Golf Digest Ranks The 10 Best Tillinghast Courses

[Frank Kim]

How about Sands Point GC?

[MCirba]

There's not any mention here of Tillinghast courses outside of the coasts--and in fact with the exception of SFGC, nothing outside of the East Coast.  Regional bias--or reality?

There are two in Kansas City - Kansas City CC and Swope Park

Swope Park is wonderful.  Ask John Kavanaugh who I had the distinct pleasure of meeting there.


Also...going to check out Tilly's Elmira (NY) CC soon so Steve Lapper may have another fun one in his extensive geographic NY/NJ column before long.  Stay tuned!   

[Bill Brightly]

So I sent an email to Ran asking him to rank the best Tillinghast courses in his new gig with Golf Magazine. I really hope he writes the article, it would be delicious!

[Michael Pelliccione]

There's not any mention here of Tillinghast courses outside of the coasts--and in fact with the exception of SFGC, nothing outside of the East Coast.  Regional bias--or reality?

There are two in Kansas City - Kansas City CC and Swope Park

How could I forget KCCC!  Outstanding golf course and the stretch of 12-14 is WORLD class

[ChipRoyce]

Is the Tillinghast Association still active?
I joined eons ago, seems to have died off

[Jon Claydon]

Thoughts on Brooklawn CC in Fairfield, CT from any who have played it?  I played a few rounds of golf there as a 7-9 year old and only later came to learn of the Gene Sarazen connection.  I haven't heard it mentioned as one of Tillie's best. 

[Tim Martin]

Thoughts on Brooklawn CC in Fairfield, CT from any who have played it?  I played a few rounds of golf there as a 7-9 year old and only later came to learn of the Gene Sarazen connection.  I haven't heard it mentioned as one of Tillie's best.

Jon-It’s a nice members course but not in Tillies’s top 10. Lots of history with 4 USGA championships and a Senior Womens U.S. Open on tap for 2020.

[Jon Claydon]

Thoughts on Brooklawn CC in Fairfield, CT from any who have played it?  I played a few rounds of golf there as a 7-9 year old and only later came to learn of the Gene Sarazen connection.  I haven't heard it mentioned as one of Tillie's best.

Jon-It’s a nice members course but not in Tillies’s top 10. Lots of history with 4 USGA championships and a Senior Womens U.S. Open on tap for 2020.

Thanks Tim.  I have fond memories of watching the 1987 US Senior Open there with my dad. 

[Rick Lane]

Tim's right, not in Tillies top courses, mostly because he didn't route it.   He routed 1,2 and 16, the rest were there from 1911, routed by the members and likely George Sparling.   But Tillie did build an amazing set of greens complexes that are a blast to play day in and day out.  If you haven't been there in a long time, you'd be amazed at the tree removal and the stellar work that Ron Forse has done and is always ongoing.   Gets better every year.  Amazingly, those greens complexes have not been touched at all (except for sand splash) since 1931.   So you are looking at Tillies work exactly.

Come see or volunteer for the Sr. Women's Open next year!

[Mike_Trenham]

Has anyone here played New Castle?  I always meant to stop and see it while driving from Michigan back to Connecticut, but I never had the right combination of weather and daylight to do it.

I played New Castle about this week in 2001.  Certainly not a top 10 candidate, but lots of good stuff there.  Very good use of a creek, rock outcroppings and a rolling piece of terrain that is very walkable. Most of the classic easier to fix issues of removing trees and mowing out a lot of long grass.  Doak 3 that if fixed some may classify a Doak 6.


Doing a quick search I see the members sold it just this year for the value of the debt plus promised upgrades.  Not mentioned in the articles about course improvements, hopefully they get the right people involved.