Best golf destinations in the US

[Nick Pozaric]

Whats do you think the top golf destinations in the US are?  Chicago, Long Island, Bandon, Monterey,... what do you think?

[Wayne_Kozun]

What about Philly, Pinehurst, Scottsdale, San Fran, Hawaii and the Greater NY area, not just LI?  

[Nick Pozaric]

how about examples in those places like Philly or Scottsdale or Greater NY

[Glenn Spencer]

If you have access to anything you want, it is Columbus. Everything in Ohio is 2 hours away. You can't beat that.

[Jim Sweeney]

Assuming all access? One better begin thinking about the MA south shore and Cape Cod.....

Agree with Glenn Spencer, too.

In no particular order, Monterrey CA area, Pinehurst area, Long Island, Westchester County and the CT panhandle, Northern MI, Oregon Coast, Scottsdale

[Wayne_Kozun]

how about examples in those places like Philly or Scottsdale or Greater NY

Philly - Pine Valley, Merion, Aronimink, etc. - that's 2 out of the top 10 in the US
NY - in addition to all of the courses on LI there are Baltusrol, Winged Foot, Westchester and probably a lot more that I am unaware of.
Scottsdale - Talking Stick, WeKoPa, Troon, Grayhawk.  They are not everyone's cup of tea, but they ain't bad.

In your original post you didn't mention public or affordable and since you are including Long Island and Monterey then I am assuming that you aren't worried about those issues.

[Andy Troeger]

I'd second northern Michigan, also Kohler, WI. Indy has a surprising amount of good affordable golf too.

Glenn's remarks about Columbus, OH seem to be on point too.

Also in Scottsdale (or around it): Gold Canyon (Dino Mtn) and Las Sendas are others that are worthwhile.

[Jay Flemma]

Here's my little "jet set" tour I once cooked up...

Pinehurst, NC -> Charleston, SC -> Ponte Vedra, FL, -> Sante Fe, NM -> Scottsdale -> Monterey ->  Bandon -> Denver -> Nebraska -> Northern Michigan -> Binghamton, NY -> Greater NYC -> Baltimore, MD -> Williamsburg, VA -> Pinehurst.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Hey!  Why'd my ex-girlfriend take three days in the shower?  Lather, rinse, repeat.

By Redanman, I respect you, but Turning stone's courses are a kaleidoscopic whirligig of baroque trash.  They are NOT affordable (except SMith's course) and represent everything wrong with architecture today.  Atunyote is $175 and Kaluhyuck is $135...that ire not cheap.  Hiawatha Landing, Conklin and Greystone blow them all away.

[Tim Pitner]

I'm assuming we're talking about publicly accessible golf.  For quality, variety, scenery and proximity (of courses), Bandon wins hands down.  It's really not very close.  

Including private courses--you'd have to say Long Island:  Shinnecock, National, Maidstone, Friar's Head, Sebonack.  This quintet beats Monterey by a fair margin.  

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm assuming we're talking about publicly accessible golf.  For quality, variety, scenery and proximity (of courses), Bandon wins hands down.  It's really not very close.  

Including private courses--you'd have to say Long Island:  Shinnecock, National, Maidstone, Friar's Head, Sebonack.  This quintet beats Monterey by a fair margin.  

Hmmmm.....

MPCC x2, Cypress, Pebble, Spyglass.

Maybe LI wins, but not by much.

As for public access, that too isn't completely crystal clear in favor of Bandon... Pebble/Spyglass/Spanish or Poppy are at least in the same ballpark.

Oh, I forget - you're one of the anti-Pebbleites on here.  Never mind.

 

[John Kavanaugh]

Why not include the moon while your at it..

[Tom Huckaby]

Bay of Tranquility GC is damn good... Ward can REALLY crush one there...

 

From previous responses, I figured access and price were not factors in this.

Make that so and the answers are far different, obviously.

[Tim Pitner]

Tom H,

You're right, I have said that I think Pebble Beach is overrated, by which I mean that I wouldn't put it in the top 5 courses in the U.S. (and maybe not in the top 10), but it's a strong #1 for the Monterey team.  However, I would put Pacific Dunes ahead of Pebble, which really tips the scales for Bandon because I don't see that strong of a supporting cast for Monterey in Spyglass, Spanish Bay and Poppy Hills.  Throw in the Oregon coast and the walking only policy (no concrete!) and then the margin continues to increase.  I'm sure my vote has nothing to do with the fact that I'll be in Bandon next week.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tim:

Understood.  It all turns on you putting PD over Pebble.  As much as I love PD - and I truly do - I don't find that particularly close, and not in the same direction as you.    The others seem to be a wash to me.

You are gonna have a blast next week, that's for sure!

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

Redanman - you're on.  When do I book my flight?

Please understand I am VERY conversant on the incredible depth of great courses there - of that I have no doubt whatsoever.  It has CA beat hands down if we go down to 10... it's not even a contest at 20...

But we were just talking 5, in a very small area.  And in that, well I believe I am safe in saying we in CA are in the same ballpark.

TH

[Tim Pitner]

Tim:

Understood.  It all turns on you putting PD over Pebble.  As much as I love PD - and I truly do - I don't find that particularly close, and not in the same direction as you.    The others seem to be a wash to me.

Tom,

Well, we're at loggerheads over Pebble versus Pacific--so be it.  As for the others, I really can only speak with authority about Spanish Bay versus Bandon Dunes.  Spanish Bay is definitely not a wash with Bandon Dunes.  If we're talking Doak scale here,  Bandon Dunes would be around an 8, and Spanish Bay is in the 5-6 range.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Understood re PB/PD.

Re the others, yes, I'd say BD is a far superior course to Spanish Bay.

So the comparison is BD and BT v. Spyglass and either Spanish Bay or Poppy Hills.

The Bandon courses might get the overall nod, but it's closer than you might think - at least I don't think I'm crazy calling it a wash.  Spyglass Hill remains a hell of a golf course, and neither of those others are all that bad.

In any case, my contention remains not against calling either area superior, but rather asserting that Bandon wins and it's not even close.  Come on, it has to be at least close.  That's all I require.

 

[Jimmy Chandler]

Tom H and Tim:

Does price or the number of courses factor into your calculation of Monterey vs. Bandon?  I see price a big plus in Bandon's corner, and number of quality courses in Monterey's.

Tom: Do you think Pebble is worth $275 per round more than Pacific Dunes? (And that does not factor in the cost of staying at a Pebble property vs. staying at Bandon.)

[Tom Huckaby]

Jimmy:

This was done outside of price, at least by me.  That's normally how things go here.

Make price a factor and NEITHER win, not in my book.  Both places are way too expensive.  

TH

[Jay Flemma]

Redanman...yes Kohler, Peble and Pinehurst are outrageous...but when I meant "monterey" I meant MPCC, not Pebble...and I didn't put Kohler in ther at all.  Granted I like Whistling...but when I take my next vaca for fun...it's black mesa.

As for booze, I just dont drink on the course and not much more otherwise, so save alot there.

Alot..I once figured that at some rstaurants you can actually spend as much on booze as you did on dinner.

Bag drinking, save 50%  Sign me up!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I think of golf destinations being public as well. I think the Pinehurst area, Myrtle Beach, Monterey Peninsula(1), Kohler, Bandon Dunes(2), Greater Central Florida and Alabama Gulf coast, Texas Hill Country and Hilton Head are the best I have know enough about to speak to. I am sure northern Michigan is in there as well.

[Jay Flemma]

Tiger...central fla...do you by any chance mean one of my faves...World Woods??

[Tim Pitner]

Tom,

I'll give you close, just to be accommodating.  I think my actual quote was that it wasn't "very close."  Sometimes I get carried away because I love everything about Bandon (although I also agree with you that the place has changed somewhat in the last few years).

Jimmy,  

I wasn't thinking of price either, although, as you point out, Bandon does quite well when compared to Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and Kohler.  Of course, all of these places are tres cher.  I will admit that I can't completely separate the merit of the courses from the atmosphere of the resort, and that's where Bandon really separates itself for me.  The lack of pretense, the emphasis on golf (and multiple rounds of golf per day), the more rugged environment--Bandon just appeals to me more.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Tim:

Well said.

Just do report back after next week, and let's talk about lack of pretense at Bandon.

As much as I do love the golf courses, well... I found it to be worse at Bandon than at Pebble.  At the latter, people ARE rich and just shove it in your face, but you expect it.  At the former, well... it's a place that's meant to be lacking pretense but finds itself with the Pebble crowd there now far more than real golfers.  I hope it's not the case for you... but I was shocked last June....

It's a sad thing, and god love them they do try to keep it all about golf there... but at those prices, it's now a pretense crowd.

TH

[Jimmy Chandler]

My experience at Bandon was two Springs ago -- before Trails opened and in the offseason, so I did not experience the pretense Tom speaks of.  I loved the relaxed atmosphere and golf-mostly air (there are other things to do, but not much).

I understand for abstract purposes why you would not take price into account.  But I for one read these threads in part to think and dream about my next golf vacation (which would be my first golf vacation -- I've taken vacations that included golf, and weekend trips that were golf only, but never a golf vacation).  And for that purpose considering price is important to me -- if not to anyone else.

Tom: Can you think of any top golf destimations that are reasonably priced?  I was happy (more than happy) in Monterey to walk around Pacifc Grove Muni for under $50 on a weekend, but admittedly I wouldn't fly out there just for that one course.