Tom Doak
Tom Doak is best known as the architect of four of the world’s top 100 courses: Pacific Dunes in Oregon, Ballyneal in Colorado, Tasmania’s Barnbougle Dunes, and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand. He has designed over 30 other courses across the world.
Born in 1961, he grew up in Connecticut before enrolling at Cornell University where he would study Design and Landscape Architecture. After winning the school’s horticulture and floriculture award upon graduation, he was guided by Pete Dye. A former Golf World Architect of the Year, Dye would help Tom Doak explore a variety of conditions and landscapes, including the ‘hands-on’ training of driving a bulldozer.
This would go on to inform Doak’s self-described ‘minimalist’ outlook. Doak’s finest work lies on sandy soil. The legendary Alister Mackenzie was a huge inspiration, his utilization of the natural land would become a signature of Doak’s own. Mackenzie’s Santa Cruz home course, Pasatiempo, would end up purchased by Doak – who maintained its world top 100 status.
Now residing in Michigan in the United States, his main occupation is authoring golfing books. Renowned for their honesty and passion, four have been published. The latest chronicles his architecting of Pacific Dunes.
Website: https://www.renaissancegolf.com/
Golf Courses designed by Tom Doak
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Pacific Dunes Course
Bandon, Coos County, OR, United States
Distance: 6,633m Par: 71
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Pacific Dunes Course in southwest Oregon was built on rugged, wind-swept land and presents genuine links golfing experience. True links courses are rare, with only about 160 on the entire planet, and at Bandon Dunes, you'll find five distinctly different courses, all built on a beautiful stretch of sand dunes perched...
Barnbougle Dunes
Bridport, TAS, Australia
Distance: 6148m Par: 72
Barnbougle, Tasmania is situated on the rugged northeast coast of Tasmania and is approximately one hour from Launceston and 90-minutes from Launceston airport. Australia's island state is one of the more ideal places in the world for a links golf course. It's on this coastal strip, where stark beaches fold into undulating farmlands, that two...
Barnbougle Lost Farm
Bridport, TAS, Australia
Distance: 6503m Par: 78
Barnbougle Tasmania is situated on the rugged northeast coast of Tasmania and is approximately one hour from Launceston and 90-minutes from Launceston airport. Australia's island state is one of the more ideal places in the world for a links golf course. It's on this coastal strip, where stark beaches fold into undulating farmlands, that two iconic...
Cape Kidnappers
Cape Kidnappers, Northland, New Zealand
Distance: 6532yd Par: 71
Far out to the east of Hawke's Bay wine country, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers sits atop rolling hills and rugged cliffs that give way to vast sea views and an ever-present horizon. Home to not only a lodge and spa, but this unique property also boasts one of the world's top golf courses, a...
Concord Golf Club
Concord, NSW, Australia
Distance: 6051m Par: 71
Centrally located in the Inner West of Sydney, Concord Golf Club is close to Sydney Olympic Park and a convenient drive from the city center. This private club was developed over its history by course architects Dan Soutar (1920), Ross Watson (1997), and Mark Parker (2009.) The course was re-designed by Tom Doak in 2018...
Rosebud Country Club, North Course
Rosebud, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6160m Par: 71
The Rosebud Country Club, North Course is centrally located on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, the Rosebud Country Club has been part of the Peninsula since 1962. Rosebud offers 36 holes of quality golf, with two very different playing experiences. The North Course, a former host of the Australian PGA Championship, features large pine...
Rosebud Country Club, South Course
Rosebud, VIC, Australia
Distance: 5973m Par: 72
Rosebud Country Club, South Course is centrally located on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, the Rosebud Country Club has been part of the Peninsula since 1962. Rosebud offers 36 holes of quality golf, with two very different playing experiences. Some find the South golf course fractionally easier than the North, though there is little...
San Francisco Golf Club
San Francisco, San Francisco County, FL, United States
Distance: 6828 yd Par: 71
The San Francisco Golf Club is a private athletic and social club in San Francisco, California, with a portion of the club's 18-hole golf course extending into neighboring Daly City. It is one of the most exclusive member's clubs in the United States and in Golf digest's list of America's Top Golf Courses, the club consistently...
St Andrews Beach Golf Course
Fingal, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6000m Par: 70
St Andrews Beach is nestled along the south-western coast of Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula, near the thundering surf of Gunnamatta Beach and the Bass Strait. This classic 18 hole links style members course debuted as the 9th best nationwide in 2006 before opening for public access play in 2009. Designed by world-renowned course architect, Tom Doak,...
Streamsong Resort, Blue Course
Fort Meade, FL, United States
Distance: 7,176yd Par: 72
With its multiple elevation changes, fairways navigating wild grasses and deep-water ponds, as well as huge bunkers that roll off of towering sand dunes, the Streamsong Resort, Blue Course seems designed by discovery rather than by intention. Created by Renaissance Golf Design's renowned architect Tom Doak, who already has four designs ranked among the top...
Sun City Country Club
Yanchep, WA, Australia
Distance: 6275yd Par: 72
Sun City Country Club is located only 45-minutes north of Perth and is nestled between two unique local landmarks; the Yanchep National Park and Lagoon Foreshore. Open to the public, this picturesque 18-hole, walk, or cart course is full of mature trees and abundant wildlife, especially kangaroos and emus, and is one of WA's favorites....
Tara Iti Golf Club
Mangawhai, New Zealand
Distance: 6264m Par: 71
Located approximately an hour and a half north of Auckland on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island and close to Bream Bay is the Tara Iti Golf Club. Widely regarded as the best course in the country and one of the finest in the world, Tara Iti's private 18-hole layout offers one of...
The National Golf Club - Gunnamatta Course
Cape Schanck, VIC, Australia
Par: 71
The National Golf Club is located at Cape Schanck on Victoria's spectacular Mornington Peninsula and is just a short drive to the south of Melbourne. The club has three highly regarded 18-hole golf courses at Cape Schanck, the Old Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, The Moonah designed by Greg Norman and Bob Harrison,...
The National Golf Club - Long Island Course
165/235 Frankston, Dandenong Rd, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6189 m Par: 72
The National Golf Club is located at Cape Schanck on Victoria's spectacular Mornington Peninsula and is just a short drive to the south of Melbourne. The club has three highly regarded 18-hole golf courses at Cape Schanck, the Old Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, The Moonah designed by Greg Norman and Bob Harrison,...
The National Golf Club - Moonah Course
Cape Schanck, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6576 m Par: 72
The National Golf Club is located at Cape Schanck on Victoria's spectacular Mornington Peninsula and is just a short drive to the south of Melbourne. The club has three highly regarded 18-hole golf courses at Cape Schanck, the Old Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, The Moonah designed by Greg Norman and Bob Harrison, and...
The National Golf Club Old Course
Cape Schanck, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6576yd Par: 72
The National Golf Club is located at Cape Schanck on Victoria's spectacular Mornington Peninsula and is just a short drive to the south of Melbourne. The club has three exceptional and highly regarded 18-hole golf courses, the Old Course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, The Moonah designed by Greg Norman, and the soon to...
Woodlands Golf Club
Mordialloc, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6111m Par: 72
Melbourne's beachside south-eastern suburbs are a bountiful area for golf courses. Laying on a natural sandbelt, they borrow well from traditional golfing topography. Woodlands Golf Club is another example. Unlike most of its neighbors, however, as it is fully a private course. Those wishing to play at Woodlands require a written statement, entailing other memberships...
Yarra Yarra Golf Club
Bentleigh East, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Distance: 6072m Par: 72
Established in 1898 Yarra Yarra is one of Melbourne's most prestigious golf clubs, boasting an immaculately presented 18-hole golf course and heritage-listed clubhouse. Located at Bentleigh East this private par 72 layout is one of the eight Melbourne sandbelt championship courses and is renowned for its par 3s. The original architect of this renowned Sandbelt...
