The ugliest great course is...or..the best fishing course is...

[Jordan Wall]

From Ran's review:

The ugliest great course award might go to...Walnut Lane

[Jack_Marr]

That's right. The Ridge Pool in Ballina is one of the most famed salmon pools anywhere. It's quite near Enniscrone. Only six spots to be had there per day.

[Jason Blasberg]

Based on the pictures on this web site I've got to go with Garden City..What am I missing..

If that's a genuine nomination, EVERYTHING!

In fact, GCGC is one of those pieces of land that if airlifted into blind folded and you knew nothing about the course but knew long island, you'd never think you were in the middle of Garden City (which is a handsome town but very very dense).  When the fescue is up at GCGC it's majestic.  

[cary lichtenstein]

Carnoustie wins my award for ugly

[Anthony_Nysse]

I'm not a fisher, but Long Cove must have some good fishing cause a lot of the pos come here to fish when the heritage is in town.....

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[peter_p]

Oregon fishing courses: Salmon Run in Brookings and
Crosswater. Maybe Kahneeta, but I'm not sure. Peter Jacobsen landed Jack Nicklaus for his F.M. Challenge through fishing.

Carnoustie, during the reign of the old clubhouse. Sam Snead didn't think too much of TOC.

[Sam Sikes]

I will throw Kinloch in there for the Fishing.  The lake was previously a private fishing club.   I heard one of the young caddies caught a 14 Pound Largmouth in there last year.  Not to mention a beautiful place to pass the corners of the day.

[Mike_Cirba]

The only golf course I've ever played that actually made me think I'd like to go fishing there was Vail GC in Colorado.  

A sparkling clean, rock strewn river runs through it.

[M. Shea Sweeney]

Based on the pictures on this web site I've got to go with Garden City..What am I missing..

John,

I will garuntee if you played this course your view would change. I will say that the pictures taken are not at the most beautiful time of the year on Long Island.  Late spring and middle summer makes that course look and feel like a piece of heaven. If you are the traditionalist you seem to be you will fall in love. Pretty awesome place come late afternoon in July.

[Mike_Sweeney]

Maidstone!!

[John Kavanaugh]

Based on the pictures on this web site I've got to go with Garden City..What am I missing..

John,

I will garuntee if you played this course your view would change. I will say that the pictures taken are not at the most beautiful time of the year on Long Island.  Late spring and middle summer makes that course look and feel like a piece of heaven. If you are the traditionalist you seem to be you will fall in love. Pretty awesome place come late afternoon in July.

I am sure Garden City is a rare treat to play..I just don't get the look of the  cross bunker on 9 or the Doak pots on 14....

[Patrick_Mucci]

Maidstone!!

Mike,

I never was into fishing, but, I now see the attraction.
Where can I find guides like that ?

JakaB,

What don't you get about the cross or large fronting bunker on # 9 at GCGC ?

The hole measures 325 from the tips, but, on a straight angle it's probably less, and, the prevailing wind is at your back, thus, for today's young or strong golfer, it's drivable if they want to take the risk.

Laying back to 100-120 yards makes sense, however, with firm greens and the wind at your back, getting the ball close to a front hole location is difficult, and flying at a back hole location frequently results in going over the green.

It's a wonderful little hole that extracts more than its share of bogies and above.

As to the rest of the golf course, I've always favored a restoration to 1936.  There is an abundance of photographic evidence that could serve as a perfect guide to a perfect restoration.

GCGC is a special golf course, a rare throwback to a special age and environment.

[Mike_Sweeney]

I never was into fishing, but, I now see the attraction.
Where can I find guides like that ?

Patrick,

There is a chance that this will be the last year of The Creek Outing as my son may switch to a new school in Manhattan. Thus I have a special request in to have a return of your favorite waitress!  

[John Kavanaugh]

Pat,

You once told me that Garden City was one of the most natural classic courses ever built...To me..the cross bunker on 9 doesn't look natural at all.  Specifically the grass humps don't fit my eye.

Oh, does anybody have any lure recommendations for catching bass...something around 5$'s I can pick up at WalMart..

[mike_malone]

 I think we need to make it clear that the man in the photo is not Mike Sweeney. Unless those are some basketball playing women.

[John_Cullum]

Pat,

You once told me that Garden City was one of the most natural classic courses ever built...To me..the cross bunker on 9 doesn't look natural at all.  Specifically the grass humps don't fit my eye.

Oh, does anybody have any lure recommendations for catching bass...something around 5$'s I can pick up at WalMart..

A purple worm about 8" rigged texas style usually works.

[Scott Whitley]

Royal Cinque Ports (Deal) gets my vote.  Lovely course, very indifferent surroundings (including the requisite trailer park, which borders all the great UK courses, and some startling glimpses into backyards in various states of disrepair).  Never a view of the sea. The town seems like it hasn't changed in 50 years, in a bad way.  Don't get me wrong, loved every minute of my visit there.

[Jason Blasberg]

To me..the cross bunker on 9 doesn't look natural at all.  Specifically the grass humps don't fit my eye.

John, I take a bit of a circuitous route to the office everyday so that I drive down the side road adjacent to #9.  When there are no leaves on the trees you get a great perspective of both the left to right tilt of the fairway and also the bunkering in front.  It's likely more impressive from the side view than from off the tee.  Next time your there walk down the extreme right side of the hole and I think you'll gain a different perspective.

Jason

[Ryan Farrow]

I agree with John on this one. Looking at the course makes me want to vomit.

[Jason Blasberg]

I agree with John on this one. Looking at the course makes me want to vomit.

Ryan:

I'm inclined to say that this post epitomizes the statement that there is no accounting for taste but that would be wrong . . . this post is a great example of some folks smokin some serious crack!  I assure you vomitting at GCGC could only occur after having a few too many in the greatest 19th hole that I've had the honor of hanging out in.

Jason

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I agree with John on this one. Looking at the course makes me want to vomit.

It's posts and topics like these that are rarely insightful, let alone constuctive or informed.

Congratulations Ryan, You've been had or duped or whatever you want to call it by someone that is clearly trying to just get Pat's goat. Well, you seem to someday want to design a golf course. You should be so lucky that it will embrace the ideals, the architecture and the look of Garden City Golf Club. The Hemstead Plain is wonderful place and I can hardly wait for my next visit to there and GCGC. (With exception to the 12th hole which could be changed back to its proper simply by one particular architect using his new found power to convince the members that restoration and reconstruction of that hole is a must.)

Or you could go the way of say Arnold Palmer course design and design a course that looks aesthetically pleasing--to you; plays really good--to you and is no different then every oter dogsit golf course throughout the country, which accounts for about 85% of them.

It's you choice: Learn by the Garden City's and try to emulate and embrace that wonderful architecture or design crap that only a John Kavanaugh could love; along with the rest of the status quo that don't give a damn. I can assure you anything like that is less then GREAT.

[bstark]

  How bout Wannamoisett?

   The course is plunk in the middle of Rumford RI. Gritty surrounding neighborhood and a mish mosh of a clubhouse, but boy what a course once you tee it up.

[Patrick_Mucci]

You once told me that Garden City was one of the most natural classic courses ever built...To me..the cross bunker on 9 doesn't look natural at all.  Specifically the grass humps don't fit my eye.

Then you won't like Merion or Pine Valley either.

So, it's not the cross bunker you object to, it's the little islands in the middle of the bunker ?

If so, they're very functional.

Without them, more golfers would attempt to drive into that bunker.   Those islands, which were photo'd in the fall have tall whispy grass on them in season, and are fairly gnarly since they're not maintained.

One wants to avoid them at all costs, hence, most rethink the option of driving into the bunker, leaving them an explosion shot of 10 to 40 yards to the green, which, when the hole is cut up front and the wind out of its prevailing direction, makes for an easier shot, versus a wedge or sand wedge from the fairway to a firm green.

Photos can be helpful but I don't know if I'd rely on a single picture from but one angle when evaluating a feature.

[Ryan Farrow]

I’m not saying it’s a bad course I just do not like the way it looks. I would love to play it and learn from what it offers but by the pictures on the site it does not please my eye. The question only deals with a person’s personal preference. Maybe if I saw it in person my opinion might change. All I have now are pictures. And I didn’t mean to offend anyone here. I feel like I’m about to be hung.  

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Ryan,
You just have a more open mind to what is actually GREAT and what isn't. Your going by images. GCGC is a unique experience in the Sport which has you wanting to scream by the 2nd tee, thanking God you died and went to heaven.

That is until you get to the 12th which is a quick trip to Hell, but by the 13th tee your back in heaven again.

Trust me when I say this: we come into this 'architecture'-thing thinking we know what a golf course should look like. Our brains are trained for what we think we know is GREAT and what isn't. That is until we find out that we are nothing more then students and that the Garden City's of the world are best equipped classrooms. They may seem old and musty to you, but in reality, the knowledge that can be obtained from them is infinite, and the beauty of these places lies in their abilities to project you back into time when the Sport was based of honest values uninfluenced by gross blatant consumerism and the like.