Courses and Travel

Royal County Down, Northern Ireland, Recommended by Damian Pascuzzo

Chris Santella

Among golf course architects, Royal County Down (laid out by Old Tom Morris) is a great favorite, and a stern test of golf. Former American Society of Golf Course Architects president Damian Pascuzzo explains why.

The Cliffs at Mountain Park

Scott Kauffman

            Travelers Rest, S.C. — For decades, developers have used Gary Player-designed golf courses as integral elements in a variety... Read more »

Highlands Links, Nova Scotia (recommended by Bob Vokey)

Chris Santella

“Any golf course is nice when you’re on vacation,” Bob Vokey said, ruminating on a recent trip to the Maritime... Read more »

Costa Brava a surreal destination, man

Tom Harack

The homeland of the late Salvador Dalí, the Costa Brava exudes a similar quirky charm. There's more than enough golf to be enjoyed, but it's probably overshadowed by the region's outstanding cuisine and other cultural and recreational attractions.

Old Works, New Tricks: Turning a Superfund Site into a Super Fun Golf Course

Jeff Wallach

You’d be hard-pressed to find a town in America or in any other first-world nation as bleak and disheartening as... Read more »

National Golf Links of America, New York (recommended by Tom Doak)

Chris Santella

Some years after the creation of The National Golf Links of America, Charles Blair Macdonald declared the project a success: ... Read more »

Pebble Beach Golf Links, California (recommended by Mark O’Meara)

Chris Santella

Professional golfer and all-around nice guy Mark O’Meara does not mince words when asked about his favorite golf course.  “I’ve... Read more »

The Sine Qua Non of Massachusetts Public Golf

David Gould

How three oil-stained, blue-collar golf neophytes long ago proved you could hand-build top-quality golf in the woods northwest of Boston

A Conversation with Rees Jones, Golf Course Architect

John Strawn

Rees Jones, the younger of the two sons of the legendary golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Senior, has built... Read more »

Musical Score! RTJ II’s New Chambers Bay Golf Course Sings

Jeff Wallach

Much like great music or literature, the best golf courses can ratchet up your emotions directly, but they can also... Read more »

Casino Golf is Always A Good Bet (Part I)

Larry Olmsted

In a casino, the odds are stacked against you, but there is one sure thing: golf.

The World’s Largest Golf Resort

Larry Olmsted

Play the World's Largest Golf Resort

Rustic Canyon Golf Course, California (recommended by Geoff Shackelford)

Chris Santella

This essay profiles Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Ventura County, California. Though a municipal course with very reasonable green fees, the course encapsulates many of the classic notions of golf course design -- the result, in part, of golf architecture journalist Geoff Shackelford's efforts on the boards as a co-course designer.

Arabian Ranches, United Arab Emirates

Chris Santella

This essay profiles the Arabian Ranches Golf Course in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the evolution of golf in Dubai. The course was recommended and described by British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch.

Old Head Golf Links, Ireland

Chris Santella

The Old Head of Kinsale is a startling peninsula that extends some two miles out into the Celtic Sea from... Read more »