Mike,
I am surprised you would give it a 6 or 7. I never played it the day I saw it but it is such a clever but subtle course.
The tie ins around the greens and the seeding are just spot on that to me it is easily an 8 on the Doak scale.
It is the type of course that any architect would be proud of designing because it is a challenge but it is also a wonderful members course. If an architect can achieve that on a course then it is near perfect to me.
Brian
Brian,
You’re correct that Hidden Creek is a wonderful, thoughtful, subtle golf course and this past weekend was my second playing. I would also readily admit that a second playing did slightly increase my already very favorable enjoyment and appreciation of the course, as some of the man-made features have matured since my original visit shortly after the opening of the course.
I’ve also played the course with a wide variety of people of differing skill levels, including local pros and top amateurs. I’ve carefully looked at everything and find myself wondering why I’m being asked to defend my opinion that Hidden Creek is a 6 or 7 on the Doak Scale and in the second half of the Top 100 Modern courses in the country.
That’s AMAZINGLY positive! There have been about 13,000 courses built in this country since 1960 (the cutoff date for GolfWeek Modern list) and any course even considered to be one of the best 100 of those is in elite territory. I just don’t believe that when you extend this to include all of the courses in the country built prior to 1960, including all of the Golden Age courses we love, that Hidden Creek is quite “that” great.
Some Doak Scale numbers in the Philly/NJ region, from “Confidential Guide to Golf Courses”;
Plainfield – 7
Somerset Hills – 7
Aronimink (pre restoration) – 6
Huntingdon Valley – 6
Lancaster – 7
Philly Country Club – 7
Philly Cricket Club – 6
Rolling Green – 7
Saucon Valley (Old) – 7
Saucon Valley (Grace) – 6
How about some number from the British Heathlands courses, which Hidden Creek was inspired by;
Ganton – 8
Moortown – 6
Woodhall Spa – 8
Royal West Norfolk – 7
The Addington – 7
Berkshire Blue – 6
Berkshire Red – 6
Royal Ashdown Forest – 7
Sunningdale Old – 8
Sunningdale New – 7
St. George’s Hill – 8
Swinley Forest – 8
Walton Heath Old – 8
Walton Heath New – 7
So, Brian, when you say that Hidden Creek is “at least an 8”, please tell me that it’s at least as good as every course listed above and better than most of them?
I’ve written extensively in the past about the pros and cons of Hidden Creek, so I won’t repeat that exercise. But, I would like to hear from others about their frank opinions on Hidden Creek and I would like to see them be so bold as to attach at least their own personal “Doak Scale” number and explain why.
I can understand how others might avoid “Top 100” discussions, but we all see some value in the “Doak Scale”, correct? So, let’s see some cuyones out there and cut this vague cliched crap about “it’s a course I could never tire of playing”, or "anyone can play it yet it remains challenging for the better player".
Let’s hear a number people!
Interestingly, one of the BIGGEST proponents of the course on this board (who shall remain nameless unless he wishes to identify himself) wrote me after playing there initially and said, basically, “there’s no way that’s a top 100 course”. Perhaps subsequent playings have changed his mind?
