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Pine Valley, Bandon Dunes, Butler National lead wish list

Readers of The First Call share their top picks for iconic courses that have never hosted a major championship — but should.

Question of the week [June 29-July 5]: Which golf course that has never hosted a major championship would you like to see host one, and why?

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Juan Unda | Granville, OH
Pick: Ohio State University (Scarlet Course) | Columbus, Ohio
Why: After Jack Nicklaus' latest upgrades and fine-tuning, the Scarlet Course can be dialed up by the USGA to pose a true test of skill and finesse for golf's greatest players. During the summer, OSU's west campus area offers plenty of off-course parking, which is convenient for shuttling fans. The USGA is currently utilizing a similar setup for the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club.
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Art Williams | Luzerne, PA
Pick: Bandon Dunes | Bandon, Oregon
Why: A great course with a scenic location would make a fantastic U.S. Open venue.
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Lawrence Guli | Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
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Mike Owsik | Bryn Mawr, PA
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: To see how the world's best would play it.
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Robert Frankil | Hilton Head, SC
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: It is the No. 1 golf course in the world; no other reason is needed.
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Robert Celli | Longwood, FL
Pick: The Country Club | Cleveland, Ohio
Why: It is an incredible course with huge community support.
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Reid Farrill | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Pick: Butler National Golf Club | Oak Brook, Illinois
Why: It is a great golf course worthy of a major and is located in the very important Chicago market.
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Bahnson Stanley | Atlanta, GA
Picks: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey (for the U.S. Open) and Portmarnock Golf Club | County Dublin, Ireland (for The Open Championship)
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Danny Pesch | St. Charles, IL
Pick: Butler National Golf Club | Oak Brook, Illinois
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Gig Berkowitz | The Villages, FL
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: It is continually ranked as the top one or two courses in the nation. Because it is highly private, golf fans from around the world would thoroughly enjoy watching the best players take it on.
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Roddy Carr | Reading, PA
Pick: Portmarnock Golf Club | County Dublin, Ireland
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Peter Wofford | Mount Pleasant, SC
Pick: Butler National Golf Club | Oak Brook, Illinois
Why: Since the Western Open moved away, it has missed hosting elite events. It remains a great test of golf.
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Michael Walsh | Ventnor City, NJ
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
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Tony Reid | Waterville, ME
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
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Kim Sabatino | Edmond, OK
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: It is beautiful and would present a remarkably tough test for the professionals.
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Mark Leninger | Taylors, SC
Pick: Thornblade Club | Greenville, South Carolina
Why: To host a U.S. Women's Open.
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Dan Tedrick | Charlotte, NC
Pick: Bandon Dunes | Bandon, Oregon
Why: It is the ultimate test everyone wants to see. Only real golf purists would deal with the logistical hassle to view it in person, meaning you'd eliminate the "dress-up" crowd.
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Dwight Hendrickson | Oro Valley, AZ
Pick: Dallas National Golf Club | Dallas, Texas
Why: A Tom Fazio masterpiece with dramatic elevation changes, limestone canyons, and pure strategy required. It safely sits as a U.S. Top 100 course.
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Jon Woolstencroft | St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Pick: Royal Dornoch Golf Club | Dornoch, Scotland
Why: It is an incredible, historic links course.
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Bill Donovan | Ellicott City, MD
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: It is the ultimate mystical beast that sits atop the world rankings but is hardly ever seen. The Curtis Cup is headed there soon, so we will finally get to see it on TV. But it would be something truly special to have a men's or women's major showcase the world's best taking on such an enigmatic layout.
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Wayne Gish | McCormick, SC
Pick: A rotating plan by state
Why: I believe the USGA should singularly work to bring our national championship to every state in the union. If they want to truly grow the game, imagine a 10-year plan where they pick a course in a new state and get it into shape. The logistical infrastructure would fix itself.
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Jeff Nowak | New Haven, CT
Pick: Sleepy Hollow Country Club | Briarcliff Manor, New York
Why: Perfect fit for a PGA Championship.
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Tom Fussell | Nashville, TN
Pick: The Alotian Club | Roland, Arkansas
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Mike Bruckner | Haymarket, VA
Pick: Seminole Golf Club | Juno Beach, Florida
Why: A tough, beautiful, iconic course that very few people have ever had the chance to see on television.
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Barry Duckworth | Knoxville, TN
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
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John Blessent | Bloomington, IL
Pick: Bandon Dunes Resort (Pacific Dunes) | Bandon, Oregon
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Matthew Fenn | Hoffman Estates, IL
Pick: Stonewall Orchard Golf Club | Grayslake, Illinois
Why: As a public course with heavy out-of-bounds stakes and long prairie grass, it puts an emphasis on precise accuracy rather than raw length.
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Nicholas Lee | Portland, OR
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: It is the ultimate do-or-die penal stress test that would be absolutely perfect for a U.S. Open if they limited the crowd sizes.
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Steve Poehlein | Doylestown, PA
Pick: Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Hill, New Jersey
Why: I would love to finally see the course being tested by the best in the world.
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Ken Watkins | Nolensville, TN
Pick: TPC Sawgrass (The Stadium Course) | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Why: It has always hosted one of the greatest fields in golf and is regularly called the "fifth major." Why not let it host an actual major? The PGA Championship would be the most seamless fit.
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The First Call invites reader comment. Write to editor Stuart Hall at shall@buffalogroupe.com. If your comment is selected for publication, we will not publish your email address. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity.

Front: Butler National Golf Club | Oak Brook, Illinois
Photo: Patrick Koenig


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