The idea of tribute and replica golf courses are emerging, but are they worth playing? Here are some factors to consider and where some of the most popular ones are.
There is a key distinction between a tribute and a replica golf course. A replica course claims to have a collection of famous holes that are carbon copies of the originals, while a tribute course has a collection of holes that mimic and reference themes from certain regions of the world.
Some of the most well-known tribute courses:
- Old American Golf Club, The Tribute Course – The Colony, Texas
- Legends Golf Resort, Heathland Course – Myrtle Beach, S.C.
- Bandon Dunes Resort, Old Macdonald Course – Bandon, Ore.
The Tribute Course at Old American Golf Club is a good example of what a typical tribute course is. The course pulls inspiration from well-known courses in Scotland. The first hole of the course is based on the famous St. Andrews golf course, as it shares a fairway with the 18th hole like the original. Tributes to other famous Scottish courses like Muirfield and Royal Troon are featured throughout the 18 holes as well. Small flags are used on each hole like they are in Scotland, tying the whole theme of the course together.
Some of the most well-known replica courses:
- Northern Bay Resort, The Golf Course – Arkdale, Wis.
- Tour 18 Dallas – Flower Mound, Texas
- International World Tour Golf Links – Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Golf Course at Northern Bay Resort includes replicas of iconic holes. The most recognizable one comes on the 12th hole, which is a replica of the third hole at Oakmont Country Club in Pa. The iconic bunkers lie on the left side of the fairway, just like they do in the real course. The Tour 18 has designed multiple of these replica courses that can be found throughout the country. The international World Tour Golf Links course was renovated in 2013 and it includes holes from five different countries, unlike the typical tribute course that takes inspiration from one region.
One of the downsides to both of these types of courses is that it is hard to maintain them to a level that keeps them as close to the original as possible. So the older the course the less likely it is to resemble the original because of maintenance reasons. Another unsurprising downside is that it is more expensive to play a round of golf at these places than the average course. One last possible deterrent is that each hole also might feel disconnected to some because the holes are from different courses.
Whether a tribute course or a replica course is right for you is up for debate, and there are certain factors that go into making that decision. If you want to feel like you are playing a course that is connected and has an overall theme, but want to learn some aspects of designing golf courses in certain regions, then a tribute course is the best choice. If you can look past that and are content with playing a collection of holes from all over the world that do not have any common meaning, then a replica course is the way to go.
The increased price tag of playing these courses is the final deciding factor. If the plan is to play one round, the higher price might be palatable, but these types of courses should not be viewed as go-to if money is a factor.
Picture Credit: Your Golf Travel
