Welcome to Right On Par, where we invite you to discover unique and memorable golf experiences: from the top 5 in the world to courses off the beaten path and everywhere in between. Our focus is to provide our readers with unique insights from the courses we play, provide travel tips and recommendations (like how to get to Royal Dornoch and where to stay), as well as recommending equipment and apparel, with the end goal of enhancing your next round. Please dive in and share your perspectives with us too!
Featured Articles
We’ve been writing articles since 2011, so you’ll see some throwbacks in our featured articles. Some of the best are featured in The Road Less Traveled.
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Broomsedge Golf Club: A Bold Design featuring a battle to “Survive the First Five”
With many great new golf courses being built, differentiation is key. Broomsedge Golf Club does a great job of that with a bold, challenging layout that is apparent from the first tee shot. By the time you reach your approach shot, you’ll realize that this isn’t a place to ease into a round. Broomsedge demands…
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Fishers Island Club: Raynor’s Sistine Chapel
The Course: Conventional wisdom might say a course that is 1 of only 5 in the US with water views from every hole would be more about the scenery than the architecture. At Fisher’s Island, thiscouldn’t have been further from the truth. As I walked down the arrival boat dock adjacent to the 17th fairway and looked back over…
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Mainline Magnificence: The 1971 U.S. Open and Merion Today
The 1971 U.S. Open and Merion Today Merion Golf Club hosted the 1971 US Open and my friend Jim Simons of Butler, Pennsylvania, by way of Wake Forest University and then an Amateur, nearly won the tournament with Trevino and Nicklaus ending up in a Monday 18 hole playoff. Jim lead after three rounds and…
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Seminole Golf Club: A Donald Ross Masterpiece with an Old World Charm
There’s nothing quite like playing golf at a historic place like Seminole Golf Club. Like many, I had heard amazing things about the club, its famous course and its storied history. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best courses in the world and for good reason. First and foremost it’s one of Donald Ross’…
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Toftrees golf course to get major upgrade from Nagle
Architect aims to create ‘one of the best public courses in Pennsylvania’ STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA, FEBRUARY 20, 2025 – The Toftrees Golf Resort is to undergo a major renovation project at the hands of Jim Nagle of Nagle Design Works – and the architect believes the property has the potential to become one of the best…
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Country Club of Charleston: 5 Highlights from the Raynor classic
Introduction The Country Club of Charleston is a championship-caliber golf course designed by the legendary Seth Raynor in 1923. The club has a rich legacy of hosting premier amateur events, including the prestigious Azalea Invitational and the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open. As someone who’s played many rounds at Fox Chapel Golf Club in my hometown…
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The Park West Palm: An ideal place for golf nuts
We really enjoyed The Park West Palm experience. It’s a modern concept with the ‘Open Golf’ motto making for a fun, relaxed hang at a top tier golf course. The modern feel is highlighted by an alps style putting green (I assume inspired by St. Andrews), ample short game areas and a large driving range.…
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Sunningdale Golf Club (Old): An unparalleled golf experience
After a long journey that started with a flight from Pittsburgh to Chicago and then onto London Heathrow, it was straight to Sunningdale to kick off a work trip in proper fashion. The friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere were immediately noted. After a quick change and a visit to the golf shop it was right…
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Pepper Pike, Woodmont North, Two Union League Clubs and Beyond—New Course Experiences
First, the chronological list of new golf course experiences ( as in first time played ), to wit; Second, condensed observations on each course, commencing with the wonderfully unique golf experience at Pepper Pike Club. PPC shuns the rankings and other intrusions from the golfpaparazzi. If such attention was sought, PPC would be hailed among…
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Allegheny Country Club: A Mix of Old and New
Deep in the Sewickely suburb of Pittsburgh lies Allegheny Country Club, a great club with a unique old-style feel. As you drive through the winding roads of Sewickley and through the ACC entrance it’s as if you’re taking a step back in time. The stately clubhouse sits atop the property with views of the surrounding…
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Country Club of Orlando, Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes and Bay Hill— Three of Central Florida’s Finest
During my Rollins College years of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, the area of Orlando on Orange Blossom Trail between Colonial and Princeton Drives was known for its seedier style offerings. Unbeknownst to me in those occasional visits to the “Trail” was the fact that a 1911 Donald Ross beauty was mere steps from…
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Atlantic City Country Club – Not Just Another Day at the Beach
If by mid-week of your Jersey Shore vacation you need a change of pace, grab an early tee slot at Atlantic City C.C. and enjoy an incredibly pleasant and memorable experience. Despite having played ACCC several times, each visit provides new discoverers and reinforces past marvels. The Club checks all the boxes, namely, history, design…
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Sylvania CC, University of Michigan and Wuskowhan Players Club – A Most Pleasant Trio
The natural thing to do once you have decided to drive from Pennsylvania to Grand Rapids, Michigan is to line up a few golf venues. Having previously played the headliners along the route, the thought was to play the gems not experienced in prior treks. Sylvania C.C., University of Michigan (Mackenzie course) and Wuskowhan Players…
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Cricket Club, Scotland Run, Hidden Creek and Seaview Bay – Three Days, 72 Holes, Priceless
In order to condense a five day golf trip running for some thirty plus years with as many as 24 guys to a three day trip with eight players, the drive time best be manageable, the venues strong and the amenities first class. For our 2017 and 2018 outings, check, check and check. The four…
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Elegance and variety abound at Lancaster Country Club
Lancaster Country Club is the epitome of the strategic Golden Age golf course architecture. The 1900 William Flynn design utilizes the rolling topography to perfection, presenting a wide variety of holes that capture the beauty of the landscape. The use of the land is remarkable, especially the incorporation of the scenic Conestoga River. Flynn used…
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The Club at Nevillewood: The Best Modern Course in Pittsburgh
The Club at Nevillewood, located just south of Pittsburgh, was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in the early 1990’s. It is clearly the best modern golf course in the area and ranks up there in the overall best courses in the City. Golf Digest ranks it in the Top 25 in the State, which is…
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An Archivist’s Dream: Vintage Architectural Periodicals Featuring Golf Course Clubhouses
In the course of researching the life and times of architect Henry Rogers, I made an astonishing discovery as to the inspirational source for his design of the clubhouse at Sunnehanna Country Club (1923). Tucked away in a desk drawer in Henry Rogers’ grandson’s lumber mill, hundreds of clippings from The Western Architect and The…
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History, Layout and Culture set East Lake Apart
It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you step foot onto the grounds at East Lake. As you enter the immaculate clubhouse filled with endless amounts of Bobby Jones memorabilia, you realize just how special it is. The history speaks for itself, the layout is scenic and enjoyable and the Club culture is unlike…
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Cuyahoga River Valley Pure: Sleepy Hollow Golf Course
Just outside of the Cleveland city limits at the northwest edge of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Cleveland Metroparks owned Sleepy Hollow Golf Course unfolds over an ideal tract of land for golf. Never one to try and outdo natural beauty, Stanley Thompson melded Sleepy Hollow into the contours, crevices, creeks and craters of the…
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Hershey Country Club (West) – Golden Age Beauty Born of the Great Depression
In so many varied aspects, Milton Hershey was an unparalleled visionary. The fact that the Hershey Companies remain governed by his Trust created in 1918 speaks for itself as the 99 year old document has fended of such multi-national suitors as Mondelez’s 23 billion dollar bid in 2016, frequent overtures by Cadbury and scuttled auction…
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Wanango Country Club: Truly a Hidden Gem
Tucked between the former boom towns of Oil City and Franklin, Pennsylvania, Wanango Country Club boasts the following byline, “Original Front Nine by Donald Ross, Second Nine Thomas Bendelow and redesigned by A.W. Tillinghast.” The tireless contributors to Golf Club Atlas’ Discussion Group would take some issue with the design heritage, but the GCA researchers…
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The Club at Nevillewood: The Best Modern Course in Pittsburgh
The Club at Nevillewood, located just south of Pittsburgh, was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in the early 1990’s. It is clearly the best modern golf course in the area and ranks up there in the overall best courses in the City. Golf Digest ranks it in the Top 25 in the State, which is…