Great Major venue names

While one of golf’s big four stays rooted in Georgia, all of the others have moved around a bit over the years. Here are 10 great Major venue names

Myopia

This four-time US Open venue is the first of our great Major venue names, and perhaps not surprisingly, the only one to be named after a clinical ocular condition. Scots won all four of those US Opens courtesy of Fred Herd, Willie Anderson twice and finally Fred McLeod in 1908.

Fresh Meadow

Both US Open and USPGA have paid visits to this very pleasant-sounding New York country club.

French Lick

This Donald Ross-designed Indiana course is where the flamboyant Walter Hagen won the USPGA in 1924. It may sound potentially a bit rude, but ‘lick’ is apparently something to do with animal watering holes.

Pecan Valley

GM’s Danish pastry-loving staff particularly like the sound of the 1968 USPGA venue in San Antonio, Texas. Julius Boros was the champion that year, and apparently tour pros were nuts about it (sorry)…

Flossmoor

This early USPGA venue should perhaps have been brought back in 1969 to help counter the dental effects of those Pecan Danishes? American-Scot Jock Hutchison was the winner at this Illinois course back in 1920.

Crooked Stick

Big John Daly’s driver proved anything but crooked as the mullet-haired one shocked the golfing world with his 1991 USPGA victory, taking driver on holes where others favoured a more cautious approach.

Royal Cinque Ports

This two-time Open venue is in Deal on the Kent coast, but the town wasn’t actually one of the original five Cinque Ports, only being added to the cast in the 15^th century.

Onwentsia

This Illinois club played host to the US Open in 1906 and is listed as one the 100 oldest clubs in the United States

Wannamoisett

Venue for the USPGA’s only ever visit to America’s smallest state of Rhode Island back in 1931 when relatively unknown American, Tom Creavy, took the title.

Aronimink

Possibly an old Indian name meaning “by the beaver dam”. Scene of Gary Player’s third Major success in the 1962 USPGA.