Best 18 Holes

[Michael Dugger]

Here is my U.S. only list, only 1 hole per course

WITH PICTURES!!!

#1 Kingsley Club Par 5



#2 NGLA Par 4
(COULDN’T FIND PICTURE)


#3 Pine Valley Par 3



#4 Spyglass Hill Par 4



#5 Crystal Downs Par 4



#6 Pacific Dunes Par 4



#7 Ballyneal Par 4



#8 San Francisco GC Par 3



#9 Maidstone Par 4



#10 Pasatiempo GC Par 4



#11 TPC Sawgrass Par 5




#12 Black Mesa GC Par 4



#13 Augusta Nat’l Par 5



#14 Friars Head Par 5



#15 Cypress Point Par 3



#16 Merion Par 4



#17 Whistling Straits Par 3



#18 Sand Hills Par 4

[Matt_Cohn]

Michael, major props for the effort. That is a great way to do a favorite 18. However, the one shotter at SFGC is #7, not #8. Does Ballyneal #7 drop out, or do you have another #8?

[Michael Dugger]

Michael, major props for the effort. That is a great way to do a favorite 18. However, the one shotter at SFGC is #7, not #8. Does Ballyneal #7 drop out, or do you have another #8?

Matt.

Well damn!  That screws it all up.  I will keep the 7th at BN 'cause I think it is a tremendous hole...very unique.  However I need a new 8th then, and it needs to be a par 3 to boot.  

Too bad I can't use the 8th at Sebonack!!!

Ya know doing a list like this is tough business.  So many great holes to have to choose from.  What hole from Pine Valley does a guy choose?  How can you leave off the 8th at Pebble, or CP 16.  Part of the criteria for my list was being able to find an image of it.  It's all in fun after all, right!

[Sean_A]

Try this for size: UK only:

1. Royal Liverpool 428 yards par 4 (old numbering)
2. Royal Worlington and Newmarket 224 yards par 3
3. Prestwick 482 yards par 5
4. Ganton 406 yards par 4
5. Royal County Down 438 yards par 4
6. Hunstanton 337 yards par 4
7. Royal Troon 403 yards par 4
8. Royal West Norfolk 492 yards par 5
9. Silloth on Solway 134 yards par 3

Out 3344 yards par 36

10. Alwoodley 475 yards par 5
11. The Old Course, St Andrews 174 yards par 3
12. Swinley Forest 455 yards par 4
13. Royal Lytham and St Annes 342 yards par 4
14. Royal Dornoch 445 yards par 4
15. North Berwick 192 yards par 3
16. Saunton East 434 yards par 4
17. Conwy 389 yards par 4
18. Woodhall Spa 540 yards par 5

In 3446 yards par 36

Total 6790 yards par 72

I'm not entirely happy with having three par 3s on odd numbered holes and three par 5s on even numbered holes - not great for matchplay.  I'm pleased to have got a number of shorter par 4s in and several decidedly short par 5s, but each has the capacity to put egg on face if the gamble doesn't come off.  There are a few too many par 4s in excess of 400 yards for my tired old game, but I'll take my strokes at those holes and use my handicap.  

Sean, I'm sorry not to have included Pennard or Beau Desert, but I know that you will represent them loyally in your selections.

Mark

I could only find room for one each, though it killed me to leave out Pennard's 11th.  Who knows, it may go in eventually!

I must say you do have some odd holes in there.  I can understand wanting a Conwy hole becuase of your affiliation, but the 17th is an interesting choice. It is easily the best of the "gorse" holes because of its risk/reward nature.  I spose the hole is clever in that all it really requires is a 3 iron/8 iron, but I spose the flat bellies could get it quite close to the green with a mighty lash.  If you do hit driver the view of the hole is much better than back around the 150 marker.  Its a goodun' for sure.  The 18th at Woodhall has me perplexed.  I really dislike that bloody tree!

You remain loyal to Hoylake!  I think the 1st is a hole that grows on you.  At the moment, I have more a respect for the hole than a love for it.

Tommy

I see you admire Sandwich's 4th and Ballybunion's 11th perhaps more than me!  I nearly chose Calamity for my 14th, but I had to go with the bunkerless Foxy lest I be called a fraud.

AwsHuckster

You have Bally's #11 and Foxy as well.  Its strange that I haven't heard many people talk so highly of Bally's or has my head been buried in thoughts of Maize n Blue takin it to the Trojans.  Nevermind that it is virtually a home game for you California girlie boys.

Ciao

[Ed Tilley]

GB & I only

1. Machrihanish, par 4 (hon mention RCD, St. Enodoc, Saunton East)

2. Carnoustie, par 4 (hon mention RCD, St. Enodoc, Dornoch, RSG, Formby, Enniscrone, Tralee)

3. Silloth on Solway, par 4 (hon mention RCD, St Enodoc, Dornoch, Enniscrone, Tenby, Tralee, Enniscrone)





4. Royal County Down, par 3 (hon mention RSG, Silloth, Tenby, St. Enodoc)

5. Royal Dornoch, par 4 (hon mention RCD, Sunningdale, Silloth)

6. Royal Dornoch, par 3 (hon mention RCD, RSG, Carnoustie, Formby)

7. Pennard, par 4 (hon mention RCD, Ballybunion, Formby)

8. Formby, par 5 (hon mention RCD, Ballybunion, Turnberry, RSG, Tralee, Machrihanish)





9. Royal County Down, par 4 (hon mention Turnberry, Formby, Carne, Silloth)

10. Royal Dornoch, par 3 (hon mention Sunningdale)

11. Waterville, par 5 (hon mention Dornoch, Carne, Pyle & kenfig, Formby)

12. Enniscrone, par 4 (hon mention Sunningdale)

13. Royal County Down, par 4 (hon mention Carne, Enniscrone, Silloth, P&K)

14. Royal St. Georges, par 5 (hon mention Dornoch, P&K, Carnoustie)



15. Royal St Davids, par 4 (hon mention RCD, Turnberry)

16. Tralee, par 3 (hon mention St. Enodoc, Turnberry, Waterville, Ballybunion)

http://www.golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/Ireland/Tralee/pages/Tralee%20185.htm

17. Ballybunion Old, par 4 (hon mention St. Enodoc, Turnberry, Waterville, Carnoustie, Sunningdale, Tralee, Silloth, Carne)

18. Carne, par 5 (hon mention St. Enodoc, Waterville)

It pains me that I have nothing from St.Enodoc in there but 35 out, 37 home par 72.

[Tom Huckaby]

Greg T.:

It's funny, we were just in the preliminary discussion phase of another trip sans-kids to Mexico... other non-Cabo locations were being mentioned... These will now be squelched.  Good lord do I need to get down there again.  Figure some time in low season 2007... June/July.  

Sean - heck, we can agree on some things.  Re Ballybunion, it gets discussed... one just has to keep his eyes open.  And re the events to take place on New Year's Day, well.. we shall see.   Just note if the Rose Bowl was home for USC, they wouldn't have lost their last two games there.  

Michael - hell of a list - and pictures do speak 1000 words at least!

[Greg Tallman]

Greg T.:

It's funny, we were just in the preliminary discussion phase of another trip sans-kids to Mexico... other non-Cabo locations were being mentioned... These will now be squelched.  Good lord do I need to get down there again.  Figure some time in low season 2007... June/July.  

Tom - Won't have the 6 & 7 project done by then but I can provide a sneak preview or more than likely you can see it mid-project.

Even at that if golf is relatively high in the priority nowhere elese in Cabo has really developed a comparable golf product as Cabo.

I'm certain you'll enjoy the changes to #16.

What is your timeframe for making your travel plans? I'll try to help you avoid the maintenance programs... at least at CDS.
Should also be one new Cabo course on line by that time with some of the wildest greens you've ever seen. Probably unplayable if rolling faster than a 9.

[Jim Nugent]

Ed, you didn't give #11 at Ballybunion Old even an honorable mention.  Don't care for the hole so much?

[Ed Tilley]

Ed, you didn't give #11 at Ballybunion Old even an honorable mention.  Don't care for the hole so much?

I must admit I completely forgot about it (and number 10). I realised after I'd posted but I didn't change it. It really should be in but it would be a shame to leave out the 11th at Waterville as it's a fantastic par 5.

That said, if we were limited to one from each course I would still pick 17 at Ballybunion as I love that hole.