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 […]
The 10 Best “Hills” Courses in American Golf
In Alister MacKenzie’s Golf Architecture, published in 1920, he espoused 13 General Principles of Architecture. Number four stated: “The greens and fairways should be sufficiently undulating, but there should be no hill climbing.” Yet, he also preached about the necessity of variety and placed great emphasis on utilizing natural features. In diametric opposition to what […]
5 Resurrected Golf Courses Getting New Life
Located next to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a 10-minute drive to the Kilauea Crater, Volcano Golf Course on the Big Island has been reborn. Closed for several years, the 100-year-old property is lush, green, and at 4,000 feet above sea level, sits at a higher elevation than many other Hawaii golf courses. It’s also an […]
What Makes A Quirky Golf Hole?
It can mean different things and it’s hard to put a finger on its exact definition because so often it depends on our personal experience, its context, and the surroundings. But whatever words we use to describe “quirk,” one thing is for sure—we know it when we see it. The wonderful coastal courses in Cornwall, […]
11 Golf Courses That Span Two States
Before it recently closed, Farmstead Golf Links in the Carolinas not only finished with a 767-yard par six, but players would hit drives off the 18th tee in South Carolina and putt out in North Carolina. It made Farmstead a novelty in the golf world, and that didn’t even take into consideration that the course’s […]
9 Noteworthy Bridges in Golf
From burns and creeks to lakes and ponds, golf courses are full of water hazards. Consequently, they’re also home to bridges of all shapes, sizes, and significance. Here, we spotlight nine noteworthy examples chosen for their history, their appearance, or simply for how a golfer is likely to feel when crossing it. The Old Course […]
Classic Courses: The Kittansett Club
Like any other hearty Yankee, this 99-year-old gem has weathered countless battles with the elements—and remains standing strong “Kittansett” is Native American for “near the sea” and aptly describes this golf course—celebrating its centennial next year—which sits in Marion, Mass., on the shore of Buzzards Bay. The bay is visible from every hole, as are, […]
8 Prominent Courses That Once Went by a Different Name
Marketing pros explain that there are various reasons a business should change its name. Among them are to freshen the brand, to attract next-generation customers, to avoid brand confusion, or even to escape PR disasters. Golf courses are no different. A surprising number of today’s heralded layouts once went by a different name. Here are […]
5 Things You Didn’t Know About North Berwick (West)
North Berwick (West) has played host to the sport of golf since the early 17th century onward. In fact, only the residents of St. Andrews have played golf for a longer continuous stretch on the same piece of land. Widely acclaimed for its handful of “template” holes and features—Pit, Redan, and the first Biarritz green—North […]
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 […]
