Golf Courses That Have Hosted the Most Major Championships

Whilst there are a variety of championships included on the PGA Tour, it's the Majors which are the most famous in the sport. The Augusta Masters, the U.S. Open, U.K. Open and the PGA Championship are perhaps the most exciting championships on the PGA Tour. They are played at some fantastic golf courses and settings. A variety of golf courses have been selected for the Majors, and there are a few which have been venues in a number of seasons.

Augusta National

The Augusta National course has been the venue for more Major championships than any other, quite simply because it has its very own. The Master's championship is the one Major that is played at a single venue (although the Players Championship, at TPC Sawgrass, is a close second). Each April the invitation golf championship invites the top ranked players from the PGA Tour to play in the Masters at Augusta.

The course is probably the most famous in the sport. With its pristine greens and fairways it has green keepers that can cut grass down to bowling greens. Each hole has a variety of shrubs and flowers such as tea olives, magnolias, camellias, junipers, hollies and yellow jasmines. As Augusta has a substantial maintenance budget it is usually ranked among the top golf courses in the United States.

As one of the foremost championship courses in golf it has some famous holes. Among the more notable are the 12th Golden Bell hole in which Rae's Creek separates the tee from the green. The 16th Redbud hole, a 170 yard par-3, also has a small lake in front of the green. It is a course with some great holes and landscapes.

Old Course at St Andrews

The Old Course at St Andrews, in Scotland, is another of the household name golf courses. It's the home of golf, and a course of considerable championship pedigree. This is one that has hosted 28 U.K. Open golf championships, which is a record number. Here Nicklaus, Woods and co have all been crowned Open champions.

The golf course itself now covers some 7,305 yards. It has approximately 112 greenside and fairway bunkers scattered along its holes. In addition to this, the course is also notable for its huge double greens which effectively combine two greens into one for a number of its holes.

It has a few famous holes such as the 17th Road Hole. This is a long par 4 that stretches some 495 yards, so it could be a short par 5. It includes the deep Road Hole bunker along its fairway. At is back green tarmac roadways and stone walls are both included within the hole. As a public course you can play this hole, and the others, at St Andrews.

Oakmont Country Club

Located at the rolling hills outside Pittsburgh is the Oakmont Country Club. This is one of Americas more historic courses that has been a regular venue for Major golf championship. Oakmont has hosted more Major golf championships than any other in the United States, except Augusta which is seasonal venue. Overall, it has played host to a record nine U.S. Opens, and an additional three PGA Championships. Furthermore, as it has been selected for another Open, a 10th will be played at the course.

As such, when it comes to championship golf few can match Oakmont. Its 18 holes cover approximately 7,255 yards. The course is notable for its slick and undulating greens. It also has more than 200 yards over its 18 holes, which is somewhat more than the Old Course. The most famous of its bunkers is that of the Church Pew bunker, which has transverging grass ridges, and comes into play on the third and fourth holes.

Among its famous holes is that of the 18th finisher. This is a classic final hole that extends some 484 yards. The hole has a tree-lined fairway and a multitude of bunkers scattered along it. It provides a suitable finale to any golfing championship.

Southern Hills Country Club

Southern Hills Country Club includes the Front Nine/Back Nine course. This is another of the United State's foremost championship courses located in Southern Hills, Tulsa. It has played host to a record four PGA Championships, and three U.S. Opens.

This golf course now extends 7,131 yards. It is a course that has a heated climate, and a tree-lined layout. That course also includes notable elevation changes between tees and fairways. Among its holes it has a 653 yard par-5 hole which eclipses most of the holes on the PGA Tour for distance.

Those are the courses that have hosted the most Majors. As regular venues for the Tour some gripping championships have been played on them. And there will be plenty more exciting Majors played at the legendary golf courses.

Golf Vacation Destinations: Grand Cypress Golf Club

The Grand Cypress golf club is one with a great collection of golf courses. It includes the New Course golf course, which is partly inspired by those at St Andrews. It is a golf course that has double greens, pot bunkers and stone bridges. In addition, its finishing hole is a replica of the 18th Road Hole. You can also play at the East, North and South golf courses. This video shows some of the holes at the golf club.

U.S. Open Golf Courses

The U.S. Open is one of the most exciting golf championships that has been played at a variety of destinations in the United States. Whilst the Masters golf course is always the same, the U.S. Open has great variety of venues for the championship. A number of exciting championship courses have hosted the Open.

Oakmont

Oakmont golf course, in Pennsylvania, has hosted the record number of U.S. Opens. Having hosted several U.S. Opens the course is among the most famous in the United States. Oakmont has considerable slopes, and the famed Church Pews bunker that stretches some 100 yards. It includes a 667 yard par-5 golf hole at the 12th, which is among the most extensive PGA Tour holes.

The U.S. Open was first played there in 1927. Then the course yardage was somewhat less than the 7,230 yards of today. It was at Oakmont that Nicklaus won the first major of his career in a playoff round with Palmer. In later championships at Oakmont there were further playoff victories, such as Els' three-way playoff triumph in the Open during the 1990s.

Oakland Hills Country Club (South Course)

Oakland Hills Country Club, in Michigan, has a couple of 18-hole courses. Among them is the South Course which is the primary championship venue at the club. That's a golf course that can extend some 7,445 yards from the championship tees.

There six U.S. Opens have been played, among a number of other golf championships such as the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup. The most recent U.S. Open championship at Oakland was won by Jones after edging out Lehman in the final round.

Pebble Beach Links

Pebble Beach Links is a resort course that is ranked among the top 10 golf courses in the game. The golf course is located on the Monterey coastline of California, which provides a great landscape for Pebble Beach Links. It has some great coastal holes such as the 109 par-3 which has a green surrounded by Pacific Ocean. The 543 yard par-5 18th hole is along among the highlights at Pebble Beach Links. The Pacific Ocean dominates the left fairway of the hole up to the green.

Pebble Beach Links has been the venue of five U.S. Open Championships up to 2010. There both Nicklaus and Woods have been crowned U.S. Open champions. In the most recent championship at the course McDowell edged out Harvet by one to emerge as the first Irish champion in the U.S. Open.

Baltusrol Golf Club

Another regular venue of the U.S. Open is that of Baltusrol Golf Club. That's a golf club in New Jersey that has a couple of championship courses. At the Lower Course four U.S. Opens have been played, and an additional three have been hosted at the other Baltusrol courses. The Lower Course has a yardage of approximately 7,400 yards, with a par-5 hole that expands some 650 yards.

At the Lower Course four golfers were crowned U.S. Open champion. Nicklaus twice lifted the trophy at Baltusrol. Aside from the Open, the golf course has also been selected for a couple of PGA Championships.

Those golf courses have been great venues for the U.S. Open. There some enthralling Open championships have been played.

Great Replica Golf Courses in United States

Replica golf courses are those that include replicas (or duplicates) of famous holes. They have famous holes from courses such as St Andrews, Augusta, Pebble Beach and Harbor Town. These are a few of the more convincing replica golf courses in the United States which restore famed golf holes and landscapes.

Tour 18 Houston

The Tour 18 golf course was one of the first to include an 18-hole compilation of exact famous hole replicas. This golf course includes three holes from the Augusta National course, the 12th Golden Bell Hole with Rae's Creek, the 11th and 13th. Other notable holes at the course is that of 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass with the green surrounded by a lake. The 14th par-5 hole at Pebble Beach, which has hosted five U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship, is also simulated at the Tour 18 Houston course. Overall, the holes are convincing replicas of the great championship holes.

Castle Course at Northern Bay

This is Northern Bay golf course includes up to several replica holes among its 18. Once again the TPC Sawgrass island green hole and 13th hole at Augusta is among them. Here you can also play the Augusta National's 16th hole, a longer par-3 with a lake separating the tee from green. Alongside them the Castle Course has the 18th at Bay Hill, third at Oakmont, 16th at Firestone and fifth hole from Oakland Hills.

The New Course at Grand Cypress, Orlando, FL

The New Course is one that is partly inspired by St Andrew's championship golf course. Whilst it doesn't have many exact replicas of the holes, the course still includes double greens, stone bridges and pot bunkers. It includes replica holes for the 18th Road Hole, as well as the 1st at St Andrews. As such, the New Course at Grand Cypress is the closest match to the famed St Andrew's course in the United States.

International World Tour Golf Links

At the International World Tour Golf Links, in Myrtle Beach, there are three nine-hole golf courses. The Open Nine, International Nine and Championship Nine include 27 famous replica holes. Holes from courses such as Augusta, Inverness, Oakmont, Spanish Bay, Royal Melbourne and Valderrama are simulated at the International World Tour Golf Links. Its the Championship Nine that includes holes inspired from the Major championships. The International Nine includes a variety of overseas holes, whilst the Open Nine course is more limited to famed holes from within North America.

At these replica golf courses you can play some great championship golf holes. From Pebble Beach to St Andrews they have a variety of replica holes from famous courses. They could be suitable destinations for an exciting golf vacation.