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. Determined not to make the same mistake twice, I wrangled two Superintendent homies, Scott Vincent (Onwentsia) and Brian Palmer (Shoreacres) for a spring outing.  And since we wereContinue reading “As Good As It Gets – Lost Dunes & The Dunes Club”

Shoreacres Tour by Jon Cavalier

SHOREACRES – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION Lake Bluff, IL – Seth Raynor, 1916 If you’ve read my previous tours or follow me on Twitter or Instagram (shameless plug: @linksgems), you know that I am a fan of the designs of Charles Blair Macdonald and his protégé, Seth Raynor.  I’ve played several dozen “MacRaynor” designs,Continue reading “Shoreacres Tour by Jon Cavalier”

Geek’s Guide to Golf Course Research

“How did you find out about that course?” That is a question that I commonly get from golf buddies who haven’t gone quite as far down the rabbit hole as I have.  The short answer is, “I poked around and came across it.” The long answer is that I would rather spend my time researchingContinue reading “Geek’s Guide to Golf Course Research”

National Golf Links of America Tour by Jon Cavalier

NATIONAL GOLF LINKS OF AMERICA – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION Southampton, NY – Charles Blair Macdonald “There are no more beautiful golfing vistas in all the world than those from the National Golf Club . . .” – C.B. Macdonald For me, this is sacred ground. As a devout member of the church ofContinue reading “National Golf Links of America Tour by Jon Cavalier”

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.  That changed this week when I decided to see whatContinue reading “Desert Days – Sand Hollow, Paiute Wolf & Wolf Creek”

Bandon Preserve Course Tour by Jon Cavalier

BANDON PRESERVE – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon, OR – Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw Bandon Preserve sits on a nook of cliffside dunes between Bandon Trails to the East and Bandon Dunes to the north.  The setting for this little gem is spectacular — every hole has views of theContinue reading “Bandon Preserve Course Tour by Jon Cavalier”

Bandon Trails Course Tour by Jon Cavalier

BANDON TRAILS – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon, OR – Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw Among the four full courses at Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon Trails stands out as the most different from the group.  Though the course starts just south of the Bandon Dunes course and plays through dunes forContinue reading “Bandon Trails Course Tour by Jon Cavalier”

Pacific Dunes Course Tour by Jon Cavalier

PACIFIC DUNES – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon, OR – Tom Doak Pacific Dunes opened in 2001 and immediately skyrocketed up the rankings lists.  It currently holds the title of best overall public course per Golf Magazine, second only to Pebble Beach per Golf Digest, and is considered by Golfweek MagazineContinue reading “Pacific Dunes Course Tour by Jon Cavalier”

Maidstone Club Tour by Jon Cavalier

MAIDSTONE CLUB – A COURSE TOUR & APPRECIATION East Hampton, NY – Willie Park Jr. How a golfer feels about Maidstone typically reveals a great deal about that person’s preferences with regard to golf course design.  Those who find the course lacking in some way, whether too short or too easy, will tell you that theContinue reading “Maidstone Club Tour by Jon Cavalier”

AN APPRECIATION OF GREAT COURSES BY JON CAVALIER

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, andContinue reading “AN APPRECIATION OF GREAT COURSES BY JON CAVALIER”