50's and 60's

[Ted Sturges]

The 1950's and 1960's represent an interesting period for golf architecture.  It was a time that was beyond the golden age architects, and before a period of rebirth that would begin in earnest in the 1970's and beyond.  I was thinking about this recently.  My questions are:


What were the greatest courses designed in the 1950's?


What were the greatest courses designed in the 1960's?


TS

[Ben Hollerbach]

Based on GolfWeek, the following would be be best courses of that period as graded today:

1950's:

• Laurel Valley
• NCR (South)
• Torrey Pines (South)
• Meadow Brook
• Deepdale
• Point O’Woods
• Champions (Cypress Creek)

1960's:

• The Golf Club
• Spyglass Hill
• Desert Forest
• Harbour Town
• Grandfather (Championship)
• Crooked Stick
• Hazeltine National
• Stanwich Club
• Bellerive
• Pine Tree
• Saucon Valley (Weyhill)
• Cog Hill (No. 4 – Dubsdread)
• Sahalee (South/North)
• Atlanta CC
• Mauna Kea
• Golden Horseshoe (Gold)
• Bay Hill
• Firestone (South)

Other courses of note from that period:

• 1950s: Old Warson, Saucon Valley (Grace)
• 1960s: Wilmington (South), Bidermann, CC of North Carolina (Dogwood)

Edit: I think you could add places like Royal Montreal and El Rincó, but GolfWeek didn't capture foreign courses to their list. I also left out Congressional (1957) and Doral (1962) as they no longer resemble their post-war origins.