14^th hole, 360 yards: Worthy of all the praise it receives, the slight left-to-right angle is used to great effect on this medium length two shotter. The green is such an exacting a target, lesser architects might have contented themselves with a flatter putting surface. Credit the architects for giving the green its severe left to right slope – the slope of the green dictates the play for the hole and exposes the raw nerves of the player. This hole again highlights the 'aged', more traditional look with softer edges that Nicklaus sought, and is in marked contrast to what he experienced with Pete Dye at Harbor Town in 1969.

15^th hole, 500 yards: A rarity: a straightaway, short par five with real character. The authors marvel each May as the pros hit this green in two shots - it must be the longest 500 yards in golf. The hole occupies the most severe part of the property, but it is used well as there is a clear spot to play each stroke.

17^th hole, 420 yards: The most strategic tee shot on the course. While the huge fairway bunker on the left doesn’t 'fit' the rest of the course, it does make the hole. The closer the player drives to it, the better angle for his approach. Players who bail out into the right rough have little chance of hitting the green with the intervening trees. However, it should not take long for the smarter player to realize that being in that bunker is not the end of the world - there is a better chance of hitting the green from there as from the right rough.

Right from the beginning of his design career, Nicklaus got one important feature right: bunkering. Sound bunker work has been a consistent yet overlooked characteristic of his courses. They are visually appealing, well placed and with some (but not too much) artistic flair. Unlike many of the post World War II courses, Nicklaus’s work generally features deep bunkers, no doubt a reflection of his learning to play golf at Scioto Country Club. The player has the lie to attempt a great recovery shot, but the depth ensures that he will be penalized to some degree for an errant stroke.

Muirfield Village is certainly Nicklaus's modern day answer to Bob Jones's Augusta National: a well-conditioned course in a beautiful setting in the home state of one of golf's greatest champions that lends itself to thrilling contests amongst golf's best. Regardless of who deserves credit for what at Muirfield Village, the real mystery is why its design didn't have a greater influence on golf architects of that dull era.

 The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Tommy Naccarato for his help with this write-up.