St. Louis

Working with less land than usual, C.B. Macdonald still managed to pack all of his beloved template holes into this quirky, rolling layout. The 600-yard 13th is one of the architect’s finest par-5s and the 18th with a deep pit in front of the green is a classic design where Sam Snead missed a short putt to lose the 1947 U.S. Open. St. Louis is a notoriously difficult invite, and at 6,500 yards from the tips, it’s unlikely to host another major. The holes fall over such relentlessly interesting land that it is hard to believe the club also has a polo field. One of the first courses in the Show Me State — and still the best.