Golf · Level 7: Upper-Advanced · Sub-level 7.5

Course Design

4 tests · 40 facts · updated 13 October 2026 · markdown

How golf courses are designed: schools of design, great architects and courses, classic features, and modern trends.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Schools of designTake a test

A long-standing way to sort design ideas.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
One narrow way to play each hole.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The player chooses the line.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The Cape hole is a classic example.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Its bunkers and wide fairways give choices.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The course opened in 1933.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
With Desmond Muirhead; home of the Memorial Tournament.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Born 1821, 1870 and 1925.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Strategic design leaves a safe way round.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · applied
Choice, with reward for risk.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · applied

Test 2Architects and coursesTake a test

With help from H.S. Colt; it opened in stages from 1918.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
It opened in 1903.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
He worked on it for decades.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Both have hosted the US Open.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
They brought back sandy, natural edges.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
He designed Sunningdale's New course and Swinley Forest.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Famous for its island-green 17th.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The Old Course is centuries old; Sawgrass opened in 1980.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Routing comes before shaping.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The first and most important design step.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · applied

Test 3Classic featuresTake a test

Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor used them widely.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Named after a hole at Biarritz in France.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The banks feed the ball towards the middle.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Common on links courses.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Between Oakmont's 3rd and 4th holes.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Its bunker and road behind the green are famous.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
It guards the par-5 second shot.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Holes 14, 17 and 18.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Rebuilt every few years.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The swale splits front and back.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · applied

Test 4Modern designTake a test

Tees have moved back on many championship courses.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
The routing finds the holes already there.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
It opened in 1995 with very little earth moved.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Firmer ground also suits running shots.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Good for wildlife and lower upkeep.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
A links tradition spreading inland.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Water, energy, nature and community.
Source: GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf · recall
History first, turf last.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Links courses use the least.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · recall
Lower upkeep and more wildlife.
Source: Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories) · applied

Sources

Club-fitting and launch-monitor references, the Equipment Rules and the 2023 ball-testing announcement, golf physics texts, and course-architecture histories; original questions authored, nothing reproduced.

Golf course architecture references (Cornish and Whitten, The Architects of Golf; club histories)39
GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf1