Old Tom Morris | The Father of Golf Architecture | The Great Golf Architects Ep. 1

In this episode, we visit the breathtaking Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course in Banff, Alberta—the final destination in our three-course Canadian golf journey.

Designed by legendary golf architect Stanley Thompson, Banff Springs combines mountain scenery with strategic golf. We explore how Thompson used the Bow River Valley, dramatic elevation changes, deep bunkers, and carefully planned playing angles to create an unforgettable experience.

You’ll also hear about three memorable holes: No. 4, Devil’s Cauldron; No. 14, Wampum; and No. 15, Spray. Along the way, we share practical suggestions for senior golfers, including choosing comfortable tees, accounting for elevation changes, and playing for position instead of distance.

✈️ Plan your Banff golf getaway with Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/t/y2zUz0WnFW2

⛳ Organize your next golf adventure with the Bucket-List Golf Trip Planner: https://bit.ly/GolfTripPlanner

Disclosure: The Trip.com link is an affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking, at no additional cost to you.

Travel to Playa Herradura on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast for a golf experience surrounded by rivers, rainforest and remarkable wildlife.

Designed by Ted Robinson Sr., La Iguana Golf Course winds through tropical vegetation at Los Sueños Resort before emerging beside Herradura Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

In this episode, we explore how Robinson used streams, changing elevation and narrow jungle corridors to create a course where accuracy and thoughtful positioning matter more than distance.

We also encounter the natural residents of La Iguana’s remarkable setting—including monkeys, iguanas, coatis, scarlet macaws and more than 150 species of birds and other wildlife.

Three featured holes define the journey:

🦜 Hole #4 — El Tucán A 545-yard par 5 where a stream follows the left side, crosses the fairway and influences every shot toward the green.

🌉 Hole #8 — El Pizote A 182-yard par 3 requiring a complete carry across a natural river to a green framed by tropical vegetation.

🌅 Hole #18 — La Conquista del Paraíso A 397-yard par 4 that completes the journey from the rainforest to the coastal scenery of Herradura Bay and Los Sueños Marina.

📋 Scorecard Note

The featured-hole yardages in this episode follow the pictured gold-tee scorecard:

• Hole #4 — 545 yards, par 5 • Hole #8 — 182 yards, par 3 • Hole #18 — 397 yards, par 4

The pictured card lists La Iguana at 6,698 yards, par 72, with a rating of 73.4 and slope of 145.

La Iguana’s current online table incorrectly displays Hole 8 at 214 yards. The pictured card’s 182-yard measurement produces the stated 6,698-yard total and is used throughout this episode.

💬 Join the Conversation

You have found the fairway on El Tucán and may be able to reach the par-5 green in two—but the shot requires challenging the stream with a fairway wood or long iron.

Are you attempting the heroic shot or laying up to your favorite wedge distance?

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more international golf destinations, legendary architects and unforgettable holes from Courses of the World.

✈️ Plan Your Los Sueños Golf Escape

View Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort and explore available accommodations through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/RKgnc0hSCW2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

Travel to Guanacaste on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast for a round where championship golf meets tropical wilderness.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, Reserva Conchal winds through rolling terrain, native forest, ravines, lakes and lagoons near the white sands of Playa Conchal. Howler monkeys call from the surrounding hills, parrots move through the trees, and the course’s environmental design demonstrates how memorable golf can coexist with nature.

In this episode, we explore Reserva Conchal’s architectural character, its long-standing Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification and three unforgettable closing holes:

🌊 Hole #16 — The Pacific Panorama A 557-yard par 5 featuring an elevated tee, distant ocean views and two strategic fairway routes.

🌴 Hole #17 — The Jungle Carry A 210-yard downhill par 3 requiring a committed carry over water to a protected, tiered green framed by tropical forest.

🔥 Hole #18 — The Heroic Finish A 556-yard risk-reward par 5 where golfers must choose between laying up safely to the right or attempting a courageous second shot across the water.

The featured-hole yardages in this episode follow the pictured gold-tee scorecard. That card lists Reserva Conchal at 7,021 yards, par 71, with a rating of 74.9 and slope of 137.

💬 Join the Conversation

You have hit a strong drive on the eighteenth and can attempt to reach the green in two—but the shot requires a fairway wood or long iron over the water.

Are you laying up safely or attempting the heroic finish?

📖 Read the complete Medium article:

👉 https://medium.com/@everydaygolfwins/reserva-conchal-where-championship-golf-lives-with-the-wild-cba335ec5468?sharedUserId=everydaygolfwins

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more remarkable destinations, legendary architects and unforgettable holes from Courses of the World.

✈️ Plan Your Costa Rica Golf Escape

Explore accommodations, flights and other travel options through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/O1swn82fBW2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

Travel to Costa Rica’s spectacular Guanacaste coastline for a round where Pacific views, dramatic elevation changes and wildlife become part of every decision.

In this Everyday Golf Wins episode, we explore the Ocean Course at Peninsula Papagayo—a 6,788-yard, par-72 Arnold Palmer design carved through tropical dry forest, coastal ridgelines and terrain shaped by ancient volcanic activity.

Panoramic ocean views accompany golfers on 14 holes, while white-faced monkeys and more than 100 bird species inhabit the surrounding peninsula.

We also examine three memorable challenges:

🌊 Hole #3 — A 367-yard par 4 where panoramic views compete for the golfer’s attention and careful positioning matters more than raw power.

⛰️ Hole #6 — El Bajo, a dramatic 446-yard par 4 that plunges downhill from an elevated tee toward the fairway and green below.

🦜 Hole #18 — A 550-yard par 5 where water, fatigue and risk-reward decisions shape the final test.

• Discover how Palmer used wind, slopes, elevation and natural playing corridors to create a resort course that welcomes recreational golfers while continuing to reward intelligent strategy.

💬 Your Turn

You are standing on the elevated sixth tee with the fairway falling dramatically toward the green.

Are you pulling driver and allowing the downhill terrain to add distance—or choosing a controlled club to protect your position?

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more remarkable courses, influential architects and unforgettable golf destinations from around the world.

✈️ Plan Your Costa Rica Golf Escape

Explore accommodations and travel options for Peninsula Papagayo through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/hjurIMskAW2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

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At Land’s End in Cabo San Lucas, Jack Nicklaus created a golf course where golden desert dunes, deep arroyos and towering granite cliffs meet the Pacific Ocean.

In this Everyday Golf Wins episode, we explore Quivira Golf Club—a 7,085-yard, par-72 adventure that climbs from sea level to positions more than 275 feet above the surf.

We also examine three of its most unforgettable holes:

🌊 Hole #6 — A 310-yard risk-reward par 4 where golfers must choose between laying up and challenging a cliffside green.

🏜️ Hole #7 — A 180-yard par 3 played through towering dunes toward a narrow, two-tiered green above the Pacific.

🏖️ Hole #13 — A 635-yard, Z-shaped par 5 that descends through dunes and native Baja vegetation toward the coast.

Discover how Nicklaus uses elevation, wind, sand and visible danger to tempt golfers into aggressive decisions—and why Quivira feels more like an expedition than a conventional round.

📖 Read the complete Medium article:

👉 https://medium.com/@everydaygolfwins/quivira-golf-club-where-the-desert-falls-into-the-pacific-7b87538107e1?sharedUserId=everydaygolfwins

📋 Scorecard Note

Quivira reordered its holes after the pictured BlueGolf scorecard was published. The featured holes shown on that older card as Nos. 5, 6 and 12 are now played as Nos. 6, 7 and 13.

The BlueGolf card also incorrectly labels the 7,085 total as meters. Quivira’s official course information confirms that the championship distance is 7,085 yards.

💬 Your Turn

You are standing on the tee of the 310-yard sixth with the Pacific far below. Are you laying back for position—or pulling driver and challenging the cliffside green?

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more remarkable golf destinations, legendary architects and unforgettable holes from around the world.

✈️ Plan Your Quivira Golf Escape

Explore Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort, an adults-only, all-inclusive property offering eligible guests access to Quivira Golf Club:

👉 https://expedia.com/affiliates/hotel-search-pueblo-bonito-pacifica-golf-spa-resort-all-inclusiveadult-only.txbm1Xc

Earns commissions: I may earn a commission from qualifying bookings made through this Expedia link, at no additional cost to you.

#EverydayGolfWins #QuiviraGolfClub #MexicoGolf #LosCabosGolf #JackNicklaus #GolfTravel #CoursesOfTheWorld

Travel to Mexico’s Riviera Maya for a journey through El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba—a Greg Norman design that changes character as it moves through tropical jungle, mangroves, limestone canals and Caribbean coastline.

Named after the chameleon, El Camaleón continually asks golfers to adapt. Sheltered tropical corridors give way to water, ancient limestone geology and exposed seaside wind.

In this Everyday Golf Wins episode, we explore three unforgettable holes:

🏝️ Hole #4 — The Island Test A 116-yard par 3 requiring one completely committed shot to an island green surrounded by lagoon water.

😈 Hole #7 — The Devil’s Mouth A 554-yard par 5 featuring a natural cenote—a limestone sinkhole opening beside the fairway and revealing the underground world of the Yucatán Peninsula.

🌊 Hole #15 — The Caribbean Window A 155-yard seaside par 3 where the ocean horizon, coastal breeze and changing conditions influence club selection.

We also examine Greg Norman’s use of Mayakoba’s contrasting ecosystems, El Camaleón’s professional tournament history and the course’s evolution into a venue that has hosted PGA Tour, LIV Golf and LPGA competition.

📖 Read the complete Medium article:

👉 https://medium.com/@everydaygolfwins/el-camale%C3%B3n-golf-through-the-many-faces-of-the-riviera-maya-e9fc76e14c3a?sharedUserId=everydaygolfwins

📋 Scorecard Note

The featured-hole yardages in this episode follow the pictured BlueGolf card labeled “Mayakoba Classic”:

• Hole #4 — 116 yards, par 3 • Hole #7 — 554 yards, par 5 • Hole #15 — 155 yards, par 3

The pictured configuration measures 6,981 yards and par 71, with a displayed rating of 70.0 and slope of 110.

Mayakoba officially describes El Camaleón as an 18-hole, par-72 course. Tournament, event and resort configurations may use different tees, pars and yardages.

“The Island Test” and “The Caribbean Window” are creative Everyday Golf Wins captions. “The Devil’s Mouth” is the established nickname associated with the natural cenote at Hole #7.

💬 Join the Conversation

If you could play only one featured hole, which would you choose?

The island green, the Devil’s Mouth or the Caribbean Window?

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for remarkable golf courses, legendary architects, signature holes and stories from around the world.

#EverydayGolfWins #ElCamaleon #Mayakoba #MexicoGolf #RivieraMaya #GregNorman #GolfArchitecture #GolfTravel

✈️ Plan Your Riviera Maya Golf Getaway

Explore accommodations, flights and travel options for Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen and Mexico’s Caribbean coast through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/8tZm7jVF8W2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

Travel to Jamaica’s Caribbean coast for a journey through The Tryall Club, a historic golf destination where ocean winds, mountain terrain and a centuries-old waterwheel shape the experience.

Originally designed by Ralph Plummer and later renovated by Andrew Green, Tryall moves from the Flint River and Caribbean shoreline into the hills above Sandy Bay. Along the way, golfers encounter historic aqueduct pillars, the estate’s approximately 300-year-old waterwheel and elevated views stretching across the Jamaican landscape.

In this Everyday Golf Wins episode, we explore the architecture, history and three memorable holes that define Tryall:

🌊 Hole #4 — Where the River Meets the Sea A 176-yard par 3 crossing the Flint River, with the Caribbean Sea along the left and powerful trade winds influencing every club selection.

⚙️ Hole #7 — The Waterwheel Passage A 440-yard uphill par 4 beginning beside Tryall’s historic waterwheel and aqueduct before climbing toward the Great House.

🌅 Hole #14 — The Floating Green A 457-yard par 4 where the elevated setting makes the green appear to float against the Caribbean horizon.

“The Floating Green,” “The Waterwheel Passage” and “Where the River Meets the Sea” are creative Everyday Golf Wins captions rather than official hole names.

We also examine Andrew Green’s thoughtful modernization of Ralph Plummer’s original design, Tryall’s international tournament history and the complicated plantation heritage preserved within the landscape.

📖 Read the complete Medium article:

👉 https://medium.com/@everydaygolfwins/the-tryall-club-where-jamaican-history-shapes-the-game-f544ddc0308e?sharedUserId=everydaygolfwins

💬 Join the Conversation

If you could play only one of Tryall’s featured holes, which would you choose?

The river crossing at Hole #4, the historic waterwheel passage at Hole #7 or the floating-green illusion at Hole #14?

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more remarkable golf courses, legendary architects, signature holes and stories from around the world.

✈️ Plan Your Jamaica Golf Getaway

Explore accommodations, flights and travel options for Jamaica through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/hWUKOLTS7W2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

🇯🇲 Cinnamon Hill: Golf, James Bond and Jamaican History

Travel to Rose Hall near Montego Bay, Jamaica, for a journey through one of the Caribbean’s most fascinating golf courses.

Cinnamon Hill begins beside the turquoise Caribbean Sea before climbing into the tropical hills of the historic Rose Hall Estate. Along the way, golfers encounter coastal wind, mountain elevation, centuries-old stonework, a cinematic waterfall and extraordinary views across Jamaica’s northern coastline.

In this episode, we explore:

⛳ How Hank Smedley created the original Cinnamon Hill course in 1969

🎨 How Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril redesigned the layout in 2001

🌊 The contrast between the exposed coastal holes and mountainous back nine

🏛️ The surviving stone aqueduct connected to Rose Hall’s sugar-producing past

🎬 The waterfall featured in the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die

🎵 Cinnamon Hill Great House, the Jamaican home of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash

⭐ Three Featured Holes

🌊 Hole #5 — Majestic Blue Par 4 — 453 yards

Cinnamon Hill’s signature seaside hole moves toward a green framed by aquamarine Caribbean water, pale sand and swaying palms. Its beauty can distract golfers from a demanding drive and wind-influenced approach.

💦 Hole #15 — The Waterfall Challenge Par 3 — 220 yards

This formidable par 3 plays toward a green beneath the waterfall seen in Live and Let Die. Length, mountain wind and one of golf’s most distracting backdrops make complete commitment essential.

⛰️ Hole #17 — The Mountaintop Panorama Par 5 — 535 yards

From a tee approximately 350 feet above the Caribbean Sea, golfers look across the Rose Hall Estate and Jamaica’s northern coastline. The elevated setting encourages aggression, but thoughtful positioning remains the safest route to a scoring opportunity.

📋 Scorecard Note

The featured-hole yardages in this episode follow the pictured BlueGolf scorecard:

• Hole #5 — 453 yards, par 4 • Hole #15 — 220 yards, par 3 • Hole #17 — 535 yards, par 5

The blue tees measure 6,828 yards, with a par of 72, course rating of 74.2 and slope rating of 136. Shorter tee options are available.

📖 Read the Complete Medium Article

👉 https://medium.com/@everydaygolfwins/cinnamon-hill-golf-course-from-the-caribbean-shore-to-the-jamaican-mountains-86cd5139c435?sharedUserId=everydaygolfwins

🌐 Official Course Information

Rose Hall Golf: https://rosehall.com/golf/

💬 Join the Conversation

Which Cinnamon Hill experience would you choose?

A) Challenge the Caribbean wind on Majestic Blue

B) Attempt the 220-yard waterfall hole

C) Launch a drive from the mountaintop seventeenth

Follow Everyday Golf Wins for more unforgettable courses, legendary architects, remarkable golf holes and stories from around the game.

🎙️ Production Note

This animated audio explainer was produced with NotebookLM using an original Everyday Golf Wins course article.

✈️ Plan Your Jamaica Golf Getaway

Explore accommodations and travel options near Rose Hall and Montego Bay through Trip.com:

👉 https://www.trip.com/t/OfjIeiMd6W2

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying booking through this link, at no additional cost to you.

After Sand Hills changed modern golf architecture, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw faced an even greater challenge: proving their minimalist philosophy could succeed on completely different landscapes.

In Part Two of their story, we travel from the forests and dunes of Bandon Trails to the contrasting terrain of Friar's Head and finally to the spectacular ocean cliffs of Cape Breton Island.

Along the way, we discover why Coore & Crenshaw's greatest talent may not be creating a recognizable architectural style—but allowing every landscape to develop a character entirely its own.

Discover how an unlikely partnership between landscape architect Bill Coore and Masters champion Ben Crenshaw transformed modern golf architecture. In this opening chapter, we follow their shared passion for minimalist design, the formation of their legendary partnership, and the creation of Sand Hills Golf Club—a course that forever changed the direction of golf course architecture.