For the first time since GOLF published its inaugural list of the Top 100 Courses in the U.S. in 1983, Pete Dye is not among us. The course design icon passed away in January of this year.
Yet his influence is strongly felt among the Top 100.
It’s here! GOLF’s 2020-21 ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the U.S.
He leaves behind a litany of great layouts (six in the Top 100, four of which are in the Top 50) as well as numerous protégés. Without trying to simplify a complex topic, Dye imparted some key truths to all architects: Be on-site, get dirt under your nails and make it happen yourself.
Dye, along with his wife, Alice, did as much to shape modern architecture as anyone.
With a nod to Dye, here’s a look at how our 2020-21 ranking shakes out by designer.
Our Top 100 Courses in the U.S. broken down by architect
(Ed. note: Bestowing credit for courses built 100 or more years ago is a tricky assignment, because in many cases, many hands have played a role in a course’s evolution. Our approach here is to award primary credit for the original routing if it still serves as the backbone of today’s course and leave it at that. There are exceptions, such as when a course has had a major overhaul. Regardless, the courses listed under each designer are indicative of his vision and talent, though they don’t necessarily reflect every Top 100 course that he may have touched.)
A.W. Tillinghast (11)
15. Winged Foot (West)
Mamaroneck, N.Y., 1923
21. San Francisco
San Francisco, Calif., 1918
23. Somerset Hills
Bernardsville, N.J., 1918
30. Bethpage (Black)
Farmingdale, N.Y., 1935
39. Quaker Ridge
Scarsdale, N.Y., 1926
46. Winged Foot (East)
Mamaroneck, N.Y., 1923
69. Baltusrol (Lower)
Springfield, N.J., 1922
74. Ridgewood (W/E)
Paramus, N.J., 1929
75. Baltimore (Five Farms East)
Baltimore, 1926
84. Newport
Newport, R.I.
William F. Davis, 1899/A.W. Tillinghast, 1924
99. Baltusrol (Upper)
Springfield, N.J., 1922
Donald Ross (11)
11. Pinehurst (No. 2)
Pinehurst, N.C., 1907
20. Seminole
Juno Beach, Fla., 1929
33. Inverness
Toledo, Ohio
Donald Ross, 1919/Andrew Green, 2017
35. Oakland Hills (South)
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Donald Ross, 1917/Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1950
40. Oak Hill (East)
Pittsford, N.Y.
Donald Ross, 1921/Andrew Green, 2020
57. Plainfield
Plainfield, N.J., 1916
64. Essex County
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass, 1917
86. Glens Falls
Queensbury, N.Y., 1920
89. Aronimink
Newtown Square, Penn., 1928
90. Mountain Ridge
West Caldwell, N.J., 1929
92. Pinehurst (No. 4)
Pinehurst, N.C.
Donald Ross, 1919/Gil Hanse, 2017
Seth Raynor (8)
9. Fishers Island
Fishers Island, N.Y., 1926
14. Chicago
Wheaton, Ill.
C.B. Macdonald, 1895/Seth Raynor, 1923
24. Shoreacres
Lake Bluff, Ill., 1921
26. Camargo
Cincinnati, 1926
36. Sleepy Hollow
Scarborough, N.Y.
C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1913/A.W. Tillinghast, 1929/Gil Hanse, 2017
47. Yeamans Hall
Hanahan, S.C., 1925
62. The Creek
Locust Valley, N.Y.
C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1923
85. Monterey Peninsula (Dunes)
Pebble Beach, Calif.
Seth Raynor, 1924/Tom Fazio/Jackson Kahn, 2015
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw (7)
7. Sand Hills
Mullen, Neb., 1994
13. Friar’s Head
Baiting Hollow, N.Y., 2003
38. Bandon Trails
Bandon, Ore., 2005
52. Old Sandwich
Plymouth, Mass., 2004
77. Streamsong (Red)
Streamsong, Fla., 2012
80. Sheep Ranch
Bandon, Ore., 2020
91. Sand Valley (Sand Valley)
Nekoosa, Wis., 2017
Alister MacKenzie (7)
2. Cypress Point
Pebble Beach, Calif., 1928
6. Augusta National
Augusta, Ga.
Alister MacKenzie/Bobby Jones, 1933
16. Crystal Downs
Frankfort, Mich.
Alister MacKenzie/Perry Maxwell, 1932
27. California Golf Club of San Francisco
So. San Francisco, Calif.
A.V. Macan, 1926/Alister MacKenzie, 1928/Kyle Phillips, 2007
55. Valley Club Of Montecito
Montecito, Calif.
Alister MacKenzie/Robert Hunter, 1929
59. Pasatiempo
Santa Cruz, Calif., 1929
93. Palmetto
Aiken, S.C.
H.C. Leeds, 1897/Alister MacKenzie, 1933
Tom Doak (6)
19. Pacific Dunes
Bandon, Ore., 2001
34. Ballyneal
Holyoke, Colo., 2006
48. Rock Creek Cattle Company
Deer Lodge, Mont., 2008
66. Old Macdonald
Bandon, Ore.
Tom Doak/Jim Urbina, 2010
95. Streamsong (Blue)
Streamsong, Fla., 2012
97. Sebonack
Southampton, N.Y.
Jack Nicklaus/Tom Doak, 2006
Pete Dye (6)
31. Kiawah Island (Ocean)
Kiawah Island, S.C., 1991
42. The Golf Club
New Albany, Ohio, 1967
45. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium)
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., 1981
49. Whistling Straits (Straits)
Haven, Wis., 1998
63. Honors Course
Ooltewah, Tenn., 1983
73. Harbour Town
Hilton Head, S.C.
Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus, 1969
C.B. Macdonald (6)
4. National Golf Links of America
Southampton, N.Y., 1911
14. Chicago
Wheaton, Ill.
C.B. Macdonald, 1895/Seth Raynor, 1923
36. Sleepy Hollow
Scarborough, N.Y.
C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1913/A.W. Tillinghast, 1929/Gil Hanse, 2017
56. Piping Rock
Locust Valley, N.Y., 1911
62. The Creek
Locust Valley, N.Y.
C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1923
78. St. Louis
St. Louis
C.B. Macdonald, 1914
Tom Fazio (4)
50. Wade Hampton
Cashiers, N.C., 1987
70. Gozzer Ranch
Harrison, Idaho, 2007
72. Congaree
Ridgeland, S.C., 2017
81. Shadow Creek
Las Vegas, 1990
Perry Maxwell (4)
16. Crystal Downs
Frankfort, Mich.
Alister Mackenzie/Perry Maxwell, 1932
18. Prairie Dunes
Hutchinson, Kan.
Perry Maxwell, 1937/Press Maxwell, 1957
28. Southern Hills
Tulsa, Okla., 1936
41. Old Town
Winston-Salem, N.C., 1939
David McLay Kidd (4)
44. Bandon Dunes
Bandon, Ore., 1999
61. Gamble Sands
Brewster, Wash., 2014
94. Nanea
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 2003
96. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes)
Nekoosa, Wis., 2018
William Flynn (3)
3. Shinnecock Hills
Southampton, N.Y.
Howard Toomey/William Flynn, 1931
58. Kittansett
Marion, Mass.
William Flynn/Fred Hood, 1922
100. Cherry Hills
Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 1923
Gil Hanse (3)
32. Ohoopee Match Club
Cobbtown, Ga., 2018
36. Sleepy Hollow
Scarborough, N.Y.
C.B. Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1913/A.W. Tillinghast, 1929/Gil Hanse, 2017
92. Pinehurst (No. 4)
Pinehurst, N.C.
Donald Ross, 1919/Gil Hanse, 2017
Jack Nicklaus (3)
51. Muirfield Village
Dublin, Ohio
Jack Nicklaus/Desmond Muirhead, 1974
73. Harbour Town
Hilton Head, S.C.
Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus, 1969
97. Sebonack
Southampton, N.Y.
Jack Nicklaus/Tom Doak, 2006
George C. Thomas Jr. (3)
12. Los Angeles (North)
Los Angeles, 1921
17. Riviera
Pacific Palisades, Calif.
George C. Thomas Jr./Billy Bell Sr., 1926
68. Bel-Air
Los Angeles
George C. Thomas Jr./William F. Bell, 1926