As we move through a rather quiet time on the PGA Tour, I put together a list of my picks for the top five golf courses on the PGA Tour.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to golf courses, everyone has their own taste.
Whether you are just watching the PGA Tour or actually out playing, there are just certain things that draw you to a particular course. With that being said, the list of courses across the world is vast and as such it’s always tough to pick one course as your favorite.
For the purpose of this piece, I narrowed my favorites list down to the tracks that are played on the PGA Tour. So without further ado, here’s my top five favorite golf courses on the PGA Tour.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
#5: Atlanta Athletic Club
Highlands Course
Location: John’s Creek, Georgia
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,613 yards
I must admit this was a tough decision on whether to include this course. I found myself left with the decision to pick this one or TPC Sawgrass. It was tough to leave out the course with the famous island green from this list but it would easily make my top 10 golf courses.
Atlanta Athletic Club is a 45-hole facility with two 18-hole courses and a nine-hole track. A Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, the Highlands course is what has been used for the PGA Tour events. To date, the course has hosted four major championships, one U.S. Open and three PGA Championships. The most recent one came in 2011 when Keegan Bradley was crowned as the winner of the PGA Championship. Its been around five years since this course last hosted an event but it left enough of an impression for me to still remember it.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
#4: Firestone Country Club
South Course
Location: Akron, Ohio
Par: 70
Yardage: 7,400 yards
Years back, this course quickly became one of my favorites as I began watching the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. From there it has become one of the courses that I make sure to tune into every year and hope to one day get a chance to play.
Firestone has an incredible 54-hole setup that boasts three full 18-hole courses. They are split into the South Course, the North Course, and the West Course, the South course being the longest and the one used for PGA Tour events. Since 1962, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational has been at Firestone every year. Additionally, the course has also hosted three major championships, all three being PGA Championships. However, the last time it hosted one of those was 1975.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Sucar-USA TODAY Sports
#3: Baltusrol Golf Club
Lower Course
Location: Springfield, New Jersey
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,400 yards
This is admittedly a very recent addition to my favorites list. As recent as this past summer when the course hosted the 2016 PGA Championship. The only thing I could think of when watching the tournament was: when will I get to play it? The course conditions immediately drew my attention as some of the best I have ever seen.
This course has 36-total holes, split into two 18-hole courses, the Upper Course and the Lower Course. The Lower Course is the one that has been used for the major championship events it hosts. In total, the A. W. Tillinghast designed course has hosted nine total major championships, seven U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. The PGA Championship made a stop back to Baltusrol this past summer for just the second time after being there for the 2005 event.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
#2: Congressional Country Club
Blue Course
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,574 yards
Back in 2011, Rory McIlroy blew away the field and won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club by eight strokes. As I followed the tournament closely all week, I began to really enjoy the course itself. After just one tournament, this course quickly made my top five list. However, a trip there this summer to see it in person for the Quicken Loans National only moved it up further on my list.
Congressional has 36 total holes that are split into two different 18-hole courses. All the PGA tournaments are held on the Blue course while the Gold Course is the shorter of the two and hasn’t hosted any PGA Tour tournaments. In all, the course has hosted four major championships, three U.S. Opens and one PGA Championship. Additionally, Tiger Woods’ tournament, the AT&T National, which is now known as the Quicken Loans National was held at Congressional on seven occasions.
Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
#1: Augusta National Golf Club
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,435 yards
Everyone has their own taste but it’s almost hard for me to imagine someone leaving this course off their list. Every spring this course comes to light at the Masters and turns heads because of its shear beauty. The extraordinary green grass and blooming flowers are unmatched throughout the PGA Tour’s courses.
As the host of the Masters tournament, Augusta is arguably one the most famous golf courses in the world. Every spring, Augusta has the honor of hosting the first major championship of the PGA Tour season. As the other three majors rotate to different courses every year, the Masters holds the distinction as the only major that is held at the same course every year. Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed the course that is now one of the most prestigious in the world.
What are your favorite courses that we see on the PGA Tour from time to time? Let us know in the comments below!
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