Your Top 10

[Steve_Roths]

After recently completed another trip I have a had a few additions to my Top 10 played.  I know we are waiting on Quassi's Top 20 but I thought I would start a thread:

Pine Valley
Cypress Point
Shinnecock
Sand Hills
Pacific Dunes
Sheep Ranch (for the pure fun of it)
Merion
Garden City
Friars Head
ShoreAcres

[ChasLawler]

and your point is?

[Jack_Marr]

You've played some nice ones, that's for sure.

[mike_malone]

 Ballybunion
 Pine Valley
 National Golf Links
 Royal County Down
 Royal Portrush
 Lahinch
 Merion
 Portmarnock
 Bethpage Black
 The Island-County Louth- Portstewart

    I hope to add Shinnecock this year.

[Mike_Sweeney]

 Bethpage Black
 

In November 2004, Mayday said, "The most distinctive feature was the use of a big piece of land. This enabled the designer to use several high ridges for greens and tees. The up and down shots are the course's strongest points.  The placement of bunkers into ridges also added to the "look" and the strategy.

      I wonder whether the greens are up to the level of the top classic courses. I think not;just not enough interest.

      Also there are several bland holes where the land is flattish. It is tough to make these holes interesting without significant earth movement,but I can only comment on what was there and it falls short of many of the classic era courses I have played.

      So, I did register to come back to play it again.I would like to see it in warmer weather.

      How does it get rated so highly? Is it because it is in the New York area and has public access? "



What happened? Did Matt Ward change your mind?  

[mike_malone]

Mike,
    Shouldn't you be talking to someone about a great stock right now?

    I just haven't played enough great courses yet for BB to fall off the list.


  I almost chose Twisted Dune instead.

[Matt_Ward]

Mike:

Hold on to your seat partner -- but I do agree with you / re: Bethpage Black. Is that a first or what?

While I am a huge fan of the Black there are limits to its design. Namely, the putting surfaces are not as sophisticated or complex -- roughly six or so exceptions -- to merit inclusion among my personal ten best.

The Black does have a fascinating piece of land that's hard to beat given the scope of terrain one covers for 18 holes.

However, if one were to compare the complexity of the greens at Winged Foot / West to the Black you can see the major separation point between the two.

In addition, the new back tees at the Black (namely the 9th, to name just one example) are making the course more and more a muscular layout devoid of any real character with a counter-balancing aspect (I do dissent from those who are enamored with the 2nd hole) of the finesse game.

[Mike_Sweeney]

Mike,
    Shouldn't you be talking to someone about a great stock right now?

    I just haven't played enough great courses yet for BB to fall off the list.

So you are saying that BB and its flattish greens and some of its bland holes is better than Flynn's Huntington Valley, Rolling Green and Indian Creek?

Merion seems to be pretty high on the Philly Guy's personal list.  What next Hidden Creek?  

[mike_malone]

 Mike,
     You are a sharp guy. I thought it would be bad form to rank my own course. But, thanks for reminding me of Indian Creek.

   BB is gone--insert Indian Creek in that slot.

[wsmorrison]

Mike Sweeney,

See what I've been dealing with here?  Mike Malone is an eager student but slooooow on the uptake    Remedial classes are always in order.

By the way, Mike Malone isn't a big fan of Merion either.  I think in the past he's held Rolling Green in higher regard.  Topographically speaking he's right, but it needs to be tweaked and it apparently is, fortunately enough.  A combination of tree maintenance and course conditioning towards firm and fast would be a boon to the course, close to but not at Merion's level.  That is assuming 18 as a par 4!

Mike Malone, what's this about being bad form to rank your own course.  What if you belonged to Shinnecock Hills?  It wouldn't be on your list because of bad form?  Be decisive and tell everyone this is your list and stick to it.  Don't let some Philadelphian living in New York make you change your list.  Even if it does contain logical faults  

[Mike_Sweeney]

Mayday is just a warm-up for Cary's Top 20. That should be a real party !

[mike_malone]

 Wayne,


  If I belonged to Shinnecock I wouldn't even bother with these lists.

   I had forgotten Indian Creek.

    My thoughts on Merion are that I can't believe  there are only a handful of  courses  better than it in the country.

[wsmorrison]

"My thoughts on Merion are that I can't believe  there are only a handful of  courses  better than it in the country."

It doesn't matter what others think, what American courses do you think are better than Merion?  Let's see how many of those you've seen or played subordinate Merion in your rankings.

[mike_malone]

So far I have only played one that I would put above Merion that is ranked lower by the magazines. That is NGLA.

[Tom Ferrell]

A combination of history, architectural merit and pure fun, in no particular order...

Riviera
Los Angeles Country Club (North)
Pebble Beach
Pinehurst #2
ANGC
Western Gailes
Turnberry (Ailsa)
Yale University GC
Olympic (Lake)
West Links at North Berwick

[Tom Jefferson]

....'cause I'm on vacation this week and can sit here, drinking coffee in the morning sun, commenting on these trivial and very satisfying matters........

Cypress Point Club
San Fransisco Golf Club
Olympic Club (Lakeside)
Pacific Dunes
St. Andrews Old
Royal Dornoch
Carnoustie
Western Gailes
Pasatiempo GC
Bandon Trails

Tom

[John Goodman]

TOC
Royal Co. Down
Royal Dornoch
Ballybunion (Old)
Pinehurst #2
Muirfield
Royal Portrush
Royal St. George's
Pebble Beach
Walton Heath (Old)

[Jim Franklin]

1. Cypress Point
2. NGLA
3. Sand Hills
4. Pine Valley
5. TOC
6. Pacific Dunes
7. Friar's Head
8. Merion
9. Oakmont
10.Victoria National

[John Goodman]

I'll take a crack at a second 10:

Portmarnock
Carnoustie
Olympic (Lake)
Cruden Bay
Yale
North Berwick
Waterville
Roayl Ashdown Forest
Pasatiempo
Kingsbarns

[Jack_Marr]

Unfortunately, my golfing experience does not go far outside Ireland, so... I don't know anything about architecture, in reality, so I'm basing this list on the courses I enjoyed the most.


Lahinch
Enniscrone
Portmarnock
Headfort New
Esker Hills
Old Head
Arklow
K Club (Smurfit Course)
Carlow Golf Club
Carne Golf Links

[wsmorrison]

Sean,

Harlech?  You've got to be kidding as one of your top twenty.  I know I'll get in trouble, but that was one of my big disappointments in golf.  While there are some truly world-class great golf holes there are a lot of duds.  I look at those large dunes and wonder what if they put more holes in there.  The first stretch of holes are flat and boring.  I spent much of the early part of the round looking over my shoulder wondering when we were going to finally get into the dunes.  When we finally got there it was everything I hoped for but about 12 holes too late; there were far too few making use of the dunes.  Although that castle is pretty cool looking!

[wsmorrison]

Rather, Sean, I hope that I one day see what you see and come to regard the course more highly.  I admit to only one visit and perhaps it has something more to do with traveling so far to see Harlech that it failed to meet my loftiest of expections.  I don't mean to begrudge you your feelings, they are more valid than my own single experience I'm sure.

[Bill_McBride]

This took a bit of head scratching...........

In no particular order:

Cypress Point
Pebble Beach
The Valley Club of Montecito
Oakmont
The Old Course St Andrews
North Berwick West Links
Capilano
Pacific Dunes
Cuscowilla tied with Friars Head

The last two being modern gems.

[Jerry Kluger]

I haven't played it but where does Monterey Peninsula come in since Strantz did the renovation work.

[Tim Gavrich]

In no particular order, and not nearly as elite as the other lists:

Palmetto GC
Caledonia
Yale
Hartford GC
Sugarloaf
Tot Hill Farm
Tobacco Road
Pawleys Plantation
TPC River Highlands
The Dye Club at Barefoot Landing