What architect have you played most?

[Bill Satterfield]

As a self confessed golf nerd, I have a spreadsheet where I track every course I've played, the slope and rating, my score, the best holes, the architect that designed the course, what year it opened, etc.  I have multiple lists I've compiled (hardest holes, best holes by state, best par 5s, best 36 hole days I've had, etc.)  Anyway, I was sitting around looking at my spreadsheet today and was looking at how many courses I've played by an individual designer.  For me, it happens to be Jack Nicklaus; who seems to be everywhere.  But different parts of the country seem to have a concentration designs by a particular architect i.e. Robin Nelson in Hawaii, William Neff in Utah, Jim Engh in Colorado, etc.  So out of curiosity, what designers have you played most?  What "local" designer has the biggest influence in your area?

Here is my list:

Jack Nicklaus - 20
Tom Fazio - 18
Tom Weiskopf - 13
Robert Trent Jones Jr. - 12
Rees Jones - 10
A.W. Tillinghast - 9
Jim Engh - 9
Donald Ross - 8

The architect with the greatest "local" influence I've played is William Neff (8 courses) who has designed several courses in Idaho/Utah.  Next would be William F. Bell (6) and William Howard Neff (5).

[Andy Stamm]

For better and worse, Pete Dye is everywhere here in Indiana.

[Tom Yost]

Having lived most of my adult golfing life in the greater Phoenix AZ area, my most played GCA is Greg Nash (and Hardin/Nash) with Gary Panks a close second.

[astavrides]

wf bell    37
pete dye   31
robinson   28
jones, Jr.   24
jones, sr.   18
wp bell   18
graves   17
nicklaus, sr.   16
tom fazio   16
d. phelps   15
e. ault   13
hurdzian   12
ross   12
schmidt/curley/landmark   11
hills   9
gordon   8
mackenzie   8
palmer   8
Perry Dye   7
morrish, j.    7
rainville, d.   7
hanse   7
harbottle   7
doak   6
ken dye   6
kay   6
rainville, h.   6
ault, clark   6
tillinghast   6
findlay   6
rulewich   6
foster   6
cupp   6
Miller, j.    6
baldock   6
rees jones   5
morris   5
engh   5
hughes   5
coore, crenshaw   5
glasson   5
ervin   4
findlay   4
flynn   4
fream   4
griffiths   4
mungeam   4
player   4
stranz   4
thomas, g.   4
weiskopf   4
stiles, Van Kleek   4
fazio, g.   4
muirhead   4
p.b. dye   4
brauer   4
r. nelson   4
pascuzzo   4

[Matthew Sander]

Without doing an official tally*, I would have to say Pete Dye (I'm also an Indiana boy) followed by Jack Nicklaus...

*before posting I received the message that there was a new reply, astavrides is &#@ing on my no official tally

[Tom Yost]

wf bell    37
...
pascuzzo   4

Heh, heh...  No Panks on your list Alex!

[astavrides]

wf bell    37
...
pascuzzo   4

Heh, heh...  No Panks on your list Alex!

I've played 2 Panks' (twin warriors and trilogy-la quinta) but, for brevity, my list didn't go below architects whose courses i've played less than 4 times.

[Matt Bosela]

Having played the majority of my golf in Canada, my list will likely differ from most.

T1. Stanley Thompson - 10
T1. Thomas McBroom - 10
3. Doug Carrick - 8
4. Robbie Robinson - 6
5. Jack Nicklaus - 4
T6. Ted Baker - 3
T6. Graham Cooke - 3
T6. Tom Doak - 3
T6. Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw - 3
T6. Robert Trent Jones Sr. - 3
T6. Robert Trent Jones Jr. - 3

Certainly, the most important and influential designer in my area (and our entire country) is Mr. Thompson.

[Eric Smith]

Going by sheer volume of rounds played over my 32 years in the game, the answer for me would have to be Robert Renaud.

[Ian Andrew]

Stan Thompson - 44 courses

[J Sadowsky]

Without doing the math, it would almost certainly be RTJ, Sr. here. 

[Kris Shreiner]

I would have to say RTJ Sr. for rounds played. Probably courses played as well. Not a bad thing, as I like generally like the courses of his I've played. I do need to get out a bit more!


Ian,

You are a stud! No wonder you have such an affinity for Stan the Man. I look forward to playing my first. I believe he is one of the truely underappreciated golf architects outside of his home country.

Cheers,
Kris

[Matt_Ward]

astavrides:

Love your breakdown on the names of the people you have played -- be happy to employ your services to do my taxes with such an eye for detail.

[Matthew Petersen]

Having lived most of my adult golfing life in the greater Phoenix AZ area, my most played GCA is Greg Nash (and Hardin/Nash) with Gary Panks a close second.

Nash is mine as well. He's the king of the residential course out here in the valley. A strong second is Dick Phelps who seems to have designed virtually every public track in the Denver area.

[Sam Morrow]

Having lived most of my adult golfing life in the greater Phoenix AZ area, my most played GCA is Greg Nash (and Hardin/Nash) with Gary Panks a close second.

Nash is mine as well. He's the king of the residential course out here in the valley. A strong second is Dick Phelps who seems to have designed virtually every public track in the Denver area.

Phelps did a lot in Dallas years ago, he probably did almost any many as Brauer.

[Brad Tufts]

Donald Ross...I'm up to roughly 75-80 that he was involved in.

I'm still missing several Ross courses within a few hours of me in Boston...Oyster Harbors/Hyannisport/Worcester CC, most of the RI Ross courses save for Triggs and Misquamicut, and I've never played a Ross course in Connecticut.

I've taken care of Northern New England though...Augusta CC in Maine is the last one I haven't been to.

[Chris_Clouser]

Also from Indiana.  Without adding up the actual number I would say the top 4 are in this order.

Pete Dye
Bill Diddel
Perry Maxwell
Donald Ross

After Ross I would doubt that I have played more than 3 courses by any one architect.  I could be wrong, but I believe that to be the case. 

[Tim Martin]

Donald Ross...I'm up to roughly 75-80 that he was involved in.

I'm still missing several Ross courses within a few hours of me in Boston...Oyster Harbors/Hyannisport/Worcester CC, most of the RI Ross courses save for Triggs and Misquamicut, and I've never played a Ross course in Connecticut.

I've taken care of Northern New England though...Augusta CC in Maine is the last one I haven't been to.

Brad-All three of them in Connecticut CC of Waterbury, Wampanoag and Shenecossett are very worthy.

[Carl Nichols]

Probably Cornish

[Dan Herrmann]

Hanse - I play a Gil Hanse course most every time I play

[Jed Peters]

Spaulding would definitely choose a Ted Robinson design as a favored AND a most courses designed.

[Tim Martin]

wf bell    37
...
pascuzzo   4

Heh, heh...  No Panks on your list Alex!

I've played 2 Panks' (twin warriors and trilogy-la quinta) but, for brevity, my list didn't go below architects whose courses i've played less than 4 times.

You would associate the word brevity with your list?

[Gary Slatter]

since I'e been playing for over 60 years this is a tough question.
My first 12 years I only played one course, a Stanley Thompson 9 holer.  Then I played Bigwin Inn which was also a ST 18 holer.
Since then I think I've played another 40 Thompson courses, and almost as many Dick Wilson/Joe Lee courses.  
In Canada I've played most Muylaert courses, lots of Furber, Carrick and McBrooms.  
On the road quite a few Old Tom and Braid courses, and Nicklaus and various of the many different Fazios'.  How many different Fazios make design?
As I said, tough question after over 60 years of gawf.

1 Doak (RC), 3 Kidds, no C&C.  Still racking them up, hope to shoot my age this year (looking for easy par 70).

[Andy Troeger]

I'm a weirdo and keep a spreadsheet with this info too...

1. Jack Nicklaus   28
2. Pete Dye   21
3. Tom Fazio   19
4. Bill Diddel   17
5. Jim Engh   10
     Robert Trent Jones   10
     Tom Weiskopf   10
     Jay Morrish   10
9. Donald Ross   9
     Arthur Hills   9
11. Tom Doak   7
       Robert T. Jones Jr.   7
       Ken Killian   7
14. Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw   6
       Dick Nugent   6
       William B. Langford   6
15. Alister MacKenzie   5
       Ken Dye   5
       Rees Jones   5
       Michael Hurdzan   5

[Mark Saltzman]

I'm a weirdo and keep a spreadsheet with this info too...

1. Jack Nicklaus   28
2. Pete Dye   21
3. Tom Fazio   19
4. Bill Diddel   17
5. Jim Engh   10
     Robert Trent Jones   10
     Tom Weiskopf   10
     Jay Morrish   10
9. Donald Ross   9
     Arthur Hills   9
11. Tom Doak   7
       Robert T. Jones Jr.   7
       Ken Killian   7
14. Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw   6
       Dick Nugent   6
       William B. Langford   6
15. Alister MacKenzie   5
       Ken Dye   5
       Rees Jones   5
       Michael Hurdzan   5

Andy,

I think that makes me a wannabe weirdo.  I've got a list of all the courses I have ever played but now I'm going back and listing the archie for each one and the decade in which it was opened.

Mark