Donut Greens: 5 Holes with Bunkers on the Putting Surface
When George Thomas designed Riviera Country Club’s championship layout during the late 1920s, he introduced a unique element that gave the course instant notoriety: a pot bunker set smack dab in the middle of the par-three 6th hole’s putting surface. Since then, the design feature has been replicated in other parts of the country (and […]
Top 10 Courses that have Hosted Majors and PGA Tour Events
Many clubs relish the opportunity to host significant professional championships. An elite few completely embrace the role. Over the past century, a handful of venues have added to the lore of the game by doing double duty, hosting at least two major championships and a minimum of 12 PGA Tour events. Most names on the […]
The 8 Greatest Risk/Reward Holes on the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing
For nearly a century, the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing has reliably delivered drama in massive doses, thanks in part to venues that brim with exciting risk/reward holes. From history-soaked layouts such as Riviera and Pebble Beach to modern-day TPC spreads, what each has in common is at least one superb example of a risk-laden […]
PGA Tour Q&A: One Course for the Rest of Your Life
If you could only play one course for the rest of your life, where would you choose to play? It’s a question that golfing friends often ask each other, so we decided to ask a bunch of PGA Tour players to find out where they would choose to play golf if they could only tee […]
10 Great Risk/Reward Holes
The label “risk/reward” is applied liberally to golf holes these days. Probably too liberally. Look at any course’s hole descriptions and you’re likely to see it appear at least a handful of times. In reality, there’s risk involved in every swing, and reward to be earned anytime a shot is successfully executed. Strategy comes into […]
12 Best Opening Par Fives in Golf
As he did with the Los Angeles Country Club’s North course, site of the 2023 U.S. Open, George Thomas Jr. preferred to kick off his course designs with a par five. So did post-World War II design great Dick Wilson, who started Bay Hill and Doral’s Blue Monster in that fashion. While a surprising number […]
10 of Golf’s Polarizing Par Threes
Whether because of design, difficulty, setting, or situation, sometimes a golf hole just doesn’t fit our eye or sensibilities. A hole that is loved by some (or many) may be loathed by others. Of course, that just speaks to one of the unique beauties of golf: the playing field is always different. What follows is […]
Dream Nine: Par Fours
The par four. Routinely benign, sometimes repetitive, yet often unforgettable. More than any length on the golf course, it’s the par fours which will likely make or break your round. Let’s face it: A birdie on a par four is just a bit more rewarding, isn’t it? With that in mind, the premise is simple: […]
A Favorable Lie: Courses with Rooms
Terry Lundgren, retired Executive Chairman of Macy’s Inc., estimates he has stayed in the Ben Hogan Room at Riviera Country Club about 60 times. A member of the Pacific Palisades, Calif., club for 10 years, the former executive has roots in Southern California and used to visit Los Angeles regularly on business. Instead of staying […]
