favorite course designers

[12under]

dont know if there are enough pure golf fans to respond to this thread, but who are some of your favorite golf course designers?

mine:
1. Seth Raynor
2. Alistair McKenzie
....Donald Ross, and many others

[hogfankb]

I don't know the first thing about golf course design. And I haven't been lucky enough to play enough top level courses to make a good judgement. I know I really liked playing Magnolia Grove in Bama and Chenal in LR by Robert Trent Jones. Would love to get a chance to play some more courses on his trail.

Is he good or have I just not experienced enough to know what good is?

[12under]

I don't know the first thing about golf course design. And I haven't been lucky enough to play enough top level courses to make a good judgement. I know I really liked playing Magnolia Grove in Bama and Chenal in LR by Robert Trent Jones. Would love to get a chance to play some more courses on his trail.

Is he good or have I just not experienced enough to know what good is?

absolutely, he is very good.  those rtj trail courses in alabama are terrific, some can be as hard as you want them to be.  i tend to like the older style courses.  seth raynor has built some of the most unique style holes in the world, things that people have never even heard of.

[Hawg414]

yeah, i couldnt begin to comment on course designers.  i could regurgitate what i hear others on tv say... but thats no fun. 

someday id love to be well versed enuf to comment on such... but as it is right now, i can basically tell you which design i like best out of the public courses in the LR area. 

[HamShank]

This may be little like saying Burger King makes a damn fine burger or that "Satisfaction" is my favorite Stones song, but I've played several of Arnold Palmer's courses and loved them all.  They're not the most challenging or the most exotic courses in the world, but regardless if I've played well or mediocre, I've never had a bad time on any of them.

[Illinihog]

I like Arnolds more than Jack's.  Played a few of Jack's and they all seem to be kind of the same.  I've played 3-4 of Arnold's and each one was fantastic.

[wallyhog]

Jay Rivere, he never tricks up a course

[LamarMundane]

Tom Fazio. I like virtually every course he's designed. His style is scenic, wider fairways, and tougher greens, and that fits my game. His courses are fun to play and pretty to look at.

[Bob from Dumas]

Perry Maxwell

[Dillar Dog]

agree with fazio.  i work at one of his newest courses and it's as good as anything i've played.

the rtj co. designs some nice courses as well.  i play the magnolia grove courses quite a bit and worked at chenal for a while and really enjoy playing those courses.

[GolfHawg]

Tom Fazio by far. Branson Creek is a prime example of why.

[PorkButt]

Likewise, Fazio.   

[DEVICEHIGH]

When I lived in Tulsa, Indian Hills was my favorite course. Perry Maxwell.

[DEVICEHIGH]

Of course he also designed Southern Hills.

[Bob from Dumas]

Perry Maxwell also designed Hardscrabble.

[DEVICEHIGH]

Perry Maxwell also designed Hardscrabble.

I didn't know that.

[Bob from Dumas]

I didn't know that.

Yep.  We did some research this past summer for a news report on the Perry Maxwell connection.  It turns out he designed HCC and was working on it at about the same time he designed and built Muskogee CC.  Of course, 5 holes have been rerouted since the original design including the course renovation in 1998.  I got a chance to visit with one of our members whose family was one of the original members and they have letters and other correspondence talking about Maxwell building HCC including one letter from a member complaining about Maxwell's fee of $500.  Also, there is a Maxwell biographer named Chris Clouster who wrote a book about Maxwell and he includes Hardscrabble as one of Maxwell's "hidden gems".  Very interesting.  If you PM me, I can give you more info about this book.

[Wildhog]

Fazio. Hands down.

[HamShank]

Let me add Tom Weiskopf to the list.  I went to the Ocean Club in the Bahamas over Christmas and it was one of the most beautiful courses, with the most beautiful views that I've ever seen.  The course was stunning and challenging.  Over $200 for a greens fee, but dare I say, worth it.

http://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/flash.html

[TaylorMade7Degree]

Neil Meagher out of San Francisco ... originally from Hattiesburg, MS ... this kid would practice swinging his driver at the bus stop when he was in high school ... nice young man, sort of "old school" in his design ... believes strongly in water and sand as course definers that can sting you

[T-Bag Hawg]

Tom Doak...hands down.

[Rip]

Mike Strantz designed Tobacco Road and Tot Hill Farm in the Pinehurst area. Tobacco Road is the best course I have ever played.  It is scenic and challenging but more than worth the money to play.  I played it the week before the last U.S. Open in Pinehurst and every tee time they had from 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. was taken for the entire next week.  Strantz died very young so there will be no more courses with his style.

[Franchise Hawgs]

I played True Blue in Myrtle Beach which was designed by Strantz and thought it was very good. Very challenging and the course sets up very natural. The pictures of Tobacco Road are awesome and I hope to play there someday. Perry Maxwell is also very good. I have played Southern Hills and Hardscrabble and enjoy the challenge and set up of both of them. I have only played one of Donald Ross courses and that was Holston Hills and it was a nice set up. It's hard to believe some of the best courses ever were built in the 20's and 30's.