Your Final 10 Rounds

[Trooopers]

1. Pebble Beach

2. Pasatiempo

3. SF GC

4. Cypress

4. Spyglass

5. Tehama

6. Kapalua

7. Cabo Del Sol (Ocean)

8. Cordevalle

9. Torrey Pines (South)

10. Half Moon Bay (old)

[DaveP043]

On 9/12/2017 at 7:28 PM, VOX said:

Royal County Down -- best course

The Old Course -- best town and always in awe

North Berwick -- most fun

Lahinch -- What Ireland is all about

Augusta -- best experience, fried chicken and olives

Kingsbarns -- most dramatic

Fishers Island -- most scenic

Ballybunion -- best craic

Cypress  -- best combination of scenery and shot value

The Misquamicut Club  -- Home

Of all of the rest, this list has more of the exclusive clubs than the rest.  Have you played all of these already?  If so, I'm seriously jealous

And I think the lists are interesting, a nice mix of the famous and the obscure.  Almost all of us have a few courses that are special to us way beyond their place in the hierarchy of great golf courses, and its fun to read the stories about them.

Edited September 14, 2017 by DaveP043

[Chanceman]

Great question. 

Augusta National, St Andrews Old, Royal Dornoch, Sunningdale Old, Meadow Club, Cape Wickham, Royal Bled, Carnoustie, Pasatiempo, Royal Melbourne. Never played Bled, Dornoch or Augusta but the others are magic.

[VOX]

I have played them. Six out of 10 have public access. I am a member of two and get on one more based on reciprocity. The others took a bit of networking and schmoozing.

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, VOX said:

I have played them. Six out of 10 have public access. I am a member of two and get on one more based on reciprocity. The others took a bit of networking and schmoozing.

OK, I'm seriously jealous!  But I've been lucky myself to play some great places, so I'm not over-the-top jealous.  And I still have a few years left to add to my list, and to enjoy the courses I get to play regularly.

[nevets88]

I'm going to list 9 because I'm reserving a spot for Cabot Cliffs, gonna play there if it kills me. 

Bandon Dunes - Gorgeous, another Earth.

Silloth On Solway GC - Quirky, very British.

Hillside GC - Ethereal, classic, unforgettable.

Wallasey GC - History, tradition, super friendly people. First Stableford here.

Pine Needles - Charming Southern belle.

Spyglass - Verdant, you'd think forest nymphs live here.

The Links at Union Vale - Ireland-ish in NYC.

Howell Park, Bethpage Blue - Local favorites.

 

[iacas]

On 9/16/2017 at 2:53 AM, Chanceman said:

Never played Bled, Dornoch or Augusta but the others are magic.

Then you don't get to list them.

To all… the first post says "of the courses you've played…".

So, yeah, this isn't a "dream courses" list, it's a list of the courses you've played that you'd play again in your last ten.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 9/9/2017 at 9:27 PM, iacas said:

Where's your list @Buckeyebowman?

If you're gonna comment on someone else's, put yours out there.

Fair is fair. 

Oh, you bastard!

While I'm not the world traveler like some here, I suppose I could cobble together a list of my ten best.

1. Fowler's Mill GC, Chesterland, Oh. A classic Pete Dye design on a beautiful piece of property! Did you know that Pete Dye was an Ohio boy? Country club conditioning at an affordable price.

2. Thunder Hill Golf Course, Madison, OH. Perhaps the single most spectacular course I have ever played! The unique design made it feel like the hole you were playing was the only hole out there. And it was HARD! Only problem was they built it way out in the boonies, and spent too much money on it. It's closed now.

3. Tippecanoe CC, Youngstown, OH. Perhaps the single most difficult course I have ever played! Played in an outing there, and went back later to ask who designed the place. Turned out the original design was done by Donald Ross. It's been "tweaked" a few times since. The greens are mind boggling!

4. Spyglass Hill, Monterey, CA. While beautiful and scenic, it is much less difficult than the 3 courses mentioned previously. You just get a buzz being from OH and playing golf in CA!

5. Manakiki GC, Willoughby Hills, OH. Another Donald Ross design and a classic! Built on the old estate of business magnate Howard Hanna, with the old mansion serving as clubhouse and entertainment center. Destined to remain a golf course due to the wishes of Hanna's decedents! Great golf!

6. Tanglewood National GC, Chagrin Falls, OH. Another difficult course. Fuzzy Zoeller was brought in for the inaugural round, and said, "You could grow the rough a little bit, and play the Open here!" It's long, with lots of elevation changes and water! 

7. Hawthorne Valley CC, Solon, OH. Another Donald Ross design. Kind of in flux with changes of management.Used to be private, now semi. We'll see how things turn out! Great course, now needs dedicated maintenance.

8. Sleepy Hollow GC, Brecksville, OH. Just might be the hardest public GC in the state! But it's now owned by Cleveland Metroparks, and there have been differing opinions offered as to conditioning!

9. Yankee Run GC, Brookfield, OH. This is a spectacularly beautiful and challenging golf course that is right in my back yard! It has been in existence for close to one hundred years, but it's no old fogey. They keep re-imagining the course to keep it up to date.

10. Mill Creek Park GC. Youngstown, OH. Another old Ross design from the late '20's early 30's. This is where I Iearned to play golf! Lots of bunkers, but if you can fly the ball right, you can run it up on the green! Classic Ross design!

[Chanceman]

On 9/17/2017 at 11:35 PM, iacas said:

Then you don't get to list them.

To all… the first post says "of the courses you've played…".

So, yeah, this isn't a "dream courses" list, it's a list of the courses you've played that you'd play again in your last ten.

Well OK then....Pebble Beach, Kingston Heath and Traralgon

 

[cutchemist42]

I have not played many crazy destination courses so I wont have much variety. I actually dont even have 10 different courses haha, so I will have repeat rounds. The order does not represent preference.

1-Bel Acres (1 round)-Our default course for 20+ person friend birthdays. Would love one more friend tourney there.

2-Tuxedo GC(1 round)-Not a great course, but I consider it my 2nd home course in Winnipeg, I would play it for the special place it has in my golfing development

3-CFB GC (1 round)-My 1st home course, and the one I've done the most learning on. It was cheap, and not great by any measure. It allowed me though to learn a lot.

4-Hecla (2 rounds)-Great course in our provincial park by a nice village.

5-Granite Hills (2 rounds)- Maybe Manitoba's 2nd/3rd best course. It has a great views and is really fun. Really fun bachelor party memory there.

6-Pine Ridge- (1round)-Mmaybe Manitoba's 2nd best course. Is private and only got to play from a member invite and loved it. 1 of 2 courses I've played that hosted the MacKenzie Tour.

7-Dakota Dunes  (2 rounds) The only course I played which can be considered one of Canada's top public courses. The 2nd course I've played that has hosted the MacKenzie tour The prairie dune views are stunning and the course is relatively cheap for what it is. (Scoregolf calls it the 2nd best bargain for golf in Canada)

 

Edited November 30, 2017 by cutchemist42

[tdiii]

In no particular order:

1)  Bandon Dunes

2)  Pacific Dunes

3)  Portmarnock GC (the original old course outside Dublin)

4)  Mayacama GC

5)  Martis Camp (spectacular mountain course in Tahoe -- also my best round ever)

6)  Rock Creek Cattle Company (so fun and playable, awesome Big Sky beauty in MT, and fantastic, friendly service)

7)  Fountaingrove  (home course)

8)  Fall River Valley (goat track but fantastic layout and a ton of fun)

9)  The Preserve

10)  The Vintage Club (Mountain Course)

I'm supposed to play San Francisco GC Wednesday, so I'm guessing The Preserve or The Vintage Club will get bumped off.   

Edited December 11, 2017 by tdiii

[tristanhilton85]

1. Torrey Pines (North Course) - It’s the only course that I’ve played at Torrey Pines and I thought it was awesome.

2. Rams Hill - Possibly the best course I’ve played, even more than Torrey. I’ve played it a handful of times and it is always great.

3. PGA West (Stadium) - Likely the toughest course I’ve ever played. I go every summer when he rates get dirt cheap.

4. PGA West (Norman) - One of the best desert layouts I’ve played.

5. El Dorado Country Club - Very nice private club in my area.

6. The Plantation - Very straight forward layout, but tough. Also one of the more exclusive courses in my area.

7. Desert Willow (Firecliff) - Of the two courses at Desert Willow, this is the toughest and the one I like best (not by much though).

8. Eagle Falls - I’ve only played here once even though it’s just a few miles from my house, but I was blown away with it.

9. Classic Club - My “home” course for the past year or so, even though I haven’t played a ton over that time period. Very pretty course and tough as well.

10. Shadow Ridge - At times I’ve said this is my favorite public course in the valley. I’m not sure that’s still true, but it makes my top 10.

 

I could probably make this Top 10 list tomorrow and have a number of courses change; PGA West (Nicklaus), Stone Eagle, and Mountain View at Desert Willow are just a few that could have easily made my list on a different day.

[Groucho Valentine]

In no particular order, id go with these. Ive played other well known great courses (Cherry Hills, Doral pre trump, Sawgrass, Brookline, maybe some others) but i didn't particularly enjoy them. 

Whatever muni down the street 

Bethpage Black, Blue and Red courses

Pine Valley (best set of par 5's I've ever played)

Galloway National

All three nines at Ridgewood CC

Architects (fun fun fun)

Alpine Country Club 

Shinnecock Hills

 

[kpaulhus]

Random order. I’ve been lucky to play some good ones.

1. Bethpage Black. Tough course and tough people but great experience and really a good test of your game.

2. TPC Sawgrass. Played a dozen times and it’s just immaculate and the clubhouse is over the top cool.

3. Pinnacle Country Club. Arkansas. I was a member here for 3.5 years and the layout conditions and members are all top notch. 

4. Cal Club. San Francisco. Very lucky to play a track like this one cut into the heart of the city. Really fun walk. 

5. Royal Melbourne. Australia. Another one I was fortunate to play during orientation for my new job where my company is headquartered. Hugh super manacured hedges block off the street views and there are several courses next to each other. 

6. Buffalo Ridge, Branson, Missouri. Very hilly course owner by the owner of bass pro shops. Fast bent grass greens and tee shots from cliffs. Has live buffalo on the course. 

7. Pinehurst 2. North Carolina. Tough course but it has so much history you have to play it.

8. Playa Mujeres golf club, Mexico. All inclusive club with Big crocodiles in the ponds and a few holes run alongside the beaches. 

9. Bay Hill, Orlando FL. I was lucky enough to meet Arnold Palmer during breakfast the Tuesday during the masters week 2016 before he flew up for the champions dinner. That day will always be special to me. 

10. Streamsong Red, Florida. Great walk on a course built on old phosphate mines. Really sandy and not the typical Florida course. Highly recommend staying a night in the really nice hotel on the property.

[b101]

On 10/09/2017 at 12:02 AM, iacas said:

9. North Berwick - The Redan, the first green, the 18th hole, the crazy 16th Biarritz… just a really great and under-rated, FUN course..

I really, really want to play here. Been on my bucket list for some time, but we keep going to the other side of Scotland...

To add some more links to this list 

My top ten:

1. Royal Lytham & St Annes.
   Just an amazing links course. Not the prettiest, but the best test of golf I've ever had - you have to play just about every shot imaginable. 
2. Rye (Old).
   Very old-school, exclusive and again, phenomenally tough links. Par of 69 with the sole par 5 as your opener, so would love to see how I scored again.
3. Hindhead
   Was a member here for a long time - lots of heather and two very contrasting nines with some fun elevation changes.
4. Hankley Common
   Top end heathland course - great design, lots of heather and so open that you feel you're the only ones out there. 
5. Burnham and Berrow (Championship)
   My current course; doesn't have a weak hole and in fact has a number of stunners. Great links and plays differently every day due to the wind. 
6. Turnberry (Ailsa)
   Played this just after it reopened and whilst the two I was paired up with (US tourists who took driver at everything, badly, then blamed the caddie for not being able to find their ball that had sliced some 60* right...) almost ruined it, it's certainly the most spectacular course I've ever played. Would love to do it again, properly.
7. Western Gailes
   Loved every second of this round with lots of blind shots and the feel that you really had to plot the ball around the course. 
8. Royal North Devon
   So, there are sheep everywhere, no greenkeepers and you turn up wondering where you're going or what you're doing. 5 holes in and you love the place. The back nine was brutal dead into the wind, but I had a very close game with a friend here and this was the perfect course for it.
9. Saunton (East)
   I like the West, but the East has some class holes that just lift it above. Big, championship greens, an amazing 18th to finish with and some really well thought-out stretches.
10. Woburn (Marquess)
    A slow round and the only parkland course to make the list - towering pines and perfect greens made it feel like a US course. Some really nice design, but really it was just the grandness of the course that made it special.

[Big C]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 9:09 AM, tdiii said:

In no particular order:

1)  Bandon Dunes

2)  Pacific Dunes

3)  Portmarnock GC (the original old course outside Dublin)

4)  Mayacama GC

5)  Martis Camp (spectacular mountain course in Tahoe -- also my best round ever)

6)  Rock Creek Cattle Company (so fun and playable, awesome Big Sky beauty in MT, and fantastic, friendly service)

7)  Fountaingrove  (home course)

8)  Fall River Valley (goat track but fantastic layout and a ton of fun)

9)  The Preserve

10)  The Vintage Club (Mountain Course)

I'm supposed to play San Francisco GC Wednesday, so I'm guessing The Preserve or The Vintage Club will get bumped off.   

I drove by Fountaingrove yesterday and despite being in the midst of severe devastation, the course looked relatively unscathed. Were any holes affected or is the course still open and playable? It was a pretty amazing sight to see street after street of homes burned to the ground - And sitting right there in the middle of it all was a lush beautiful golf course that looked to be in pristine shape.

[Ty_Webb]

Hmm, this is an interesting question. I missed it originally. Let's see. Genuine answer to the original question would be, in order:

1. The Old Course - home of golf - can't leave this off

2. Walton Heath New - as number 4

3. Bethpage Black - my "local"

4. Walton Heath Old - love this place - played it at school and a lot since

5. Winged Foot West - lucky enough to have played here and I really enjoy it

6. National Golf Links of America - the most fun golf course I've ever played

7. Royal St Georges - play here every year lately and it holds some very special memories

8. Royal Cinque Ports - as with number 7

9. Pine Valley - just the best course I've ever played

10. Effingham with my parents and my brother - this is the course I grew up on. Colt course in Surrey. I would pick it with my family for my last ever round - may change that once my kids are old enough to play, but for now, this.

List number 2, the most exclusive by US standards anyway (I'm rating up the UK clubs on the list a little bit)

1. Pine Valley

2. NGLA

3. Winged Foot West

4. Winged Foot East

5. Muirfield

6. TOC

7. RSG

8. Merion

9. Baltusrol Upper

10. Bayonne

[tdiii]

7 hours ago, Big C said:

I drove by Fountaingrove yesterday and despite being in the midst of severe devastation, the course looked relatively unscathed. Were any holes affected or is the course still open and playable? It was a pretty amazing sight to see street after street of homes burned to the ground - And sitting right there in the middle of it all was a lush beautiful golf course that looked to be in pristine shape.

Yes, the course is basically unscathed.  The greens had been punched the week before the fire, and now the course has been sitting there for 6 weeks with no one beating the cr@p out of it. 

During and after the fires, power was out to the area and all our irrigation control boxes melted.  I think they have been replaced by now.  We were able to get water trucks onto the course about 5 days after the fire to get waters on the greens or they would have been lost.  There are many, many trees that have been removed and are being removed. 

The course is not yet open, but should be open by year's end. 

We lost our entry house, maintenance facility, all our maintenance vehicles and golf carts, the club house, and one of our bathrooms on the course, but our athletic facility is fine.  So, now we need to deal with getting the new club house built, which may be a blessing in disguise as it was not very popular with members anyway and now we have insurance money to rebuild. 

Golf courses do pretty well in wild fires, it turns out.  Mayacama had lots of trees burned and brush burned around it (as well as at least one bridge), but the course looked unscathed this past weekend.