Exploring the Best Golf Courses: A Golfer's Paradise

 This one is a personal favorite for me. From the logo to the views, to the clubhouse, and lastly the course itself, this course is just perfect. This course, located in Scarborough, NY was designed by no other than A.W. Tillinghast. Tillinghast is known to be one of the best course designers of all time, and this course helps solidify that case. Even though it had renovations done by Gil Hanse, who is more of the recent hot shot course designer, Tillinghast still gets the credit for this masterpiece. Starting from the clubhouse, which is a mansion that was previously owned by Vanderbilts and Rockefellers, is one of the most recognizable around the world. The logo is my personal favorite, which is the "headless horseman" which relates to the club's name, Sleepy Hollow. This course is also very vigorous and challenges even the best of golfers. In addition to this, as you could've guessed, it is wildly exclusive. Some initiation fees are north of 100,000 dollars with ye...

 We are going all the way out to Las Vegas, and for good reason. Shadow Creek is one of the most interesting golf courses to exist. This course offers an unparalleled golfing experience with a stellar mix of exclusivity, pristineness, and design. Shadow Creek was designed by Thomas Fazio and Steve Wynn. Fazio is a famous and well-known course designer, while Steve Wynn is a casino mogul. One thing that is unique about this course that causes much controversy is that it is located in the desert, and to keep this course in such good shape, it takes a ton of water. Many people and social activists argue that this course is such a waste of water. Some members include Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and even Derek Jeter. Shadow Creek was also the host of "The Match" between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, one of the first exhibition golf events that sparked the idea of celebrity matches we have seen in the last few years.  

 Whenever someone who doesn't know golf too often asks "What's the best golf course in the world?" their answer is always Pebble Beach. Now don't get me wrong, this course is nothing short of breathtaking, their answer is usually Pebble Beach due to its reputation over the years. This course has held hundreds of PGA events ranging from the US Open, AT&T, Pro-am, and more. There have been many famous wins here, such as the Tiger Woods 2000 US Open masterclass, the Sam Snead vs Jack Nicholas match, etc. Jack Neville and Douglas Grant built and designed this course on the very highly praised Monterey Peninsula in California. This distinct area is known for obtaining some of the best courses around the world. Pebble Beach's stunning views of the ocean, hard playability, and history make it known everywhere to be labeled as one of the best courses in the world. Another unique thing about this course is that it is public, and anyone can play it. There is no memb...

 Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is located in Southhampton, New York, and is considered America's oldest links-style golf course. A links-style golf course is where it takes an older style of design, and what I mean by this is that it is built on sandy coastland. The significance of this is that the weather plays much more of a prominent factor such as wind because these courses typically have little to no trees. The famous designer CB Macdonald designed this course, and it has undergone many remodeling by others such as William Flynn, Bill Coore, and Ben Crenshaw. This spectacular course was the host of the 2018 US Open where Brooks Koepka ended up winning. It is also set to host the 2026 US Open. This course is also one of the most prestigious in the world, with initiation fees ranging from 250,000 to 500,000 and yearly dues of 20,000. Even if you could spend that money on Shinnecock, it will take years and years to get a shot at membership. 

 We are going to take things down to Juno Beach, Florida. What we will find here is Seminole Golf Club, which is an 18-hole, 6836-yard sensation that is very highly sought after. This majestic course was designed by no other than Donald Ross, who also designed other courses such as Oak Hill Country Club and Pinehurst No 2. Another interesting fact about Seminole Golf Club is that it is the home course to the best player to ever live, Tiger Woods. One thing that makes this course so tough is the lack of rough, for it is all sand if you do not hit the fairway. This course has it all; ocean views, elevated greens, stellar bunkers, and even a prominent logo. It is tough to get on to play this course because of how exclusive it is. Membership initiation fees can be up to 200,000 with yearly dues and many years waiting list. 

 The Old Course at Saint Andrews is by far the most historic golf course in the world. Around the world, it is also known as "The Home of Golf", and for good reason. Established early in the 15th century, this is known to be the oldest golf course in the world. This course had the honor of hosting the 150th Open, and it was nothing short of amazing. This absolute gem of a course has held 25 majors, which is an absurd amount. Some of the holes that the Old Course features are very famous, such as the "road hole" number 17 which you hit over a road to reach the fairway. It also contains shared greens, which is a weird concept that you play towards the same green as another hole. This place is known to be the most desirable course to play in the world due to its lengthy history, sheer beauty, and tough conditions.