Some of my earliest junior golf tournament memories reach back to rounds at Mid Pines on trips with my Dad. I grew up in Asheville, N.C., so at least once a year we’d journey down to Pinehurst for a junior tournament or two. The tournaments were often played over a number of area courses, but it seemed like Mid Pines … Read More
Colleton River Club – Dye Course Review
Hilton Head Island, S.C. has a reputation for being a heavy-hitting golf island, but if you take private courses into account, Bluffton, S.C.—just inland from Hilton Head—gives the island a run for its money. On the mainland you’ll find Belfair with its two Fazio courses, Berkeley Hall with its two Fazio courses, Colleton River Club with its Nicklaus and Dye … Read More
The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort Review
“Innovate or die.” Think back to the hottest golf destinations of 30 years ago. How many are still considered top of the pack? Many of the popular destinations of the past failed to embrace that “innovate or die” theme, and in turn they’ve been left behind in an ever-evolving world. Pinehurst Resort has managed to stay near the top of … Read More
Trump Turnberry – Ailsa Course Review
My first round at Turnberry was in 2011, prior to the major restoration, and prior to my understanding about not rushing golf trips. We arrived at the course, played our round, and rushed off to our afternoon loop elsewhere. For my second visit to Trump Turnberry, I slowed things down and really enjoyed my time. I arrived the evening before … Read More
St Andrews Old Course – What Makes it So Special?
I am one of the lucky few that has called the St Andrews Old Course my home course. I attended the University of St Andrews for four years and played around 200 rounds on the Old Course. No other course in the world is like the Old and nowhere else has been able to replicate what makes it special. Rather … Read More
Forest Dunes – The Loop Review (Black Course)
“What is a reversible course?” Those active in the golf world may think it’s an obvious answer, but I’ve been asked the question many times when describing The Loop at Forest Dunes. A reversible course is one where the routing can be played from the first hole to the 18th (clockwise), and then switched to play from the 18th back … Read More
Golfer’s Guide to Scotland’s North Coast 500
Driving Scotland's North Coast 500 - a 500-mile route through the Scottish Highlands - was one of the best travel experiences of my life. I made the trip for work (my job at LINKS Magazine), and wrote about my experiences extensively both on the LINKS website, and in the digital and print magazines. This post is different. I'm writing this ... Read More
Reay Golf Club Review
If you’ve read my reviews recently, you’ll notice a theme: extremely rural Scottish courses. Reay perfectly fits that mold as it’s the most northerly 18-hole course on the British mainland. If you thought that Royal Dornoch was way up north, Reay is 2 hours north of Dornoch! I made the journey to Reay as part of my trip on the … Read More
Gairloch Golf Club Review
Gairloch Golf Club is one of those rounds I think back to often. It was a cold and rainy morning in June, but there is something about the town of Gairloch and that area of western Scotland that stays with you. I played Gairloch during my journey on the North Coast 500, and I was lucky to be paired up … Read More
Best Golf of 2017 Awards
While 2016 was a big year for my golf life, 2017 was a big year for my non-golf life. I got married in February… and then did it again in July. Our actual wedding ceremony was here in the United States, but we held a celebration party in my wife’s native England in the summer. It took the planning of … Read More
Durness Golf Club Review
As far as golf courses go, Durness is one of the remotest that I’ve visited. Durness is north of Moscow and on a similar latitude to Anchorage, Alaska. It is the most northwesterly golf course on the British mainland and to put that in perspective, the course is a 2+ hour drive north of Royal Dornoch. What a rewarding and … Read More
Castle Stuart Golf Links Review
During my first visit to Castle Stuart I couldn’t see a thing. Heavy rain, hail, and fog blew through the area with only brief glimpses of daylight – and the course – to provide an idea of where we were going. Despite all that, I loved it. That first round was over five years ago and after patiently waiting, I … Read More
Brora Golf Club Review
Brora Golf Club was another stop on my North Coast 500 drive, and apart from Royal Dornoch, it was the course I’d heard the most about on my itinerary. Brora is located only 35 minutes north of Dornoch, yet relatively few people make the journey past north of Dornoch on their itineraries. I stayed at the nearby Royal Marine Hotel … Read More
Quivira Golf Club Review
My first and only visit to Mexico was to Los Cabos and Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort where you’ll find Quivira Golf Club. The trip was for my work at LINKS Magazine and the entire experience was 5-star. We stayed at the Towers at Pacifica within eyeshot of the golf course, we had a day on a sailboat, ate like kings, … Read More
Golspie Golf Club Review
During years of friendship with Ru Macdonald from the Scottish Golf Podcast he’s always told me to visit Golspie Golf Club. He insisted it was a local gem that embodied the best of Scottish golf and partly due to his urging and partly due to my love of the Scottish Highlands, I jumped at the chance to go this summer. … Read More
Royal Melbourne Golf Club – West Course Review
Royal Melbourne is one of the foundational clubs in golf. Founded in 1891, it is Australia’s oldest continually existing golf club and due in part to that history, it’s the one club that every American visiting Australia wants to see. My visit to Australia was in September, which is on the early side of the country’s golf season. We played 36 … Read More
Royal Melbourne Golf Club – East Course Review
My mid-September round on Royal Melbourne’s East Course was the second 18 of the day. The weather was cold, grey, and slightly misty as you’ll see in the photos, but the clouds opened for a dramatic sunset on the 17th and 18th holes. The anticipation builds as you drive up to Royal Melbourne. Large square-cut hedges border each side of … Read More
Kingston Heath Golf Club Review
Of my six rounds in Australia, I was able to play two rounds with my father who made the trip for a conference. The first round together was at Metropolitan Golf Club, and the second was our round at Kingston Heath. As with Metropolitan, the round was arranged by, and played with, generous Australian friends who treated us like family. … Read More
Royal St. George’s Review (By Tim Gallant)
This review was written by my friend and site contributor Tim Gallant, who visited Royal St. George’s this past February. Enjoy! Royal St George’s, or Sandwich as it is commonly referred to, is one of the very best links golf courses in the world. While you may hear pros complain about the course due to its humps and bumps that … Read More
Sweetens Cove Golf Club Review
I often receive emails, texts, or comments on my reviews suggesting that I play various courses. That said, I have never had more people tell me to play a course than Sweetens Cove in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. Droves urged me to make the drive across the Carolinas, and with that, I was introduced to the cult following of Sweetens Cove. The course … Read More