Explore legendary course designs, plan your perfect Ross pilgrimage, and track your journey through America's golden age of golf architecture.
Track the Donald Ross courses you've played and want to play
Discover stories and photos shared by fellow Donald Ross enthusiasts
Have stories or photos to share?
Browse Courses to ContributeSome of the most celebrated Donald Ross designs in America
Asheboro, NC
Southern Pines, NC
Hunts Point, NS
Newtown Square, PA
Atlanta, GA
Rochester, NY
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Pinehurst, NC
North Palm Beach, FL
Donald James Ross (1872–1948) was a Scottish-American golf course architect who designed over 400 courses in the United States. His designs are known for their strategic bunkering, subtle green complexes, and timeless playability.
Born in Dornoch, Scotland, Ross apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St Andrews before emigrating to America in 1899. His masterpiece, Pinehurst No. 2, has hosted multiple major championships.
Learn More About Donald RossThe term “Greens Visited” is often associated with the designs of legendary architect Donald Ross and particularly the famous crowned or “turtle-back” greens at courses like Pinehurst No. 2.
For Ross enthusiasts, the term describes a shot that lands on the green but does not come to rest on the green due to the severe slopes and contours of the putting surface. The ball might roll off into collection areas or bunkers, even if the initial shot was well-struck and on target. This design philosophy demands extreme precision; a seemingly good shot “visits” the green but is quickly repelled, leaving a challenging recovery shot.
A testament to Ross's belief that golf should reward precision over power, where even a well-played shot demands respect for the green's subtle complexities.