’ social media feeds, you’re likely in the minority. The new course, from one of the game’s most desired design duos—Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw—is dramatically draped across a 375-acre peninsula […]
Short Courses at Golf Communities Are on the Rise
What’s green, fun as well as challenging, and fits in just a couple of acres? The new breed of short courses, which are popping up in top golf communities nationwide. Nearly six years ago, Desert Mountain faced a dilemma. It revolved around a thumbprint of land with no obvious purpose. “The club owned a small, […]
