This content was first published in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication exclusively for USGA Members. To be among the first to receive Golf Journal and to learn how you can ensure a strong ...

Welcome to A Beginner’s Guide to Golf Course Design, where we’ll dig into the history, design and meaning of golf course architecture terms you’ve probably heard before but might not fully understand.

“Nothing rolls like a ball.” That's what a friend quipped as he watched my first putt trickle off the green on the 13th hole at the California Golf Club of San Francisco. While I wasn't amused at the ...