Opinion & Analysis
What makes a good golf course?
What is the best golf course you’ve ever played? What is your favorite course? Your least favorite?
After you take a minute to ponder those questions, consider this: Why? What is it about the course you chose that you like or dislike?
Very often, golfers get a feeling about a golf course, and they can’t really say why. That why I want golfers to take a closer look at the golf courses they play, because there are very definitive features about every golf course that separates it from others.
For many years I was a course rater for Golf Digest’s top 100 courses. Their system is as objective and fair as can be, but there will always be certain subjectivity to rating golf courses, because every golf course is unique and they all have design features that make them so. Some courses are inland and some are seaside, while others are quite flat or hilly. But from a playing perspective, let’s take a look at some features that you see every time you play but may not have noticed.
No. 12 at Augusta National Golf Club.
Conditioning: This is rather obvious. Is the course in good shape? Budget is obviously a factor — Augusta National has a bit more to work with than your local muni.
Routing: This is one of the most important design features of any course. Which direction do the holes play? Every golf course has a prevailing wind for the golf season in that area, and most architects take this into consideration. Start with the par 3s; do they play in different directions to allow use of every wind condition (Pine Valley)? Do the holes play in a variety of directions and lengths so golfers do not have to play a group of similar holes in succession: (Pinehurst #2). The lack of land on links courses very often dictates that the holes play out to the 9th hole and back into to the 18th. On inland or “Parkland” courses, the architect can route the holes so they play in a variety of directions, because playing every long par-4 playing in the same direction tends to get old.
Ian Poulter playing No. 13 at Merion GC in the 2013 U.S. Open.
Design: The next time you play a hole and see bunkers or water hazards, ask yourself why the designer put them there. If the hole is calling for a long iron or hybrid, the green might be long and open in front. A short hole, by contrast, might have a small, well bunkered green expecting wedge shot approaches (No. 13 at Merion). This is another reason to play the tee markers your length allows; you should not be hitting hybrids to a small, protected green.
Also, take a look at the green complexes (greens, bunkers, slopes) and see what way they face. Are they angled to the right or left of the fairway? Why does it matter? Well, consider the hole shape; the green should be angled to a direction that would reward the best tee shot. If you play a long dogleg-right and you fly the bunker guarding the right side; a good, fair course would likely design the green facing the right to create a clear shot in. It would simply be unfair to angle the green to the left, because your risk was not rewarded.
Short holes may have very narrow fairways, and longer holes should give us a little room off the tee. It is true that the designer often has to work with whatever the land offers (budget dictates how much earth can be moved). But when whenever possible, these features make a golf course a little more fair and fun for everybody. If the golf course is wide open with very few hazards actually in play, the greens may be undulating, and well protected (this is why Augusta National plays so much more difficult now). Green complexes often complement the design.
Consider a Cape Hole: No. 6 at the Bay Hill Club. You can cut off as much as you’d like, but it comes at a risk. If you can cut off 50 yards more than me, your location should get some reward. It’s all about angles and playing to optimum spots for your next shot.
No. 17 at The Olympic Club.
Pete Dye is a master at this and the way he disguises it. Consider a fairway sloped severely from right to left; (No. 17 at Olympic Club). If every ball is bound to end up left side, it might not be fair to play into a green sloped or angled to right side. Or the famous short, often driveable par 4 like No. 17 at TPC Scottsdale, which is a fun hole for everybody with great penalty for not pulling off the career drive. There are so many designs, and they are too numerous to mention. These are just a few examples to get you to look at the golf course through more “strategic” eyes.
Variety: The best courses have a mix of doglegs, straight holes, long and short ones, all playing in every direction possible. I played a course once that had 13 doglegs out of 14 driving holes: another where every par 3 measured more than 200 yards and was over water! And of course we often get municipal courses that play up and back, up and back (to save land use). But these golf courses lack variety. At this year’s U.S. Open at Merion, for example, the par 3s played from 98 yards to 255!
No. 7 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Continuity: Take all those different holes, but somehow they all go together on this property! They form one great piece of landscape art. This is the problem sometimes with the “Replica” course (designs of famous holes throughout the course). Every hole might be a good design, but the holes simply don’t belong on the same golf course!
Shot Making: Does the golf course require high shots, low ones, fades and draws? Does it force the player to use every club? When you have to come in low, does it allow you run the ball; or when you have to come in high to stop the ball?
These are just some of the ways you can look at a golf course and begin to realize why the great ones are truly great, and why there are so very few of them. Of course we can’t all play Pebble Beach every day, but even at your home course you’ll learn to appreciate design and see that it is not some random selection by the architect. I’d love to hear some of your favorite course and take a minute to explain why.
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Rebecca Gardner
Sep 29, 2020 at 12:58 pm
It’s good to know that the best courses will require players to use every club in their bag. According to my knowledge, it’s a good idea to work with a country club consulting service from early on since they’ll know about important factors such as these that a golf course should include. It’s important for country clubs to offer something unique, so putting a lot of care into the golf course could be a good choice!
Nick
Aug 12, 2016 at 10:46 pm
I was just googling “what makes a great golf course” and things like that when I came across this article. Just wanted to say that I enjoyed the article and your criteria. I have played a lot of golf courses across the country, and while the classic golf courses are cool for their history, a lot of them are lacking when it comes to creativity. They are all straight back and straight through. and sure dog legs are cool but most of the time its essentially the same thing only with a little bend in the hole. I like to see a designers imagination. I love when designers give you options off the tee. They give you a safe tee shot, just expect a more difficult angle. I personally enjoy golf courses that allow many options when entering the green and have some large undulations in or around them in the form of mounding. so if you take that easier tee shot and have the more difficult angle, you might have to run it up the left and let a mound roll it next to a right cut hole guarded by a pond. Its always fun to hit a shot 20 yards left of the hole and have it end ten feet to the right of the cup. That’s what story’s and a great time are made of. It also rewards a properly executed golf shot, and a well thought out plan for the hole. I especially enjoy it when creativity is rewarded. so say that there is a pond left and you can bounce it of a mound on the right of the green. It just adds to the course in my opinion.
Okay so after all of this, Id like to say that my favorite golf course to play is one that’s pretty far away. It has a brilliant layout that features amazing views and a plethora of options off each tee and every approach shot into its greens have more then one choice. I really do highly recommend this course to anyone and everyone who reads this comment. Its also my first comment of any sort because I’m not one to do this but I just thought I should get my voice out there. The course is called the Quarry in Minnesota. It is the number 1 public course in the state according to golf digest and is the number 25 public course in the nation (last year number 20). Beautiful views and a layout that could not compliment the naturally rugged terrain of the course any better. Every hole forms one more tile of this masterfully built mosaic in northern Minnesota.
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robert horneman
Aug 5, 2013 at 9:05 am
My ranking of US courses are: #1 Olympic, #2Rivera, #3 LACC. Never played any top ranked courses east of AZ.
My favorites in Europe are the European club, Waterville, Lahinch, Tralee, Balybunion ,Old Head , Kingsbarns and Royal Portmarnick.
Played the Old Course ,loved the history and the 17th hole. The rest of the course was pretty boring except watching some old Scots playing golf with their dogs following them. I guess the dogs can go into the Gorse to find their lost ball!
Martin
Aug 2, 2013 at 9:05 pm
Royal County Down is a fantastic course! Full of beauty, tradition and wonderful, natural design. I would also like to mention The Glashedy Links (Ballyliffin GC). A modern, demanding links course designed by a man who really knows the game and links golf: Nick Faldo.
Ritch Gallagher
Aug 1, 2013 at 9:38 am
I have played a lot of courses over the years. My favorite place to play in the US is Bandon. I have played three of the four courses, need to make another trip, and they have the ingredients I like. Walkable, encourage the ground game and bring links golf to the States. Oakland Hills, The Prince course at Princeville in Hawaii, Carnoustie and the Stadium course at PGA West have to rank as the most difficult courses I have played.
Regis Staley
Jul 31, 2013 at 6:02 pm
I rate the Black Course as one of the best. In reality though you have to be in good shape to walk it and truly enjoy it. Maidstone and National unforgettable. But my hands down favorite is Old Head on the southern tip of Ireland. Nothing I’ve ever played compares. In Myrtle its Heritage and I have played them all. I look for the architecture and the experience. How did the architect use the natural layout. What type of mix is there on the par 3s, 4s and 5s. A Short Par 4 with a dogleg followed by a long straight par 5. Can I be talked into playing another 18?
Bill Ziegler
Jul 31, 2013 at 4:51 pm
I have been fortunate enough to play a lot of golf in a lot of wonderful places. To me, my five favorite courses are as follows – Cruden Bay (Scotland), Royal Dornoch (Scotland), Pacific Dunes (Oregon), Harbor Town (South Carolina) and Theodore Wirth (The Muny I grew up playing in Minneapolis).
You have to have a soft spot for the course where you learned the game.
Jim
Jul 31, 2013 at 4:40 pm
I’ve played some very nice courses in Canada, USA, Mexico, and Europe but the one I played 100+ times/yr trumped the 2 leading complaints of the working class golfer… “costs too much and takes too long”. It was a nicely conditioned 5100yd par 65 course; 9 par 3’s, 7 par 4’s, and 2 par 5’s. I’d usually play after work & dinner and it took me 2.5 hrs walking. I’ve since moved too far away with only highly ranked ‘monsters’ in the area so I don’t play nearly as much any more. Playing the forward tees at the longer courses doesn’t shorten the playing time as I still have to follow high handicappers playing the wrong tees (I’m a 6.2) for 4+ hours. I seldom have the time nor budget to play these ‘favorite’ or highly ranked courses. So my ‘favorite’ course has to be the one I played most often.
Brian
Jul 29, 2013 at 4:24 pm
I’d say design, variety, and conditioning, in that order, are my top factors. I think another attribute to consider might be history. Most courses with history tend to be well conditioned, but history can certainly make up some for any lack in design and variety. Knowing that the greatest golfers to have played the game walked the same grounds you’re walking and remembering some of the greatest shots and moments from the game’s history are awesome feelings.
A course that I really enjoy playing in my neck of the woods is a Mike Strantz design called Tot Hill Farm in Asheboro, NC. Many would probably know his more popular Pinehurst design, Tobacco Road. Tot Hill Farm is every bit as scenic and dramatic, but a lot less gimmicky, and a consistently more difficult test of golf.
Damien
Jul 29, 2013 at 3:44 pm
I’ve played a number of the top 100 courses in the U.S. and consider the River Course @ Black Wolf Run to be the “best” parkland style course I’ve played. Only complaint: Par 3 13th which requires a righty to hit a draw or a lefty to hit a fade / cut with a long-iron with no bail out area.
Worst: Minebrook Golf Club in Hackettstown, NJ.
Mats "Pump 2"
Jul 29, 2013 at 1:34 am
As I’m from Sweden, I havn’t played many US courses, the best one I’ve played to my mind is Torrey Pines South and North course. In Europe, one of my all time favourite courses is Dunluke Course at Royal Portrush. In Sweden: I have to go with Bro Hof, Stadium Course, hosts the Scandinavian Masters on European Tour, a course in mint condition. Over and out! 🙂
Sean
Jul 27, 2013 at 2:48 pm
I think for the average golfer a course that allows you to play the ball on the ground. Many modern course designs require forced carries that many average golfers can’t navigate (180 to 200 yard range).
Martin
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:08 pm
I am not a scratch bomber so I don’t need the course to be brutally hard, I like to walk and have a bad knee so long very steep hills in either direction are no fun for me.
I like a mix of holes, some hard, some easier, the biggest things to me is consistencly of turf, sand and greens and having a bailout area on very long carries. Extremely fast greens are no fun for me, particularly on a course I don’t play very often.
I don’t really have an absolute favourite course, Eagle Creek outside Ottawa is pretty great, redtail Landing near Edmonton and Raven at Verrado near Phoenix are memorable for me.
george
Jul 25, 2013 at 5:45 pm
national golf links of america southhampton ny – there is no better golf course
the worst course ive played ……… the woods at cherry creek riverhead long island – are you kidding me ???????????
george
Jul 25, 2013 at 5:50 pm
bethpage black is quite overrated as is the entire complex of 5 courses
Anthony
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:09 am
I totally disagree. Especially as someone who live five minutes from the complex.
You have one of the best courses in the country with Black (public or otherwise). Black has it’s faults, like a lack of a finishing hole, but realistically if that tee shot isn’t in the fairway, the rough is so thick and the bunkers right and left make it an impossible approach to a domed, uphill, well protected green. My biggest gripe with Black is the walk up 15. Even after you putt and walk off the green the walk up to the 16th tee takes a lot out of you. But I love that course.
The Red there has so much character and offers long, short, east, and challenging holes that allow you to use every club in your golf bag. You can also play many of the holes several different ways. This is probably one of my favorite golf courses.
The Blue offers one of the most challenging front 9’s out there. As a matter of fact, I hate the front 9 on blue because I have tremendous difficulty with it. Just last Friday I went out in 51 and came in with a 40 (I play to a 13). Sure the back gets easier and shorter, but again, the course allows you to play every club in your bag and multiple types of shots.
The Green and Yellow are two short courses. But make no mistake they can bite you in the rear end. The Green and Yellow courses greens are challenging to make up for the lack of length. There are subtle slopes that I have trouble picking up. You think the putt is going straight and then it breaks one way or another.
I mean know disrespect by disagreeing with you. Between the five courses at Bethpage and the three courses at Eisenhower, LI golfers have seven really good municipal course to keep in their summer rotation and never get bored. It’s where I play 90% of my rounds, so I understand I can be a little bit of a homer on this one.
Dennis Clark
Jul 26, 2013 at 12:49 pm
George: Tell us what it is you don’t like about Black, perhaps in the context of my article
Abu Dhabi Golfer
Jul 29, 2013 at 11:20 am
Having played over 300 courses in over 20 countries, Bethpage (Black) is the 3rd best inland course I have ever played – behind Sunningdale (Old) in England, and Royal Melbourne (West) in Australia.
Some peoples’ standards are just way too high!!! LOL
Dennis Clark
Jul 26, 2013 at 12:50 pm
What is specifically about national that makes it the best IYO?