The Best Flat Courses

[Mike Nuzzo]

David,
The Old Course, followed closely by Wolf Point Club.
Cheers

[Wade Whitehead]

Old Tabby Links @ Spring Island

WW

[paul cowley]

Barefoot Love in Myrtle Beach.

[J_ Crisham]

Champions in Houston , although the greens have very significant elevation changes in addition to being quite large.

[John Sheehan]

Harbour Town and Sawgrass, both are excellent now but seem to have required some effort especially with Sawgrass. Both IMO are significantly better than Talking Stick North although I know some of you would go the other way on that one.

Somewhat OT, I realize, but I am curious Andy:

Ignoring the comparison to those two courses, is there something about Talking Stick North that you found uninteresting in the design? 

Was it simply the flat terrain?

Thanks,
John

[Sam Morrow]

Champions in Houston , although the greens have very significant elevation changes in addition to being quite large.

I agree Jack though I've heard that the greens on Cypress are fairly flat.
How about Colonial?

[Dean Stokes]

The Dye Preserve, Jupiter, Florida. A very good course on a piece of land that doesn't have 1% elevation change on it. Pete seems rather good at turning nothing into something rather good.

[Mike Bowline]

Colt's Country Club of Detroit would be high on my list. 

I would second the mention of Colt's CC of Detroit, despite the overabundance of trees.

Curious there have only been two FL courses mentioned. FL is FL_AT.

[Philippe Binette]

Garden City

Kingston Heath

[Chris Kane]

Of the courses already nominated, The Old Course and Kingston Heath.  But neither are even close to flat, and feature several blind shots due to the terrain.

[Chuck Brown]

Garden City

Kingston Heath

I'm sure I'd have mentioned Garden City if I had ever had the good fortune to play it.  My experience is merely vicarious, through The Confidential Guide... 

[Sean_A]

Of the courses already nominated, The Old Course and Kingston Heath.  But neither are even close to flat, and feature several blind shots due to the terrain.

Chris

Amen brother!  TOC flat?  Not a chance.

The flatest good course I can think of is New Zealand.  There just aren't that many good flat courses about.  I spose in a pinch you mention Princes, but it isn't really flat.

Ciao

[Kalen Braley]

Sean,

I suppose we're partially flying in the dark because "flat" wasn't defined.  While I've never been to TOC, its my understanding the course doesn't have much more than 20-25 feet of difference between the highest and lowest point on the course.  To me thats pretty flat, but perhaps I'm a little biased because many of the courses I play in my parts have that much difference on one hole.

[Sean_A]

Sean,

I suppose we're partially flying in the dark because "flat" wasn't defined.  While I've never been to TOC, its my understanding the course doesn't have much more than 20-25 feet of difference between the highest and lowest point on the course.  To me thats pretty flat, but perhaps I'm a little biased because many of the courses I play in my parts have that much difference on one hole.

Kalen

IMO a low elevation change does not make a course flat.  All the humpty bumpty has to count for something other than flat.  On a micro level, TOC has more elevation change than nearly every course ever built - there is that much humpty bumpty going on. 

Ciao

[Kalen Braley]

Sean,

I suppose we're partially flying in the dark because "flat" wasn't defined.  While I've never been to TOC, its my understanding the course doesn't have much more than 20-25 feet of difference between the highest and lowest point on the course.  To me thats pretty flat, but perhaps I'm a little biased because many of the courses I play in my parts have that much difference on one hole.

Kalen

IMO a low elevation change does not make a course flat.  All the humpty bumpty has to count for something other than flat.  On a micro level, TOC has more elevation change than nearly every course ever built - there is that much humpty bumpty going on. 

Ciao

Sean,

I think thats a pretty interesting assessment in terms of all the deltas with the humpty bumptys, if you add them all up I'm sure they come to a decent size number. But then again, that same claim could be made for hundreds of courses with rolly polly fairways as well.

However I can think of at least a few courses here in Utah that might change your mind....   

[David Druzisky]

Good to see the post on Seminole and am suprised it did not come up on this one as a good flat course, even though there are a couple non flat areas.

Wolf Point looks like a great flat course as well.

Seems that when there are only a couple unique natural elelments that enter the otherwise flat site, they really stand out and become key components within the design.  The dunes at Seminole and the creek (or whatever it is) at Wolf Point play big roles in their respective designs.

I am a bit suprised there are not more identified for Florida where there is an abundance of flat sandy land to pick from. Or not?

In this recent master plan effort I started this post off on I came to be remimded just how fortunate we were to be able to shift bunkers and even tees so easily where we determined they needed to for modern yardages purposes.  Many courses are bound by the lows and highs they were originally routed upon and how the hazzards and features were placed into them and sometimes there is not much you can do.

[Dean Stokes]

Old Marsh, Champ at PGA, Ritz Carton (Jupiter), The Bear's Club, Medalist, Trump (West Palm Beach), Lost Tree Club (Palm Beach Gardens), LPGA (A Hills course), Oceanside ( Daytona), Hammock Creek (Palm Coast). The list could go on. Any decent course away from the ocean in Florida is most likely on flat land. Some of it totally flat when construction began.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Old Marsh, Champ at PGA, Ritz Carton (Jupiter), The Bear's Club, Medalist, Trump (West Palm Beach), Lost Tree Club (Palm Beach Gardens), LPGA (A Hills course), Oceanside ( Daytona), Hammock Creek (Palm Coast). The list could go on. Any decent course away from the ocean in Florida is most likely on flat land. Some of it totally flat when construction began.

Dean,

Trump is NOT flat.
It's got dramatic elevation changes.

Boca Rio is a great flat course.

Philippe,

Garden City is NOT a flat course.

[mark chalfant]

Westhampton   CC

Inwood  CC

CC of Detroit    (Alison)