Donald Ross’s Seminole Golf Course in Juno Beach, Florida, is universally recognized as one of the great architect’s true masterpieces, and is a fixture in every list of the world’s top courses. I first visited Seminole about two years ago and spent upwards of five hours walking and studying what is widely considered to be […]
I had a dream last night. Well, I’m pretty sure it was a dream… Here’s the gist: Alister MacKenzie is not dead. He’s been hiding away in a Tibetan monastery since 1934, the date of what we had presumed to be his death. So deep and powerful has been his inward reflection all these years, […]
Having nearly completed the back nine tour, MacKenzie was regaining his humor, at least somewhat, and seemed to be tiring a bit as they finished at #16. To #17 now, where MacKenzie spouted, “That wonderfully formed pine is gone, I assume you had it removed at some point, Mr. Payne?” “Absolutely not, sir. That tree […]
When we last paused, Dr. MacKenzie was on his way to the 10th tee. The spirit amongst the group was strained at best as the architect’s criticisms continued to mount. As the group shuffled down the hill from the tee, MacKenzie referred to the relocated green and uttered, “Now this looks more like Maxwell!” Indeed, […]
Maybe the title got your attention … Just talking golf holes here – mainly the short-ish ones… especially the 4’s under 340 yards and the 3’s under 120 yards. And when I think of some of the best I’ve played… and a few that I’ve designed… it’s these shorter ones that always seem to be […]
I’ve certainly enjoyed my share of “perks” while working in the golf industry. And while work often supersedes many of the opportunities presented, once in a while I get to take in some really unique golfing experiences. One such opportunity came about this past season when I was invited to visit Lake Zurich Golf Club […]
This tour was all about "Heath & Links” and I’ll say we certainly followed through accordingly! Yesterday we saw two more links (Royal North Devon and Burnham and Berrow), but we’re now back again in the heathlands of Surrey for the final stretch. This morning we visited Woking Golf Club, designed by Tom Dunn (1893). […]
It’s Sunday… a proper day to rest from golf after six straight rounds in as many days. Well… I mean from playing golf, that is. Today was meant as a relaxing day, but also a time to roam about the Southwest of England and see a few courses that we otherwise lacked time (and energy) […]
Away again from London… and a brief respite from heathland golf. Now off to Cornwall and the seaside town of Rock on the southwest coast, via Stonehenge early this morning. Destination: St. Enodoc Golf Club. This one is not on everyone’s radar, but it certainly should be…it’s a legitimate Top 100 Course and here’s why. […]
The end of one tour marks the beginning of another. Today, I paired up with fellow architect Richard Mandell and we set off on our own “extended tour” of golf courses in England… beginning at none other than Walton Heath, a return to the heathland courses near London. Herbert Fowler designed two courses here, beginning […]
Many feel like golf courses are many times defined by their greens. Whether that is completely or singularly valid or not, this is not for me to decide. But in the case of today's course, Royal Cinque Ports (Deal), the greens and their integrated surrounds certainly played a huge part in the dynamic identity of […]
You know how sometimes you just go along for the ride with something, having mixed expectations…sort of lacking that total emotional anticipation of something great? Today was very much like that for me… maybe because there was such bemoaning about the horrid weather that was forecasted… or maybe because I simply had not done my […]