Course Galleries by Architect
Golf Course Galleries By Architect
These are my 21 favorite golf course architects listed in alphabetical order. I have chosen these architects based on the quality of their architecture and the impact they have had on golf course design over time. Through my photography adventures, which are predominately US based, I have come to know their work intimately.
These links are not meant to be a complete library of the architect’s work. These are simply the courses that I have personally photographed. In addition to the photography, I have selected a quote from each architect as well as a brief bio with my personal opinions. Please enjoy.
Alister MacKenzie - (1870 - 1934)
“The chief object of every golf architect or greenkeeper worth his salt is to imitate the beauties of nature so closely as to make his work indistinguishable from nature itself.”
Even though this list is alphabetical, we start with perhaps the mostly highly regarded of the golden age architects. With a relatively small body of work compared to his counterparts, Mackenzie is still responsible for some of the most noteworthy designs of all time. Beyond Augusta National and Cypress Point courses like Pasatiempo and Northwood Golf Club are open to the public and all are fantastic places to play and photograph.
Cypress Point Club
Pasatiempo Golf Club
Amen corner at Augusta National Golf Club
A.W. Tillinghast - (1876 - 1942)
“A round of golf should present 18 inspirations. Every hole must have individuality.”
One of the most prolific and recognizable architects from the golden age of golf course architecture. Tilly was involved in over 250 American designs and his courses have hosted over 50 major championships. There may be no finer golden age architect in history than A.W. His designs have hosted scores of major championships and inspired countless architects to follow in his footsteps.
Quaker Ridge
Sands Point Country Club
San Francisco Golf CLub
C.B. Macdonald - (1855-1939)
“Variety is not only the spice of life but it is the very foundation of golfing architecture. Diversity in nature is universal. Let your golfing architect mirror it. An ideal or classical golf course demands variety, personality and, above all, the charm of romance.”
After studying in St Andrews as a 16 year old lad, CB Macdonald returned to America in 1874. He quickly saw an opportunity to bring the game of golf to America. Macdonald was inspired by a discussion of the UK’s greatest holes in Golf Illustrated. His plan was to create an ideal golf course based on the best ideas and features found on the golf courses of the British Isles. C.B. profoundly brought these holes to life on his first design at National Golf Links of America. This creation and several others have earned him the nickname “Father of American Golf.” This dude even coined the phrase “golf architecture.” Partnering with a local engineer named Seth Raynor on many of his designs, the duo is responsible for several of America’s most iconic and historic golf courses.
Piping Rock Club
National Golf Links of America
Coore & Crenshaw - (1972-present)
“Our job is to wed holes to the ground as we see them in a natural way. That’s what we attempt to do – we like to see the ground with no preconceived notions on what to do.”
Bill Coore began his golf career in 1972 under the guidance of Pete Dye. 10 years later, he would start his own design firm and Masters Champion would join the team 3 years later to form Coore & Crenshaw design. Their design portfolio includes the only 2 modern designs inside of the Top 20 golf courses in America. Their philosophy very much revolves around the given piece of land and the finished product is always a very natural presentation of golf.
Sand Hills Golf Club
Sheep Ranch
Friars Head Golf Club
David McLay Kidd - (1967-Present)
“The true measure of a golf course architect should probably be the margin between the site he started with and the golf course he created.”
David McLay Kidd was born 10 miles west of Glasgow and raised by a father who was a greenskeeper. As a teenager, he earned spare change by raking bunkers for his father. After beginning his career as an architect, he was only 27 years old when David got his big break. Mike Keiser hired him to create a little course on the coast or Oregon called Bandon Dunes. The success of Bandon Dunes catapulted Kidd’s career and brought him a mountain of opportunities to create some marvelous golf courses. David capitalized on these opportunities with standout courses like Mammoth Dunes and Gamble Sands that focused on the fun aspect of the sport. His designs are always gorgeous, creative and very enjoyable to play.
Bandon Dunes
Nanea Golf Club
Mammoth Dunes
Donald Ross - (1872-1948)
“A country which gets golf-minded need not worry about the honor, the integrity and the honesty of its people.”
Donald Ross had was born into this world and immediately began to chase his golf pedigree. He was born and raised in Scotland and his first job was as a greenskeeper at Royal Dornoch. He also served as an apprentice to Old Tom Morris at St Andrews. As a young man, Donald saw the demand for golf in America and decided to invest his entire life savings in a move to The United States. It was a bold and daring decision for a man that was chasing his passion. He stepped off of the boat in America with only $2 to his name.
The gamble paid off and Ross went on to become one of the most prolific golf course architects of all time. He is credited with over 400 course designs from 1900 - 1948. In terms of volume alone, Ross is Boss. His designs focus on clever routings with expert use of the existing land. His volume is also backed up with a great deal of quality designs. It is difficult to truncate such a tremendous list, but places like Seminole, Pinehurst, Inverness, and Plainfield stand out to me as particular noteworthy.
Old Elm Golf CLub
Omni Bedford Springs
Seminole Golf Club
Minneapolis Golf Club
Inverness Club
Hyannisport Golf Club
Devereux Emmet - (1861-1934)
“Emmet could not possibly conceive of any other use to which any given piece of real estate could be put except to lay out golf links on it”
When it comes to the golden age of architecture, The critical acclaim that many of his peers receive manages to elude Emmet. In additional to a cool ass name, Devereux does have several marquee courses on his resume and most architecture buffs will recognize Emmet has one of the premier architects of his time. As I began to explore Emmet designs through photography, I became increasingly interested in finding more. There is not a course on this list that did not surprise me in some manner. From the inverted bunkers at Garden City to the island green at Wee Burn, Devereux knows how to build em.
St George’s Golf & Country Club on Long Island
Garden City Golf Club
Congressional Country Club
George C Thomas - (1873 - 1932)
“When you play a course and remember each hole, it has individuality and change. If your mind cannot recall the exact sequence of the holes, that course lacks the great assets of originality and diversity.”
Thomas, together with A.W. Tillinghast, William Flynn, Hugh Wilson, George Crump, and William Fownes, made up the "Philadelphia School" of golf course architecture. Collectively, the group designed over 300 courses, 27 of which are rated among the top 100 golf courses in the world. The Philadelphia School placed a premium on risk vs reward options which is evident in Thomas’ designs.
Los Angeles Country Club - North
The Riviera Country Club
Gil Hanse - (1963 - present)
“The best examples of golf architecture are indistinguishable from nature.”
With so many golden age golf courses that have been neglected over the years, a massive market for course renovations and restorations has emerged over the last several decades. Judging by the number of historic golf courses that have entrusted Gil Hanse with their historic venues, one might conclude that Hanse is the premier restoration architect of our time. In addition to his spectacular renovation work, Hanse has created dozens of original designs that have found their way on to many acclaimed lists. There is nobody in golf that is quite as hot as Hanse right now.
The Vineyard Club
CapRock Ranch Golf Club
The Black Course at Streamsong
Harry Colt - (1869-1951)
“An architect’s earnest hope is, without doubt, that his courses will have the necessary vitality to resist possibly adverse criticism and will endure as a lasting record of his craft and of his love for his work”
Colt was a Cambridge educated lawyer that would eventually become one of the world’s most signifcant golf course architects. With most of his work completed in the early 1900’s Colt had his hands on a number of golf’s most significant works of art. He most notably advised Crump on matters at Pine Valley and refined Old Tom Morris’ design at Royal County Down. With most of his work being international, I have a smaller number of courses in my portfolio. Each one of these efforts is inspirational.
Golf De St Cloud with the Eiffel Tower looming in the distance
Muirfield is a privately owned golf links which is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
Jack Nicklaus - (1940 - Present)
“You have to have variety, you have to have imagination, and you have to be able to adjust with the times, and that’s what we’ve tried to do.”
Jack Nicklaus might just be the best golfer of all time. However, I would not say that he is the best golf course architect of all time. But it is certainly true that there is great merit to many of his design efforts. In recent times it has been popular to scoff at Nicklaus designs and for some courses, I can see the reasons why. However, there are courses on this list that many golfers have a strong affinity for, myself included. It simply is impossible to be this prolific if you are not doing something right.
South Shore Country Club
Hualalai Golf Club
Old Works Golf Club
Dalhousie Golf Club
Langford & Moreau - (1887 - 1977)
“A championship course can be made pleasant for the rank and file. The ability to make it so is the architect’s real test.”
The majority of the duo’s efforts were focused in the midwest and even though they had built over 200 golf courses, most of their efforts have went under appreciated, poorly maintained and even eradicated. Fortunately, a handful of original designs still exist and they give a great sense of the grandeur of their designs. There aren’t many on my list but each one of these efforts tickles my fancy quite like no other. Lawsonia is perhaps the finest example of their brilliance. Culver Academy is also considered by many to be one of the best 9 hole courses in America. Both are downright joyous to play and photograph.
Culver Academy Golf Course
Lawsonia Links
Mike Strantz - (1955 - 2005)
“I hope that they stand the test of time, that people keep coming back to play them because they are challenging and offer the possibility of continual discovery of all of the subtle nuances and options contained within each golf hole and the continual re-discovery of the ‘spirit of adventure’ that resides in each of us.”
Mike Strantz got his start by working under Tom Fazio throughout most of the 1980’s. However, some birds are too bright and you just gotta let them fly. In 1994 he released his first solo creation at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. This effort was met with critical acclaim and afforded Strantz the opportunity to really spread his wings. His following designs at Tobacco Road and Royal New Kent are some of the boldest and most creative efforts that American golf has ever witnessed. “I have never seen anything like this.” is a common exclamation on a Mike Strantz course. His courses are not only fun to photograph, but also wildly fun to play. Sadly, Strantz passed away in 2005 due to a battle with cancer. Mike was a true visionary in golf course architecture and it is a damn awful shame that we won’t experience the golf gifts he was certain to bring us.
Tot Hill Farm
Tobacco Road Golf Club
Old Tom Morris - (1821 - 1908)
“We were all born with webbed feet and a golf club in our hand.”
If there is an original gangster (OG) of golf it is undoubtedly Old Tom Morris. Old Tom was a pioneering Scottish golfer and greenskeeper, born in 1821 in St. Andrews, who won the Open Championship four times. Not only was he instrumental in the creation of golf course architecture in general, he was also responsible for the creation of the Open Championship. Old Tom designed over 25 courses and to this day they are some of the most well renowned courses in existence. The world of golf is simply not the same without Old Tom.
The Old Course at St Andrews
Royal Dornoch Golf Club
Perry Maxwell - (1879 - 1952)
“It is my theory that nature must precede the architect, in laying out of links. It is futile to attempt the transformation of wholly inadequate acres into an adequate course.”
Maxwell’s spark for a career in golf came when his wife showed him an article in Scribner’s Magazine about the National Golf Links of America. Maxwell was inspired and immediately sought out the course architect, Charles B. Macdonald for consultation. Returning to Oklahoma with this inspiration, Maxwell proceeded to lay out four holes on a dairy farm he owned just north of Ardmore. Those four holes would eventually evolve into Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club, where he was the first architect to implement grass greens in Oklahoma. His subsequent designs have earned him the title “Father of Oklahoma Golf.”
Maidstone Club
Old Town Club
Pete Dye - (1925 - 2020)
“Life is not fair, so why should I make a course that is fair.”
People often ask me “Who is your favorite course architect?” My answer is always Pete Dye. Most people usually give me a weird look. However, I urge you to consider my argument based on the bullet points below. I like to think that Pete was carrying the torch of golf course architecture when no one else could.
A blend of historical style with a modern approach
Unique design features. Those railroad ties we know so well, were inspired by a trip to Prestwick.
Tremendous impact on every single architect working today.
Counted on his wife, Alice, to make decisions.
Some of my favorite memories and spots in golf all come from Pete Dye Golf courses. I could name 20, but I truncated the list to 5.
Behind the 18th green at Whistling Straits
The beach on the 5th hole at Teeth of The Dog
Safely aboard the 17th green at Sawgrass.
Inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at Brickyard Crossing
Under the covered bridge at Crooked Stick
Pete’s courses have had a more dramatic effect on my life in golf than any other architect. From the first time I played Kiawah Island as a kid to the first time I saw a sunset at French Lick, Pete Dye continues to inspire excitement. His features photograph incredibly well and the challenge he presents might frustrate some golfers, but I find that the joy of overcoming a challenge far outweighs my frustrations.
Robert Trent Jones Jr - (1939 - Present)
“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life.”
Since founding his own architectural firm in 1972 Robert Trent Jones has designed over 270 golf courses around the world and in 6 different continents. He is, without a doubt, one of the most prominent architects of his generation. While I would consider many of his designs to be in the middle of the road. There are certain courses in his portfolio that I absolutely love. Hoiana Shores, Princeville Makai and Cordevalle are all splendid. However, Chambers Bay is the crown jewel of Robert Trent Jones Jr’s design portfolio.
Seth Raynor (1874 - 1926)
“What the hell is this?”
When it comes to quotations from world renowned golf architect, Seth Raynor, you simply can’t find any. By all accounts he was a reserved and reclusive man who shied away from interviews. Raynor got his start in golf when he was hired by CB Macdonald to survey the land for National Golf Links of America. He went on to become protege of CB MacDonald and the two worked together on many courses. Raynor eventually designed courses on his own with great success. With heavy influence from MacDonald, Seth Raynor’s design style involves the replication of template holes inspired by the golf courses of the British Isles.
My first glimpse of a Seth Raynor designed golf course came on a visit to Shoreacres. It didn’t take me long to realize that something was seriously different. It was when I spied the first hole rectangularly shaped fairway bunker that I expressed the quotation above. After the third hole, I was enamored with Raynor’s style and ability to design a golf course. I would go on to explore and photograph over 30 of his designs each with increasing enthusiasm. Even with my emotions tied to Shoreacres, Fishers Island is my favorite of this world class collection.
Tom Doak - (1989 - Present)
“The best designs of all are organic, evolving from the subtleties of the ground they inhabit.”
Tom Fazio - (1964 - Present)
“Today the land doesn’t matter. You can build a great golf course anywhere.”
Tom Fazio stands at a stark contrast to many of his modern day contemporaries. While most architects consider the land to be of premium importance, Fazio simply shapes the land to his will. This certainly requires larger budgets, but his success is undeniable. With more golf courses in the American top 100 than any other architect (14 in 2023), Fazio has found a recipe for building golf courses that resonates with golfers. Fortunately for the photographer, Fazio places a premium on aesthetics which is partly the reason that I have photographed over 100 of his designs. During my 2018 RGV Tour, I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch with Tom Fazio. He had plenty of inspirational stories but I remember one line in particular. “Make them fun to play, beautiful to look at and hide the damn cart paths.”
Weiskopf & Morrish (1970 - 2020)
“I may not give you access to every pin, but I’ll give you the middle of the green every time.”
The duo of Weiskopf and Morrish are one of the finest underrated architectural teams in the modern era of golf design. Every time I visit one of these beauties, I am always reminded of how much I like their work for a number of reasons. At the top of that list for the photographer is the notable beauty of each one of these golf courses. Even if you didn’t hit a single golf ball, each one of these places would be great fun to go for a walk.
William Flynn - (1890 - 1944)
“One natural hazard, however, which is more or less of a nuisance, is water. Water hazards absolutely prohibit the recovery shot, perhaps the best shot in the game.”
Even though he was born in Massachussetts, William Flynn was part of the Philadelphia school of golf course architecture. A.W. Tillinghast, George C. Thomas, Jr., Hugh Wilson, George Crump, and William Fownes all were part of these elite group responsible for approximately 27 of the world’s top 100 golf courses. Flynn assisted Hugh Wilson with Merion, but he is best known for his work at Shinnecock Hills. Lesser known clubs like Rolling Green and Kittanset Club offer just as much interest with far less notoriety.
