Have you played any of Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses

[breakingeighty]

Started my quest this year and knocked off 11/100.

In order I played:

The Golf Club at Black Rock - About as fun as golf gets

Blackwolf Run - Similar to above, but much more crowded

Whistling Straits - Expensive, but worth it to do it once

Medinah #3 - HARD. Grounds are amazing, course wasn't my favorite

Arcadia Bluffs - Probably my favorite of all top 100 so far

Oakland Hills - Liked it more than I thought I would, almost had hole in ones on both 3 and 9

Olympic Club - Should be called "Hillside" rather than "Lake"

Pacific Dunes - I hate to say this, but overrated. Greens were in bad shape, but views still spectacular

Bandon Trails - WAY underrated. MY favorite of Bandon Courses

Old Mac - Some amazing holes, but the really tough stretch of 9-12 kind of killed it for me

Bandon Dunes - Some really fun holes with great variety.

[golfnz34me]

Which 10 courses in MB do you prefer to the Dunes?

Caledonia may be the best course in MB, but there is no way it is the best course in the U.S., not even the best public course in the U.S.

Off the top of my head, TPC, Tiger's Eye, Glen Dornoch, Heritage, River's Edge, Heather Glen, Tidewater, Wild Wing, a couple of the Barefoot courses are better than the Dunes.

I never claimed Caledonia is the best in the country, just by far the best I've ever played.  I've only played a handful of the top-rated courses in the country.

[jlcsr916]

I have played 3 of the top 100 outside of the US,

3. St. Andrews Links (Old) St. Andrews,Memorable. bunkers and greens were incredible a lot of blind tee shots but I got lucky and got a really good caddie.

16. Carnoustie G. Links Carnoustie, Scotland  Long course  a lot of  fairway woods and long irons second shots off of tight lies.Again you need a good caddie as you cant see the trouble on some holes.

51. North Berwick G.C. North Berwick, Scotland A heck of a lot of fun to play very old course with incredible views. A must play when in Scotland.

[Mike in GRB]

I have been fortunate to play a dozen of the Top 100 Public Courses on the Golf Digest list. I'm a professional writer in Green Bay, Wis., and I've been lucky enough to get on several of the top courses that are within driving distance for various events:

#2 Whistling Straits (near Kohler, Wis.) - Awesome Pete Dye design made more memorable with the caddie experience.

#10 Erin Hills (northwest of Milwaukee, Wis.) - Site of the 2017 U.S. Open. A minimalist design with character everywhere.

#14 Blackwolf Run - River (Kohler, Wis.) - A great parkland-style Pete Dye design with virtually every hole being memorable.

#19 Kapalua Plantation (Maui, Hawaii) -- Prettier than it looks on TV when the pros play here to start the calendar year season.

#22 The Prince Course (Kauai, Hawaii) -- This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design is really tough, especially when the trade winds are blowing. (P.S. - I'll be releasing a book in February 2014 called "Golf Kauai" that will take you on a tour of all the courses on Kauai. I'm very excited that Wisconsin's own PGA Tour superstar, Steve Stricker, has contributed a book jacket comment that I just received today!)

#62 Blackwolf Run - Meadow Valleys (Kohler, Wis.) - The companion course to the River at #14, this one is more open and wind-swept. The back nine is more memorable.

#64 Cog Hill #4 (Lemont, Ill.) - A fun parkland course in Chicago's southwest suburbs

#65 Bay Harbor (Bay Harbor, Mich.) - I stumbled upon this course when in northern lower Michigan on a golf writing assignment at a different course. This place was awesome.

#72 Grand Traverse Resort - The Bear (Acme, Mich.) - This Nicklaus design is the crown jewel of the Grand Traverse Resort near Traverse City. This is why I was in the neighborhood to play #65 above. Enjoyed both of them, but Bay Harbor was more memorable.

#77 The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) - A Nicklaus design located only a couple miles from the Blackwolf Run courses, this course is a beast. One of my favorites.

#80 The Makai Course (Kauai, Hawaii) -- My favorite course on Kauai and another Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design. Fantastic conditions, incredible views and very playable. It's Chapter 1 in my book (see #22 above).

#91 Poipu Bay (Kauai, Hawaii) - The site of the Grand Slam of Golf for many years, the back nine is awesome and right on the south shore. Another chapter in my book! (see #22 above).

- mike

[qubmhc04]

I played Royal County Down this year, beautiful Autumn day in October, simply magnificent. GD has it ranked #4 in the world, I have no chance of ever playing the 3 courses above it, but they really must be going some to be ranked above RCD! An utterly sensational course in every respect.

[chipper2]

I have only played one Top 100 course:

Quarry at La Quinta - wonderful

Top 100 Public Courses:

Wolf Creek - (in 40mph wind - hit my only 300 yard drive)

Tullymore - pretty course

Bay Harbor - view of water more impressive than course

Grand Traverse - The Bear - Tough but fair

Boyne Highland - Heather course - beautiful and fun

Ko'Olau - a Lawrence Welk reply "Wonderful, Wonderful"

[Earlsferry]

I can only comment on the Golf Digest Top 100 outside of USA -

- Royal Dornoch, Scotland

- Carnoustie Championship Links, Scotland,

- St Andrews, Old Course, Scotland,

- Cruden Bay, Scotland,

- North Berwick, Scotland,

- Royal Troon, Scotland,

- Muirfield, Scotland

- Western Gales, Scotland,

- Balgownie, Scotland,

- Machrihanish, Scotland,

- Turnberry, Scotland,

- Wentworth West Course, England,

- Royal St George's Sandwich, England

- Ganton, England,

- Rye, England

All the Scottish course are links and as such are beyond platitudes; golf was invented for such places - each one unique and each one a destination everyone should experience regardless of competency. Royal St George's where Ben Curtis won The Open is magical, Wentworth is millionaires golf, inland of course and different yet unmissable and not just for the history attached. Ganton is links golf inland if that makes sense; Ryder Cup has been there so that'll tell you all you need to know, Rye is quite short and quirky but again is link-sy and the greens are minute so hard to hit and hold.

Go find them and if you visit Scotland then Gullane #1, Gleneagles Kings' Course, Rosemount, Dunbar (20th oldest course in the UK!), Panmure, Montrose Medal (3rd oldest course in UK), Monifieth, Murcar Links and Old Moray shouldn't be missed either. All are great course, fair yet testing and all are sites of historical interest to boot! The home of golf is Scotland remember! Good luck!

[DoubleEagle]

I would like to say that I "Played Them" but in reality, I believe they Played Me"

The Homestead

The Broadmoor

KAPALUA (PLANTATION)

THE GREENBRIER (OLD WHITE TPC)

SEA ISLAND G.C. (SEASIDE)

Fallen Oaks

Barton Creek

THE DUNES G. & BEACH CLUB

GOLDEN HORSESHOE (GOLD)

KINGSMILL RESORT (RIVER)

[jsgolfer]

Playing Calusa Pines (#81 Golf Digest) in Naples FL on March 20th. Can't wait, also will be staying and playing Grey Oaks in March. This will bring me up to 3 including; Kapalua Plantation Course Pinehurst No. 2 And I'm hoping to get on Merion and Oakmont once the golf season gets in full swing this year.

[Mike in GRB]

I just came out with a new book that takes you through a few of the top 100. It's called "Golf Kauai: A Detailed Guide to Golf Courses on Hawaii's Garden Isle." I would be most appreciative of your reviews on Amazon. Thanks!