Articles by Ron Whitten

September 23rd, 2025

The real man behind Bethpage Black

Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the June 2002 issue of Golf Digest. Since then, Golf Digest has listed Joseph H. Burbeck as the architect of Bethpage Black and A.W. Tillinghast as a consultant. The course was ranked 38th on Golf Digest’s most recent ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, and seventh on Read more…

January 1st, 2025

Kapalua’s Plantation Course: Why Coore and Crenshaw’s first course still endures

Most golf fans are familiar with Kapalua Golf Club’s Plantation Course, home of the PGA Tour’s opening event each year. Located on the north shore of the Hawaiian island of Maui, the Plantation was built from open, windswept pineapple fields on the pronounced slope of a volcano and is irrigated by sprinklers pressured solely by Read more…

September 13th, 2023

The growing and surprising mental-health challenge facing golf superintendents

Editor’s Note: In honor of National Golf Course Superintendents Day, Golf Digest is republishing this important piece from 2019 by Ron Whitten that chronicled the effects of the high-stress profession of greenskeeping. Whitten’s award-winning piece highlighted the pressures facing these men and women. Make sure to send your appreciation to the grounds crew at your golf Read more…

June 29th, 2022

1 Kiwi, 4 Aussie courses in the top 15 in Golf Digest’s new World’s 100 Greatest Courses

Four Australian courses made the top 15 of the new release of Golf Digest’s biennial World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.

August 3rd, 2020

PGA Championship 2020: Harding Park, What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been

How the PGA Championship came to San Francisco, bumps and all.

April 4th, 2020

We surveyed 20 course architects about the future of design – here are their predictions

The consensus is a pragmatic one: There won’t be a boom in golf course development during the next 10 years.

March 5th, 2020

Hazardous Conditions Ahead

Hazards are formed by nature and in the mind.

January 21st, 2020

Swan Song

Pete Dye’s inspiring final design.

January 10th, 2020

VALE PETE DYE: 1925-2020

Pete Dye made golfers doubt themselves ‘with invention, deception and railroad ties’

October 2nd, 2019

Glorious Golf In The High Desert Of Utah

Sand Hollow is spectacular, and it certainly has company.

June 11th, 2019

Pebble’s The One

The US Open returns to the leader of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.

June 8th, 2018

2018 US Open: What makes Shinnecock’s Redan green so unique

One of the most replicated designs in golf architecture will be on show at this year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

September 25th, 2017

The Presidents Cup on the Hudson

Liberty National, once a superfund site and butt of jokes, is ready for action.

August 7th, 2017

2017 PGA: The transformation of Quail Hollow Club

How the North Carolina club pulled off its crazy plan to overhaul an already tour-calibre course and make it fit for a Major championship in just 15 months.

June 22nd, 2017

US Open: Seven Days in Utopia

The author, one of Erin Hills’ designers and a Golf Digest editor, relishes the chance to see his course host the world’s best.

June 7th, 2017

The Rapid Rise of Erin Hills

117th US Open | Erin Hills, Erin, Wisconsin | June 15-18

June 2nd, 2017

My Tiger Woods moment: How I lost 24 hours to a rare form of amnesia

Here’s my take on the recent traffic incident involving Tiger Woods. This might not be what happened to Tiger, but it happened to me, and his symptoms and behaviour were eerily similar to mine.

May 8th, 2017

Your guide to the changes at TPC Sawgrass

The Stadium Course redo includes a driveable par 4 and a new lake.

August 11th, 2016

Inside Track

Was Gil Hanse’s selection as the Olympic course architect fair?

June 9th, 2016

Gorilla In The Midst: A Look at Oakmont CC

Another 7,500 trees are gone at Oakmont, leaving it barren, brawny & beautiful.

April 6th, 2016

Global Wonders

Royal County Down tops our World 100 Greatest Golf Courses