The way you rate a course

[Triclone]

I have not been hear long, but I notice a lot of threads about best course to play, and I wanted to know how everyone rates a course?

I think as a hole the golf community is moving away from lush green course with lots of water and trees. To rating a course more on how it plays any given day. I know that when I play course I don't rate it on how green and lush the place looks. I look at how the course plays, how firm the fairways are, how to architect and crew build the course into the natural environment, and how the course is impacting the environment now. I think there are a lot of really good course out there that don't get any attention because they don't water every night and don't fertilize like it is going out of style.
You can see this in the way golf digest rates there course now, thy spend more time on how the course plays and environment, there was an article on this a while ago i don't remember the month.

[Ian]

they rate on the quality of the course all around, not on howmuch they use fertilizer
i do agree that overall lush water filled courses are being moved away from.

[Triclone]

I'm sorry I did not word that right. I ment to say that thy have added that to the critera.
I think that it is an importain step to making golf a better name with the general public.

[PiKapp23]

Personally my opinion of a course is most affected by design and 'playability'. I like a course that is interesting and not just a bunch of holes that all look a like and have nothing that forces to player to think about shots. By 'playability' I am referring to hwo the course is laid out and whether or not it gives options on difficult holes (forced carries are fine, but should have bailout area for those that can't carry or don't want to) and also rewards good shots. I do not like courses where a lot of the fairways are on a hillside, which ends up leaving players with difficult or bad lies, often from perfect shots.

A lot of my feelings on how good a course is I also based on my overall golf experience from the time I drive into the driveway to the time I have left the property. Great customer service can affect my rating for the course, although I still put more emphasis on playability and design.

I can't honestly say how environmentally friendly a course is affects how I feel about the course. That's not to say I don't care, though. I don't care if a course is lush and perfectly green, but I'm more concerned with how the course plays. I do think courses are attempting to become more green, but many golfers have become spoiled by the 'pristine condtions' and have pushed back on the superintendants when these attempts have been made. I have never played in UK, but most of my golf partners are British and they say courses there are often brown and are not maintained in the same way as courses in US - less chemicals and fertilizers are used - but they are still great to play.

[Ian]

I'm sorry I did not word that right. I ment to say that thy have added that to the critera.

Ohh now i see where your going with this, i agree completely

[Triclone]

I agree with pikapp23 I think a course to be truly a grate course, it needs too be playable by more then just one type of golfer. The last i heard the below scratch golfer only make up like <10% of the average golfer. I think the course need to challenge the good golfer with risk shots to shoot below par, but give the hacker a chance to play a good round. a good combo of all kinds of hills built into the land scape not just layed out up and down 150 acres is a must. The overall experience is a must to, got to have good hospitality, and a good looking drink cart girl never hurt!

[1UnderU]

Being from NYC, my highest weighted average on a course is pace of play. Around here it can get out of hand, 6.5-7 hour rounds. I'd rather play a sub par 4 hour round over a plush 6 hour.

[DavidFehertysBike]

As long as the fairways are somwhat firm, the rough is fair and not patchy, and the greens roll true, im happy. I dont really get caught up in course design and "playabillity" very much.

[chipper2]

My rating of a course is how I feel when I get in the car to leave. The people when you arrive and check in can put you in a good frame of mind to enjoy their golf course. The course layout and playability are big factors. Maintenance of the course is important, but being all bright green is not. I have played in 12 counties in Europe and Asia. They are not all like high prices US courses. A muni can be almost as enjoyable as a $150 high end course. The idea is go out play and have great memories.

[iWALK18]

Variety of holes / memorable holes .