The most attractive venues in these players resumes

[David Stamm]

Of the following players, which ones have the most attractive group of courses collectively where they have triumphed?

Bobby Jones US Open Venues

1930      
Interlachen Country Club
Edina, Minnesota
 
1929      
Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course   Mamaroneck, New York

                              
1926      
Scioto Country Club
Columbus, Ohio
                
1923
Inwood Country Club
Inwood, New York


Bobby Jones US Amateur Venues

1930   Merion Golf Club
 

               
1928   Brae Burn Country Club
 

1927   Minikahda Club
 

               
1925   Oakmont Country Club
 

1924   Merion Golf Club
 



Bobby Jones British Open Venues

1930   Royal Liverpool Golf Club
                
               
1927   St Andrews
 

1926   Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
 


Bobby Jones British Amateur Venues

1930   St. Andrews Links
 






Walter Hagen’s US Open Venues


1919
 Brae Burn Country Club, Main Course   West Newton, Massachusetts
 

1914
Midlothian Country Club
Midlothian, Illinois
 


Walter Hagen’s PGA Venues

1927       Cedar Crest Country Club
Dallas, Texas

1926       Salisbury Golf Club, Red Course   East Meadow, New York


1925       Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields, Illinois

1924       French Lick Springs Resort, Hill Course   French Lick, Indiana

                  
                  
1921       Inwood Country Club
Inwood, New York



Walter Hagen’s British Open Venues

1929   Muirfield
 
1928   Royal St George's Golf Club
                
                           
1924   Royal Liverpool Golf Club
                
1922   Royal St George's Golf Club
 





Ben Hogan’s US Open Venues

1953
 
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
                
1951
 
Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course   Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
 

1950
 
Merion Golf Club, East Course
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
 
               
1948
 
Riviera Country Club
Pacific Palisades, California[N 6]
 


Ben Hogan’s British Open Venues
1953   Carnoustie Golf Links
 


Ben Hogan’s PGA Venues

1948    Norwood Hills Country Club
St. Louis, Missouri

                  
1946       Portland Golf Club
Portland, Oregon



Jack Nicklaus’ US Open Venues

1980
 
Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course   Springfield, New Jersey
 
                           
                                             
                           
1972
 
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach, California
 
               
               
               
               
1967
 
Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course   Springfield, New Jersey
                
               
               
               
1962
 
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
 


Jack Nicklaus’ US Amateur Venues
1961   Pebble Beach Golf Links
 

               
1959   Broadmoor Golf Club
 



Jack Nicklaus’ British Open Venues

1978   St Andrews
                
                                             
               
                              
1970   St Andrews
                
               
               
1966   Muirfield
 


Jack Nicklaus’ PGA Venues

1980
 
Oak Hill Country Club, East Course   Rochester, New York
 
               
               
               
               
1975   
Firestone Country Club, South Course   Akron, Ohio
 
               
1973   
Canterbury Golf Club
Beachwood, Ohio
 
               
1971   
PGA National Golf Club
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
 
               
               
                                                                           
1963   
Dallas Athletic Club, Blue Course   Dallas, Texas
 



Tiger Woods US Open Venues

2008
 
Torrey Pines Golf Course, South Course   La Jolla, California
 
               
               
               
               
               
2002
 
Bethpage State Park, Black Course   Farmingdale, New York
 
               
2000
 
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach, California
 


Tiger Woods US Amateur Venues
1996   Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
 
1995   Newport Country Club
 

1994   TPC at Sawgrass
 



Tiger Woods British Open Venues
2006
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
 
2005
St Andrews
 

2000
St Andrews
 




Tiger Woods PGA Venues
2007
 
Southern Hills Country Club
Tulsa, Oklahoma
 
2006
 
Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3   Medinah, Illinois                
               
               
               
               
2000
 
Valhalla Golf Club
Louisville, Kentucky
 
1999
 
Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3   Medinah, Illinois
 







               
               
               

[John Moore II]

'Most Attractive' how? Like best 'looks' or best overall quality of the golf course?

For best overall quality, I'd go with Jack.

For best aesthetics, I may have to go with Tiger since Newport CC, Sawgrass, and Torrey Pines are pretty visually striking. (I leave out Pebble because Tiger and Jack both won at Pebble, so its a wash there)

And I think Ben Hogan has the best lineup of US Open courses.

[Kyle Harris]

Cart Before the Horse?

Maybe it's because Jones/Hogan/Hagen/whomever won there that made the venue famous?

[Chris Cupit]

Hogan's US Open wins were on pretty impressive courses--Oakmont, Oakland Hills, Merion and Riveira!!

[J_ Crisham]

Chris,  I agree with you on the caliber of the open venues. Hard to pick a more challenging and diverse group of courses. These are all shotmakers courses where you have to be able to work the ball and also have agreat shortgame. Also some pretty impressive green complexes.          Jack

[Mike Benham]

David - How about a little editing to make the list shorter ....

Of the following players, which ones have the most attractive group of courses collectively where they have triumphed?

Bobby Jones US Open Venues
Interlachen Country Club - Edina, Minnesota  1930
Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course - Mamaroneck, New York  1929
Scioto Country Club - Columbus, Ohio  1926
Inwood Country Club - Inwood, New York  1923

Bobby Jones US Amateur Venues
Merion Golf Club 1930
Brae Burn Country Club 1928
Minikahda Club  1927
Oakmont Country Club  1925
Merion Golf Club  1924

Bobby Jones British Open Venues
Royal Liverpool Golf Club  1930
St Andrews  1927
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club  1926

Bobby Jones British Amateur Venues
St. Andrews Links  1930


Walter Hagen’s US Open Venues
Brae Burn Country Club, Main Course - West Newton, Massachusetts  1910
Midlothian Country Club - Midlothian, Illinois   1914

Walter Hagen’s PGA Venues
Cedar Crest Country Club - Dallas, Texas   1927
Salisbury Golf Club, Red Course - East Meadow, New York  1926
Olympia Fields Country Club - Olympia Fields, Illinois  1925
French Lick Springs Resort, Hill Course - French Lick, Indiana  1924
Inwood Country Club - Inwood, New York  1921

Walter Hagen’s British Open Venues
Muirfield  1929
Royal St George's Golf Club  1928
Royal Liverpool Golf Club  1924
Royal St George's Golf Club  1922


Ben Hogan’s US Open Venues
Oakmont Country Club - Oakmont, Pennsylvania  1953
Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course - Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  1951
Merion Golf Club, East Course - Ardmore, Pennsylvania  1950
Riviera Country Club - Pacific Palisades, California   1948

Ben Hogan’s British Open Venues
Carnoustie Golf Links  1953
 
Ben Hogan’s PGA Venues
Norwood Hills Country Club - St. Louis, Missouri   1948
Portland Golf Club - Portland, Oregon  1946


Jack Nicklaus’ US Open Venues
Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course - Springfield, New Jersey  1980
Pebble Beach Golf Links - Pebble Beach, California  1972
Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course   Springfield, New Jersey  1967
Oakmont Country Club - Oakmont, Pennsylvania  1962

Jack Nicklaus’ US Amateur Venues
Pebble Beach Golf Links  1961
Broadmoor Golf Club  1959

Jack Nicklaus’ British Open Venues
St Andrews  1978
St Andrews  1970
Muirfield  1966
 
Jack Nicklaus’ PGA Venues
Oak Hill Country Club, East Course - Rochester, New York  1980
Firestone Country Club, South Course - Akron, Ohio  1975
Canterbury Golf Club - Beachwood, Ohio  1973
PGA National Golf Club - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida  1971
Dallas Athletic Club, Blue Course - Dallas, Texas  1963


Tiger Woods US Open Venues
Torrey Pines Golf Course, South Course - La Jolla, California   2008
Bethpage State Park, Black Course - Farmingdale, New York  2002
Pebble Beach Golf Links - Pebble Beach, California  2000
 
Tiger Woods US Amateur Venues
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club  1996
Newport Country Club  1995
TPC at Sawgrass   1994
 
Tiger Woods British Open Venues
Royal Liverpool Golf Club  2006
St Andrews   2005
St Andrews   2000
 
Tiger Woods PGA Venues
Southern Hills Country Club - Tulsa, Oklahoma  2007
Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3 - Medinah, Illinois  2006
Valhalla Golf Club - Louisville, Kentucky   2000
Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3  -  Medinah, Illinois   1999
 

[PCCraig]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

[Bill Shamleffer]

I will go with the courses John Ball won his EIGHT Amateur championships:
Royal North Devon, Royal Liverpool, St. Andrews, Prestwick, and Royal St. Georges.

[CJ Carder]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

I would agree, though it's not a fair comparison because Tiger does have to play wherever they put the tournaments.  It's really a better commentary on how the game has changed and how some of these courses have been "passed over" as a result. 

All else being equal, Tiger probably SHOULD have won at Oakmont and he'll certainly have his shot at Merion in a few years. 

And I won't give Jack credit for Firestone.... granted they weren't PGA Championships, but the field at the WGC tournaments was arguably better and Tiger's won, how many of those... 6?

[David Stamm]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

I would agree, though it's not a fair comparison because Tiger does have to play wherever they put the tournaments.


And the others don't??

  It's really a better commentary on how the game has changed and how some of these courses have been "passed over" as a result. 

All else being equal, Tiger probably SHOULD have won at Oakmont and he'll certainly have his shot at Merion in a few years. 

He should have? Well, he didn't. And let's hold off on handing him the '13 Open until he actually does it.  Jack finished 2nd 19 times and Hogan served in the military and was nearly killed in a car crash. And none of that really matters. Let's stick to the places they all DID win at. 

And I won't give Jack credit for Firestone.... granted they weren't PGA Championships, but the field at the WGC tournaments was arguably better and Tiger's won, how many of those... 6?

Really? Maybe we need to tell the PGA and Jack that he has 4 and not 5. And you need to prove that those WGC fields are better than the field Jack faced. And I bet TW would trade all of those WGC titles in for 1 major. No one cares about them. The only thing that matters is the majors. TW has said as much.

[CJ Carder]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

I would agree, though it's not a fair comparison because Tiger does have to play wherever they put the tournaments.


And the others don't??

  It's really a better commentary on how the game has changed and how some of these courses have been "passed over" as a result. 

All else being equal, Tiger probably SHOULD have won at Oakmont and he'll certainly have his shot at Merion in a few years.

He should have? Well, he didn't. And let's hold off on handing him the '13 Open until he actually does it.  Jack finished 2nd 19 times and Hogan served in the military and was nearly killed in a car crash. And none of that really matters. Let's stick to the places they all DID win at. 

And I won't give Jack credit for Firestone.... granted they weren't PGA Championships, but the field at the WGC tournaments was arguably better and Tiger's won, how many of those... 6?

Really? Maybe we need to tell the PGA and Jack that he has 4 and not 5. And you need to prove that those WGC fields are better than the field Jack faced. And I bet TW would trade all of those WGC titles in for 1 major. No one cares about them. The only thing that matters is the majors. TW has said as much.

Yikes, hate Tiger much?  My comment about Tiger having to play where they put the tournaments versus the others is related to changes in the game putting some of those courses out of date, whether it be through technology or the "spectacle" of a major championship and related logistics.

Ah, and I love the comments out of context.  No one is handing Tiger the '13 US Open.  But Tiger has yet to have the shot of playing a major at Merion and that is coming up in a few years.  I'll leave Oakmont out of that discussion because it's impossible to convey my tone on a message board.

With Firestone, again, they don't play "majors" there anymore.  And while the field for the WGC's may not have been as numerous, I would think (without looking it up) that the Top 60 players probably participated in both tournaments.  To me, that makes it just as tough.  We could go on with the argument of Nicklaus v. Tiger and who had more competition, but that's an endless conversation that will never be proved either way. 

You're probably right, Tiger would trade every one of those for a PGA or another major, but the fact is, you can't.  Major setup or not, Tiger's 6 wins at Firestone are still wins and in the absence of a major championship there, I think you'd be hard pressed to prove why it's not an adequate comparison.

[Ed Oden]

Is a win in a major any more or less impressive based on the venue?

[PCCraig]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

I would agree, though it's not a fair comparison because Tiger does have to play wherever they put the tournaments.  It's really a better commentary on how the game has changed and how some of these courses have been "passed over" as a result. 

All else being equal, Tiger probably SHOULD have won at Oakmont and he'll certainly have his shot at Merion in a few years. 

And I won't give Jack credit for Firestone.... granted they weren't PGA Championships, but the field at the WGC tournaments was arguably better and Tiger's won, how many of those... 6?

I would agree that the courses listed for Tiger are a sign of the times. (However I would bet the farm that he wins at Merion with his short game).

It is also interesting to note how highly regarded the courses are where Tiger wins. Medinah really is lack-luster however because Tiger has won twice there the PGA will go back forever and people will drool all over the course because of it. (Even though no one remembers that he shot about 15 under and made the course look like Bay Hill in a major).

There would of been another US Open set for Olympia Fields (despite the complaints that it was "too easy") if Tiger had won there.

[John Moore II]

Other that St. Andrews, Newport, and Pebble you could say Tiger has the worst.

I can buy that from a quality point of view. Thats why I put down two different ways to look at it.
How are we defining attractive?
Like I said, I think Tiger has the better veunes if we are talking about what kind of scenery can be seen. Torrey, while not the best from a strategic point of view, has incredibly stunning views on the cliff holes. In fact (though I have never seen Pebble in person, I have Torrey) I might say that the ocean holes at Torrey are more scenic that those at Pebble.