My favourite designer is......

[Pat Ruddy]

Name your favourite designer and give two reasons why.
Also give your age and handicap.

[Ted Kramer]

William Flynn
1. Shinnecock is the best course that I've seen/played.
2. #10 @ Rolling Green.

31 Years old.
Handicap - 8

-Ted

[Philippe Binette]

H.S Colt

1) Muirfield is just about perfect
2) Muirfield is perfect

[Dan Herrmann]

Pete Dye.

Not only for his work, but for the revolution in GCA he inspired.

I'm 46 with a 13'ish handicap.

[plabatt]

James Braid
#1. Revamped Carnoustie

#2. Who designed better par 3's without water, maybe Old
Tom.

[Dean Paolucci]

Charles "Steamshovel" Banks

1) Most amazing greenside bunker depth I have seen.

2) Putting surfaces with extraordinary variety, undulation, and complexion.

Age: 51
Hdcp: 9

[ForkaB]

Anybody who doesn't ask for my age and handicap!

[Brad Klein]

is . . . . long dead. Though I also always welcome the chance to see what a Mike Strantz or a Pete Dye has come up. Strantz has a painter's eye and Dye at his best was master of seducing you to take one way when the other was a lot smarter. And nobody built better par-5s (5th at Pete Dye GC, 11th TPC Sawgrass, 16th at Oak Tree, Harbour Town & PGA West). He revolutionized the craft when everyone else was sleeping or coasting.

52

9.9 (but bound to go up since I still have to post my 7s)

[Adrian_Stiff]

Pete Dye. I think his back to basics attitude has been the catalyst for the 'nice period' we are entering now.

I am 46 and a half
h'cp used to be 3 but...

[Jack_Marr]

Eddie Hackett

I'm 35 and have a handicap of 11.

I like him because what he did for Irish golf. Some of his courses are far from brilliant, but it seems that he'd build one for anyone at any budget. He also did build some brilliant courses and improved many others. Also, he seemed like a very modest man.

[Brian Phillips]

Harry Colt

1. Superb man at routing a golf course
2. Very good strategic architect especially with the drive

Handicap 9  Age 37

Pat,

When Brad says dead he means Donald Ross...

[Dan_Callahan]

Mike Strantz

RNK was an epiphany for me, something completely different, beautiful to look at and fun to play.

I am 36 with a handicap of 6.

[Craig Sweet]

I'd have to go with John Ashworth...he got us out of those ridiculous starched, stiff collared shirts and into a nice soft collar look...

[George Pazin]

Fownes.

Oakmont's pure genius, and remains - sadly - a completely unique innovator.

39 and counting higher, 23 and counting lower.

 

[Jim Franklin]

Alister MacKenzie

1. Cypress Point
2. My two girls are named after him 9Alexandra and Mackenzie)

45 (ouch)
2.7 (ouch)

[Tommy Williamsen]

USA Tillinghast. Hard to beat his quiver of courses.  I love his greensites and fairway movements.

GBI Toss up between Colt and Fowler. Neither one can be typed but worked with the land in such a way that each of their courses is different.  Fowler's Walton Heath, Westward Ho! and Bull Bay (Wales) couln't be more different or more fun.
Colt's work includes some of the very best courses England has to offer.

59 year old body trapped in a 35 year old mind
Handicap 5

[RJ_Daley]

Tom Doak,

I think he has made the most of his learning curve years, and has the greatest sense of golf course architecture and history.

Because he has assembled the most talented team of design-build working in the field in modern times, and will collaborate with others he recognizes as highly competent and qualified, when his own innner circle staff is occupied, thus increasing the circle of knowledge and understanding.

[Walt_Cutshall]

Pete Dye

1. I like the strategic challenges he builds into his courses
2. I find his designs to be varied and interesting

Age: 51
HC: 1.7

[Jay Flemma]

Mike Strantz

1) He turned the doctrine of framing on its ear; and 2) he had the courage to continue designing that way ion the face of criticism.

Age 37, handicap 16.

[Andy Troeger]

Pete Dye

1. The variety of different courses he's created (The Golf Club, Harbour Town, Whistling Straits, Crooked Stick, Long Cove, Blackwolf Run just for starters)...they have similarities to be sure but are also very different courses.

2. Because those courses I listed are just a beginning of his work...much of which is public (albeit expensive).

3 hcp, age 25

[Yannick Pilon]

Tie between two modern guys/groups.

Mike Stranz.  For his artistry and all the emotions he creates with his courses....

&

Coore and Crenshaw.  For their artistry and the class they show in their designs....

I am slowly learning about courses from the golden age guys, and playing more and more of their courses, so this could change....

Age 32
Hdcp 16

[Jon Spaulding]

I would vote for Tillinghast, but only based on SFGC, the best layout and bunkering I've ever seen (an emotional decision). Logically, I should vote for MacKenzie as I have seen a fair amount of his work (Cypress being a statement of the obvious, but Cal Club is a Mac redux in SF that is off the charts).

age - 33
handicap - +0.6

[Gary Slatter]

Stanley Thompson- for his bunkering mainly
1. St.George's GC and its outstanding variety of challenges
2. Highlands Cape Breton and its ability to survive and surprise. a few AH HAs.

61, around 2 HDCP

My runnerup designer is from the dark ages, DICK WILSON, for his use of flat terrain and green complexes that endure and evolve.

[Brad Tufts]

Ross

For the combination of public and private, the widespread, almost never ending # of courses he was involved with, the varying levels of his personal participation in each project, and the historical research possibilities b/c documentation isnt always there....and all of this is not even getting into the diversity of his designs.

Age 25
H'Cap 0-1

[Matt Vandelac]

Pete Dye

He has continued to evolve and learn new strategies to improve golf.  
He's not afraid to tell the USGA they're asleep at the wheel or with his designs hammer on the grip and rip it guy.

 46, 0 hncp.