Discover Exceptional Golf Experiences and Reviews
Discover in-depth features and reviews of the world’s best golf courses, with insights into design, architecture, rankings, and must-play experiences. This curated archive showcases courses defined by design excellence, historical significance, and standout playability—highlighted through our first-hand experiences at the Top 100 Courses in the world.
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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’ … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
The major golf road trip of 2017 was tabbed “The Wonders of Wisconsin” many months before we actually experienced the beauty and charms of the Badger State. We kicked off our four day tour with a blazingly hot afternoon round at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. Despite the encroachment of the Wauwatosa sprawl and the … Read more
The Old Course at St. Andrews is a course we all aspire to play at least once in our lifetime. I always knew I’d take the trip someday, and that day came when a business trip to London was put on my calendar in early April. Immediately, I decided I’d look into traveling to Scotland in … Read more
First the superlatives; Second, full disclosure on conditions, costs and other devilish details; Third, Bandon Dunes Resort Takeaways;
The South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club has played a pivotal role in the history of the game of golf. Not only is it one of the most historic championship golf venues in the world, but it is also an interesting study in the evolution of golf architecture. Donald Ross designed the course in … Read more
We were lucky enough to start our 2016 golf season at Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course on what was now our third trip to Los Angeles since starting ROP in 2011. In 2012 we played Riviera Country Club; in 2014 we played Bel-Air Country Club, and having played LACC North in 2006, it was great to … Read more
Charles Blair MacDonald founded National Golf Links of America in 1908 after careful study of the golf courses of the British Isles. He then set out to build a world class golf course in the United States, and with the help of engineer Seth Raynor, was able to incorporate many of the famous design features from … Read more
The notion of building golf courses in remote areas free of real estate subdivisions and unnatural intrusions has been the most welcomed concept in the modern age of the sport with such bold designs as Sand Hills, Bandon Dunes, Sutton Bay, Bully Pulpit and, more recently, Streamsong. On a much more discreet level, clubs have … Read more