The Cliffs at Mountain Park

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews3 Comments

The idea of a links course in the mountains is a little ridiculous, but for years I’ve heard people refer to the The Cliffs at Mountain Park as a links-style course. Hearing that description, the course has been on my to-play list for a long time. When I got the invite to play, I hopped in the car and drove … Read More

Casa de Campo – Teeth of the Dog Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews1 Comment

My trip to Casa de Campo was one of my last travel assignments for LINKS Magazine. I took the trip with a handful of LINKS staffers and dozens of subscribers for a company event to play golf, talk golf, and enjoy time in the Dominican Republic! We stayed in the resort, ate all of our meals there, and played as … Read More

Best Golf of 2019 Awards

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews2 Comments

2019 has been a busy and exciting year. My wife and I purchased our first home, moved states, and I changed jobs, stepping out of the golf industry. I played 35 different golf courses this year, most of which were in the first half of 2019 while I was working for LINKS Magazine. The second half of this year was … Read More

Is England the Most Underrated Country for Golf?

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews5 Comments

I’ve been thinking about the title of this article more and more recently, but especially after my last trip to the UK, which included time in both England and Scotland. In recent years, I’ve made more and more golf trips to England, and my appreciation for its golf has risen steadily.  I’ll admit, I’ve even been having what some might … Read More

Pebble Beach Golf Links Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews3 Comments

A handful of courses have such grand reputations that you arrive with impossibly high expectations. Pebble Beach is perhaps the ultimate example. I’ve heard some of my most well-traveled friends say it’s their favorite course in the world. Ahead of my trip, all I could think was, “how could it be that good?!” When I traveled to Pebble Beach for … Read More

Royal St. George’s Review – One of the Greatest British Classics

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews4 Comments

There’s something special about Britain’s great old golf clubs. They embrace tradition dearly, their courses are revered and historic, and in nearly every case, they open their doors to visitors. It’s a combination not found at U.S. private clubs and it’s part of what makes international golf travel so much fun. Royal St. George’s is perhaps the ultimate example of … Read More

Best Golf of 2018 Awards

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews8 Comments

Every year I put together my “Best of Golf Awards” where I pick lighthearted categories to highlight experiences from the past year (you can read the Best Golf of 2017 Awards and Best Golf of 2016 Awards as well). I managed to play 57 different courses this year and despite their various styles and levels of quality, they all had something to … Read More

Royal North Devon Golf Club (Westward Ho!) Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews2 Comments

On my travels I occasionally play somewhere that catches me off guard. Royal North Devon—or Westward Ho! as it is often called—was one such place. I visited the course on a recent trip to England with my wife. She doesn’t play golf, but we walked the course together, ate lunch in the clubhouse, and left saying, “Why aren’t more clubs … Read More

St. Enodoc (Church Course) Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews4 Comments

I wrote about my trip to England for LINKS Magazine, and in that article I opened with an anecdote about Tom Doak. I think it’s worth repeating here. I played a round with Tom a couple of years ago and he told me about a phone call he received from a course owner. The owner asked where to go on … Read More

Streamsong Resort Black Course Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews7 Comments

My first visit to Streamsong Resort wasn’t for the purpose of playing golf. The trip took place in 2016 before the Black Course opened, and I was there to walk the new Gil Hanse layout and explore the design. I didn’t hit a single ball on the course (yes, it was painful not to), but I spent hours walking the … Read More

Meadowbrook Country Club Review

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This review was written by my good friend Tim Gallant. Tim is an avid golfer living in Edinburgh, Scotland, who boasts North Berwick as his home club. We have played rounds together across Scotland, England, and the U.S. comparing notes and debating designs along the way. Tim is a real student of the game – enjoy his review and reach … Read More

Harbour Town Golf Links Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews4 Comments

When I played Harbour Town for the first time around eight years ago, I got a last minute late afternoon tee time while on a road trip. Little did I know that I’d later live and work near Harbour Town and play the course many more times. After my most recent round I decided it was time to rewrite my … Read More

Winter Park Golf Course Review

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Part of being a passionate golf traveler is having people always recommend destinations for the next trip. Occasionally, a place keeps coming up and when multiple knowledgeable golfers insist I see a certain course, my ears perk up. I must have had over a dozen people insist I see Winter Park over a year period, which put this nine hole … Read More

Streamsong Resort Red Course Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews1 Comment

On my first visit to Streamsong, I was only able to play the first six holes of the Red Course. You can imagine the feeling of going to one of the best restaurants in the world to only eat an appetizer. I was able to return recently to spend more time and see the entirety of the Coore & Crenshaw-designed … Read More

Pine Valley Golf Club Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews11 Comments

The feeling of driving through the gates at Pine Valley is a mix of nervousness, excitement, and a frantic need to soak in every single moment and view. All of those emotions are heightened even more when you pull up to the clubhouse where everyone seems to share an unspoken, “can you believe we’re at Pine Valley?!” look every now … Read More

Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle Review

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When I recently visited Skibo Castle and the Carnegie Club, the main purpose of the weekend was to see the recently renovated Carnegie Links. The course had long been on my Scottish to-visit list, but it was always a tough trip to make because of the club’s location and exclusivity. In the end, the round happened years after moving back … Read More

Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle – The Experience

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews3 Comments

I was lucky to be invited to stay for a weekend recently at Skibo Castle, located just outside of Dornoch, Scotland. The castle is home to the private Carnegie Club and I look back at it as my favorite place I’ve ever stayed. I don’t say that lightly!The club is private, which is relatively rare in the British Isles, and … Read More

Royal Dornoch Golf Club Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews24 Comments

My two trips to Royal Dornoch couldn’t have been more different. My first trip was during my time at the University of St Andrews. A buddy and I took the train up from the Auld Grey Toon via Dundee, Perth, Inverness, and Tain, before catching the local bus from Tain into the town of Dornoch (a long day of travel). … Read More

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews2 Comments

Although I’ve spent years and much of my childhood traveling to Pinehurst, NC for golf, it’s only been in the last year that I played Pine Needles. Unlike sister course Mid Pines, I don’t have memories of Pine Needles prior to its most recent renovation and it’s always been the course that barely slipped off the itinerary, always being shoved … Read More