With the US Open coming up at Pinehurst, I started thinking about courses that had the benefit of the constant attention of their architects. As Chris Buie has diligently tracked through his enlightening posts on the topic, the brilliance of Pinehurst does not lie in the initial design, but rather in how it evolved.
You could say Augusta National has a similar history. Although Mackenzie would exit the scene, both Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts were integral to its conception, and were around to shape its development over the years.
What other courses had the benefit of an architect that was able or allowed to tinker and improve over the subsequent years from its creation? Oakmont and Fownes? Garden City GC and Travis?
How much time did Maxwell spend at Prairie Dunes?
How much tinkering did CBM do at NGLA over the years?
Pinehurst is of particular interest too me, as its architectural history stands as a testament to how Ross himself grew as an architect. It is perhaps the only example of a course in which you can track the entire history of its designer, as well as the changing ideals and needs of early golf in the United States.