[Tony_Chapman]

Here is how I figured out my list. I couldn't imagine going the rest of my life, being a Husker, without never getting to again play Sand Hills (hope I get there again), Wild Horse.

Also, I would die if I never get to play the Prairie Club when it opens.

My other two favorites are Pasatiempo and Prairie Dunes.

So my five would be: Coore/Crenshaw, Axland/Proctor, Hanse/Shackelford, MacKenzie and Maxwell.

Now my problem. I can't go back to #2 or Tobacco Road. Somebody please help!!!   On the bright side, I may at some point get to experience Cuscowilla, Friars Head, Hidden Creek, Rustic Canyon and many, many others.

[Paul_Turner]

Colt/Morrison: for links, GB&I and Europe
Ross: USA
Mackenzie: England, USA and Oz
Simpson:  Mainly Europe...plus I have to see many of his courses.
Thompson:  Canada...many still to see.

Bless your heart for including Thompson!

Having just seen Doak's three in the southern hemisphere, I would have to say he has secured a spot on my list.

Mackenzie, Thompson, Colt, Doak and Coore. Tough not to choose CBM, Strantz or Simpson, which makes five feel really restrictive.

Ben

It was toss up between Alison in the US/Japan/S Africa (where he worked alone, not with Colt/Morrison) and Thompson.

New

For the same reasons as the old guys:

Doak (could be truly worldwide one day)
Kidd (lots of exciting stuff to come, I imagine, and hopefully a lot in GBI)
Dye
Coore (although, there's too little...I have ADD when it comes to golf courses)

Sadly not much golf in GB&I, with that lot, at the moment.

[Sam Sikes]

Kelly,

My post was not a knock on the character of VonHagge, but personally I dont love their courses, and apparently the raters dont either.  Maybe Crown Colony and Boca Rio are different, I dont know, I haven't played them, but typically I find their green complexes uninteresting in terms of contour, and overdesigned in terms of shape.  Dont get me wrong, I love to play golf anytime, anywhere, and I do think D/VH courses are exciting at times, but I also think I know what really special golf courses are made of, and I haven't seen any of theirs that fall into that category.  Im not angry, just opinionated.

[Dan Herrmann]

Classic:
Fownes
MacKenzie
Flynn
Bob Jones
Stanley Thompson

Modern:
Doak
Hanse
C&C
Strantz
Dye

And an honorable mention for daily-fee affordable golf: 
Jim Blaukovitch
Tim Liddy (From my Wintonbury Hills experience)
William Harries (a Western NY "Johnny Appleseed" of GCA)
Kelly Blake Moran (for Lederach and Morgan Hill)

[John_McMillan]

Thanks to those who picked me; I'm flattered.

No one has mentioned it so far, but the interesting part of choosing modern architects is that there are "futures" involved ... you won't get any additional MacKenzie courses to play, but you don't know what contemporary architects still have left in their quivers.  

Can't tell you where yet, but I hope that my future includes the property I've been walking around the last two days!

Tom,

Since your post is now 5 (!) years old, can you "let the cat out of the bag" and tell us -
 (a) where is the property you walked?
 (b) did your "future" include that property?

[Don Hyslop]

1.  Stanley Thompson- I could play a rotation of Highland Links, Banff, Jasper, St. Georges, and Capilano forever!
2. Donald Ross- spent my youth caddying on a Donald Ross design and loved every minute of it.
3. Harry Colt- great courses on both sides of the Atlantic
4. Tom Morris- nothing needs to be said
5. Rod Whitman- because I can't wait to play Cabot Links

[Kevin Pallier]

Classic
Mackenzie
Colt
Morris
....am leaving room for possibly other architects with whom I hope to see later this year in the US

Modern
Doak
Clayton
....as per above

[Ben Sims]

Five only, both modern and classic

1) Old Tom
2) CB Mac
3) Alister Mac
4) Raynor
5) Doak

Oh man.  The thoughts of getting to play TOC, NGLA, Cypress, Yeaman's Hall, and Pac Dunes.  Among others, is enough to get really excited about this topic.  Wasn't it Frederico Fellini that said that you should always keep your childlike wonderment. 

[Rob Rigg]

Ben,

Great list - I would swap out C&C for Raynor to lock in Sand Hills and Friar's Head amongst others - and also to bring a little modern flavor to it.

Like you said, wouldn't it be incredible to have the opportunity to play such thoughtfully designed courses on a regular basis. The nuance and time that each of these architects puts into their work is staggering.

Nothing like appreciating these designs while strolling around playing some "golf"

[Ian Andrew]

MacKenzie
Colt
Raynor
Thompson
Robertson? Old Tom? Nature? (whomever you would like to attribute St. Andrew's)


The better question is what five would make you stop playing the game.

[Mike Wagner]

Doak
Dye
Mac
C/C

and....

Macan!

[Ben Sims]

Robb,

Isn't it sad that I want to win the lottery or invent some new golf practice device not to give money to charity, not to buy my fiance something nice, not to have my own airplane to toss around, but just to travel and network to play all of these amazing courses.  I swear I don't feel selfish doing it.  I will never get to play third base at Turner Field for my beloved Braves.  But maybe I can get better than a double bogey on 16 at Pasatiempo.  Which--of course--Tiger has never done in competition.  That's what being a kid is all about; somehow touching our heroes if only for a second.  In all of sports, only golf and good folks like those on this website allow that to happen.  I'll keep wondering as long as I'm alive...

[MHiserman]

What a great exercise.
But, I cannot get through #'s 4 and 5 and just keep running through a group. 
Maybe that's why I don't get tattoos.  I know sooner or later my taste may change a bit.
1. MacKenzie  (Sharp Park, I tear up every time)
2. MacDonald/Raynor
3. Old Tom
4. Thomas
5. Doak-no sucking up I promise.

[Garland Bayley]

Five only, both modern and classic

1) Old Tom
2) CB Mac
3) Alister Mac
4) Raynor
5) Doak

Oh man.  The thoughts of getting to play TOC, NGLA, Cypress, Yeaman's Hall, and Pac Dunes.  Among others, is enough to get really excited about this topic.  Wasn't it Frederico Fellini that said that you should always keep your childlike wonderment. 

Come on Ben, we know the real list is
1) Tom Doak
2) Jim Unbina
3-5) the rest of the Doak associates

[Ben Sims]

Garland,

I can't help but smile.  And it's not because of the nightcap 7&7, delicious as it may be.  I am glad you called me out.  I now know your intentions, sorry if my defense on the other thread was punchy.  It's just a natural reaction from a Type A dude.  However, Mr. Urbina doesn't have enough designs under his belt yet to make the top 5.  One more like Old Mac and he's in

[Garland Bayley]

Five only, both modern and classic

1) Old Tom
2) CB Mac
3) Alister Mac
4) Raynor
5) Doak
...

What happened to the C&C love you expressed on the other thread? And who in their right mind would separate CB and Raynor on such a thread as this?

As you can see, I'm bored with hassling Matt Ward and you are my new target.
 

[Ben Sims]

Well Garland.  Don't forget what type of dudes I run with and what our M.O. is for each other.  If anyone can take and dish...it's this guy (two thumbs extended towards me).

As for C&C love.  Well, other than Sand Hills and Friars Head, there aren't enough courses that trump my number 4 pick.  As for separating CB Mac and Raynor; are you going to separate Doak and Urbina in 30 years?  Methinks yes. sperate

[Garland Bayley]

You mean to tell me you're not dying to get on Old Sandwich?
Have you done Kapalua and Cuscowilla?
Have to assume you've done Trails, which some think is the best Bandon has to offer.
John Kirk would tell you the moderns such as Colorado Golf Club and We-Ko-Pa Saguaro, and Sugarloaf Mountain for gosh sakes trump the ODGs.

If you're going to spend it, you best spend it in style.

[Ben Sims]

I've played Cusco, Saguaro and Trails.  Trails was awesome and hard.  It was an amazing respite from all the crappy holes at PD and Old Mac and an afternoon at Sheep Ranch

Saguaro was amazing, but didn't quite matchup to the desert layout I played the day before...Stone Eagle

Kapalua.  Only trip to Hawaii I've ever made was for Uncle Sam, alas, no golf was played.

If someone would sponsor me onto Colorado Golf Club I would gladly juxtapose it against some other courses I've played.  Being a USAFA grad, I really should have a handle on Colorado golf, but I was too busy studying to play much back then.

[Garland Bayley]

Not having a plane at my beck and call, I pick
John Harbottle
Vernon Macan
Coore and Crenshaw
H. Chandler Egan (I claim this gets me on Pebble Beach)
Tom Doak

[Garland Bayley]

I've played Cusco, Saguaro and Trails.  Trails was awesome and hard.  It was an amazing respite from all the crappy holes at PD and Old Mac and an afternoon at Sheep Ranch

Saguaro was amazing, but didn't quite matchup to the desert layout I played the day before...Stone Eagle

Kapalua.  Only trip to Hawaii I've ever made was for Uncle Sam, alas, no golf was played.

If someone would sponsor me onto Colorado Golf Club I would gladly juxtapose it against some other courses I've played.  Being a USAFA grad, I really should have a handle on Colorado golf, but I was too busy studying to play much back then.

      

Come on Ben, almost everyone on this site would give their right arm to get on Old Sandwich and you don't even mention it. What kind of neophyte are you?

[Ben Sims]

Well Bayley, I won't give my right arm for anything.  Namely, I need it to perform certain duties, as in controlling the damn jet.  Old Sandwich would be a ball, but it doesn't rank ahead of places like Ballyneal and Rock Creek Cattle Company in my opinion.  Of course, I've yet to play any of those three, so my opinion could change.  But based on what works of Renaissance I have played, it's unlikely.

On second thought, I would give my right arm to play Sand Hills.

As far as what kind of neophyte I am.  Well, I own all metal clubs with the newest in shaft technology and japanese forging from Norcross, GA.  I formerly flew an airplane that costs more than every Renaissance golf course, combined.  I enjoy such new fangled inventions as--gasp--multipiece polymer golf balls and the occasional golf cart. 

[Garland Bayley]

...
As far as what kind of neophyte I am.  Well, I own all metal clubs with the newest in shaft technology and japanese forging from Norcross, GA. ...

I see, sucker for marketing BS. Oh well, hopefully you can be broken of that. 

[Ben Sims]

I'm young and impressionable Bayley.  It's why I clicked on this site

www.getyourbasketballon.com

[Sean_A]

As I think the Golfweek Modern/Classic lists are a copout (what a load of horse puckey that new and old courses can't be compared) I will give only five and they will be real world choices of archies I have access to.

COLT: Probably the best archie there ever was.  When Doak stated that the English 5 is probably the standard of good golf for the world I always imagine Colt as the author of so many of these.  I have never seen a course of his which wasn't at least very good from a strategic PoV.
BRAID: How can I not list the guy who had a major hand in St Enodoc, Brora and Pennard?  Hugely under-rated archie who used the land supremely.
DR MAC: I want to go to California and Oz anyway, but he is still a bit of a flyer.
FOWLER: Nobody created such individualistic courses as Fowler did.  He was truly a man of the land and his work is ALL about that.

The last choice is between Ross and Doak.  I know Ross and I like his style(s) a lot.  I like the look of Doak's courses, but it seems to me that many of his courses are private and therefore OOB - though that is true of Ross as well.  I guess because DOAK represents the now and future of design I will go with him.  It kills me that I have to drop Ross.

Ciao

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