Immense pressure is placed on clubs to have their course evolve to handle equipment advancements. The thrill ride continues, with holes 8 through 11 hugging the cliff line. (Photo: Courtesy Inverness), The opener is the easiest hole (and the courses only three-shotter) and then hold on! Maidstone is a dream course to play regularly, in part because its asks change daily with the weather. Los Angeles CC 20. WebRecognized as a top 100 Platinum Clubs of the World awardee, Isleworth is a prestigious golf community which continues to set excellence in standards among the clubs in Florida. (Photo: Joann Dost), Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw moved teaspoons of dirt to construct the most natural, hew-to-the-land layout built since World War II. Though the middle of the property is pretty tame topographically, thats precisely where Tillinghast created some of the best greens. Its abrupt change in direction from any previous holes means golfers dont have a good read on how the wind will affect their tee balls. Newport Country Club 11. (Photo: Getty Images), Accessible by ferry or air, this exclusive retreat off the Connecticut coast is populated by the oldest of the Old Money crowd, many of whom still enjoy hoofing it. (Photo: Courtesy Swinley Forest), Drone shots of this course are evocative, showing holes located on fingers of land hundreds of feet above the Pacific Ocean. 17 at Trinity Forest. Why? (Photo: Konrad Borkowski), Founder Alvaro Carta deserves credit for hiring Pete Dye in 1970 to build this centerpiece attraction for his retreat and then allowing him to have nearly three miles of coastline with which to work. Macdonalds course in 1923 and not much has changed since as its slew of exemplary template holes make it just as relevant today as it was in the hickory era. WebEach club is ranked in ascending order by the price of an annual membership. Tillinghast (1922)More about this course , 6,665 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.1302East Hampton, N.Y. / Willie Park Jr. & Jack Park (1924)More about this course , 7,730 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.0882 Toledo, Ohio / Donald Ross (1919) More about this course , 7,203 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.0564 Manakin-Sabot, Va. / Lester George & Vinny Giles (2001) More about this course , 6,788 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.0223Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2005)More about this course , 7,140 Yards / Par 70 / Points: 62.0136Columbus, Ohio / Donald Ross (1916)More about this course , 6,539 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.9385South Hamilton, Mass. Tillinghast (1923) More about this course , 6,877 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 65.6420 Wheaton, Ill. / C.B. Among its members (Photo: Patrick Koenig). Both casual golfers and architecture buffs alike should take note of the features that make the three longest par-4s (9, 11 and 16) so much fun to play. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Gil Hanse and team cut formidable bunkers into the sandy environs and the art is having your tee balls and approach shots skirt past them. Thats great architecture. Wickham compensates with wide landing areas and greens that are open in front, meaning golfers are guaranteed to have fun, be they in a one-club wind or five! (Photo: Dave Samson), Several of Coore & Crenshaws finest designs are located at hard-to-access private clubs but many of their works thankfully are available to the public, often courtesy of developer Mike Keiser. Most are open in front to accommodate for the wind, some greens fall away from the player, a couple are knobs that are particularly hard to hold and the tiny putting surface at the 9th protects par at the drivable 295-yard par-4. / Tom Fazio (1998)More about this course , 7,701 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.6336Castle Rock, Colo. / Jack Nicklaus (1981)More about this course , 7,523 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.6263Oak Brook, Ill. / George Fazio & Tom Fazio (1974)More about this course , 6,784 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.5741 Bernardsville, N.J. / A.W. Laurie Auchterlonie won the 1902 U.S. Open here with record scores, owing to the debut of the longer, more durable Haskell ball. Throw in a wonderful routing that hopscotches from one island of turf to the next across the rolling, sandy landscape and you have a course that hasnt budged from the No. The stonewall separating the course and the rail line is unnervingly tight right of the 11th green and serves as a great litmus test to determine who is (and isnt) in full control of their swings. A slew of par-4s on the first nine gives way to a 3-3-5-4-3-5 start to the second nine. One is at the downhill 560-yard 15th, which is reachable under certain wind conditions. Old Head Golf Links, Cork 2. Macdonald flair that, well, even Macdonald would appreciate. The standard quartet of Raynor template one-shot holes (Redan, Short, Biarritz and Eden) are here and rival his best set. By all means, celebrate the Postage Stamp but pay heed to the courses other riches, too. (Photo: Kevin Diss), Through the years, Oakland Hills the famed "monster" that Ben Hogan slayed in the 1951 U.S. Open became long, narrow and hard, which fit the descriptive of other American championship courses. Arnold Palmer once tabbed the 15th as one of golfs best par-3s and yet the other par-3 on that side (the shorter 12th) is just as good. 7,181 yards, Par 70 / Points: 72.1554. The result is Canadas first authentic links. Situated on the side of a hill, Cal Club is guaranteed to catch any wind that is about. (Photo: Courtesy Kawana), This cult classic is a personal favorite of both Pete Dye and Tom Doak. Played from the appropriate set of tees, you will be pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed by the courses variety and and its excellent, diverse set of greens. Macan, 1926/Alister MacKenzie, 1928/Kyle Phillips, 2007, W.C. Pickerman/George Ross/Mungo Park, 1894/George Coburn, 1896, Harry Vardon, 1905/H.S. Too few modern courses meet that criterium, but this oneest parfait. Alister MacKenzie. Even in calm conditions, the mix of short grass, sprawling bunkers and cypress trees provide constant photo opportunities. Hotchkin for enhancing Harry Vardons initial work and turning the course into one of golfs supreme inland delights, an oasis amid the surrounding flat fenland of Lincolnshire. The iconic par-3 16th, which extends into the churning Pacific, is the games most dramatic and photographed hole, but there are endless other highlights, from the forested portion to heaving dunes to its famed jagged coastline. As Hanse says, The course enjoys a perfect sense of place and balance.Two shotters like 3 and 10 will challenge the players with uneven fairway lies but its superlative collection of one-shot holes will also prove quite a test, even with ball in hand and a perfect lie/stance. Royal Portrush The routing works its way over and across heaving dunes and through an enchanting coastal forest, and the fact that you dont miss the sight of the nearby water for most of the round speaks volumes to its design quality. Its old-school features include cross hazards and medium-size greens. Golf simply hadnt seen holes like the 3rd and 13th. Even today, with gobs of world class courses having been built in the past 100 years, no more thrilling, spectacular stretch exists than holes 4 through 10. (Photo: Gary Lisbon), One of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association in 1894, Chicago Golf was the site of the nations first 18-hole course; it also was the first course outside of the Northeast to play host to the U.S. Open. and therefore Null and Burning Tree 16. (Photo: Clyde Johnson), Maidstones glorious edge-of-the-Atlantic location is once again fully evident, thanks to a recent restoration by Coore & Crenshaw. MacKenzie extracted the best from the land in part by breaking the rules and having back-to-back par-5s on the front and back-to-back par-3s on the back. The same design principles fairway contours that either shunt you out of position or send you to the ideal location, hazards that appear ageless and greens that offer a wide range of hole locations demand you reassess how to best play each hole from one day to the next. Golf architecture was about to head in a more exciting direction, one that prized variety as well as the use of grasses for texture and contrast. Old Tom Morris 1893 design, coupled with Alister MacKenzies 1927 enhancements, including the 9th green, and Martin Hawtrees 2003 push into the big dunes, proves an irresistible combination of beauty, challenge and fun. Number of Golf Courses in the State of Texas: 907. Bunkers were reshaped and relocated, fairways widened and a natural barranca was brought back into play as a strategic hazard. The 4th hole, for instance, features a reverse-camber fairway: the hole swings right to left but the fairway tilts left to right, mandating a draw from the tee. Macdonald together for the first time and what they created still stands as a marvel of strategic design. Yet what emerged, courtesy of George Thomas and Billy Bell, is one of the games strategic design marvels. Geoff Ogilvy didnt fare much better in 2006, when his five-over total took home the trophy. Best Club to Host a Large Charity Outing: Walnut Creek Country Club. / Gil Hanse (2004)More about this course , 7,083 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.5310Tom Fazio (1994)More about this course , 7,175 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 61.5303Banner Elk, N.C. / Tom Fazio (2003)More about this course , 7,308 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.5025Bridgeport, W.Va. / Pete Dye (1994)More about this course , 7,190 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 61.4607Willie Park Jr. (1922)More about this course , J. Krajicek/Courtesy of Hudson National GC, 7,151 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 61.4543 Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. / Tom Fazio (1996)More about this course , Photo By: J. Krajicek/Courtesy of Hudson National GC, 7,704 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.3875Sugar Grove, Ill. / Jerry Rich & Greg Martin (1999)More about this course , 7,570 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.3383 Bethesda, Md. (Photo: David Alexander/Getty Images), Australias greatest links continually achieves top-40 status thanks to a sophisticated design coupled with a stirring seaside setting with holes nestled in large dunes that run parallel to the ocean. 73 in 1989 and has never looked back. The removal of trees down the right of 11 prior to the 2022 Masters was met with applause by design aficionados who hope that the club continues to restore width and playing angles. Oakland Hills 19. (Photo: Courtesy Les Bordes), Diamantes free-form architecture rests gently on the land, and the absence of any hard lines let the golfers eye soak in the delightful contrast between the dazzling Pacific Ocean, the dunescape and the emerald playing surfaces. A great design lends itself to lasting memories, and Cabot Cliffs is aces in that department. Gil Hanse and Jim Wagners 2020 restoration showcases Tillinghasts immense talent for innovative bunker patterns and fascinating greens. (Photo: LC Lambrecht), Conceived by Jack Nicklaus in 1966 to be his hometown equivalent of Bobby Jones Augusta National, this 1974 collaboration with Desmond Muirhead was an instant smash, both for its strategic design and flawless conditioning. The par-5 4th and its iconic cross-bunkering is a world-beater. One banal way? Price was hitting it so pure at the 1994 British Open, he was even striping it with his putter. For decades, the land was smothered underneath a canopy of trees but Keith Foster and then Gil Hanse have opened up the property for all to admire. Ultimately, Dye found a way to place eight holes along the shoreline, three of which are par-3s that from the back tees require heart-pounding shots over the azure water; the fourth par-3 (No. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, Jack Nicklaus once rated the West course a 12. Tillinghast (1918) More about this course , 6,960 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.5718Pebble Beach / Robert Trent Jones (1966)More about this course , Photo By: Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company, 7,245 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.5002Ponte Vedra Beach / Pete Dye & Alice Dye (1980)More about this course , LC Lambrecht/Courtesy of Monterey Peninsula CC, 6,873 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.4628 Pebble Beach / Mike Strantz (2004)More about this course , Photo By: LC Lambrecht/Courtesy of Monterey Peninsula CC, 6,729 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 62.3327 Lake Bluff, Ill. / Seth Raynor (1921) More about this course , Hugh Hargrave/Courtesy of Whispering Pines CC, 7,468 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 62.3161 Trinity, Texas / Chet Williams (2000)More about this course , Photo By: Hugh Hargrave/Courtesy of Whispering Pines CC, 6,944 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.3008Bandon, Ore. / Tom Doak & Jim Urbina (2010)More about this course , Mike Klemme/Courtesy of Oak Tree National, 7,410 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.2427 Edmond, Okla. / Pete Dye & Alice Dye (1976)More about this course , Photo By: Mike Klemme/Courtesy of Oak Tree National, 6,908 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 62.2410 Plymouth, Mass. (Photo: Gary W Kellner), Sydneys magnificent Harbour Bridge and Opera House speak to a city of impossible beauty and the course at La Perouse is its crowning golf offering. Ballybunion Golf Club, Kerry 5. Though Sandwich is expansive, tense moments present themselves, including on 4th tee, where you must clear the rotas most fearsome fairway bunker. Too bad more modern architects are leery to build finishers that reward mind over muscle. (Photo: Courtesy Kiawah Island Resort), Credit architects H.S. Colt, 1912/S.V. Macdonald (1894) / Seth Raynor (1922) More about this course , Stephen A. Koppin/Courtesy of Crystal Downs CC, 6,560 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 65.5514Frankfort, Mich. / Alister MacKenzie & Perry Maxwell (1931)More about this course , Photo By: Stephen A. Koppin/Courtesy of Crystal Downs CC, 7,456 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 65.0583 Dublin, Ohio / Jack Nicklaus & Desmond Muirhead (1974) More about this course , 7,071 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 65.0338Baiting Hollow, N.Y. / Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2002)More about this course , 6,753 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 64.8711Brookline, Mass. The fact that you can walk Rye in two and half hours makes you question the merit of courses that are so much longer. Thankfully, Martin Eberts recent restoration efforts have reestablished sand as a dominant theme. Trump National Bedminster Old Course (Bedminster) 15. Thats true in spades here as players delight in finding creative ways to use banks and punchbowl features. Though Montanas rocky conditions made for a tough build, the result is wide fairways that flow over the tumbling land with a grace and ease that is hard to fathom. The clubhouse is situated in the middle, with each nine fanning out on either side. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1913/A.W. Opens averaged nearly 324, or 81 strokes per round. Its two nines are diverse the first is on more open land while the second jumps into the woods where Tillinghast incorporated natural water features to perfection. How they were able to connect all 18 holes without an awkward moment is a marvel. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, Willie Fernie, 1909/Mackenzie Ross, 1946/Martin Ebert, 2016, Old Tom Morris, 1893/Alister MacKenzie, 1927/Martin Hawtree, 2003, A. Robertson, 1842/Old Tom Morris, 1872/James Braid, 1926, Alister Mackenzie, 1928/Eric Apperly, 1947, A.V. Is that true for Myopia Hunt, given that it has played host to four U.S. Royal Belfast Golf Club, Down 1 Adare Manor, Limerick 10. His hard work has reached fruition. Additionally, does any walk compare with that final stroll up the iconic par-5 18th as it curves left around Carmel Bay?! The 2020 U.S. Opens? / Tom Fazio (2004)More about this course , 6,836 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 63.3210A.W. For a course known for its difficulty, what gets lost in the shuffle is the brilliance of its quartet of short par-4s at 2, 11, 14 and 17. The other comes at the 320-yard 17th, where a courageous well-executed power fade over the cliffs and down the sloping fairway could result in an eagle putt. Hard to find better playing angles. The Dunes random green contours are noteworthy as is the construction technique that left micro-undulations in the fairways. (Photo: Kevin Murray), A.W. The water is 10 miles both north and south, so sea breezes are a frequent companion. (Photo: Evan Schiller), Irelands dunes have benefited from sand deposits over the millennia along its west coast as exemplified by its fabled links in the southwest including Ballybunion, Lahinch and Waterville. Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia In 1932, on the grounds of the storied 365-acre Fruitland Nurseries, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts opened arguably Forty percent of the World top 15 (here, Pine Valley, Oakmont, Royal Dornoch, Pebble Beach and Merion) derived much of their substance from individuals who built few other courses. The carefully curated membership list is full of well-established London theater actors, producers, and writers. Druids Glen, Wicklow 6. Sand accumulated on the east side of the Ohoopee River for centuries. At ultra-exclusive Ellerston, he and design partner Bob Harrison adapted MacKenzie strategies and bunker stylings on a rugged landscape, resulting in one of the strongest, most option-laden tests in the Southern Hemisphere. NGLA 12. (Photo: Jon Cavalier), Nine Bridgess appeal starts with its tranquil setting on Jeju island, with holes etched into pine-clad rolling topography in the shadows of Mount Halla, Koreas tallest peak. Heathland golf around London is famous for all sorts of reasons but the strength of its par-5s isnt one of them. Bouncy-bounce golf reigns supreme at the 12th, which is a dazzler even without ocean views. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Santa Cruz, Calif. / Alister MacKenzie (1929), RELATED: A comprehensive history of every change made to Augusta National . YEAR BUILT. Indeed, the course is similar to Oakmont, Pinehurst No. Like Rye, its quintet of one-shotters and tight sub-70 par make it more of a complete test than a quick glance at its scorecard might indicate. (Photo: Getty Images), The immense appeal of Alister MacKenzies Golden Age masterwork is captured by former world No. The emphasis on short grass and variety became the foundation for strategic designs that followed, including Augusta National. The question is answered at the 1st, with a green that follows the natural contours and slopes away from the player. The club prides itself on its firm playing surfaces, which were on full display during the 2021 Walker Cup. Tillinghast (1918)More about this course , Photo By: Evan Schiller/Courtesy of Quaker Ridge GC, LC Lambrecht/Courtesy of The Kittansett Club, 6,934 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 61.6906Marion, Mass. With GOLF Course Rater Lukas Michel, Methodology:How we rate courses|Meet our expert panelists, More GOLF course rankings:Top 100 Courses in the U.S.|Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | Americas Best Municipal Courses | Top 100 Short Courses in the World, Analyzing a golf course need not be complicated. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), This unconventional Tom Doak treasure catapulted him into the spotlight at the turn of the century. The panels appreciation of the East Course raises the question: What is the finest 36-hole day in golf at one location? Eventually it became a site for illegal dumping of toxic waste. Take the time to study both green pads of the par 3s on the second nine as each is a master class in creating something from nothing. Just as impressive is the diagonal bunker scheme that slashes into the 5th fairway, making it one of the best 400-yarders in the country. Theres also internal out-of-bounds, a feature for which the course is well known. In fact, some golfers prefer the more muscular New Course to the Old. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Championship golf is a double-edged sword. Adding to the pleasure of its romantic location is an exceptional set of Willie and John Park greens, many of which feature dramatic false fronts. With bunkers and water hazards framed by railroad ties and tall native grasses scattered throughout, this thorough original left no doubt that Dye was a generational talent in the works. Colt never went down that path and thus his courses enjoy timeless appeal. Florida. When Nine Bridges has played host to the PGA Tours CJ Cup, the pro routinely praise both its challenge and presentation. The mighty-mite 8th gets much of the attention, but Troon also has a host of sterling two-shotters, including the 7th, 11th, 13th and 15th. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and Tom Watson are among the Americans who have triumphed at Troon, yet the most memorable shot was struck by a non-winner: 71-year-old Gene Sarazen, who aced the 123-yard Postage Stamp 8th (pictured) during the 1973 Open with a 5-iron! Colts 99-year-old companion to its charming elder, the Old, stands on its own merits. The 6th has been abbreviated to accommodate a splendid new back tee at the home hole. (Photo: Christian Hafer), After weeks of tromping around the yucca-choked sand hills of Hutchinson, architect Perry Maxwell proclaimed, There are 118 good golf holes here. One par-3 is tiny, at 115 yards; the others measure 236, 246 and 256. Twenty-three miles north of Aberdeen, Cruden Bay offers many novel features, including the postcard-perfect par-3 4th, which overlooks the Water of Cruden and the fishing village of Port Erroll, and the par-4 14th, with its funnel-shaped bathtub green. (Photo: Getty Images), Developers Ben Cowan-Dewar and Mike Keiser handed over a rolling plot of coastal Nova Scotia terrain to Canadian architect Rod Whitman. Spectacular ocean views sometimes come with the price of cold and damp playing conditions but not here. Hard for a course this well known to exceed first-time expectations but it does. Alison (1929)More about this course , 7,372 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.9319Tom Fazio (2002)More about this course , 7,314 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.9306 Scottsdale / Tom Fazio (1995) More about this course , 7,348 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.9016Cherry Hills Village, Colo. / William Flynn (1923)More about this course , 7,203 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.8158Naples, Fla. / Michael Hurdzan & Dana Fry (2001)More about this course , Photo By: LC Lambrecht/Courtesy of Calusa Pines GC, 7,100 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.7497Edison, N.J. / Donald Ross (1921)More about this course , Photo By: LC Lambrecht/Courtesy of Plainfield CC, Evan Schiller/Courtesy of Quaker Ridge GC, 7,008 Yards, Par 70 / Points: 61.7315Scarsdale, N.Y. / A.W. (Photo: Evan Schiller), Because of its remote location, Crystal Downs was once overlooked but that changed when Tom Doak introduced the course to Ben Crenshaw in the 1980s. Ironic for an architect who built template holes but the best hole on this Seth Raynor design may well be the thoroughly original risk-reward 520-yard par-5 15th, which doglegs left, over and around a ravine. (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images), The first great American public oceanside course, Pebble benefits from an ingenious routing that brings the player to the oceans edge, then onto much higher ground, before returning to the cliffs for the climactic final two holes. (Photo: Courtesy Royal Liverpool), Bandons original course is a David McLay Kidd design draped atop craggy headlands above the Pacific. Probably not, given its last one was in 1908! (Photo: Wood Sabold), This 1999 Kyle Phillips design 15 miles from the Old Course has earned the respect of links fans, who can be a tough bunch as they generally travel to the United Kingdom to play courses that are 100-plus years old. Tillinghast built his most artistic collection of bunkers at this low-key Bay Area hideaway that avoids publicity as steadfastly as its neighbor the Olympic Club embraces it. Golf Connoisseur, with a BPA audited rate base of 235,000, is distributed at top golf and country clubs, luxury resorts, spas and casinos, airline lounges, on private WebTheres a wide choice of superior golf courses to be found in Ontario. Member George Combe deserves much of the credit for RCD as he shepherded the course through the transition to the rubber core Haskell ball 120 years ago. (Photo: Evan Schiller), GOLF Magazines Top New International Course of 2009 has maintained its early lofty results thanks to a brilliant Gil Hanse/Mark Parsinen design that was effusively praised by Phil Mickelson before Mickelson won the 2013 Scottish Open here. One of those bunkers, in the left-center of the 18th fairway, cost Adam Scott the 2012 Open. The two most famous holes are the par-5 5th, with its long, downward sloping fairway toward the Pacific, and the 195-yard 6th that plays over an inlet of Cape Banks, but the stretch from 13 to 16 is as good a run of par-4s as you will find anywhere. Kudos to Phillips as the seamless melding of flat farmland and Old World links contours is quite the design accomplishment. James Bond creator Ian Fleming was a big fan of the perils of the perched 10th green but the nerviest single moment comes at the par-5 14th tee with outbounds hard along the right. (Photo: Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour), Better known to English speakers as The Hague, The Netherlands highest-ranking course is a Morrison-and-Alison collaboration that plays across chaotically heaving fairways amid substantial dunes. More than a few Winged Foot devotees consider the 13th and 17th the best par-3s on the property, a seemingly outlandish claim until you play them. Work started in 1928 and the course didnt open until 1931. Amateur telecast from here was captivating. Golf's greatest player, Jack Nicklaus, has six Green Jackets. Bell (1926)More about this course . Garden Citys tilted greens, like the 10th and 15th, are lay-of-the-land architecture at its highest form. Two of its one-shotters the 15th and 17th are media darlings but another of the courses best moments comes at the long uphill 12th, which plays away from the Pacific Ocean to an open, tilted green that is 7 feet higher on its right than left. / Tom Doak (2008) More about this course , 7,266 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.5922 Marshall, Ill. / Bob Lohmann & Mike Benkusky (2004)More about this course , Nile Young Photography/Courtesy of Arcadia Bluffs GC, 7,300 Yards, Par 72 / Points: 61.5764 Arcadia, Mich. / Rick Smith & Warren Henderson (2000)More about this course , Photo By: Nile Young Photography/Courtesy of Arcadia Bluffs GC, 7,062 Yards, Par 71 / Points: 61.5374 Hingham, Mass. The course so impressed Jack Nicklaus in his 1966 win that he named his own major-worthy course in Ohio after it. No one was better at getting out of jail than Spains Seve Ballesteros, who twice won here in glorious fashion. Why wouldnt they, given the classic Seth Raynor design that tracks along the islands northeast edge, the delightful tumbling terrain and the spectacular views of Long Island Sound. A bold start that features a 475-yard par-4 and a 225-yard par-3 give way to gentler, though strategically rich holes that were favorites of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a frequent visitor. Rock Creek Golf Club and Resort Found in the state of Georgia, in the United States, many golfers are adamant that the Augusta National is the worlds most exclusive and prestigious golfing club. This low-key 1926 Seth Raynor creation in suburban Cincinnati dishes out deep bunkers and huge, squared-off greens on a property laced with valleys and ravines. 101 to 200, using the same criteria as America's 100 Greatest. Blind tee shots abound, in brilliant fashion at such holes as 2, 5 and 9. The rest of the property features more modest topography but you are unlikely to notice that fact as the expansive greens offer such interesting targets. Its famous 5-5-short 4 closing stretch produced another climactic finish at the 2021 U.S. Womens Open. (Photo:John and Jeannine Henebry), Gil Hanse and team restored George Thomass classic to perfection in 2010. (Photo: Gary Kellner/Dimpled Rock), Golf in the United Kingdom originated along its coastline on linksland but as the sport became popular, people wanted courses nearer to where they lived. The Old Course might well possess the fastest, best turf in the sport (despite, or perhaps because of, its constant use) and no design possesses the flexibility in allowing golfers of all ages and abilities to enjoy themselves as a group. Thats the flexibility of short grass and Rosss design genius. Less discussed but just as exciting is its 16th green, with its left and right plateaus separated by a deep channel. WebThe 18 most exclusive golf clubs in the US Augusta National Golf Club is home to the prestigious Masters tournament. (Photo: Getty Images), Tom Doaks works along large bodies of water populate our list but some contend what he did in the American West at Rock Creek is just as exhilarating as his more photographed courses in sandy soil. The course looks like it has been there for a century, instead of having opened in 2021, which speaks volumes of the routing and the talented shapers that worked the project. Im also a fan of the often very wide fairways that reward positioning and of the mix of long and short par-4s. 9. Measuring just under 6,600 yards, monster length is not required when you have greens this good. The more the world speeds up, the more people appreciate clubs like Swinley where calm reigns supreme. Thomass famous quote strategy is the soul of the game manifests itself at Riv. San Francisco Golf Club 7. Conversely, many sites deemed worthy were built approximately a century ago when hickory-shafted clubs were the norm. The club has two courses designed by Hugh The par-3 9th is one of the hidden gem one-shotters in the Northeast, though it may take a few rounds to figure out why.
