Exceptional and Championship
Golf Course Design
Lawsonia Links
Green Lake, WI
Langford and Moreau Design
Master Plan by Forse Design
Photo: Andy Johnson | thefriedegg.com
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The boldest value in golf: Lawsonia Links
...Langford and Moreau's bold design at Lawsonia Links
"It’s hard for the general public to play the crown jewels of one of America’s Golden Age architects. Most people – even golf fanatics – aren’t going to Alister MacKenzie‘s Cypress Point, C.B. Macdonald‘s National Golf Links of America, A.W. Tillinghast‘s Winged Foot or William Flynn‘s Shinnecock Hills.
There is, however, one accessible, brilliant, fun, public option any golfer can go play for less than $100: Lawsonia Links in Green Lake, Wisconsin."
Andy Johnson
thefriedegg.com
Club Pelican Bay
Naples, FL
New Design
by Forse Design
Photo: Vaughn Halyard | StoryLounge Films
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"It’s snowing back home, hard. In feet. I had the good fortune to get to Florida with an invite to play Club Pelican Bay. The confusion began for me as soon as I set up to approach the first green. It intensified the deeper into the round.
The Alison architecture is way out of character in a good way. An English course in Florida. Hey don't print my name ha. It's near impossible to get a tee time."
Anonymous
As told to Vaughn Halyard/Storylounge films
Hyannisport Club
Cape Cod, MA
Donald Ross Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: LC Lambrecht/Golfstock
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"All my favorite courses have a Wow factor. Hyannisport, after starting at the property’s highpoint, has dramatically set seaside holes but the routing takes the golfer inland as well with excellent terrain and then repeats the process a couple of times over the course of the round.
The golfer finishes back at the highpoint and the great visuals it provides. Playing Hyannisport, with its strong mix of holes and vistas, is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
Brad Becken - President
Donald Ross Society
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, CO
National Championship Venue
Donald Ross Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Broadmoor Golf Club
From 2006 through 2025, 11 USGA National Championships will have been played on courses where Forse Design has performed significant restorations or renovations. The Broadmoor continues this streak and will host the 2025 US Senior Open.
Previously, Broadmoor has hosted the 2011 US Women’s Open and 2018 US Senior Open.
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"Ron's goal with us was to bring back the way Mr. Ross wanted it but yet, fully enable the course to host major championships.
Forse Design accomplished that. They delivered an excellent restoration able to handle the rigors of a contemporary championship."
Russ Miller - Director of Golf
The Broadmoor
Tedesco Country Club
Marblehead, MA
Donald Ross Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Brad Tufts - TCC
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"Ron and Jim are expert in working with committees and clubs to find the best solution for any situation.
Forse Design recaptured the lost historical and "Golden Age" characteristics of our layout.
Their work restored the joy of playing and competing on the course."
Brad Tufts - Member and Club Historian
Boca Rio Golf Club
Boca Raton, FL
2022 LPGA Tour Tournament Venue
Robert Von Hagge Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Channing Benjamin Photography
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"As we approach our fourth project since I joined Boca Rio in 1999, it is not surprising that the Club selected Ron and Jim to serve as Golf Course Architects in the current reconstruction of all greens, bunkers and tees.
Their work at Boca Rio has consistently demonstrated their ability to modify architectural features while preserving the original design intent for Boca Rio’s wonderful golf course.
I am completely confident they will do a great job again for Boca Rio."
Bob Randquist, CGCS & Past President GCSAA
Country Club of Orlando
Orlando, FL
Donald Ross Design Consult
Ross Inspired - Forse Original Design
Photo: V. Halyard | StoryLounge Films
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"Ross is believed to have consulted on the design and build concept for the site. Forse worked off of that premise and built a course inspired by many of Ross' classic holes and green complexes.
CCO is an outstanding Forse original design. A re-imagination of the best of Ross, in effect, a collection of some of Ross' greatest hits."
Adam Lawrence - Editor in Chief
GolfCourseArchitecture.net
Lancaster
Country Club
Lancaster, PA
National Championship Venue
William Flynn Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Jon Cavalier | @LinksGems
From 2006 through 2025, 11 USGA National Championships will have been played on courses where Forse Design has performed significant restorations or renovations.
Lancaster continues this streak and will host the 2024 US Women's Open. Previously, Lancaster has hosted the 2015 US Women’s Open.
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"From a major restoration to preparing our Old Course for the Women's Open and the development of long range plans, Forse Design has been a valued partner for over fifteen years and the results have been outstanding."
Rory Connaughton
Green Committee Chair - Lancaster Country Club
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“I want to congratulate Ron Forse [and Jim Nagle] for doing such a diligent job in the restoration. Protect this course!”
Ben Crenshaw
https://www.usga.org/articles/2015/07/women_s-open-puts-lancaster--flynn-in-spotlight--.html
Pine Tree Golf Club
Boynton Beach, FL
Dick Wilson Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Andy Johnson | thefriedegg.com
"The greatest flat course in the world."
- Ben Hogan
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“Pine Tree has had over 60 Amateur and Major Champions with over 350 Tour Victories by our members over time. This includes the 2019 US Open Champ Gary Woodland.
Ben Hogan called Pine Tree "The Best flat course in the world". Dick Wilson lived just outside of the club gates. We are committed to and cognizant of our responsibility to his legacy.
That said, when we were looking to restore Pine Tree, we needed to recapture the original Dick Wilson design intent in a manner reflective of the contemporary play of our current membership.
Our members are thrilled with the results. From the greens, bunkers, fairway expansions, master plan, we love everything Ron Forse did and continues to do with us"
Paul LaNoce - Pine Tree Golf Club President
Salem
Country Club
Salem, MA
National Championship Venue
Donald Ross Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Salem CC Photographer: Paul Dube
From 2006 through 2025, 11 USGA National Championships will have been played on courses where Forse Design has performed significant restorations or renovations.
Most recently, Salem played an excellent host to the 2017 US Senior Open.
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"Salem's Ross course has proudly hosted numerous state, regional and USGA National Championships. We have a responsibility and a deep commitment to restoration excellence. This commitment demanded nothing less than the caliber of work delivered by Forse Design."
John Shine - Salem CC Member
Green Chairman During Restoration
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"Thankfully, Forse's restoration exorcised
some nasty architectural witchcraft
previously cast upon Salem's Donald Ross gem."
Michael Fay - Founder - Donald Ross Society
as interviewed by Vaughn Halyard/Storylounge films
Omni Bedford Springs
The Old Course
Bedford Springs, PA
Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast
Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
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"We played their Bedford Springs course in Bedford, Pa., where they rescued a resort 18 from a runaway floodplain and years of neglect... It had been a mediocre layout, despite bearing a pedigree of both A.W. Tillinghast and Donald Ross...
Of course, that begs the question: do I consider Forse and Nagle better architects than C.B. Macdonald? Of course not, but they're great at what they do, and part of what they do is borrow from Macdonald's playbook."
Ron Whitten - Golf Digest Architecture Editor
Country Club
of Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
Donald Ross Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: LC Lambrecht/Golfstock
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"Set in the quiet town of Williamsville, NY, the Country Club of Buffalo is the definition of an “under the radar gem.” Like many Donald Ross courses, it boasts an exceptional routing and variety. Ross’s genius is particularly evident with the course’s one-shotters.
Each plays to a different yardage, calls for a different shot type, and in a different direction. Directional variety was something that Donald Ross found essential. He remarked, “Having to contend with variable wind conditions adds zest to the game."
Andrew Bailey - TheFriedEgg.com
Athens
Country Club
Athens, GA
Donald Ross Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Vaughn Halyard | StoryLounge Films
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When Alonzo "Lon" Dudley founded Athens Country Club in 1926, much of his focus was on creating of one of the nation's top golf courses. Following a trip to Westchester Country Club in New York, Dudley was determined to recruit Donald Ross – the best-known golf architect of his era – to design the first 18 holes at Athens Country Club!
Dudley paid Ross $5,000 to design the course, a princely sum at the time. Following, Ross stayed in Athens for 10 days laying out the course, which was quite unusual for him. At the end of his time in Athens, Ross produced a charcoal drawing of the course layout and its greens. These charcoal drawings can be seen on display in the clubhouse.
History Courtesy Athens Country Club
Newport
Country Club
Newport, RI
National Championship Venue
Willie Davis / A.W. Tillinghast Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Jon Cavalier | @LinksGems
From 2006 through 2025, 11 USGA National Championships will have been played on courses where Forse Design has performed significant restorations or renovations.
Newport Country Club continued this streak and was scheduled to host the 2020 US Senior Open before the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Previously, Newport has hosted the 2006 US Women’s Open.
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"The brilliance of a great golf course restoration project is the feeling of being taken back in time to an age where beauty, strategy and art co-exist. Forse’s gentle touch & respect for the history of Newport Country Club doesn’t recreate the feel of authenticity, it preserves it."
Connor T. Lewis
The Society of Golf Historians
TalkinGolf History Podcast
Davenport
Country Club
Pleasant Valley, IA
Charles Alison Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: V. Halyard | StoryLounge
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"As was Alison’s practice, Forse and Nagle started with the land. Davenport has wonderful topography with distinctive features. “Lakes are a dime a dozen, but creeks are special,” says Forse. “Alison used both scale and subtlety to contrast his features with the landforms of the knob-and-kettle topography,” points out Nagle.
C.H. Alison beat up on Sam Snead one Sunday afternoon in Davenport. But beatup is not primarily how the course makes players feel today. More likely, spending an afternoon at Davenport makes them feel grateful."
Jason Way
GeekedOnGolf
Bald Peak
Colony Club
Moultonborough, NH
Donald Ross Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Jon Cavalier | @LinksGems
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VH: "Tell me about Bald Peak"
M. Fay: "No." (Laughs)
VH: :Ha! No?!"
M. Fay: "There are some places one takes many friends to play in order to share the joys of that particular course.
Then there are places when the name comes up, the person asked remains silent, a signal that you have, perhaps, stumbled upon a secret golf stash. A place one has vowed to keep unspoiled.
So regarding Bald Peak?
I have 'No Comment'."
Michael Fay - Founder - Donald Ross Society
as interviewed by Vaughn Halyard/Storylounge films
Hole-In-The-Wall Golf Club
Naples, FL
Dick Wilson Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Courtesy Nick Sabatino/HITW
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"Fantastic golf, excellently surrounded by
nothing.
One of those intriguing and mysterious 'how do you get on there?' places."
Vaughn Halyard/Storylounge films
for GolfCourseArchitecture.net
Brooklawn
Country Club
Fairfield, CT
A. W. Tillinghast Original Design
Restoration by Forse Design
Photo: Courtesy USGA
From 2006 through 2025, 11 USGA National Championships will have been played on courses where Forse Design has performed significant restorations or renovations.
Brooklawn Country Club continued this streak as host of the 2021 US Senior Women's Open Champoionship.
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"How you like your time warps? Try this one. No top lines. Classic course with wild greens creaking floor clubhouse, with snaps of local boys who mad good — Gene Sarazen, Julius Boros — on the walls.
Gold medal (and a theoretical check for $180,000) waiting on the porch for the winner.
And the winner: Annika Sorenstam. She won by eight over her fellow Swede, Liselotte Neumann.
Let’s Do the Time Warp Again.
The theme song of this third U.S. Senior Women’s Open, held at the very excellent Brooklawn Country Club."