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I think Rum Pointe should be in top 10. By the way. Have you played PV? I made double on your hole shown...With Davis plaque....

Predominantly, The average golfer relates more to an LPGA player. After watching a fair amount of the women play a few months ago.....and seeing more than a few of them choking up on their driver....I figured why not. Wow, My contact is better. The club feels light, as if I could swing it 125mph...Ha, Maybe I'm hitting 95mph now...Anyway, My driving has improved

Trump Doonbeg is the best place to stay in that area. Since he bought the course and imploded a few of Norman's mistakes, the course is much better now. Lahinch is a better course. But the draw to Trump Doonbeg is staying there, and upon staying there ya might as well play the course. And if anyone wants to pay me to play anywhere....I'm game. A great itinerary is just north of this area. With Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Sligo at the south end. Work up to Donegal and Narin Portnoo. That's maybe the best bang for buck trip you can do in Ireland. Stay at Mt Falcon a few nights. Yea, That's a nice trip. Have done that twice. Tapping into Lahinch and Trump Doonbeg at beginning or end works well too.

1800 is quite a lot. The most I have heard of for different course play. I have around 750. I also collect my score cards, pencils and get a book if they have one. I enjoy playing new places. I will only play new places which I feel are also a good course. When I do my spreadsheet trying to determine the golf I have played.....50 years of playing with an average of 100 rounds a year or about 5000 rounds played. I have lived in 7 different states. All on the east coast. Good luck with your efforts. I couldn't imagine my total ever exceeding 1000....1800 and ultimately 3000 is prodigious.

I gave thought to this concept and have for some time...I sit down and ponder which type template is my fave….and then I think how many template types are there...I review the list at the start of this post....8 types. I scratch my head...I thought there were 10...Then I try to list the types. Alps, I love this type hole and rarely see one. Prestwick was my first round played overseas and because of member tee time restrictions on weekend they sent us off 12 and 17 is the Alps and it is spectacular...It is my fave and the original 17 at Prestwick is also my fave hole of templates. Then Biarritz ….Love these. Love 9 at Yale. There is one on Old Macdonald at Bandon also. I have played the original at North Berwick. But Yale 9 my fave. Cape holes...Don't like em. Have had arguments with rater types over them...Candidly they are suppose to be short doglegs creating a proper entry based on green complex angle...My point with length of play today...many have become drivable par 4's. And candidly, that isn't per se a template hole but should be....Everybody loves a drivable par 4 too....Then we have Redan. The original at North Berwick....When I first played it I nailed a great iron. It ended up over the green...I was mystified how...the green sloped away and was firm...WTH....Love the redan at Somerset Hills NJ. Short..another. The original at Royal Troon is diabolical. You better hit it within 10 feet of the angle you aim at...Love short par 3's. Punchbowl...This again is a great type but so few. Love the punchbowl at Fishers Island. Blind entry to a huge bowl...Love it. Have a bud who is member at Ivy Hills near Cincy and they have a punchbowl par 3...And they have more than twice as many aces there as any other par 3...Road hole another template. They have one again at Old Macdonald at Bandon but you can't duplicate the original...17 at Old Course St Andrews. It is a beast. Eden, This is a very specific type hole. The original at St Andrews Old is maybe not duplicable. Double Plateau, You see this quite a bit. Just a two tier green on a tough par 4. The last is Sahara..I haven't been to the original and I have played National twice and theirs is quite nice.

Of the courses mentioned just prior. I've made way around all but Oakmont and Koolau. It is one thing playing these...It's entirely another playing in top tournament conditions...My guess is Oakmont would be an absolute beast. The course at Brookline isn't even the course they play for US open. So identifying it isn't proper. It isn't the same. Ocean at Kiawah....If they wanted to they could embarrass the tour players there. But when they had the PGA there they made it playable so they wouldn't scare off their future clients. For those I know who have played Koolau or however you spell it...They say don't go...It is stupid tough. Lost balls galore. Winged Foot is very challenging but fair. Thick rough. Angled fairways which you thought you hit but your ball slid slightly with the terrain and now you are pressed as to whether you can advance it to the green from insane rough....Ugh...Good stuff.

I've had chance to play all 3. Loved Spyglass.It is a very challenging course. Tougher than Pebble. Thunder Hill played it from the tips....Couple tee boxes were difficult to find...Ha...That was a beast. It wasn't per se a great golf course. And hence met it's fate. Fowler is nice. It is not a course I'd say was a challenger for toughest though.

Ya must have gotten a free drink or two...

Was just in Wales and played Pennard and Royal Porthcawl...10 days in the area mostly SW England...and not a drop of rain...End April first week May. Pennard one of my all time Faves...

You are near Crystal...What course you thinking about? The very simple answer is as follows...If you went to college and joined a frat....You are a private club type. 2nd...Joining a private, you throw $ view out the window...It will never make sense for a single. Family with kids is great reason, place for the young ones to take up game and enjoy it. I love Ballyowen, Wild Turkey, Use to play Farmstead and Bowling Green way back when. I was a member at a private in CT for 12 years...When my kids were taking game up. Have not been for a while. I enjoy playing all over.

There are 113 courses in SC that are ratable...Grand Harbor isn't one. Ocean Course is one of my all time faves. Best way to play it is go there. Play one of the cheaper and play Ocean as replay at 1/2 price or less. Of the 15 I've played 9 of them and agree TPC a little higher, Tidewater too a little higher. Barefoot not so sure Dye would be the one I'd include. Love for me. These lists are a compilation of hundreds of raters.....

I have played 13 of 15. Have traveled to AC for 20 years with a group. ACCC is our fave Twisted 2 and Shoregate 3rd Ballamor 4 Scotland 5th in the AC area. Ballyowen is excellent. So the list is very close to spot on in my book.

A quick 30,000 foot view. I'm a rater with GW. Not every course is ratable. Only the top 1000 per se...And to get 1000 they take 2000. As there are 16,500 courses in US that points to about 12%. The focal point is architecture. The guy that ran GW rating up to 2018 lived next door to Wintonbury. Maybe it got a little bump from that.....I lived in CT 35 years and lists are banter for discussion. Yale is accessible yet isn't considered on you can play list....My top 10 of CT would be Yale, Great River, Fox Hopyard, Keney, Wintonbury, Lake Isles, Shennie, CT Nat, Mohegan, Richter Park. Many times the situation is that not enough raters have been to a course for it to be included. Alternatively as only 12% are ratable...many decent places are not rated. And the ratable hurdle excludes both public and private...Conditioning is small part to rating...My guess is best determinant is two weeks after playing...How many holes do you remember. And kinda like your handicap...Once it is established....It's kinda tough to move it dramatically. I lived in FL for 8 years at PGA Village. Have played 25 of the 30 shown. And my list would be almost identical to the FL list shown.

Jordan has excelled at every stage...He'll be back....and very soon

Lived in West Orange many moons ago. Rock Spring very nice and should take over some of the overcrowded Francis Byrne.

Being in the public eye like Hank etal are....You need to be aware of your comments with more concern than you or I do. I agree with much of what he said. I would not have said what he did if I were in his shoes...The talent on the LPGA is really quite good. Viewership for LPGA won't move because of talented play....There needs to be a bigger story. The PGA ratings were way down...Why? No Tiger. The story of Brooks wasn't enough...It's not like the PGA is rocking because of talented play. It is the sidebar stories that move the PGA. Right now Tiger owns the PGA.... So what will move the needle for the LPGA? It is time for Bubba to come clean and acknowledge he views himself as a woman. Go play on the LPGA and look out...Viewership will skyrocket...Ha

I carry often. As often as allowed to. Some courses make you take cart. But candidly...11 clubs vs 14...No difference. I keep my stuff in bag at minimum. three balls tops...No stuff. Full set. Could I carry less...Yes. Have I ...Yes. A few times when the weather was miserable and I was far away and playing no matter what. Head covers off. Even irons out. Bag gets seriously wet and gets much heavier...But under normal play. I like carrying because I move less. Bag goes where I go. Pushing those carts is so much more walking. I'm 62 and no spring chicken...It's best to do some prep to be ready to carry. Throw on a back pack and do a few hikes for a few weeks. My golf bag is such that at full...I can hold it straight arm out with not much effort. The double strap bags are so adjustable and comfortable. I find walking and carrying more enjoyable.

Two areas which have very good public golf courses...Atlantic City...With ACCC, Twisted Dunes, Shoregate, Ballamor, Scotland Run, Cape May National.....another is Ocean City Maryland with Lighthouse Sound, Rum Pointe, River Run, Bear Trap. Orlando kinda supplanted Myrtle as the go to place for winter golf as they have just as many courses and the weather is so much better. Wisconsin with America Club, Sand Valley and Erin Hills is a great spot. for top level public golf though...Bandon is the champ. And the Sheep Ranch is coming too.... Candidly, I play in NYC area more than a little.....but mostly at private courses. When I think of the best spots to play golf...Metro NY is either first or second....Philly is the co champ IMHO . Inclusive of all courses.

I have been on both sides of this many times. Some friends invite me and I know I am their guest with no $ put forth. Many clubs have restrictions regarding tipping also. With the friends who cover me for the day I reciprocate accordingly. When caddies are involved my typical guidance is that I will cover at the very least my caddie and tip. Overall though I keep a mental balance sheet and hope to keep it near balance. If the only ask was a caddie tip....A reciprocal is called for.

Great story. Sometimes you just bump into good stuff.

You have lost perspective. Play to have fun. And walk. And don't drive your cart through puddles.

My batting average is about 100.....Believe this year is prepped to increase my BA....

I read all the answers here....and the vital point is not addressed. What is the motivation of the owner? Profit is not always the motivation. Many an owner of golf courses have thrown profit out the window based on their desire to own a specific property. Many have bought and built golf courses because they couldn't get in to certain private golf courses....The manner by which those courses are handled has nothing to do with profit. It is their big play toy and screw everybody else..They set the rules of who/what/where/why there is play in their playground....

It would not be prudent to stay in one spot for this itinerary. I broke it down to 3 spots. From Heathrow first day played Burnham&Berrow about $100 US to play. Then made way to Seagate in Appledore...Pub/Hotel about $100 a room a night..If do double 1/2 of that. Was there 3 nights from there played Royal North Devon again about $100. Saunton East and West day for 36 about $120. Then made way to Molesworth Arms pub/hotel about $80 a night. played Trevose $90, Perranporth $60, and St Enodoc $100. Then spun up around bend to play Royal Porthcawl $200, Pennard $70, stayed at Fairways in Porthcawl. Last rounds at Sunningdale which both ranked in top 50 of world....$500 for 2 rounds. There is a great golf tour company called Countrywide which has great packages. I used them to set up.www.countrywidegolfholidays.com