Discuss your home course (more)...

[MSchott]

Lets have a thread about your home course. Tell why you like it, describe your two favorite holes and your least favorite hole. I'll start:

I play the Farmington Hills Golf Club which is a nice muni owned by the city where I live. It's a fairly new course which was once a 9 hole track but was expanded to 18 about 7 years ago and the original 9 hole course was completely redone. The front is the newer 9 and has a fair amount of wetlands and lots of beautiful tall pine trees. The back is a more traditional course with less water and more length.

My favorite holes are the short par 4 second and the par 5 14th hole. #2 is 318 from the back (Gold) tees which we play (6413 yards total). There are bunkers in the fairway at about 180 yards with a narrow strip of fairway to the right. The prudent option is to lay up short of the bunkers and leave yourself 150 to the center of the green but you can hit driver if you can hit this narrow strip and leave yourself a wedge. Short of the green on the right is a large depression with long grass. It's hard to get up and down from there so the second shot should be to the left side of the green. The hole gives you a lot options and is fun and interesting.

The par 5 14th is 531 from the back tees. It's a severe dogleg right but you need to hit at least a 230 yard drive or stay left to have a clear second shot due to trees at the corner. The second shot must stay far to the left side of the fairway to clear trees that block the right side of the green. (Frankly these trees need to be trimmed to provide a fairer option). There's a large bunker to the left of the green that complicates the approach and trees to the right. It's a hole that takes advantage of the topography and lets you rip it off of the tee. You have to think about each shot.

My least favorite hole is the par 4 6th. It's a straight hole but there are wetlands to the right and 2 retention ponds on the left side of the landing area. Anything other than a long straight drive is lost or wet. It's not a good design as it was compromised by the need for the retention pools.

[MSchott]

No one? I really like to talk about golf course design and thought this was the place to do so. It seems more like a "where to play" forum than a design forum. Can anyone recommend a good forum to discuss course design and details?

[casperino101]

I play Brierley forest gc in the uk, very difficult course, i play off 16 but elsewhere would easy be off 10! The first 9 are very tight but short where you need to be accurate, long irons off the tee! Greens very small so you can see why this is difficult, Back 9 much longer with 3 par 5s! greens biggerbut some really tricky holes,12 15 17 being the most difficult, my favs are the par 3 16 which i had my 1st and only ace! The 11th par 5 stroke index 1 is another fav but never really struggle with it for a difficult hole! Course getting better all the time but like i sqid diificult the course record being even par 72!

[jho786]

My home club is the Royce Brook Golf Club ( www.roycebrook.com ). I joined this year and I absolutely love it. It was built in 2002 and is designed by Steve Smyers. It has a really unique look to it (think inland grass/heathland) and is not like anything in NJ which is mostly parkland courses.

It is a very difficult course if you find yourself in the bunkers or on the wrong side of the greens. The front 9 is very much like a links with no trees and lots of bunkers. Most of these holes require you to hit draws off the tee but they are not always necessary. The back 9 is very difficult to score well on and hold some of the bigger holes and bigger sand traps. They are not only longer but hold more of the property as well. The 15th hole is one of the most difficult par 4's I have ever played on. It is 440 yards slightly uphill and the fairway wraps around huge, deep cross bunkers the run up the entire right side and an environmental hazard runs down the firsst 150 yards to the left. Once you find the fairway your approach shot is brutal with deep bunkers short and left of the green and long and right of the green. A high draw is the best play here. I've only parred it a few times mostly scoring bogeys.

MSchott..check out www.golfclubatlas.com for talk about design. They have write ups about many top courses as well as a discussion group with many top designers that regularly comment (Tom Doak for example).

[Leftygolfer]

My home course is the Vineyard Golf Course in Cincinnati ohio. From the blue tees it is around 6600 and can stretch out to 6800 but rarely do they put all the tees back. What I like about it is it rewards good driving and punishes bad driving. You can almost always find and play your shot on a bad drive but every hole is tree lined so you have to play some sort of punch if you miss a drive. I also like the greens. They have big tiers and for a public course roll really nicely. It makes getting up and in difficult and takes a "good" miss to have a realistic chance at par. To me it really doesn't play very long as if I have my driver working, I rarely have anything more than a 7 iron in to any hole. Ive shot anywhere from 77 to 91 in the past couple of years.

Favorite holes: Number nine. Good par 4 downhill that has a 450 yard tee box that is rarely used, so usely plays to around 420. Really favors a fade for me but I just stick to my guns and hit a draw off the bunker that comes in around 140. Tough green, lots of slope, bunkers both sides. Easy hole with a good drive, trees right off the tee. A popular place for me to make a big number.

Number eight: par 5 straight away 550. Never been there in two, on the front edge before. Just suits me. I've birdied this hole more than any. Two good straight shots, you got a good look at birdie with a quality wedge.

Least favorite: 13. par three. 220 from the back box. OB left, hazard right sloping that way if you miss the green. Just a stupid hole. the green has this huge teir in the back left with a bunker hiding the back right of the green. front of the green has so much slope they never should put a pin there. They do sometimes and if you get pin high it is impossible to stop the putt. I've hit good putts from 20 feet that went off the front where I could read the logo on the ball going past the hole. It needs to be redone.

All and all a good test. If you hit good shots, you got good looks, if not you have a hard time making par.

[WUTiger]

I guess my "home course" is Tamarack Country Club in Shiloh, IL. Played it for the first time in 1971 when I was a backup player on my junior college golf team. Stumbled across it in 2002 when I moved back to the area. Surprise, the trees are bigger!

This is an early Pete Dye layout, completed in the mid-1960s. Not a brutal course, but it does have optical illusions on some of the holes, especially how the traces of the fairways run. Most people have to play it a few times to really see what they're looking at.

Comes in about 6,300 from the back tees. Shifting crosswind can make holes 3 through 6 really tricky.

Has three par 5s, including a short one on both front and back. The short-5 greens are tight, shallow and bunkered - so unless your long irons or fairway woods are really "on target," you probably want to play it short and wedge it in.

Holes 5 and 6 measure 400 and 423 respectively, and can play really long if you miss the fairway.

No. 9 is a 340 yd. dogleg right with OB along the left side, a big worry for long hitters swinging drivers.

No. 11 is a 240 yd. par 3 - keep it straight, and you can make up-and-down if a little short. Miss left or right, and things get tricky.

No. 13 is 400 yd. par 4, which could be stretched to 440 if they wanted to. Green is much deeper than it looks, and underclubbing can set up a 3-putt.

15 and 16 are short, tight par 4s. If you're on that day, you can almost drive the greens, but if you miss the fairway, you may struggle for bogie.

No. 18 is 414 yd. par 4 off a hill, with a lake in front of the green - the course signature hole.

Greens crew likes to encircle the greens with shaggy rough and collar, so you don't see much chip and run. Mostly pitch shots for clean-up. Lots of dips and slopes around the greens, so you have to think on your short game. Greens crew has course looking fine this year - didn't lose a single green, which was unusual.

Trees often overhang the edge of the fairway, or sometimes form a funnel leading into the green. Your ball can be in the fairway, but still have to do major shot shaping to work ball into the green if the overhang is in the way.

My scores vary quite a bit, more so than most places. I can shoot a 97 on Tuesday, and an 87 on Friday.

Web site: http://www.tamarackgolfing.com/

[MSchott]

My home club is the Royce Brook Golf Club (

Thank you. I am really enjoying that website. It's just what I am looking for. Thanks to all for the contributions on your home courses. Roycebrook looks like a great course.

[ronaldkuntoro]

There is a 9 hole course in my area. The course is pretty short, you can be done in 1.5 hours. So pretty good if you want to have a quick golf.

Anyway this course is located next to a graveyard. I wonder if anyone saw any "paranormal activity" when they play on the course.

[jgreen85]

My home course is Southwyck Golf Club in Pearland, TX (suburb of Houston). It's managed by "Arnold Palmer's" management company (I'm sure just some company using his name). But they have a nice frequent player membership. $35/month for unlimited range and weekly clinics, and then 18 holes costs $13 w/ cart (regular $40). So if you play a lot, it saves.

It's the best conditioned course I've ever played, which isn't saying too much, but it's in good shape imo. They do a good job. My favorite hole is probably #9. It's a good length for me. I can hit driver and then 6-iron over a lake to the green.

[CassinoNorth]

Don't belong to any clubs per say but I do have membership cards at Crystal Springs Resort and Morris County parks (best muni courses in NJ).

First off Crystal Springs. For $89 I get 2 free rounds, 20% off all other rounds, 15% off the pro shop etc. The place is absolutely gorgeous, country club feel to the place. With that membership I get access to Minerals (short 9, good for learning), Black Bear (pretty nice, just not quite the best they have to offer), Great Gorge (never played, heard its decent), Crystal Springs (absolute beast of a track....total ego check 39th hardest course in America), Cascasdes (newest course, very nice) Wild Turkey (awesome awesome awesome...favorite course), Ballyowen (#1 public course in NJ).

Of all those courses, favorite hole is #10 on Crystal Springs. It's 181 yards hitting off a 80 foot cliff (former quarry) over water into a back tucked green surrounded by bunkers. You can pretty much go straight at the pin because when it hits (it's only an 7 or an 8 iron) it's not going too far. Feels good having to fix that giant ball mark.

Here's a pic of the beast

2nd...probably #2 on Black Bear is always fun. It's a relatively easy hole if you put the ball in the fairway it'll roll over the hill and give you a nice 150 yard shot right over the water onto the green (as you can tell, I love water) Only hole that I average under par so it's gotta be my favorite.

Least favorite, any par 4 on Minerals...I know it's a family golf place but it's just annoying that they have a couple 300 yard hole par 4's. It's where I bring anyone wanting to learn albeit not much fun for me.

[Bullitt5339]

My home course is Scothurst Golf Club in Lumber Bridge, NC. It's a small, semi-private course out in the middle of nowhere. It's claim to fame (here locally) is having the best greens in the area in the middle of summer, when everyone else's were dead or dying, the Champion Bermuda was absolutely perfect.

My favorite hole is #5. A 360 yard par 4. Just a plain, boring hole except for one thing: There's a huge tree in the center of the fairway, and that creates an optical illusion. The fairway narrows after the tree, but from the tee box, the tree makes you want to go to the right, but there's trees that jut out that will block your approach shot if you do. While it looks like left is in the trees, it's actually open up to 290ish yards, with a great angle into the green, which is guarded by 2 bunkers. I've played many times where partners fell for the illusion and went right, only to be blocked. I'll hit a nice, easy drive out to the left, and have an easy 100 yard wedge into the green. Can be an easy birdie hole, or a difficult bogey hole depending on how you play it.

My nemesis hole is #13. Long........ Par 4, Dogleg left. The dogleg is only 180 yards out. Swap/Creek to the left of the dogleg, with downhill runoffs towards the swamp in the corner, which makes it difficult to cut the corner for me. If you do get it out there, you've got a severe ball above feet stance. If you go long trying to cut the corner, there's woods/rocks/water as well. There's a nice landing area at 180 yards which is flat, but it leaves you a 240 yard shot over a pond to a raised green. I've only personally seen 3 birdies on this hole in the 3 years I've been playing out there, and they've all been someone who pitched/chipped in. Very difficult hole to par for me.

[CassinoNorth]

My home club is the Royce Brook Golf Club (

Royce Brook is pretty awesome. Only played the east course but I loved it.

If I made a bit more and lived a bit closer I'd consider the junior membership which is pretty awesome for only 3 grand. What are the guest fees over there?

[limoric]

I Play Furry Creek G&CC; most of the time. http://www.golfbc.com/courses/furry_creek

Same course where Bob Barker kicked Happy's ass . I can't really think of a favorite hole, the course is built into the side of a mountain with an Ocean backdrop...every hole is spectacular. Hole 14, a 211 yard par 3 is the signature hole; being able to play the ball right to left is essential for this hole, If you normally play a fade or slice, you need to take the ball over the ocean which means clubing up big time, especially if the winds are comming in from the north, I've seen some guys slice a driver over the ocean and not make it...

[billinga]

My home course is Brookstone Country Club, http://www.brookstonecc.com/

My favorite holes are the par 5 3rd hole and the par 5 18th hole. The 3rd hole plays 518 yards from the blue tees. There is a creek that runs to the right of the fairway and runs through the fairway at about 300 yards. You then have a lake that runs from that point out to the green on the left hand side. There is a three tier narrow green that is surrounded by grass bunkers. The 18th hole only plays 478 from the blues and is downhill. Seems easy at first especially since the fairway is lined with hills on either side that funnels stray balls back to the fairway. However after that you have a choice. Do I hit a shot from a downhill lie across a pond to another three tiered green that is surrounded by bunkers on both sides? For me that answer is a heck no. But then you have to lay up to the right which is a narrow landing area with trees to the right. After that shot you still have to make sure your approach hits the right tier and holds the green without going into the bunker on either side.

The hole that I hate? Well that is easy. The par 4 14th hole. It plays at 415 yards from an elevated tee. The entire left side is lined by a creek which eventually crosses the fairway at about 275 yards. It then continues on the left side all the way to an elevated green that has a false front and also slopes off the back. You get more of these grass bunkers mixed with sand bunkers. It is a tough hole that I cannot conquer. If I ever par that hole I may quit this sport.

The course itself is very fun yet extremely challenging. The rough is thick, the greens roll at a 12, and there is water in play on 11 of the holes. You will play every club in your bag at this place.

[Spackler]

I don't have a home course, but my favorite course is The Southlands Golf & Country Club. It's not the "prettiest" course, or the most difficult in my area, but I enjoy the "links style", the teaching pro is super nice, and it's a fair price.

This is a view of the par 3 17th, with Stone Mountain in the background.


This is the 250 yard marker on the par 5 18th. Just seemed funny to me.

[mirv]

the course i started playing on, and subsequently have stayed with and kept practicing on, is called pine valley (no, not new jersey, unfortunately!). it's a pretty short course, just shy of 5400 yards and par 70. it's a public course, so it's nothing fantastic, but it presents some challenges for sure. the 5th hole was voted one of the hardest par 3 holes in arkansas - it's 175 yards with a tee box on a cliff overlooking a lake, and the green is on a peninsula. you can't miss the green in any direction - there's water front, right, and left, and a small creek coming off the lake eats in about 10 yards behind the green. you're either on or you're wet. the par four holes are all pretty short. several of the greens are driveable, between 290 and 330 yards long, and even if you can't hit the ball that far, a 230-250 yard tee shot will still usually set you up with not much more than a wedge approach. however, you want accuracy over distance - on quite a few holes, if you miss the fairway, good luck finding your ball.

i have to say, though, playing that course as much as i have, i've developed a pretty solid short game, i feel, but being that i rarely pull my mid or long irons out, they are far and away the weakest part of my game now. i shake my head and think "i've got about a 30% chance of hitting this where i want it" when i get on a different course and have to pull out anything between a 3-iron and a 6-iron. pine valley's taught me how to drive and how to play just about any shot from 100 yards in, but everything else is pretty hit or miss.

[lumpuckeroo]

My home course is Tomahawk Golf Course, the oldest golf course in the Kansas City area. It is very hilly, from the 40's thru the 70's there was a pulley system, much like a ski lift, that would assist in pulling up the hill after the 3rd hole and one after the 11th hole. Some people were injured using it so they did away with it and now a marshall will drive you up the hill. It is relatively short, only 6100 yards from the back tees, but the greens are extremely sloped, so putting and chipping are critical. We don't give putts on this course, you might have a 2 ft putt with a 10 in break.

Probably the most unique part of the course are holes 9 and 18, they are both par 3's but you play them from the edge of the hill to the green in the valley below, a 90 ft drop. The distance on the card is irrelavent, you have to actually play the holes and get a feel for what club will get you to the green.

[TaylorMadeTaylor]

I play at Redwing Lake in Virginia Beach, one of the nicer, more difficult public courses in the area. It plays 7124 yards from the tips and 6653 from the blues, the next tees up, which is what I play. It's a pretty good course with great prices.

My favorite holes are #3 and #13. #3 is a 393 yard par 4, dogleg left, with a hazard between the fairway and the teebox and OB to the right. Once you carry the hazard you are left with a fairly easy, slightly uphill approach shot into a relatively flat green. It's an easy, fun hole if you can carry the hazard. #13 is a medium length par three of 176 yards. It is the only hole which touches Redwing Lake on the entire course, which provides some pretty scenery, although it only comes into play if you hit a horrible slice off the tee. It is the easiest par three on the course as it's the only one not over a hazard. The green is pretty flat and holds most shots. There is a small bunker guarding the right side of the green that is usually miles right of the pin placement, rarely coming into play of my 6-Iron.

My least favorite hole is #8, a 230 yard par three with a giant hazard in the middle which runs all the way up the left side of the green. There is a bunker guarding the front left of the dome-shaped green and there is OB behind the green if you overshoot it. There is OB also running up the right side, which then gives way to a tiny clearing right of the green which is the only way to bail. It sucks for me because I usually always seem to hook one right into the hazard with my 3-wood (which I have to hit because it usually plays with a headwind). I have never birdied the hole, and never expect to, because I rarely even make a par.