Who's who: Tom Doak

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Tom Doak

  • Name:

    Tom Doak
  • Country:

    USA
  • Born:

    March 16 , 1961 in New York City, NY.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Golf course architect and writer.
  • Turned Pro:

  • Website:

    https://www.renaissancegolf.com

Golf course design

Doak has designed numerous courses that feature on many Top 100 course rankings. His best known work includes, but is not limited to:

UNITED STATES & CANADA:
Apache Stronghold, AZ (1999) / Atlantic City CC, NJ (1999, modifications) / Ballyneal, CO (2006) / Bandon Dunes, OR (2001, Pacific Dunes course; 2010, Old MacDonald course with Jim Urbina) / Black Forest, MI (1992) / Cherry Hills, CO (2009, modifications) / CommonGround, CO (2009) / Dismal River, NE (2013, Red course) / Essex County, MA (2008, modifications) / Forest Dunes, MI (2016, The Loop course) / Garden City CC (2015, modifications) / Legends, SC (1990, Heathland course) / Lost Dunes, MI (1999) / Milwaukee CC, WI (2015, modifications) / Pasatiempo, CA (1998-2006, modifications) / Rawls course, TX (2003) / Riverfront, VA (1999) / Rock Creek Cattle Co., MT (2008) / Sebonack, NY (2005, with Jack Nicklaus) / Somerset Hills, NJ (2018, modifications) / St George's G&CC, Ont. (2014, modifications) / Stone Eagle, CA (2002) / Suncadia, WA (2005, Tumble Creek course) / Streamsong, FL (2012, Blue course) / Valley Club of Montecito, CA (2018, modifications) / Yeamans Hall, SC (1998, modifications).

BEYOND NORTH AMERICA:
Barnbougle Dunes, Tasmania (2004, with Michael Clayton) / Cape Kidnappers, NZ (2004) / Concord GC, Aus (2018, renovation) / Grand Saint-Emilionaise, Fra (2015) / Renaissance Club, Scot (2008) / St Andrews Beach, Aus (2005, Gunnammatta course with Michael Clayton) / Tara Iti, NZ (2015).

Did you know?

Doak studied landscape architecture at Cornell University before developing his knowledge of golf course design with an extended visit to Britain & Ireland in 1982/83. The visit included a spell of caddying at St Andrews. He also worked with the legendary course architect Pete Dye while at graduate school. Doak has been labelled a "minimalist" designer, allowing the natural contours of the land (rather than earthmovers) to create a natural flow to the routing of the golf course and creation of the holes.

Amongst many excellent books written by golf architect and architectural scholar Doak, his Confidentail Guide to Golf Courses, is much applauded. Produced in five volumes, the Guides provide a wonderful compendium of Doak's ideas about golf architecture around the world, and a superb reference work for travelling golfers who are serious about where they play.

Find a course

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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