6,444 yards, 138 slope from the Black tees In Avondale, PA, Hartefeld National is a Tom Fazio design built in 1995. Initially opening as a public course, it eventually turned private in the early 2000's. The course was widely acclaimed early on for its top shelf conditioning, intimidating forced carries from hilltop to hilltop over … Continue reading Hartefeld National →

6,396 yards, 137 slope from the Blues In Fort Smith, Arkansas, Hardscrabble was designed by Perry Maxwell in 1926, with renovations by Jay and Carter Morrish in 1998. I am a big Perry Maxwell fan and having some time on my hands, managed to get a round in. In fact, it wasn't all that hard. … Continue reading Hardscrabble Country Club →

6,278 yards, 130 slope from the White tees Once you crest the Santa Susanna on the 101 from Los Angeles, you plunge into the Camarillo Valley and eventually find yourself moving up along the Pacific coast, which glistens in the sun off to your left. It's an inspired drive I never grew tired of while … Continue reading Rancho San Marcos →

6,601 yards, 132 from the Blues Established in 1921 and now in Somis, CA, The Saticoy Club actually started at a different location and course. The first course was designed by George Thomas in 1926 and is still around today, known as the Saticoy Regional Golf Course. William P. Bell worked with Thomas on that … Continue reading The Saticoy Club →

6,265 yards, 130 slope from the Blues Many moons ago when I was just starting to get a little more ardent about the game and course design in general, I found myself at a Boston hotel having lunch with someone who has played almost every where. As we took refuge from the ice, cold and … Continue reading Wilshire Country Club →

6,838 yards, 130 Slope from the Blues Pete Dye seemed to enjoy working in La Quinta. A number of his courses dot the valley, like one of those cluster charts that shows you incoming storm fronts. In a way, my education into course design began out here in the desert. Both my Dad and I … Continue reading The Citrus Club →

6,666 yards, 135 slope from the Black tees La Quinta, California, one of my favorite places in the winter. For its weather, scenery, general laid back desert feel and its golf. As Palm Springs started growing east away from LA towards the Salton Sea, desert towns were born altogether or experienced unprecedented development. The Hollywood … Continue reading La Quinta Resort and Club – Mountain →

6,545 yards, 134 Slope from the Blues In North Hills, PA, which is north of Center City and within that band of courses that includes LuLu, Manufacturers', Sandy Run and Flourtown, is North Hills Country Club, designed by J. Franklin Meehan way back in 1908. The course then saw Hugh Wilson and Ab Smith perform … Continue reading North Hills Country Club →

6,405 yards, 133 slope from the Gold tees In Medford, New Jersey, MVCC has an intriguing history. In 1963, James "Dutch" Himmelein decided to take a farm his father owned known as the Sunny Jim and turn it into a golf course. His mission statement to William Gordon's firm was to make make a golf … Continue reading Medford Village Country Club →

6,645 yards, 143 slope from the Blues In Galloway Township, NJ, just northwest of Atlantic City on the other side of Reeds Bay, is Galloway National, designed by Tom Fazio in 1994. The course is set on extraordinary dunes land of evergreen, which flirts with the marshes of Reeds Bay, then back into the hills … Continue reading Galloway National Golf Club →