Great travel either changes the traveller forever or validates the beliefs of the traveller to a great extent. A great golf destination does the same. Forget the 20s or the 50s, the Golden Age is now. Meeting Silva and playing his courses just confirmed my belief and galvanized my love of advanced golf course design concepts. We now create superior designs with better materials. Just look at these pictures from Brian Silva's Black Rock. There is a true Redan, right down to the last detail of sloping the green away from the tee, calling for a draw and requiring a four iron. There is nothing watered down about it.

Here is a terrific Biarritz green, notable for the valley in the middle.

Finally, the incredible fourth. Hit over the pancake stack and the ball plunges down 100 yds to a punchbowl green.

Rebel Blogger likes Ron Garl, who is very good. Victoria Hills and TPC Prestancia are nice. But lets not forget Silva's encyclopedic knowledge of design tricks, Strantz's inimitable vibrancy and strategy, Dick Nugent's groundbreaking work and Jim Engh. These guys are doing the old guard proud and outstripping them and don't get the credit they deserve. Don't worry, they soon will. Oh yeah...and a fella named Pete Dye just keeps giving us masterpiece after masterpiece. The golden age is now. Enjoy it.

Look for longer pieces on Black Rock and Silva soon.

Checkout: http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/blogs/jay.flemma/2005/05/16/golf_course_architecture_the_golden_age