Lay of the Land: Part I

The beauty of golf is that no two courses are the same. Some have a lot of water, others have a lot of trees, and some may even have neither. While there have been many courses that have rewritten golf history over the years, some have had much more of an impact than others. This week begins a two part series I call “Lay of the Land,” where I focus on golf courses both old and new that have cemented their places in the sport. Part I explores five old courses, while Part II will focus on five modern courses. Here we go:

5. Oakmont Country Club - 1903

(Youtube/USGA)

This past June we got to see Oakmont Country Club first hand at the U.S. Open, and I think we all would rather watch than play there. Seriously, it’s that hard. Church pew bunkers, lightning fast greens, and length that would give the average player nightmares have shaped Oakmont’s identity. Don’t get me wrong; it’s the perfect course for a U.S. Open given that it’s hosted eight of them.  Oakmont has also witnessed the birth of golf legends, such as Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus. The course itself embodies championship golf, particularly American championship golf, and its rural location seems to reflect the early stages of golf in America. There is no doubt the history of the sport would be much different without this prestigious Pennsylvania venue.

4. Pebble Beach Golf Links - 1919

(Joann Dost)

It is the home of American links golf, and perhaps one of the most iconic venues in the entire world. Pebble Beach has seen its fair share of history, from Tiger Woods’ famous win at the 2000 U.S. Open, to Tom Watson’s chip-in on the seventeenth hole. The course has become synonymous not only with championships, but also design. Pebble Beach possesses such a natural appearance with so many iconic holes giving the course its own personality. One of the most important aspects of Pebble Beach though is it’s yearly hosting of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, an event that is nearly seventy years old.

3. Pine Valley Golf Club - 1913

(Penn State Turfgrass Management)

It’s likely on the bucket list of nearly every golfer in the world. Annually ranked as one of the hardest golf courses in the country, Pine Valley is certainly a championship venue. Only one problem though: there’s no room to host one. With its signature island fairways surrounded by trees and brush, there is simply nowhere for spectators to watch any sort of event held there.

While its difficulty is attractive to many, its exclusivity is unparalleled. It is borderline impossible to join the private club. Legend has it that even Tom Watson was denied a round of golf since he showed up without a tee time. Women are not even allowed to join, and they can only play the course on Sunday’s as guests of members. For such an isolated venue, it is still one of the most famous in all of golf.

2. Augusta National Golf Club - 1933

(Steam)

Augusta National Golf Club is, in my opinion, the most recognizable golf course in the history of the sport. There are well-maintained courses, there are pristine courses, and then there is Augusta National. Down to each individual blade of grass, the course is perfect—the way Bobby Jones intended it to be when he designed it.

The Masters provides the perfect opportunity for Augusta National to show off its architecture each year, allowing viewers all around the world access to an otherwise very exclusive club. Amen Corner, holes eleven through thirteen, is where the course truly pulls the fan into its superb design. There are very few courses around the world where people can picture every hole without ever having stepped foot on the course. Augusta National Golf Club is one of those courses.

1. The Old Course at St. Andrews - 1552

(Platinum Golf Scotland)

If there’s one golf course that EVERY golfer knows, it’s the Old Course at St. Andrews—the home of golf. It is far and away the most historic, the most influential, and the most significant golf course in the history of the sport. The public course is a classic links setup, with many pot bunkers and A LOT of wind.

While the official establishment took place in the sixteenth century, golf has been played at the links at St. Andrews since the fifteenth century. The course features iconic holes that have provided so much drama over the years, particularly during golf’s oldest major, the Open Championship. Take the famous “road hole” seventeenth for example: a tee shot around/over a hotel sets up an impossible second shot to a narrow green guarded by a deep bunker. Not to mention, thirty mile-per-hour winds can make an already demanding course that much harder.

It’s no surprise that the Old Course has been golf’s most influential venue, and should be for many more years to come.