Top five iconic golf courses that should host major championships

Eisenhower Park is home to three 18-hole golf courses.

Men’s major golf championships are the most prestigious tournaments in the sport, but several iconic golf courses have not hosted major events in decades. There are five iconic courses that have hosted major championships in the past but have not done so in decades.

Bringing golf majors back to these historic, public-access venues would celebrate their place in the game’s legacy and provide fans with unprecedented access to witness the world’s best players compete on revered layouts. Adding these five iconic facilities to the rotation would enrich the sport’s most prestigious eve.

Five iconic golf courses that should host major championships

1. French Lick Resort

French Lick Resort is a 3,000-acre resort complex in Indiana, consisting of two historic resort spa hotels, stables, a casino, and three golf courses. The resort is part of a $500 million restoration and development project. The casino opened in 2006, after a gaming license was transferred to French Lick.

The casino was originally designed as a riverboat and surrounded by a small pond but was converted into the state’s first land-based casino in 2008. The resort features over 1,300 slot machines and table games.

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Originally known as the French Lick Springs Hotel, the resort was known for its recreational sports, particularly golf, but also had a reputation for illegal gambling. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 and reopened in 2006.

2. Eisenhower Park

Eisenhower Park, formerly known as Salisbury Park, is a 930-acre public park in East Meadow, New York, located near Hempstead Turnpike and Old Country Road. The park is home to three 18-hole golf courses, including the Red Course, which hosts the annual Commerce Bank Championship. It has been part of the county park system since 1944 and offers a variety of athletic and family activities.

In the early 20th century, the park was part of the private Salisbury Country Club and hosted the ninth PGA Championship in 1926. During the Great Depression, the club’s owners couldn’t pay taxes, and the county took over the property. Salisbury Park was officially dedicated in 1949 and rededicated as Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Park in 1969.

In 2004, President George W. Bush visited Eisenhower Park to unveil a memorial for the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The memorial features two 30-foot stainless-steel towers, two pieces of steel from the WTC wreckage, and a stone wall bearing the names of the 344 Nassau County residents who died on September 11, 2001.

3. Cedar Crest Golf Course

Cedar Crest Golf Course, formerly Cedar Crest Country Club, is a public golf course in Dallas, Texas, designed by A. W. Tillinghast. It hosted the 10th PGA Championship in 1927 and the Dallas Open in 1926. Established in 1916, it was later purchased by the city in 1946.

The course hosted the United Golf Association Negro National Open in 1954 and the USGA’s Public Links later that year. A new $2 million clubhouse was built in 2001, and the course was renovated in 2004 by D. A. Weibring and Steve Wolfard.

4. Keller Golf Course

Keller Golf Course, located in Maplewood, Minnesota, is a public golf course owned and operated by Ramsey County. It has hosted several major championships, including the St. Paul Open and the 1949 Western Open. The course was designed by Ramsey County civil engineer Paul Coates and opened in 1929.

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In 2012, it underwent major renovations under architect Richard Mandell, resulting in a reopening in 2014. The course’s original layout was retained, but fairways were converted to bent grass, greens and bunkers were replaced, and the clubhouse and pro shop were demolished and replaced with new buildings. Mandell’s work was recognized as the “Best Municipal Renovation” of 2014.

5. Tanglewood Park

Tanglewood Park is a recreation center and park in Clemmons, Forsyth County, North Carolina, USA, located on the Yadkin River. It hosts the annual “Tanglewood Festival of Lights” and features attractions such as the Arboretum, Rose Garden, public pool, dog park, horse stables, and Mallard Lake for fishing and paddleboat rentals.

The park also has two golf courses, the Championship Course and the Reynolds Course, which hosted the PGA Championship in 1974. William Johnson, an immigrant from Wales, was one of the earliest European settlers of the Yadkin River Valley. In 1757, he purchased the central portion of the property from the Ellis family, who leased it for a short time.

Johnson built a fort overlooking the Yadkin River to protect his family and neighbors during the French and Indian War. He died in 1765 and is now buried on Mount Pleasant, the highest hill in the area. A simple frame church was erected next to his grave in 1809, which remains an architectural attraction in the park.

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