Over the years, I have learned a great deal about courses and architecture from the creators of GolfClubAtlas.com and its community. Perhaps no other contributor has shared his knowledge and experience in a more impactful way than Jon Cavalier though.
His course tours are at once visually stunning and packed with information. His perspective, and the unsurpassed manner in which he expresses it, stirs up my passion for the game.
Below are links to Jon’s tours. And for a daily dose of Jon’s photography, follow him on Twitter (@LinksGems) and Instagram (@LinksGems).
JON’S NEWEST TOUR – AUSTRALIA ADVENTURE
Jon Cavalier kicked off his 2020 golf adventures in style by taking a trip that will likely remain a dream for even the most ardent American golf traveler—Australia. The word epic is overused, but a quick look at the stats indicates that it applies to this trip: 15 days, 20 courses, 23 rounds, 6 cities/islands, 10 flights, 25,000 air miles, 6 rental cars, 1,500 road miles, dozens of new friends and thousands of great memories. See the tour here…
MORE LINKSGEMS TOURS
BANDON PRESERVE
The Preserve is one of those elements that makes a trip to Bandon so special. The uniqueness of a short course in such a beautiful setting; the opportunity to add to long travel day with a quick loop; the fun of plunking down a few wagers with your foursome; or perhaps best of all, a solo walk around these thirteen holes at dusk, with only your wedge, your putter and your thoughts of rounds played and rounds to come. See the tour here…
BANDON TRAILS
The uniqueness of Bandon Trails among the courses at Bandon Dunes Resort, coupled with the beautiful terrain and the outstanding Coore/Crenshaw design, make this golf course a favorite among many Bandon visitors. See the tour here…
BAYONNE GOLF CLUB
Bayonne Golf Club is, to put it mildly, one of the more unique golf clubs in the United States. Built entirely from scratch by Eric Bergstol, the course represents the antithesis of the “minimalist” trend in golf course architecture, and yet, somehow, appears more “natural” than many other courses built in the last 20 years. The result is, in a word, spectacular. See the tour here…
BOSTON GOLF CLUB
I had the privilege of seeing this 2004 Gil Hanse design on a beautiful late-October afternoon, and while I had heard good things about the club previously, to say that Boston Golf Club exceeded my expectations would be a dramatic understatement. See the tour here…
EASTWARD HO!
I have had the great pleasure and fortune of playing some of the most “charming” golf courses in the east this year and Eastward Ho, in my opinion, belongs on any list of such courses. It’s an exciting, fun, playable and unique golf course that deserves more than the share of accolates that it currently receives. I can’t remember having such an enjoyable time on a golf course. See the tour here…
FISHERS ISLAND CLUB
Some golf courses are special. We all know that feeling we get when we play one of these courses. Our senses are heightened, our memories are sharpened, our spirits are lifted, and our love for the game of golf is strengthened and vindicated by the experience. Fishers Island is a special golf course. See the tour here…
GARDEN CITY GOLF CLUB
I can’t really express how much I enjoyed this golf course, so for the most part, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. See the tour here…
LONG VUE CLUB
Longue Vue is a course that is under the radar of most, but for those who enjoy their golf fun, fast and challenging, and with some gorgeous scenery sprinkled in, Longue Vue is not to be missed. See the tour here…
MAIDSTONE CLUB
On the other hand are golfers looking for something other than sheer difficulty in a golf course. These players are looking for a course that provides something different, something out of the ordinary, something they’ve never seen before. These players are searching for a place that provides an element of the game so often forgotten in modern golf: fun. Maidstone is that place. See the tour here…
MYOPIA HUNT CLUB
Suffice it to say that I loved Myopia. There is a vibe emanating from certain of these old clubs that I find quite appealing, and Myopia has it in spades. The building that houses the bar and dining areas was built in 1772. The course is virtually unchanged from 19th century origins, save for a bit of added length. It’s an incredible place. See the tour here…
NATIONAL GOLF LINKS OF AMERICA
For me, this is sacred ground. As a devout member of the church of MacRaynor, and indeed, as one who owes his very interest in golf course architecture and history to the golf courses these men left behind, playing a round of golf at the National was my pilgrimage, my Mecca. Charles Blair Macdonald’s masterpiece did not disappoint. See the tour here…
OLD MACDONALD
Drawing upon their extensive experience in restoring the classic work of Macdonald and Raynor, Doak and Urbina set about building a course that would allow players to experience this classic golden age style of design while independently providing a fun and engaging golf experience. The result is an absolute triumph. See the tour here…
OLD SANDWICH
Any modern architect working in the Boston area faces the challenge of designing a course that will inevitably be measured and compared to these venerable courses, which were built by Golden Age titans with names like Donald Ross, William Flynn, Herbert Fowler and Herbert Leeds. Such is the tall task that faced Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in the early 2000s. Suffice it to say, these two gentleman, as they have so often done, rose to the occasion with gusto. See the tour here…
OLD TOWN CLUB
When it became apparent that time had taken its toll on this old beauty, the members chose Coore & Crenshaw to perform an extensive restoration of the property. Suffice it to say, the duo did a magnificent job. See the tour here…
PACIFIC DUNES
Pacific Dunes is simply stunning — it is one of the most beautiful places to play golf that I have ever seen. But beyond its sheer beauty, it is also an extremely well designed and very enjoyable golf course. See the tour here…
SHINNECOCK HILLS
The rich tradition of championship golf at Shinnecock Hills continues this summer. The collaboration between Superintendent Jon Jennings and Coore & Crenshaw has brought out every ounce of the brilliance of William Flynn’s Long Island masterpiece. Shinny is ready to test the best. See the tour here…
SHOREACRES
Shoreacres not only occupies some of the most gorgeous golfing land in the United States, but it is also maintained in absolutely perfect condition. Note that this is not to say that the club is focused on providing a flawless, manicured playing surface (though they do), but rather that the club’s focus on giving players a firm, bouncy and fast surface tee to green allows the course to playexactly as Raynor intended, and brings out all of the best features that Macdonald and Raynor viewed as essential to the game. See the tour here…
SLEEPY HOLLOW COUNTRY CLUB
Sleepy Hollow is, quite simply, one of my favorite places in the country to play golf. Exceptional golden age architecture, spectacular views, exciting shots, fabulous conditions — Sleepy Hollow has everything a golfer could want. See the tour here…
SOMERSET HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
From the moment I hit the entrance to the property, Somerset Hills exceeded my expectations in every regard. It’s beautiful, strategic, interesting, unique and fun, and the condition of the course was fantastic and conducive to good golf. See the tour here…
WHIPPOORWILL CLUB
Whippoorwill is a Charles Banks design and is generally considered to be his masterpiece. I’ve had the great pleasure of playing several Banks courses, and Whippoorwill is in a class by itself. While this course is smack in the middle of one of the most golf rich areas in the world, the degree to which it is overshadowed by its neighbors borders on criminal. This is simply a fantastic golf course, and it contains one of the most dramatic and memorable stretches of holes that I’ve seen. See the tour here…
MORE FROM JON CAVALIER
BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO C.B. MACDONALD
On November 14, 1855, Charles Blair Macdonald was born in Ontario. After growing up in Chicago, he attended St. Andrews University, where he learned golf from Old Tom Morris. In 1874, he returned to Chicago but rarely played golf until 1891, calling these years his “dark ages.” Read more…
WALKER CUP COURSE PREVIEW – LACC
The 2017 Walker Cup is being contested at the historic Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course. Originally opened in 1911 and redesigned by George C. Thomas Jr in 1921, the North Course was recently restored by Gil Hanse’s team, with an assist from Geoff Shackelford. Read more…
2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
It is clear at this point that Jon is a very talented guy. He is also extremely generous to put this amount of work into sharing his photos with us, with no concern for remuneration. Those of us who have had the pleasure of teeing it with him will tell you this about Jon as well – he’s as a good a golf buddy as you’ll ever find. Read more…
TOP 10 NEW COURSES OF 2015
The end of the year is a time for reflection on days past, anticipation of days to come, and most of all, a time for … LISTS! Top 10 lists seem to be everywhere this week, and far be it for me to resist this trend. So, in that vein, here are the Top 10 Courses that I played for the first time in 2015 (along with some honorable mentions). Read more…
Some gorgeous looking courses! I miss Bandon every day that I am not there!
Cheers
Josh