Following is an index of posts which chronicle my geeky study of golf courses and attendant adventures. I am no journalist, but I do my best to share the experience of spending time at these special places, as well as give insights into their history and design. Part expression of gratitude for the generosity of my hosts, and part attempt to pay forward that generosity—I hope you enjoy.
To explore more course related content from me, Jon Cavalier and other trusted sources, check out the ever-expanding GeekedOnGolf Global Guide.
MOST RECENT COURSE(S)
As the old saying goes, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. Typically, in design, the committee approach confirms the truth therein, with results that are watered down or lacking in continuity. As courses have evolved over the years, many have fallen into a state in which their original strengths are lost. There are exceptions, however, including Skokie. The key ingredient that has allowed the course to pass from the stewardship of one architect to another, each building upon the work of his predecessors, is simple—respect. Read more…
MORE COURSE GEEKERY
SAND HILLS GOLF CLUB
Sand Hills Golf Club is generally considered to be a modern masterpiece. Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw’s design has been credited as the original spark that lit the fire of the minimalist movement in golf course architecture, and the club proved that players will travel to experience great golf in far flung locales. The combination of minimalism and destination golf has been nothing short of revolutionary for the game. There is a case to be made though that Sand Hills is more than just a great course—it is perfect. Read more…
For more on Sand Hills, read my interview with Superintendent Kyle Hegland here.
ESSEX COUNTY CLUB
There is always something special about an architect’s home club. Think MacKenzie at Pasatiempo or Macdonald at National Golf Links. Perhaps it’s a function of the extra time they can spend on refinements, or of the freedom to take creative risks because they will be there to undo the flops. Maybe the familiarity with the land and course breeds a greater attention to the important details that separate good courses from great ones. Whatever the reasons, home courses tend to have a special quality. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
PRAIRIE DUNES COUNTRY CLUB
When the membership of Prairie Dunes Country Club decided, almost 20 years after the opening of what was described as the greatest nine hole golf course in America, to have Press Maxwell complete the course started by his father Perry, skepticism would have been forgivable. The deck was stacked against Press, but in the end he delivered on his father’s vision in his own way. Prairie Dunes is not just a great original nine with nine more. It is a unified and cohesive father and son golf adventure. It is the Maxwells’ masterpiece. Read more…
For more on Prairie Dunes, read my article on the 12th hole for The Fried Egg here, and my recap of my first visit to the club here.
NATIONAL GOLF LINKS OF AMERICA
The National. Two words that, especially for devotees of classic architecture, hold so much meaning. These words are not just shorthand for the club named National Golf Links of America, they carry the weight of one man’s incredibly lofty aspiration. An aspiration that history has proven to have been fulfilled. Read more…
KINGSLEY CLUB
Taking into account that range of factors—the land, routing, strategy, aesthetic beauty, interesting features, drainage, agronomy, maintenance functionality, and the potential shots that any golfer of any skill level might hit—is a tall order. In fact, it is beyond the capability of a person with average mental computing power to handle. Mike DeVries is a world-class architect because he has that power and he cares to use it in pursuit of creating golf courses that will hold their interest over time and repeat play. That is what he accomplished at Kingsley Club, and that is fundamentally why I love it now more than ever. Read more…
For more on Kingsley Club, read my original article on what makes it Golf Heaven on Earth here.
PINE VALLEY GOLF CLUB
To onlookers, the man who is doggedly pursuing a dream might not appear as a visionary. Instead, he is crazy, or to the more charitable, a poor fool. Perhaps that is why those who could not see the picture in its creator’s mind labelled Pine Valley “Crump’s Folly”. And given the hardship that was endured to bring the course first to life and then to long-term sustainability, their short-sighted judgment was not entirely baseless. In the end, which George Crump would tragically not live to see, his detractors would be proven quite wrong about the course in the New Jersey pine barrens. Read more…
CRYSTAL DOWNS COUNTRY CLUB
Crystal Downs is not Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s only Midwest design, but it is certainly his most highly regarded work in the region. The greatness of the course can be linked to the interest and variety inherent in the land, and MacKenzie’s visionary ability to embrace what a site offered. He was fortunate to have as his collaborator Perry Maxwell who expertly translated ideas into reality on the ground, adding his own touches and creative flourishes as he went. Read more…
MAIDSTONE CLUB
Hindsight in the retrovation era is making clear how delicate a proposition it is for an architect to attempt to blend a course restoration with the appropriate updates to ensure a high level of quality and sustainability by modern standards. Thankfully, the modernization trend, in which a “name” designer would swoop in with their plans for improvements that were likely at odds with the original intent, seems to have died out. Today’s retrovation practitioners bring a combination of respect for the Golden Age greats, and the talent to realize their vision for changes in the dirt. Read more...
SLEEPY HOLLOW COUNTRY CLUB
In The Legend, suitors Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones vie for the heart and soul of Katrina Van Tassel, climaxing in a ghostly confrontation at a crossroads in the woods. That story foreshadows the challenge Hanse, consultant George Bahto and the club’s leadership would ultimately have to face. Standing at a crossroads, haunted by ghosts of architects past, which path would they take? By committing to recapturing the heart and soul of Macdonald’s Sleepy Hollow, they laid those ghosts to rest in a fashion that can best be described as legendary. Read more…
AUGUSTA NATIONAL
Bobby Jones set out, with his beloved Old Course as inspiration, to create the ideal golf course at Augusta. His collaborative partnership included Dr. Alister MacKenzie, Clifford Roberts, Marion Hollins and others—a meeting of the minds with a singular focus. In spite of the early challenges associated with stabilizing the club, the group certainly achieved the objective of designing and building a golf course worthy of acclaim. Read more…
SOMERSET HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
Somerset Hills embodies a rare opportunity for golf architecture aficionados and players alike. For the design enthusiast, it is a course to be studied closely as an integral step in the progression of one of America’s greatest architects, A.W. Tillinghast. Read more…
CALIFORNIA GOLF CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO
To be clear, Cal is a golf club. The golf course is the focal point, and walking golf is the only activity of interest, at least during daylight. The beautiful land on which the course sits, and its eclectic architectural history, combine to produce an intensely enjoyable playing experience. Read more…
BALLYNEAL GOLF CLUB
Ballyneal is a happy place. For some, it is THE happy place. An interesting phenomenon happens to every seeker who makes the trek to the Chop Hills. Telltale signs are the permagrin, the sun and wind burned skin, and the stories of victories and defeats at the hands of what some consider to be Tom Doak’s greatest creation. Something special happens at Ballyneal – a reconnection with the fun of the game that hooked us in the first place. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
ST. LOUIS COUNTRY CLUB
By the time that C.B. Macdonald received the inquiry from the membership at St. Louis C.C. about designing a new course on recently acquired land in Ladue, his architectural collaboration with Seth Raynor was clearly ascendant. The pair had confirmed the merit of Macdonald’s concept of employing timeless design ideals at National Golf Links, which opened to acclaim in 1910. They subsequently proved themselves beyond one-hit-wonder status at Sleepy Hollow and were hitting their creative stride as the opportunities began to roll in. To that point, Macdonald and Raynor’s work had been largely concentrated in the Northeast. One can speculate that as they headed west to the Gateway City, coastal bias and curiosity might have been engaged in an internal tug-of-war. Would the ground be good for golf? Would the players be sophisticated enough to appreciate their concepts? Read more…
THE LOOP AT FOREST DUNES
A golf course that can be readily grasped after a single round is not likely to ever be considered one of the game’s greats. The best courses require repeat play, and perhaps even a bit of study, to master—much like golf itself. The Old Course at St. Andrews ideally embodies this truth. The answers to the questions posed by the links are not printed on the scorecard. They are revealed to patient and persistent players over time, many of whom did not find themselves enthralled after their first loop. Read more…
CEDAR RAPIDS COUNTRY CLUB
Vaughn Halyard is a golf geek hero. There are plenty of golf tragics who can see an old course and recognize its hidden potential. Few of those tragics will try and do what it takes to bring that potential out, even at their home course. Fewer still are the champions who are willing to battle through the entire process to return a classic course to its glory. Vaughn, along with Superintendent Tom Feller, architects Ron Prichard and Tyler Rae, and a small group of members doggedly did just that with the Donald Ross designed Cedar Rapids Country Club. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
SWEETENS COVE
Election Day in 2016 now seems like a lifetime ago. After watching election returns that night from an Atlanta hotel, I hit the road early the next morning to make a much anticipated jaunt to Sweetens Cove. Fellow geeks had been lauding the course—the architecture of Rob Collins and Tad King as well as the unique vibe—and my lucky day had finally arrived. What I found, making loops with Rob and Patrick Boyd, was a confirmation of the special character of Sweetens Cove, and the men who had devoted themselves to its creation and survival. Read more…
DESERT FOREST GOLF CLUB
My first visit to Desert Forest was with Dan Moore, after David Zinkand had already done the bulk of his renovation work. I never played Red Lawrence’s original, but Dave Zinkand’s update immediately grabbed ahold of my heart. Wonderfully routed, minimally bunkered, with interest-packed greens, the course demands strategic thought and creative execution to score. Read more…
SAND HOLLOW
Where should I play golf in Las Vegas? This is a frequently asked question, especially when the northern winter is dragging on toward March Madness. It will likely come as no surprise that we think Vegas is a city where it is tough to find the architecturally interesting “bang for your buck” courses that we crave. But that does not mean we don’t have an answer to the question. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
SKOKIE COUNTRY CLUB
Having multiple architectural styles runs the risk of making a course feel disjointed. That is not the case at Skokie. The Bendelow hole, Ross’ ten holes, and Langford’s seven holes have distinct feels, but they flow together nicely, and they all share one common feature – bold greens. Oh my, the greens! A set as good as any in Chicago, with the exception perhaps of Chicago Golf Club. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
CROOKED STICK GOLF CLUB
The fifth edition of this season’s Upping My Dye-Q series asserts that Crooked Stick is among the three most important courses in the history of golf architecture in America. Read more…
ARCADIA BLUFFS SOUTH COURSE
They did it. They actually built this course, and it is incredible. That was the consensus of our group standing on the 9th green at the new South Course at Arcadia Bluffs. That green, with its four plateaus separated by troughs and bowls, is the ninth straight mind-blower on the outward half. In front of that green is a spectacle bunker complex and several other bunkers positioned smartly to pose interesting and confounding strategic questions. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
CALUSA PINES GOLF CLUB
We hear stories of people in all walks of life who chase their dreams, overcome adversity and achieve moments of triumph. These stories provide us with inspiration to tackle our own challenges. To go one large step further, what about a person who stares death in the face while simultaneously working to build something great enough to outlive them? That is the kind of example that stops us in our tracks as if to ask, “What is your excuse for not living your best life today?” Just such a story unfolded outside of Naples, FL, at Calusa Pines Golf Club, and continues today with a vibrant membership, a beautiful golf course, and a surprisingly tall hill. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
THE PETE DYE COURSE AT FRENCH LICK
The devilish designer himself greets visitors to The Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort. A statue of the creator of nearly one hundred golf courses over a decades-long career stands by the bag drop. He is smiling, a friendly countenance on first impression. Alongside the sculpture is a stone adorned with a quote that ends ”…so why build a fair golf course”. Read more…
QUOGUE FIELD CLUB
Benjamin Litman’s GolfClubAtlas article Timeless Golf at Quoque Field Club was a key contributor to the beginning of my love affair with 9-holers. I wasn’t sure about how exactly to pronounce the name (it is “kwahg”, by the way), but I was absolutely certain that I wanted to play the course. The chance to experience Quogue came for me during this season’s Noreaster, and as I wrote in my recap of that trip, it did not disappoint. Read more…
BLUE MOUND GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Seth Raynor, in collaboration with both Charles Blair Macdonald and Charles Banks, belongs on the Mount Rushmore of green builders. The size and boldness of his green complexes is matched with contouring of the putting surfaces that oscillates between wild and sublimely subtle. His greens can take a lifetime to master on the approach and with the flatstick. Among the MacRaynor cognoscenti, the sets at National Golf Links of America, Chicago Golf Club and Camargo often get the nod as the best. Few will put Raynor’s work at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in that rarified company, but perhaps they should. Read more…
DAVENPORT COUNTRY CLUB
Sam Snead arrived in the Quad Cities in 1951 in pursuit of a three-peat in the Western Open, staged that year at Davenport Country Club. The Western, which was first contested in 1899, was one of the early major tournaments, with a list of champions including a veritable who’s who of American golf. The only man previously to win the title three straight times was Ralph Guldahl, who coincidentally started his run in 1936 at Davenport. Read more…
AIKEN GOLF CLUB
There are certain clubs and courses, however, where a welcoming spirit comes naturally. Making players of all ages, genders and skill levels feel at home so that they can enjoy the game is their purpose. Aiken Golf Club is one of those places. Read more…
MAMMOTH DUNES
Everyone likes Mammoth Dunes. It’s hard not to fall for the course at first sight. It is big, laid across stunning terrain and just plain cool. Players come off the 18th green with smiles on their faces having thoroughly enjoyed themselves, often beaming with the pride of posting their best number in years. We don’t blame them. We had the same reaction. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB
Although he is steadfast in his belief in himself, his team and the principles that underlie great courses, he must still deal with reality. Such was the case with the opportunity to create Lost Dunes in southwest Michigan. Rather than be hampered by the numerous constraints of the site, the Renaissance team produced a course as creative and varied as any of their other works. Read more…
ARCADIA BLUFFS BLUFFS COURSE
Who doesn’t love chasing the sun on a golf course? As the golden hour gives way to the gloaming, the game’s most magical moments have a way of materializing. Add to that time of day a large body of water, and goose bumps rise on a golfer’s arms. In the States, with a few exceptions, that special combination of course, sea and sunset can only be found at those “single name” courses—Pebble, Bandon, Cypress, Chambers, Torrey. Here in the Midwest, we have one such course of our own, and it belongs in the same conversation in its ability to stir sun-chasers’ souls—Arcadia. Read more…
BOB O’LINK GOLF CLUB
This post was a long time in the making. Like Bob O’Link’s architectural history – first with Ross, then with Alison, and now with Urbina – it involves intertwined threads. Read more…
KNOLLWOOD CLUB
Knollwood Club has history, and we have history with it. A young Andy Johnson spent his formative years forging his game while working at the club, and can still point out the best spots for sneaking a midday nap. My first golf lesson was with legendary pro Sherm Finger. After watching for a few minutes, he gave my mom advice that any parent would do well to heed, “Just leave him alone. Don’t try and teach him anything. Let him fall in love with the game.” Simple, yet profound, guidance. Read more at TheFriedEgg.com…
WHISTLING STRAITS & BLACKWOLF RUN RIVER
For several years now, a spring gathering of golf geeks has taken place in Kohler, WI. We drive up, play 36 holes, and drive home. It is a gloriously exhausting day with a great group of guys on courses I enjoy – and I don’t think I’m ever going back. Read more…
THE KAMPEN COURSE AT PURDUE
As an alum of the University of Illinois, it is not easy to give praise to Purdue. The simple truth, however, is that the golf geeks in West Lafayette have a facility at their disposal that is tough to beat. The Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex sits within earshot of the football stadium and is home to two Pete Dye golf courses. Each course occupies land with distinct character and each has its own style. Read more…
CHAMPION HILL GOLF COURSE
Champion Hill is a joy of a course with hand-crafted architectural feel on a piece of land that is as good as The Downs—all at a green fee that makes you feel like you’re taking advantage of the family who owns it. Read more…
WESTMORELAND COUNTRY CLUB
On the way from my house to the highway sits Westmoreland Country Club. For years, I drove by and peeked through the fence at the course, with its gorgeous clubhouse overlooking the perfect green fairways. When I finally had the good fortune to play Westmoreland, it was a treat to spend an afternoon experiencing first-hand what I had so long seen only from the road. The course was nice, with a few neat holes and greens, and the conditioning produced by Superintendent Todd Fyffe and his team was second to none. Was there anything that set it apart from the numerous other terrific country clubs around Chicago? Truth be told, not really. Read more…
MAXINKUCKEE COUNTRY CLUB
In order to truly understand and appreciate the work of an architect, it is necessary to look at their sources of inspiration. After all, there are very few (if any) completely original ideas in art or science. Contemporary practitioners are always building upon or reacting to their forebears, and their work is therefore linked to the past. Read more…
MOSHOLU GOLF COURSE
If Ed Brockner had been alive in 1888, he would have been in the Apple Tree Gang. In the spring of that year, Scotsman John Reid and two of his friends played the first recorded round of golf in a pasture near Reid’s house in Yonkers, NY. The group would take on the ATG moniker when they relocated to a larger playing field that included a tree where they hung their coats. Spend any time with Brockner, and you will feel the depth of his passion for the game and its original pure form. It is not hard to imagine him hanging his coat to complete Reid’s foursome. Read more…
ROCK HOLLOW GOLF COURSE
“Who are you, and what do you do?” The direct inquiry by the local I encountered in the pro shop after completing an early-spring loop around the Tim Liddy designed Rock Hollow Golf Club caught me off guard. He must have noticed the befuddled look on my face, so he elaborated. “We saw you playing fast and carrying your bag. We know everyone who plays out here. What’s your story?” Read more…
MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB COURSE #1
Tom Doak and the Renaissance team did a commendable job with their renovation of Course One at Medinah Country Club. They took a course that was not particularly noteworthy and infused strategy and artful flourishes into almost every hole. The par-4s from the 11th through the 14th are a strong stretch that is a joy to play. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
YANGTZE DUNES
Every person who has teed up a ball has experienced the complex relationship between player and game inherent to golf. We alternately love and hate our time on the course. Just when we think we’ve achieved mastery, the rug is yanked out from under our feet. In our loftier moments, the game seems to embody all of the mysteries of life itself. At lower moments, we side with late comic Robin Williams’ conclusion that golf is the dumbest activity ever invented by man. Around and around we go. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
WYKAGYL COUNTRY CLUB
A historic competition staged at a Golden Age gem of a course. That combination always works for us, and that is exactly what we have with this year’s Met Open at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle, NY. Such an occasion called for a Field Report. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
HUNTINGDON VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB
All apologies to other areas of the country, but a strong case can be made that Philly golf is the best. Not only did it produce John McDermott and the Philadelphia School of golf course architecture, but it seems that you can’t drive a mile without passing a world class golf course. Philadelphia’s 25th best course would be top 5 in almost every other city in America. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK MASSACHUSETTS
There is much more to the fascinating history of golf in Massachusetts than Francis Ouimet’s victory over Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline. Those who have a spirit of adventure will find munis and family-owned courses throughout the state that feature interesting design, beautiful scenery, and a richness of backstories that, when contrasted against the modest greens fees, add up to incredible value. Read more on TheFriedEgg.com…
THE SANDBOX – CLOSING DAY AT SAND VALLEY
We made our second trek of 2017 to Nekoosa specifically to play The Sandbox (name not yet confirmed), the 17 hole par-3 course created by the Coore & Crenshaw crew. Michael Keiser graciously took the time to play a loop with us, and then gave us the run of the place. Read more…
BOSTON TWOFER – BOSTON GOLF CLUB & ESSEX COUNTY CLUB
With this season’s Noreaster heading back to Long Island, I found myself longing for golf in Boston by mid-summer. Work afforded an opportunity to make it to Beantown, and I was able to line up visits to my two of my favorite courses. Read more…
5TH ANNUAL NOREASTER – BACK TO LONG ISLAND
After two years in Boston, our group was longing for a return trip to Long Island, and Friar’s Head. Planning began over the winter, but took a detour. Read more…
AIN’T IT GRAND – OPENING DAY AT SAND VALLEY
For what has become an annual spring pilgrimage for us, Peter K. and I set out early so that we could make a critical pit stop on the way to Sand Valley for opening day. As I have said before, going into central Wisconsin without visiting Lawsonia Links is a mistake as big as Lawsonia’s massive features. Read more…
EXPLORING AMERICA’S GREAT GOLF CLUBS – KINGSLEY CLUB, BOSTON GC, BALLYNEAL & CALUSA PINES
What makes a golf club great? Certainly, in order to be great, a club must have an outstanding golf course. A top-notch course is not enough to make a club truly great though, especially for the discerning golf geek. Great clubs resonate at a deeper level – they evoke the spirit of the game. Read more…
THE SAND VALLEY STORY CONTINUES…
Under Michael Keiser’s leadership, Sand Valley is already a must-visit (repeatedly). If future plans comes to fruition, it is a legit contender for the title of best golf destination in North America. Read more…
THE REVIVAL – COMMUNITY GOLF IN AMERICA
There is a movement afoot. Across the country, from Goat Hill to the Schoolhouse Nine, from Sharp Park to Winter Park, there are a growing number of community golf projects getting attention and serious support. Read more…
A SEPTEMBER TO REMEMBER – OAKMONT, BALLYNEAL & SAND HILLS
2016 has been yet another wonderful year of golf adventures. The season culminated in late September with a stretch of dreams come true in this golf geek’s life with visits to Oakmont Country Club, Ballyneal Golf Club and Sand Hills Golf Club. Read more…
AWAKENING TO ALISON – MILWAUKEE CC & ORCHARD LAKE CC
Prior to the past month, I had only played one other course credited to the design partnership of Colt & Alison, and that course had been meaningfully altered. In playing Milwaukee Country Club and Orchard Lake Country Club, my eyes were opened to just how skilled Mr. Alison was at creating golf courses that are at once demanding and beautiful. Read more…
BUDDIES BACK IN BOSTON – ANNUAL TRIP RECAP
Last year’s eastern buddies trip was such a winner that we decided to return to Boston again this year to play Myopia Hunt Club, Essex County Club, Whitinsville, Kittansett Club and Wannamoisett. The trip had a wonderful little wrinkle as we were hosted on our first day by a group of members from Myopia and Essex with whom we had casual and fun four-ball matches. Great guys, great courses, great times. Read more...
AS GOOD AS IT GETS – LOST DUNES & THE DUNES CLUB
Last season, I screwed up royally. I have access to Lost Dunes, the Tom Doak gem in SW Michigan, and I did not go. Pathetic, I know. Read more…
DESERT DAYS – SAND HOLLOW, PAIUTE WOLF & WOLF CREEK
Las Vegas is a regular destination for me. My work has taken me there at least fifteen times. With the exception of one trip that I took to get a lesson from Butch Harmon, golf has not been a part of my Las Vegas experience. Read more…
A MAGICAL DAY AT SAND VALLEY
My buddy Chuck was kind enough to include me in a visit to Sand Valley to tour the first course, which is under construction and set to open in 2017. I expected to be in golf geek heaven, and yet what I experienced so vastly exceeded my expectations that I fear that trying to put it into words won’t do it justice. Read more…
A 1,537 MILE DRIVE – THE FORT, HYDE PARK, CAMARGO, FRENCH LICK & HARRISON HILLS
My schedule worked out such that I had a few days to hit the open road for golf adventure. With much appreciated help from Tim Liddy and Jason Thurman, a tour through Indiana and Ohio came together which allowed me to add to my experience of Ross, Raynor, Dye, and Langford (with a healthy dose of Liddy). Read more…
MY BUDDIES IN BOSTON – ANNUAL TRIP RECAP
This year, we headed to Boston, where there is no shortage of world class golf. We had the privilege of playing 4 outstanding courses – The Country Club, Boston Golf Club, Old Sandwich, Essex County – and I took enough photos to negatively impact my golf, so it makes sense to share them and offset the damage. Read more…
DISCOVERING GOLF’S BIRTHPLACE IN AMERICA
In 2013, I took my first golf buddies trip. Unlike conventional trips to resorts like Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, or Bandon Dunes, we headed out to Long Island, NY. We are fortunate enough to be able to leg out access to private clubs through our personal and professional networks. Read more…
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