The One-Time PGA Championship Venues and Wishlist

The general golf audience is probably pretty indifferent, but I think it’s safe to say that the majority of you reading this would agree that Quail Hollow should have been a one-stop venue for the 2025 PGA Championship. While far from the worst course to host a major, it just shouldn’t have been given two PGAs and a Presidents Cup in the same decade, especially since it hosts the Truist Championship (formerly known as the Wells Fargo Championship) annually.

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The thought of Quail Hollow staying in its lane as a one-time major host sent me down a rabbit hole looking for other one-and-done PGA Championship venues. More than 50 courses around the country have hosted the event exactly once. Some are now frequent USGA hosts while others have just fallen out of favor due to location, logistic requirements, and lack of distance.

Some personal favorites:

‍Blue Mound Golf & Country Club (1933 PGA) - Some of Raynor’s boldest templates in an underrated American city. What more could you ask for?

Twin Hills Golf & Country Club (1935 PGA) - A fresh Perry Maxwell design that brought the PGA Championship to the plains for the first time!

‍Seemingly all of Ohio (Canterbury, Moraine, NCR, Scioto, Miami Valley) - These occurred over many years, but it’s amazing just how well represented the state of Ohio is with one-time PGA Championship visits.

‍Manito Golf and Country Club (1944 PGA) - A major in Spokane, Washington? That’s hard to fathom in today’s world. I’ll also note that the champion of the 1944 PGA was my college golf coach’s father. Nice little upset from Bob Hamilton over Byron Nelson.

‍Oak Tree Golf Club (1988 PGA) - What I would pay to see this in today’s age. The Pete Dye design was a roaring success and would have been a multiple time host had the club’s ownership not run into financial trouble.

In general, I am all for the idea of one-time major hosts for the PGA Championship. The USGA is leaning into anchor sites, the Open has its rota (although that is somewhat expanding), and the Masters is the Masters. Having a major that actually moves around the country to highlight different cities and courses on a routine basis could actually bring an identity to a championship that’s desperate for one.

What one-time hosts stick out to you?

And are there any suggestions you’d want to present to Don Rea and the boys? I’ll submit Chambers Bay, Honors Course, Pete Dye Golf Club, and Prairie Dunes as mine.

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