What makes a golf course "great?"

[Brandonink2001]

Often, you hear people describe a course's quality in terms that don't really help the reader understand anything about the course.

So my question is what objective qualities do you look for in a course when deciding how it measures up?

How would you measure each of the following characteristics in rating a course? Rank the importance of each of the following, with 1 being THE most important thing. And feel free to add characteristics. My list is definitely not complete, just food for thought.

Length?
Challenge? If so, is it just about being tough, or are there absolute qualities that create greatness?
Uniqueness of holes? If so, what makes a hole great? Scenery? Fairway contours? Strategically-placed traps/obstacles?
Conditioning?
History?

What are the course features that can ruin an otherwise solid course?

Let me try:

1. Uniqueness of holes. I like holes that make you think at the tee box and play the hole strategically. Aesthetics mean a great deal to me, also, so it also has to simply be attractive and well-tended, and make good use of natural terrain.
2. Conditioning. Includes placing premium on minimizing environmental destruction. Over-fertilized fairways, over-manicured paths between holes, extreme deforestation, etc. is not always good.
3. Challenge. Each hole should test different aspects of your game, not be a cake walk OR a torture session. If the hole is tough, make it easier to putt, if you give me easy access to the green, I expect a difficult pin placement/putting challenge, etc.
4. History
5. Length

Bad course features: too many homes along course, overcrowded/poor ranger effectiveness, tricked up holes that look like they are attempts to startle you or play trick shots instead of solid shots, and I have to admit, too much water.

[golfcourseasart]

I agree with much of what you say, although on the subject of length I would say that the shorter a course is these days without sacrificing toughness, the better it is. I still think that turning holes into glorified airstrips to counter big hitters is the easy cop-out: defend the course with challenging greens instead, or with mid-fairway bunkers that force the slugger to choose between playing short to take the sand out of the equation or going for the carry.

The key to greatness for me is options: are you given several different ways to play a hole when you stand on the tee?

[flap]

I have my own way of grading a course.6 months after I played it can I remember the holes or not.If it was a great course in my mind I can recall allmost every shot on every hole.

[rmgr]

Conditioning - I can't stand a golf course being in bad condition
Uniqueness of holes
History - I like playing a golf course knowing that when I step on the green, I'm steping on the same green that a legend steped on.
Challenge - Obviously a bit important
Strategically-placed traps/obstacles
Length

[Big Don]

• Good condition
• Spectacular views
• Interesting features on the course
• Well planned holes that are challenging but fair
• Great off course facilities

[InternalGolf]

To me, What makes a golf course is how it is kept. There can be the greatest views on a golf course, or it could be the ugliest, but what would you rather play on. The ugliest golf course that is well kept with the greens nice and solid and no divets, fairsways kept good, or would you want to play on an absolutely BEAUTIFUL course but the greens are torn up, the fair way isn't cut well, and the sand trap is never racked?

[Flopper218]

1- Length. Not Overall lenght, but varying length of holes. Nothing worse than a golf course with 14 par fours that are between 390 and 410. Driver-SW gets old real quick.
2- Condition. I don't mind long grass in the fairway or rough sand. I hate, HATE poorly cut cups and hitting off of clay in the fairway.
3- Setting. Agree with the comments about houses and roads, they are a great way to turn an cheap course into an expensive outing.
4- People. I really hate hearing people cheering when they make a 15 putt for double bogey 3 holes over.

I am certainly not a golf snob, I am much less likely to spend $275 to play a TPC course than I am to pay $13 to play twilight at my local muni, but I don't think these things are reserved for the uber expensive course

[Twan013]

I kind of have a question to add to these questions...hehe...

ok, the first time i went out, to cullman municipal course in alabama, it was beautiful, no dead grass, perfect greens, everyone was friendly on the course...

then, this past weekend, i went to what was supposed to be one of the nicest courses around; but it sucked... a lot of the tee's consisted of such a hard ground that you couldn't tee up... full of rocks and such... not a single bunker was a bunker anymore; all of them were filled with grass... just looked like a bunch of old, grown up craters...empty beer cans and trash all over the place (especially piled about 10 feet away from each trash can)... and after a while, all of the holes started looking the same, with the exception of 4 or 5...

however, there were several holes that had a near perfect sight from the tee... looking from the top of a mountain to where you can see everything below you... incredible view, and you almost forget about how bad the condition is...

another complaint i have about the last course, is the cart i was on started dying about halfway through the course, and by the time we finished the 18th hole, me and the guy i was with had to push it to the clubhouse...

[wolverine318]

I think a great course gives you a good mix of long holes and short holes and it will give you holes that give you various options of how to play them. Risk and Reward if you will. Not even risk reward just sometimes different ways to go about the hole.

For instance a local par 5 is 532, you tee off with a downhill shot, the second shot is uphill. Longer hitters can hit it in 2. Driver however brings a small creek left and a lake right into play. An agressive and great drive is rewarded with a chance to get home in two. But 3 wood is the conservative play making it a 3 shot hole, or a hell of a 2nd shot into the green.

Conditions and service need to be good. As do the practice facilities. I hate uneven tee boxes and tee boxes with spaces of dirt in between grass.

[sonicblue]

Condition is a must. Crooked, dried-out tee boxes or patchy fairways and greens will overwhelm ANY other positive. Conversely, give me a nice level tee box, well-kept fairways and true-rolling greens, and I'll probably enjoy myself, no matter what else.

Length must vary! It doesn't have to be super-long, but there's nothing I dislike more than, "oh, look, it's another 410 yard par 4, with a slight dogleg." Give me one that may be drivable, or one where I have to hit 3-wood off the tee.

Par 3's MUST be interesting. Make me struggle to pick a club, wrestle with an elevation change, something, but do it on a hole that I should "feel" like I can birdie if I make the right decisions.

PACE OF PLAY! Put a ranger out there, put people on the clock and clear violators should be skipped ahead when necessary. It is NOT golf to have to wait on a group for every shot from holes 4-18. Being a slow golfer doesn't mean you're a bad golfer, and your greens fee didn't give you stake to the entire course for as long as it takes you.

[WorkerOfTheBall]

Condition! As a lover of golf, the length of the course doesn't matter to me... you still need to execute the shots. I do not however want to spend my money on a course that isn't kept in great shape, what's the point?

I was lucky to attend the Master's when Phil won and the first thing I noticed about Augusta National is "perfection". Grass that looks better than the carpet in your house, tee boxes that are symmetrically perfect and level, well defined fringes and fairways. Oh my! I'm getting excited thinking about it.

Put a course in that great of shape near me and I'd be happy to play it everyday.

[g-funk13]

I do not however want to spend my money on a course that isn't kept in great shape, what's the point?

Dude. . . AMEN! I HATE courses that have crappy tee boxes!

[jimbo2007]

Forcing you to think about each and every shot you play is one hallmark. Deciding on the safe play or the aggressive play...and having an option between the two is definately a hallmark in my eyes. I've become something of a student of Ross and Tillinghast over the last few years, and living in the north-east i have had the opportunity to play some of their courses, and both were masters at that...and didn't need to move a lot of dirt to do it either. After playing Bethpage Black, reflecting on the round with the foursome, we all commented how you needed to be focused and have a game plan on every shot, and if you didn't you paid for it.

Variety in holes in terms of length, in terms of shots they require you to play is a factor as well.

Seeing the task at hand in front of you I think is a hallmark as well...tricked up holes do nothing for me, regardless of the reputation of any modern designer. Huge exception to this are some of the links I have played overseas...Lahinch and Ballybunion...which were built with the land that they had...blind shots and unique approaches over dunes were just a byproduct of the land.

In terms of current architects, I tend to like Coore and Crenshaw. They seem to be minimalists, who put it all out in front of you and force you to think.

[ser182]

The best course are the ones that make you think.

[erova]

In terms of current architects, I tend to like Coore and Crenshaw. They seem to be minimalists, who put it all out in front of you and force you to think.

definitely a fan of C & C--have you played any of Tom Doak's tracks? Very similar schools of thought that you sound like you'd appreciate...

[jimbo2007]

definitely a fan of C & C--have you played any of Tom Doak's tracks? Very similar schools of thought that you sound like you'd appreciate...

No, havent played any of Doak's yet. Hope to change that in the future though, as you mention he seems to be from the minimalist school as well. With it being in the 40's outside, my mind is already starting to wander to a planned Scottdale trip in March and C&C;'s Talking Stick...

[The Rambler]

The staff. They should be courteous and kind but never butt kissing. If they are working on the course I expect them to respect my game it keep the noise to a minimum while I am near. I hate lining up my ball and hearing a weed whacker or lawn mover in my back swing right next to me. I work on a golf course and these are our standards for the "playing" portion of the day so I'm not pulling this out of a hat. We actually have one day where most people do not play and the yard work gets done. I love fairways that feel like greens and tee boxes that level. Too bad I have a dollar budget with a dime income

[KIDDEREK]

1. Condition. I've played on courses where you couldn't take a divot. It was a little like trying to take a divot on concrete, wasn't happening.
2. Scenery. My favorite part of golf is the walk in the sun.
3. Variation of difficulty/traps/distance. A couple of extra par 3s are fine if they are unique.
4. The People. Etiquette, etiquette, etiquette.