Who's your favorite golf course architect?

Donald Ross. His courses use the land beautifully and are very strategic. Second would be Alistair McKenzie who would probably be first except so few of his courses are available for play by the general public. No one used the land better or used bunkers as well.
 

Tillinghast has designed some pretty good courses.  I also seem to always enjoy Arthur Hills courses--he has a ton that are world-class, championship courses, and several that are just normal courses that are very good.

I am a big fan of Pete Dye.  Sawgrass is at the top of my golf course bucket list.  The only course to his credit that I've played so far is Bulle Rock, and I loved it.

Arthur Hills

Love the Coore & Crenshaw courses that I've seen.  Really looking forward to seeing what they've been doing down there in Florida at Streamsong Resort.

I can't say I have a favorite designer..  I have played over 200+ courses in my life and can say I've had all architects make some great courses, and then design some pieces of junk..  Every designer has made a A+ and F course in their careers..  Regardless of the architect I like a course that is not penile golf where shooting from target to target is your only options..  Pete Dye of late has really emphasized that, which I dislike with a passion..  My opinion is that a great course is one that requires minimal earth moving equipment and allows ALL types of players to enjoy it..  Rather you be a target golf player or a links roller.. One shouldn't have to build the course, it's already there, all you are doing is removing some of the brush  :) 
 

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Originally Posted by ThominOH 

Regardless of the architect I like a course that is not penile golf ...

Save your discussions of "penile golf" for the 300+ yard drive thread. 

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Originally Posted by Derek02 

I am a big fan of Pete Dye.  Sawgrass is at the top of my golf course bucket list.  The only course to his credit that I've played so far is Bulle Rock, and I loved it.

Mine too. My sister worked the tournament this year, and said she's giving me her free round for my birthday. Haven't seen it yet...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThominOH 

I can't say I have a favorite designer..  I have played over 200+ courses in my life and can say I've had all architects make some great courses, and then design some pieces of junk..  Every designer has made a A+ and F course in their careers..  Regardless of the architect I like a course that is not penile golf where shooting from target to target is your only options..  Pete Dye of late has really emphasized that, which I dislike with a passion..  My opinion is that a great course is one that requires minimal earth moving equipment and allows ALL types of players to enjoy it..  Rather you be a target golf player or a links roller.. One shouldn't have to build the course, it's already there, all you are doing is removing some of the brush  :) 
 

Agreed. One of my favorite quotes is what Bobby Jones is to have said when he first saw the land that was to become Augusta National. I don't remember exactly, but it was along the lines of, "to think, this land has been here all this time, just waiting for someone to lay a golf course on it." A good course uses the land; it doesn't redistribute it (not to say I'm not pumped to play the Stadium course). But to answer the question, I'm a big fan of Arthur Hills (I play Windsor Parke here in Jax as often as I can). He has some great courses that give you the opportunity to be safe, but sorely tempt you to take risks.

Pete Dye because of how beautiful his courses are and how their design plays tricks with your mind and forces you to take risks one way or the other.  Make the safe play off the tee and you force yourself into taking a risky 2nd shot.

Tom Doak

I've enjoyed the Tom Fazio courses that I've played.

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Originally Posted by Beachcomber 

I've enjoyed the Tom Fazio courses that I've played.

Thank goodness for a kindred spirit at long last. Fazio gets so much flak from the architecture 'purists' that I was beginning to wonder if I was his only fan. I think the knock on him is that he's okay at making land look good but not so good with strategy. Have never played his courses, so I can't give a definitive answer to that but I've read his book Golf Course Designs and saw very little that I didn't like. You played Pelican Hill yet?

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Originally Posted by Kygolf 

Arthur Hills

Agreed.
When in the Columbus, Ohio area I always try to seek out Longaberger and Winding Hollow.

Donald Ross. I worked at the last course he built ( Raleigh Country Club), and my old boss is superintendent at Alamance country Club. I've played several of the Ross courses at Pinehurst, and The Orchards in western Mass. All the Ross courses I've played seemed to be laid out so naturally that they were there forever.

Yeah of the guys designing now, Tom Doak, Crenshaw & Coores and Kyle Phillips.  

Here on of Phillips re-designs, the course where I grew up in Northern Cal, Cal Club