10 Golf Courses That Should Host a Major Championship

However, the R&A continually ignores Golf Digest’s #1 course outside of America. While Royal County Down isn’t technically “British”, the R&A seems to want to call their tournament “The Open Championship” and drop the whole British aspect altogether, so why not take a chance and try an Irish course for once?

Cypress Point Golf Club-- Pebble Beach, CA

You’ve seen the famous par-3 16^th over water to an isolated cliff at Cypress Point. But that’s not even the tip of the iceberg for this amazing masterpiece.

I’ve never played there myself, but from hearing and reading testimonials from those who have played it, one can’t help leaving the course without thinking, “Alister MacKenzie (course architect) is God.”

Cypress used to be one of the courses for the Crosby Pro-Am. However, like Seminole, it too is an increasingly private golf club. Unfortunately, it seems that its doors are shut for a major championship.

Still, I can’t help but think that were Cypress to get some mainstream exposure like a major championship on national TV, it would definitely pass its overrated brother Pebble Beach on the rankings list, and possibly even overtake Pine Valley as #1.

Something to think about, Cypress members.

Pine Valley Golf Club-- Pine Valley, NJ

Let’s get this straight from the get go: Pine Valley will never host a major championship. It is right in the middle of a dense forest. The course is basically stuffed inside a sardine can. To fit even 5,000 spectators inside the gates would be a miracle. The only possible way to host a major and cram in 40,000 spectators would be remove thousands and thousands of trees (Greenpeace would love that, wouldn’t they?).

Plus, the course is ultra-private like Seminole and Cypress, and giving control over to the USGA or PGA for several years would be a testy prospect.

However, Pine Valley has literally been the world’s #1 course since course rankings were created. And I’m sure golfers would want to know something, just something, about the mystery that is Pine Valley.

The only exposure the course has ever gotten was an early 1960’s Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match, while the world’s #2 course (Augusta National) is shown on television every year and even casual golf fans can describe the course in vivid detail. Can any golfer name even one fact about Pine Valley besides the fact that it’s a total secret?

And think about this: if I granted you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play any course in the world, how many of you would pick Pine Valley? Would you turn down the chance to play the course you watch every year on the Masters for the crapshoot of Pine Valley? Would you really rather tee it up on Pine Valley’s 18^th than hit your tee shot across the pond at Augusta’s 16^th (maybe even drop a few balls and try to sink the Tiger chip)?

I think the course needs, if not a major, some type of exposure to validate its credibility as #1. A course shouldn’t hold the #1 spot and be sung the praises of glory when 99.9% of the golfing population have no clue about it. You can’t defend greatness by using trade secrets.

So, I wish beyond belief that the course will one day do some practical tree removal, lobby for lower admittance, and finally show off the damn near perfect course that is Pine Valley to the world for once.

Or, if a major isn’t available, even try to stage a Battle of the Bridges-like event between just Tiger and Phil.

But, for right now, Augusta National should be #1.

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