The Master Architect

Discover theTimeless Geniusof Donald Ross

Explore legendary course designs, plan your perfect Ross pilgrimage, and track your journey through America's golden age of golf architecture.

340
Active Courses
35
States & Provinces
126
Year Legacy
Scroll to explore
Latest Updates

News from Ross Courses

EVENTJul 14, 2026

Course Celebrating 100th anniversary with tournament set for Sept. 19

Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

Registration lottery to select participants to occur August 3

WWAY
EVENTJul 11, 2026

Hosted 118th Massachusetts Amateur Championship - won by Aidan Emerich

Winchester Country Club

Aidan Emmerich defeated Zac Georgantas 8&6 in the 36-hole final. Championship played July 6–11, 2026

Mass Golf
EVENTJun 27, 2026

Tyler Watts becomes youngest Northeast Am winner and breaks course record

Wannamoisett Country Club

Watts finished at 16 under the par for a 5 shot victory, with a course record of 60 in the 2nd round. Previous winners of the event include Brett Quigley, Notah Begay III, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and Ben Crenshaw.

GolfNewsRI
NEWSJun 25, 2026

Course celebrated its 100th anniversary

Wellshire Golf Club

Wellshire is the only Ross-designed public course west of the Mississippi. Celebrated the anniversary with a tournament and community celebration on June 65, 2026

EVENTJun 5, 2026

Club hosting the 116th Massachusetts Open June 9-11, 2026

Oyster Harbors Club

Championship returns to Oyster Harbors after an 84-year absence, will be played there for a record eighth time, and coincides with the club's centennial season.

Mass Golf
RENOVATIONMay 29, 2026

Renovation underway by Bradley Klein and Nick Campanelli

Tatnuck Country club

- Working from a new master plan and 1934 aerial photos of the original layout. - Recent and 2026 work includes new/restored bunkers on the first and fourth holes, fescue mounds echoing Ross's style (a nod to the Seven Hills of Worcester), tree removal, drainage, and a new split-rail fence along the entry drive — much of it aimed at adding strategic "teeth" the course lost as trees came down. - Planned next steps: laser-leveling and expanding the elevated par-3 second tee this fall, relocating cart paths to the course perimeter, and possibly restoring a second bunker right of the first green.

Swipe for more

Find Donald Ross Courses

Showing 340 of 340 courses
Loading map...

Course Tracking

Track the Donald Ross courses you've played and want to play

The Master Architect

Who Was Donald Ross?

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 Ross
340
Active Courses
35
States & Provinces
126
Years of Legacy
The Term Explained

What are “Greens Visited”?

The 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.