The Top 13 Best Landscaped College Golf Courses

[nevets88]

According to Lawnstarter, some landscaping company.

http://lawnstarter.com/blog/landscaping/the-top-13-best-landscaped-college-golf-courses/

[boogielicious]

Cool, thanks.

[mvmac]

Only one I've played is Stanford and agree it was always in great shape. Lots of good holes.

Surprised Karsten Creek wasn't on the list.

[Golfingdad]

How do these courses work ... are they actually owned by the schools?  Or are they just named as such because of their proximity?  Can you only play there if you're a student or faculty?  How does it work, I'm dying to know!!

(Fresno State did not have a golf course )

[nevets88]

How do these courses work ... are they actually owned by the schools?  Or are they just named as such because of their proximity?  Can you only play there if you're a student or faculty?  How does it work, I'm dying to know!! (Fresno State did not have a golf course :-P )

I was wondering this as well. I played Duke awhile back. My memory is fuzzy but I didn't think the student rate (not an alumni just curious) was that great, I could be totally off base.

[mvmac]

How do these courses work ... are they actually owned by the schools?  Or are they just named as such because of their proximity?  Can you only play there if you're a student or faculty?  How does it work, I'm dying to know!!

(Fresno State did not have a golf course )

In Stanford's case yes the course is owned by the school. Students get a reduced rate.

https://golfcourse.stanford.edu/fees_policies.htm

I would assume it's a similar situation for all the "University of ___" golf courses.

[Golfingdad]

In Stanford's case yes the course is owned by the school. Students get a reduced rate.

https://golfcourse.stanford.edu/fees_policies.htm

I would assume it's a similar situation for all the "University of ___" golf courses.

Well color me jealous!

Too bad UC Irvine doesn't have a course.

[NJpatbee]

Some beautiful courses, but if you want to talk turf, the Rutgers Golf Course in Piscataway, NJ is incredible.  Rutgers offers a 2 year certification program in Golf Turf Management, has a horticultural farm for research, and their findings are certainly reflected on the university course.

[boogielicious]

I played the University of Maryland course a few years back and it was lovely too.

[David in FL]

Good to see my alma mater at #5! :-)

[jamo]

This is only tangentially on topic, but I know Lehigh University has a big golf center that was designed in part by its students: http://lehighsports.com/sports/2013/6/4/GEN_0604131740.aspx

[dennyjones]

I'm surprised Michigan State isn't on the list.   Like Rutgers, they are both considered Moo U and have a turf tech facilities.   MSU even developed turf to be used for a World Cup Soccer Qualifier at the Silverdome in Pontiac, MI back in 1994.

[bkuehn1952]

These guys at Lawnstarter are a bit inconsistent.  They have a list of "Best Landscaped Midwestern College Courses" and rank Kenyon College at the top.  Then they don't even mention Kenyon on their "Top 13" but include Ohio and Wisconsin's courses which were ranked lower on their list of Midwest colleges.

[stealthduffer]

I've played VT and TT Rawls. Love the VT course and, while I enjoyed playing at Rawls, I wouldn't call it "beautiful" in the conventional sense. Had much more look of a classic links course - not lush by any means. Have been by the UVa course literally dozens (if not hundreds) of times in the 15 years that I lived nearby. It always looked great but never had an opportunity to play it. One could ponder that after paying 4 years of my daughter's tuition, housing and fees they owed me a round or two but they didn't seem to think so... VT is open to the public though I think reduced fees for students. My younger daughter went to school there but didn't need that to play it. Believe the same with Rawls (older daughter and her fiance both did grad school there). Birdwood at UVa requires some connection with the University - probably could have played there when my DOD was there but never had the chance. Now living in GA and hoping to get over to Athens and play the Georgia course. DYD is at grad school there so have a perfect reason to run over on a weekend.

[k-troop]

I've played Princeton, UVA, and UGA. Birdwood (UVA) is just an okay course IMO. The UGA course is both beautiful and a great course. I'll agree that these "rankings" are somewhat arbitrary.

[GoodGuyGreg45]

I'm a little biased here, but I think #2 did not get enough love. Joking, of course. For how extremely flat the Arid Plains of West Texas are, The Rawls Course has a fair amount of contouring. The first time I played it I could not get over how much different the turf was compared to what I'm used to playing in southeast Texas. The back to back Par 5s to finish are also different. Compared to the other college course I've played in Texas, this one is head and shoulders above in every way. If only I could get back that half of a semester I wasted taking Golf 101 as an elective.

[BuckeyeNut]

This is a BS article because it's a known fact ............ THE Ohio State Scarlett course is the premiere collegiate golf course in the country!!   LOL

Nicest landscaping?   What in the hell does that mean?   Are they rating courses based on the prettiest flower gardens?  Hehehe