Best Golf Course Logo

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

I like Pasatiempo's logo.  I guess the reference to the Mexican restaurant pays some tribute to the Spanish influence.  

Name considered, I think it does an excellent job.

Seminole is great, another vote for the understated.

Sand Hills looks great.

[rhobbs]

Is there a different logo for members of Seminole versus the outside guests logo?  The only logo I have seen is one of the Seminole Indian inside a circle.  

[A_Clay_Man]

Here's better than a description.

http://www.destinationkohler.com/bwr/bwr.html

Also check out the photo gallery, if you've never been.

[Keith Williams]

I have to second John's choice in the Lagoon Legend logo... back when the course was younger and didn't have all the houses surrounding every fairway the logo was a perfect sign of what a wild and breathtaking round awaited every player that braved the challenge... not to mention one of my all-time favorite course names.  Sadly, the course doesn't quite carry the "bite" that it used to and none of the holes (now surrounded by little vacation homes with screened in swimming pools) quite have that aura of adventure that the course used to posess.

[Dan Kelly]

Mike Cirba --

Very nicely stated case for the Sand Hills logo. I still wish there were some EXTREMELY SUBTLE allusion to golf -- so subtle that most wouldn't even see it, even if they were looking for it.

Hell, maybe it's there already, and I'm not sensitive enough to see it!

[Dan Kelly]

A_Clay_Man's reference to Blackwolf Run reminds me:

I've somehow missed all commentary on the Irish Course.

Has anyone here played it? What did you think?

[BCrosby]

Bellwood wins.  Hands down.

Bob

[THuckaby2]

Mike Cirba --

Very nicely stated case for the Sand Hills logo. I still wish there were some EXTREMELY SUBTLE allusion to golf -- so subtle that most wouldn't even see it, even if they were looking for it.

Hell, maybe it's there already, and I'm not sensitive enough to see it!

No, it's not there, Dan - and that's the beauty of it.  Mike did describe it perfectly and for me it goes beyond that... as I said above, the fact is DOESN'T have any golf connotation is what makes it great in my book.

TH

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Dan,
I played the Irish course, and intend to again in August.  The problem is the comparison to the straits golf course.  It does not get any of the lake front land and the carts and cart pathes detract significantly.
That said, I like the Meadow course better, but many prefer the Irish.  If you play it, play it before the Straits and it will seem better in your mind.

[THuckaby2]

Right on, shivas!  As you can tell reading this, I kinda prefer the older and those that have some connection to the club history or the surrounding area or something not so obvious... to that end, a course here in San Jose which we've discussed a few times on here has a darn neat logo, I think.  Cinnabar Hills - check it out - that's a red-tailed hawk, apparently indigenous to the area.... the hawk logo appears without the words on a lot of their stuff (hats, shirts, etc.)... they make ball-markers in that shape, that whilst likely illegal are pretty neat...

TH

http://www.cinnabarhills.com/

[Mike_Cirba]

Has anyone seen the Maidstone whale?

I got two scorecards when I was there.  One, with a very traditional, embroidery logo, and another with a blue whale happily swimming along.  

Not sure if one is for members vs guest, but they both are pretty good and interestingly varied.

[Donnie Beck]

I am collecting top 100 logo balls. I have many duplicates if anyone is interested in trading, I would be glad to post a list of which I have.

[Keith Williams]

The Honors Course has a very nice understated logo also, just a large jug(?) usually shown with "The Honors" printed just below it.

[john stiles]

Logo for  Secession  works well without any text or words.

My favs are  Sand Hills, Winged Foot, Salem, and Merion..

Best book on logos ....   check out the MGA's book -
"A Centennial History of Golf in the Met Area” ....  logos are shown for most all MGA member courses.   A  logo nut's delight !

[Rob_Waldron]

Forest Creek is pretty good! Of course the understated simplicity of Merion is hard to beat, as well as the PV tree w/out the words. Apparently the newest trend in logoed clothing is a the "Member" logo. This is particularly used at clubs with a "National" membership and serves as a means for members identifying each other. Forest Creek has a member logo without the words.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Gene & Mike,

Based on your appraisal of the Sand Hills Logo, why haven't you championed the Caves Valley Logo which is similar in form ?

If Sand Hills was a mediocre golf course would you feel the same way about the logo ?

Perhaps I need more visual stimulation, SH just doesn't compare to many of the neat logos mentioned, but that's just my opinion.

[John Foley]

Patrick,

Before you critize the SH logo (or any others) we may want to make sure you've played the course!

[THuckaby2]

Pat - you didn't ask me, but I'll step in anyway and say I really like the Caves Valley logo also.  It's not a "brand" per se like Sand Hills, but the interlocking letters are similar... to me the sloped C conveys the hills of Caves Valley... and I also just do like the understated nature of it.

I also fully enjoyed Caves Valley as a golf course, as opposed to others, if that matters....

One can never fully disconnect the logo from the course - that is, the greatest logo in the world won't mean much if it comes from a crappy course.  That is what you're getting at, correct?

Sand Hills is a great logo.  But if it sucked, I would say so also.  I love Pebble Beach but I find their logo to be just say too overdone, for example....

TH

[SPDB]

I'm with Pat here, which may be a dangerous spot.

When I first saw it, I thought it was TH, not SH.

and as far as what Mike says:

What it does exemplify is the integration of the course and club with the sand hills prairie region, and its historic past....settled by native Americans, co-opted by ranching settlers, and finally evolved into what is simply the most low-key natural retreat on the planet.  

I fail to see the SH logo as romantically as he does, but then again I've never been to the place.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

If I'm not mistaken, RHOBBS in his original post didn't mention logos in the context of having played the golf course.

He asked about the best golf course LOGOS.

If you fellows are raving about the Sand Hills logo, you've got to be kidding.  

It may be a World Class golf course, but the logo is plain at best.  If this was the logo for a mediocre muni in Texas, no one would dare mention it.

And I thought only kids indulged in HERO worship.

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick;

A logo is "a unique symbol or design that represents a concept or entity", in this case a golf club/course.

How then can you take the logo out of the context of what it is supposed to represent and have it be meaningfully understood or appreciated?

Are we simply supposed to look at a logo, and say, "ohhhh...awwww...cool drawing!", completely divorced from the understanding and awareness of what it is supposed to represent?

Who am I "HERO worshipping"?  The creator of the Sand Hills logo, whoever that might be??

[THuckaby2]

Well Pat, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I like the simple and somehow elegant Sand Hills logo, and the fact it's perfect for the course in question just cements things - for me.  Wild Horse also uses this "brand"-type logo, and to me it's pretty neat as well.  To each his own.

Is this an art discussion or a golf discussion?  It seems quite silly to me to disconnect the logo from the course.  We're discussing GOLF COURSE logoes, not logoes in general... to that end, I feel a certain bias toward the Clorox "diamond." I also like Coca-Cola.  But is that the discussion here?

TH

[THuckaby2]

Pretty funny, Mike.  We seem to have said the exact same thing in two very different ways.  So all I can now say is... YEAH, WHAT HE SAID!
 
TH

[John_Conley]

If Sand Hills was a mediocre golf course would you feel the same way about the logo ?

Pat:  If Sand Hills were a mediocre golf course no one outside of Hooker County would see it.  The Brand makes sense because of the location.

I could say that clubs with National in the name are pretentious, but it somehow works for a club in a sleepy Southern town that really does have a national membership.

Baker National - County owned course near Minneapolis.
Hazeltine National - All members in Western Twin Cities.
Hudson National - Members all NYC folks.
Naples National - National membership, but these people would be in Naples in the winter anyway.
Long Island National - etc...

[Matt Schulte]

I would also add the clever and simple "G" logo encased in a picture frame for The Gallery Golf Club.  No, it doesn't have anything to do with golf, but, it too, is a logo that accurately portrays the image of the club and the clubhouse.  Clever use of color and playing on the name of the club.  

For those of you who might visit Tucson this winter, you should have your pro call them and set up a tee time.  It is a very good John Fought design with beautiful bunkering.

http://www.gallerygolf.com/