OT- best golf course you've played

[RMoore1999]

Then you would love Western Gailes....Shuttle Meadow, Woodway and Madison are good to very good Park designs too....

 

[mauconnfan]

My Top 10:

Royal Dornoch - Scotland
Royal Aberdeen - Scotland
Cruden Bay - Scotland
Western Gailes - Scotland
Carnoustie - Scotland
The Ocean Course - Kiawah, SC
Troon North – Monument - Scottsdale, AZ
Prestwick - Scotland
Troon North – Pinnacle - Scottsdale, AZ
Shelter Harbor - Charlestown, RI

If the opportunity arises, don't pass up places like Tobacco Road (Pinehurst), Twisted Dune and Seaview (AC), The Orchards (South Hadley, MA), Ocean Club (Bahamas), World Woods - Pine Barrens (Brooksville, FL), Lighthouse Sound and Bayside (Ocean City, MD), Red Tail (Devens, MA), Hammock Beach (Palm Coast, FL) or Hartford, TPC River Highlands, Lake of Isles, New Haven or Yale.

Anyone play Bandon or Seastrong in Flor?

Bayside is very nice too can't believe I left that off of mine which included Lighthouse.........In that area Rum Pointe isn't too bad either..........not sure how The Orchards lines up with these names other than it's a good ole Ross design........it got a little better after the women's Open a few years back but still overrated by many in this area.......there's some gems in The Berkshires which rival it easily.........Red Tail and Pine Hills (both) also should have been listed on mine - good call!!

 

[RMoore1999]

Orchards is a little rough around edges and conditioning's been inconsistent but I'm a sucker for Ross or really any of the classic architects including Park, so from solely a design perspective, I love it. Yale fits that bill too.

I liked Rum Point; Baywood Greens down that way was good too...

 

[mauconnfan]

Orchards is a little rough around edges and conditioning's been inconsistent but I'm a sucker for Ross or really any of the classic architects including Park, so from solely a design perspective, I love it. Yale fits that bill too.

I liked Rum Point; Baywood Greens down that way was good too...

Baywood is really nice supposedly when everything is blooming, the Augusta of the mid-Atlantic.....only played it when dormant and it was a nice layout........Yale is okay too, a little whacky but a lot like The Orchards with the fecsue grass and such........you mentioned some of the Park designs, didn't realize Shuttle Meadow was one.........what else?

 

[UConner]

The two "best" courses I've played are Shinnecock and The Maidstone Club. Honestly Maidstone is the superior track -- prettier and more unique, just not long enough to host championship events. It's also strikingly beautiful.

Other great courses I've played are Hobe Sound Golf Club in Florida and Provo Golf Club (Turks and Caicos Islands).

I was lucky enough to get to play a bunch with business connections. Played Maidstone, also Pebble Beach, Olympic in San Fran, Cypress Point, Spyglass, Cherry Hills in Denver, TPC Sawgrass, Oakmont, Winged Foot (both courses walked in single day almost killed me) Merion (20 years ago thought it was very overrated then), Baltusrol in NJ and Peachtree in Atlanta.

Winged Foot was great, but the setting of Cypress and the two par three along the cliff make it the most impressive.

 

[RMoore1999]

Baywood is really nice supposedly when everything is blooming, the Augusta of the mid-Atlantic.....only played it when dormant and it was a nice layout........Yale is okay too, a little whacky but a lot like The Orchards with the fecsue grass and such........you mentioned some of the Park designs, didn't realize Shuttle Meadow was one.........what else?

Western Gailes in Scotland andMadison, new haven and Woodway in Darien are the Park designs I've played. i think Tumble Brook and St Johnsbury in VT also are at least partially credited to Park Jr i beleive.

 

[Fishy]

That would be the course on Goofy's Sports Deck. It's like a par-38 or something, so you know you'll need to putt to win.

It's also pretty windy up there and there's no good place to put your drink down, so the course plays harder than it looks. The views are very nice if you like oceans and there is a bar just down the stairs from the course.

 

[Blakeon18]

The Orchards
Taconic....Williamstown Ma....owned by Williams College....out of the way...worth the drive.
Cool monument: on a par 3 on the back nine they have a plaque attached to a large stone saying that Jack Nicklaus got a hole in one there in the USGA Jr. Boys in 1956.

The Equinox in Manchester Vt.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Lawsonia Links in Green Lake, WI. Out of the way but what an incredible course, very old school design and a former getaway of Al Capone!

Port Royal in Bermuda

Cog Hill #4 (Dubsdread)

Glenview Golf Club in Glenview IL

Local to CT my favorite is Shuttle Meadow. Another cool design...same architect who did New Haven (also phenomenal) and Olympia Fields in Chicago.

TPC is cool, moreso to play the holes that the pros play.

Planning on playing Taconic this fall.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Baywood is really nice supposedly when everything is blooming, the Augusta of the mid-Atlantic.....only played it when dormant and it was a nice layout........Yale is okay too, a little whacky but a lot like The Orchards with the fecsue grass and such........you mentioned some of the Park designs, didn't realize Shuttle Meadow was one.........what else?

New Haven CC, Olympia Fields in IL is arguably his masterpiece.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Orchards is a little rough around edges and conditioning's been inconsistent but I'm a sucker for Ross or really any of the classic architects including Park, so from solely a design perspective, I love it. Yale fits that bill too.

I liked Rum Point; Baywood Greens down that way was good too...

Yale is on my list... Seth Raynor design. He's done a ton... Fisher's Island to name one.

 

[lonsharkin51]

I lurk but don't often post, but since no one but me seems to have played Pine Valley, I figured I'd say something. I can assure the OP that his dad is in for a treat. Pine Valley is really special. It seems impossible that it's in southern NJ. There are no tennis courts, no swimming pool, no screaming kids or needy wives, just a beautiful course with no parallel fairways, huge sand traps, and even a few cacti. Yes, it's outrageously difficult, but the fairways are huge if he can just hit the ball straight. If not ... well, he might end up in the Devil's or Hell's Half Acre. Still, it'll be the best time he ever had shooting a 116.

 

[FrostyNuggets]

Sotogrande
Las Brisas
Dunes Golf & Beach Club

 

[mauconnfan]

Sotogrande
Las Brisas
Dunes Golf & Beach Club

Is that Dunes Club in Myrtle? I played there too, not bad. Used to have a tour event there!!

 

[FrostyNuggets]

Is that Dunes Club in Myrtle? I played there too, not bad. Used to have a tour event there!!

Yes....They had Q school back when Ben Crenshaw was getting his tour card (sure Ben hit up the Myrtle ballet). Think they had a Seniors event there for a couple years, Gary McCord of all people won there.

I am a fan of RTJ courses.

 

[Doggie Style]

Yale is on my list... Seth Raynor design. He's done a ton... Fisher's Island to name one.

Playing Fishers Island tomorrow !

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Playing Fishers Island tomorrow !

That's awesome, would be lying if I said i wasnt jealous!

 

[uconnfan68]

Teeth of the Dog.

Runner ups are mid ocean club, pinehurt #2 and kittansett

Playing torrey pines in December, for those who have played it thoughts?

Used to live in SD. Played both courses many times. South is the Open course, but North is for mortals. Maybe even nicer scenery.

 

[geordi]

Has anyone played Pasatiempo? ONe of thge truly great tracks in the country. Alister McKenzie design and his home is on the 6th fairway. First hole allows a 300 yard drive. Way downhill, maybe 50 feet or more. Spectatular course.

Also, Spanish Bay is as close to a Scottish/Irish links course as we have in the US...espcially the front nine.

 

[uconnfan68]

Not in order:
Banff Golf Club, Banff, Alberta, Canada... spectacular setting, only fair conditions, but snow covered mountains and crystal clear dark blue sky made it worth it. Didn't finish until after 9pm in mid-July.
Pebble Beach, CA... nuff said.
Baja Mar, just north of Ensenada, Mexico on Highway 1 down the Baja. Pebble Beach of the South.
Torrey Pines, North and South, La Jolla, CA... muni courses with spectacular ocean views.
Lake of Isles, Foxwoods, Preston, CT... best I've played in CT
Paradise Valley, Las Vegas, NV... alas, it's a housing development now.
Pinehills, Plymouth, MA... Jones and Nicklaus courses, both top shelf
The Ranch, Southwick, MA... almost in the top tier, and you can actually play it for a reasonable fee.

 

[uconnfan68]

Not in order:
Banff Golf Club, Banff, Alberta, Canada... spectacular setting, only fair conditions, but snow covered mountains and crystal clear dark blue sky made it worth it. Didn't finish until after 9pm in mid-July.
Pebble Beach, CA... nuff said.
Baja Mar, just north of Ensenada, Mexico on Highway 1 down the Baja. Pebble Beach of the South.
Torrey Pines, North and South, La Jolla, CA... muni courses with spectacular ocean views.
Lake of Isles, Foxwoods, Preston, CT... best I've played in CT
Paradise Valley, Las Vegas, NV... alas, it's a housing development now.
Pinehills, Plymouth, MA... Jones and Nicklaus courses, both top shelf
The Ranch, Southwick, MA... almost in the top tier, and you can actually play it for a reasonable fee.

I can't stop...among other very nice courses are:
Farmington CC, Farmington , CT... old-school classic
Hartford GC, Hartford, CT,... another old gem
Crumpin-Fox, Bernardston, MA... love the layout
International-Pines, Bolton, MA... 8300yds... didn't play from those tees.
Fox Hopyard, Haddam, CT... sister course of Crumpin-Fox
- another Fox course in Port Richey (?), FL
used to love Lyman Meadow-Jones... great test from the tips... but I can't reach the fairway from there now.
played and enjoyed many Cape Cod courses... even Highland Light (there is something about a course with a date before 1900).
Among the courses I'd love to experience:
Yale (New Haven), Blackhall (Old Lyme), Richter Park (Danbury... this year I will), Shuttle Meadow (Kensington), Hop Meadow (Simsbury), Ellington Ridge (Ellingon). Nothing really special about that list other than I've heard lots of nice things about most. Played many of the rest.

 

[mauconnfan]

Grew up playing Hunter and the Jones course at Lyman......the tips were a challenge now their too far LOL...........

Agree on Hartford GC, Crump is a wonderful carved out track, Fox.....not Crump but not too bad........Yale, classic - Hop Meadow not bad, Ellington Ridge - true test especially that finishing 3 holes - killer!

The Ranch you mentioned prior, best in this area for me....move out a little and Blackstone, Red Tail are real nice but Pine Hills are the nicest pair in New England I've played(Waverly Oaks is very nice too)......looking to get to Belgrade and Sunday River

 

[Doggie Style]

That's awesome, would be lying if I said i wasnt jealous!

I hear you Matt, its a special place no doubt! Even if you find a member to get you out its still gonna run you$250 for the round, unless you play in the winter,not to mention the ferry ride out and back. This is the 4 th time I played and every time I leave the course I think that it very well could be the last time I step foot on that track. Shot a 41 on the front and 47 on the back. I managed to put off the green 3 times, I've never seen greens like that..... Just lightning fast! One putt went down the length of the green, off the green, down the hill in front of the green, and I had a 40 chip to get back on the green..... Definition of golf insanity!!!

 

[Rico444]

I'm not very good, and haven't played a ton. But my grandparents live in Conway, SC, just outside of Myrtle Beach. They actually live on a golf course (Burning Ridge), so I've played plenty of that one, along with a few of the others in the area. Wild Wing, Indian Wells, Black Bear are the ones I remember.

 

[Doggie Style]

I'm not very good, and haven't played a ton. But my grandparents live in Conway, SC, just outside of Myrtle Beach. They actually live on a golf course (Burning Ridge), so I've played plenty of that one, along with a few of the others in the area. Wild Wing, Indian Wells, Black Bear are the ones I remember.

I broke 80 for the first time on Wild Wing (78) !! Sucks that they sold one of the courses to build houses!