Golfweek Rater

In this episode of the Golfweek Rater Podcast, Jim Hansen chats with golf historian and author, Roger McStravick.

Golfweek Rater host Jim Hansen chats with John Strawn. Strawn is currently a founding principal at Strawn & Sampson, partnering with best-selling author Curt Sampson to research, write, design and print high-end golf course and golf club histories.  His most recent book, Creating Calusa Pines, narrated the origin story of a Top 100 course in Naples, FL designed by Mike Hurdzan and Dana Fry.  Golf Digest's Ron Whitten called Creating Calusa Pines "a hefty volume that belongs on the bookshelf of every golfer who has even a passing interest in golf course architecture. This club history is almost as fascinating as the golf course itself.”

Writing the Calusa Pines book was a return to Strawn's roots as a writer after three decades working in golf course architecture.  His first golf book, Driving the Green(HarperCollins, 1991) chronicled the creation of an Arthur Hills course in West Palm Beach, FL.  Soon after its publication, Hills invited Strawn to join his firm. Strawn ran Hills' west coast office until 2000, when he joined Robert Trent Jones II, serving as its CEO for eight years.  During that time, RTJ II created some of the finest courses in its distinguished history, culminating in Chambers Bay, the first Pacific Northwest course to host a US Open. In addition to his work with Strawn & Sampson, Strawn keeps his hand in golf design, most prominently as a member of the team which has restored Gearhart Golf Links, the oldest course in the western United States.

Golfweek Rater host Jim Hansen chats with professional golf course photographer, Evan Schiller, about his life on and off the course.

Golfweek Rater host Jim Hansen chats with Jonathan Cummings about his new book and his experience in the Golfweek Rater program.

Golfweek Rater hosts Thomas Dunne & Jay Blasi welcome two new Rater architectural panelists to the show (Jim Cummings and Sara Mess) and discuss the year ahead.

Golfweek Rater host Thomas Dunne and fellow Rater architectural panelists Jay Blasi & David Normoyle bring you the 2020 Year in Review.

Golfweek Rater host Thomas Dunne and fellow Rater architectural panelists answer questions about the Golfweek Rater program. 

Jay Blasi, a Golfweek Rater panelist and golf course architect, sits down with fellow golf course architect Tom Doak as they discuss his new book, "Getting to 18."

While in the Dominican Republic, Golfweek Rater host Thomas Dunne speaks with Gilles Gagnon. Gagnon is the Director of Golf Emeritus at the Casa de Campo Resort and Villas and oversees their golf operation including Teeth of the Dog, The Links, Dye Fore, and La Romana Country Club.

Golfweek Rater host Thomas Dunne and fellow Rater architectural panelist Jay Blasi, interview golf course architect Bill Coore at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Arizona.