[John Foley]

Name the best / most interestigly contoured greens on a public course with green fees less than $75?

I,ll start with Morgan hill.

[Bart Bradley]

Pinion Hills...I think this has the best greens/greens fee ratio in the country.

Bart

[Adam Clayman]

Bart mentions an excellent choice. Others off the top of my head would be Black Mesa and Wild Horse.

[DMoriarty]

Bart,  I agree that Pinion Hills is a tremendous deal, and when I have been there (years ago) it was in great shape, but do you really find the greens to be interesting?   As I recall they are almost all made of of three distinct terraces at different levels, many "Mickey Mouse" greens in shape at least.   Just my opinion.

And for my homer opinion . . .   I cannot think if many courses with more interesting greens than Rustic Canyon at any price, so I think it would have to be on  this list.

[Bart Bradley]

Bart,  I agree that Pinion Hills is a tremendous deal, and when I have been there (years ago) it was in great shape, but do you really find the greens to be interesting?   As I recall they are almost all made of of three distinct terraces at different levels, many "Mickey Mouse" greens in shape at least.   Just my opinion.

And for my homer opinion . . .   I cannot think if many courses with more interesting greens than Rustic Canyon at any price, so I think it would have to be on  this list.

David:

Pinion's greens are far from my favorite but the category is quite limiting...public and less that $75 ...it was the first thing that came to my mind as greens on a cheap public course that were different and with lots of contour.  I would be open to changing my mind.

Bart

[Adam Clayman]

David, I'll throw in a distinction. Pinon's greens are very interesting on approach. Putting on them less so. Rustic is a great call and are very interesting to putt.

[Craig Van Egmond]

I always thought Apache Stronghold had some excellent greens.

Sand Creek Station (Brauer) has some very cool greens for less than $40l

[Michael Moore]

Walter Travis's Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine.

[John_Conley]

Name the best / most interestigly contoured greens on a public course with green fees less than $75?

John, North Palm Beach was recently renovated by resident Jack Nicklaus and the greens are pretty cool.  It is less than $75 in the summer and probably more than that in-season for a non-resident.

Certainly a nominee for this topic.

[John_Conley]

Indian Creek is my nominee for the DFW Metroplex.

[Craig Van Egmond]

John,

     Indian Creek definitely had some killer greens.

[John Moore II]

Name the best / most interestigly contoured greens on a public course with green fees less than $75?

John, North Palm Beach was recently renovated by resident Jack Nicklaus and the greens are pretty cool.  It is less than $75 in the summer and probably more than that in-season for a non-resident.

Certainly a nominee for this topic.

I have been told by people that the greens at NPB are out of scale, as in the contours are a bit extreme for the size of the greens. I was never able to play it while in Florida though.

I would say the best I have played within the contraints is Tanglewood Park (Championship), course hosted a PGA Championship in 1974 and the greens were very unique, none seemed to be the same.

[Kalen Braley]

This one is easy.....Indian Canyon in Spokane, WA.

Thats the main reason you play the course where putts seemingly break uphill and on some 10 footers you are just praying to 2 putt.

[Eric Pevoto]

I'll add Lederach.  Galen Hall would be a second.  Well below $75

[Matthew Delahunty]

Machrihanish

[Matt_Cohn]

Are there any cheap public Maxwells in TX/OK/KS?

[Ryan Farrow]

I always thought Apache Stronghold had some excellent greens.

Sand Creek Station (Brauer) has some very cool greens for less than $40l

Apaches are good but not always..... ...never? in good shape. Rustic is a good choice. Papago here in AZ has some pretty wild greens, and if you can find any Stantz course for a resonable price, they are certainly unique. 

[RJ_Daley]

Of course I'd put up Wild Horse, and also Rustic Canyon.  Lawsonia fits the affordble bill with great greens also.  Don't forget Angels Crossing for wild and exciting greens in affordable territory.

[Joe Bausch]

I'll add Lederach.  Galen Hall would be a second.  Well below $75

I'll second Lederach, which can be played for 25 bucks before 8 AM M-F through the rest of the month.

[James Boon]

John,

I'm sure you are looking for courses in America, but thought I'd mention one over here in England. I played Rutland Water yesterday and for £20 played on some of the most interesting greens I'd seen for a while. I played with the designer, and he has already posted a series of photos on a previous thread...

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,31427.0.html

One of the main reasons for the undulations on the greens was that they didn't have the budget to provide a full drainage system under the greens and so they are designed to naturally shed water. I'm sure Ben can comment further...

Cheers

James

[Ben Stephens]

James, thanks for the mention about Rutland Water's greens!! I must admit that James was the victor in our match!

Most members at Manton (which Rutland Water is better known as locally) say that the course is harder when it is dry! This is probably because it is harder to hold the ball on the greens and there is more break at higher speed. James and I are due to have a rematch in the near future when it is definitely dry after playing James's home course.

We both played in atrocious wet conditions off the whites (playing around 6700 yards) yesterday. I am pleased to say there was not one area of standing water on a single green and they were in great nick especially the newer 21 month old greens on the back nine (in play just over a year!)

The greens subsoil structure is very simple due to budgetary reasons - the outlined green area subsoil was cleared out and then a basic layer of good quality topsoil was added + used to shape the greens and then 6 to 8 inches of fine rootzone (mixture of sand and very fine top soil) was added on top of the topsoil layer. The slopes of most greens were influenced by the existing surrounding landscape so that the flow of subsoil water will continue to flow in the same direction over an large area. This approach has also enabled me to create large interesting greens on a low budget using a mixture of fescue and bent grass variety.

Ben


 

[Phil McDade]

Lawsonia, for sure.....(it maxes out its green fee at $85 w/ cart at weekend play in high season, but you can walk it mid-week for $55 and walk it for as little as $28 in the off-season -- maybe the best bargain in golf.)

Langford/Moreau's Spring Valley, near Salem WI  on the Wisconsin/Illinois border, has terrific greens, kept at a very good pace, at a max. (all-day!) green fee under $25.

[C. Squier]

Add Kankakee Country Club to your list of Langford/Moreaus, Phil.  Great greens and probably $30 at most. 

[Tom_Doak]

High Pointe and Quail Crossing would both challenge most of the courses listed to date.

[Rich Goodale]

Hard to beat the Eden Course at St. Andrews, which is about $75 at current exchange rates.  Stateside, I like Pajaro Dunes for that price.

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