What's in a name?

[Adam_F_Collins]

I mentioned this in the thread about logos, but it was a little off-topic, so I'm bringing it out on its own.

Golf courses, for all the time, money and effort that goes into them - have a lot of lame names.

Now granted, a great course will override a poor name, and eventually, will give the name a positive meaning and by virtue of association, the name becomes acceptable. But come on, Pine Valley is pretty uninspired compared to the course.

There's a lot of such names - Such-in-such Ridge, Hill, valley, creek, point, etc. Pretty obvious - naming after local features of the landscape. And that's fine, I guess. If your new course is on Copper Creek, then Copper Creek is an obvious name - still on the lame side, but at least there's relevant meaning and reasoning. However, there are plenty of names pasted on multimillion-dollar efforts without even this. There's a course here called Fox Hollow - no fox has ever been seen there...It's not a hollow...

I think that, if a group of people can work together to produce an inspired golf course design, they should at least show signs of an attempt at reflecting that inspiration in a name.

As a guy who hasn't played a lot of the greats, I can certainly give a solid opinion from a dreamers perspective on the kind of name that makes you want to find a way to get there...

Troon is a NAME
Carnoustie is a NAME
Scioto is a NAME (I have no idea what it means and few can pronounce it...but that's part of why it's great)
The National Golf Links of America ...is a NAME
Baltusrol is a NAME
Bethpage Black is a NAME
Devil's Pulpit - NAME

On the other hand...

Bay Hill...sorry Arnie
Eagle's Nest...forgive me, Mr. Carrick
The Links at Crowbush Cove...and just about anything that begins with "The Links at..." bummer - overused. I think Dan Jenkins pointed this out recently.

locals here:
Osprey Ridge...Lame
Granite Springs...Lame
Digby Pines...does no justice to Mr. Thompson.(although, admittedly warms my heart through sentimental association)

Now, in the case of Pebble Beach, that one's just SO obvious that it seems that there was no choice, so that one slides through alive.

I know this could be touchy for some, but if you go to the trouble of building a golf course and you find yourself stuck for an interesting name, at the VERY least browse the single malt section of the liquor store. (But be careful. Anything starting with 'Glen' is slipping into the shady zone).

In the end, better a misplaced Scottish word than another
Links at Tree Hill Ridge.

[Steven_Biehl]

Golf course names has been discussed on here within the last year.  Try a search, I think the subject of that thread is the same.

One name I can not figure out, is Southern Dunes.....in Indianapolis!?!  There are no dunes within a 2.5 hour drive of that course!  

Here's an original name, Shekinah on the Brandywine, also in the Indianapolis area, not sure if it is still open though.

From the "Heritage" edition of The Golfer in 2001, World's Best Monikers:

Fiddler's Elbow CC, NJ
Jack O'Lantern Golf Resort, NH
Kissing Camels CC, CO
Pow Wow CC, NM
Truth or Consequences GC, NM

[Adam_F_Collins]

We have "Ken-Wo" here in Nova Scotia. It's between Kentville and Wolfville.

[Carlyle Rood]

On a related note:

Tiger Woods
The Golden Bear
The Olden Bear
Fat Jack
The Shark
The King
The Big Easy
The Big Wiesy
El Nino
Justin Rose
Charles Coody
Fuzzy Zoeller
Sandy Lyle
Gay Brewer
Fred Funk
Retief Goosen
Davis Love III
Vijay Singh
Stewart Cink
Jonathan Byrd
Fred "Boom Boom" Couples

[tonyt]

Opening shortly near Melbourne, Graham Marsh's follow up to Sutton Bay. A muni called...Growling Frog.

Supposedly this site is a major habitat for this little fella.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I've always wanted to play Elephant Rocks GC in Williams, AZ just because of its name.

Steve

[john_stiles]

The name might remind you of your forefathers and the land they used to own.

There are many golf courses with Indian names or of Indian origins.  

For example,   Wampanoag, Metacomet, Shinnecock, Piping Rock, Cateechee, Wanumetonomy, Cuscowilla, Timuquana, etc., etc.

[Mike Benham]

World Woods

[Michael Dugger]

My personal favorite is a course designed by one of our on- again, off-again architectural contributors, William Overdorf.

Chuckanut

I always thought it sounded like what you did when pulling a groin taking too big of a cut with the driver.

[ed_getka]

Chuckanut! Bingo, now thats a course to see just out of curiosity of what type of course someone would build who would name it that.

[JohnV]

While I haven't been there, I like the name Three Little Bakers which is near Wilmington, DE.

I always like the name Pumpkin Ridge because it was the name of the area long before the course came along, but I hated the made up marketing names of Witch Hollow and Ghost Creek.  I liked it when they were the West and the East early on.

There are way too many Stonewalls out there.

[Phil_the_Author]

Adam,

Just a minor correction.

Bethpage Black has BECOME its name.

Its true name from the beginning, and one that I believe is even better, is just The Black.

[Adam_F_Collins]

Nice. That IS better.

[Bill_Overdorf]

 :DHey Michael: The name Chuckanut is derived from a regional reference to a local coastal road called Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham, WA. Scenery that will rival anything California has to offer, I think. The course's name once it is completed will be Chuckanut Ridge, 7,200 yards of sheer fun and reasonable challenge. I'll let you know when the time is right if we can just finally rid ourselves of a major group of protestors.

[Michael Dugger]

I'll let you know when the time is right if we can just finally rid ourselves of a major group of protestors.

Just let me know, Bill, I've got a couple of Joeys on the payroll that can be, ummm, persuasive? ;)  I can get them to pay those folks a visit with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.  We'll get that golf course going!

[Bob_Huntley]

Names, I'll give you names. Try saying NYAMANDHLOVU G.C. or even NTABAZINDUNA G.C., these venues are not to be confused with Augusta.

[Adam_F_Collins]

Bill,

Say it isn't so. You have something as distinctive as 'Chuckanut' and you neuter it with the addition of 'Ridge'...

...I rest my case.

I hope there's actually a ridge on the property there somewhere. It's getting to the point of sheer numbers where people are going to start referring to 'golf ridges'

RIDGE - LAND FORM: bank, cliff, crag, escarpment, headland, hill, mountain, peak, promontory, furrow, parapet - these are just a sampling from a quick look at the thesaurus. Just think of the possibilities for originality...Chuckanut Headlands...Chuckanut Crag Golf and Country Club....Dare to dream!

[Bill_Overdorf]

 ;DAdam, Pleased to advise that the Chuckanut project is indeed located very near a major escarpment that looks west toward Samish and Padilla Bays. Pretty country. The name originally was proposed as Chuckanut Crest but the owner thought better of the term "Ridge". Don't know why. I also found favor with the simple term Chuckanut, but that's why folks differ.

Bill

[Andrew Summerell]

There's a course in Sydney that hugs the coast. It's imaginatively called 'The Coast'.