Personal Course Favorites That Are NOT GCA.com Favorites

[Sean_A]

The all-time, all-world super sleeper, though, remains Rye.  Yeah, we talk about it some, but at 6300, par 68, it gets no respect at all, either in the US or even in the UK, where it never lands as high on any lists as it belongs.

I don't profess to know where Rye belongs on a list, but it is in no way a sleeper.  Jeepers, if Rye is a sleeper than Addington and Pulborough are as well - and I don't think this is the case.  Of course, we could have a different view of what a sleeper is.

Ciao 

[Tom_Doak]

Sean:

I think your perspective on UK courses is a little skewed.  I guarantee you there are hundreds of Americans who look at this site who know next to nothing about Brancaster or Rye, and very few have ever gone to either one.  I had to look back to check if Ran had reviewed them ... nobody has referred to those reviews in ages that I can remember.

[Sean_A]

The all-time, all-world super sleeper, though, remains Rye.  Yeah, we talk about it some, but at 6300, par 68, it gets no respect at all, either in the US or even in the UK, where it never lands as high on any lists as it belongs.

I don't know profess to know where Rye belongs on a list, but it is in no way a sleeper.  Jeepers, if Rye is a sleeper than Addington and Pulborough are as well - and I don't think this is the case.  Of course, we could have a different view of what a sleeper is.

Ciao 

What's it rated in the most recent GB&I rankings?

Dave

I don't know, but I thought the question related to GCA.com thoughts, of which I have never heard a bad word said about Rye.  Though it would be interesting to see if it could make "write in " status in Ian's list.  

Tom, perhaps I am skewed or skewered - as you wish.  But I think Rye and Brancaster turn up as regular names as favourites among GCAers - even if fewer people do mention their names then say Cruden Bay for instance.   

Ciao

[PCCraig]

OK, I'll give you guys a few:

Itasca CC, about a mile east of Medinah.  If I could give you guys a set of those Bose headphones and let you play without the incessant audio pollution from the planes and trains, I think you'd get a kick out of it. Blind shots out the ying-yang.  Over the last decade or so, the conditioning has been great and it's a ton of fun.  Every par 5 is reachable.  The par 3s are a hoot.  The par 4s have nice variety.  Lots of up-and-down in the terrain and some holes running along the side of pretty severe ridges....lots of turbo-boosts, and turbo-anti-boosts....This is a damn nice golf course, despite Robert Bruce Harris trying to wreck it, plus a few decades of neglect - a prime target for a resto-remodel.... 

Big sleeper in Chicago:  Elgin CC.  Way west.  Never talked about.  Lots of fun.

Bigger sleeper in Chicago:  Old Elm.  Love it, love it, love it... 

Shivas-

Could you elaborate as to why you love Old Elm so much? I have played a good amount there and would agree with you I'm just curious as to why you think so.

I played a CDGA event way back when at Itasca and can't say I was a huge fan, I just remember one big ridge running through the center of the property.

[Phil McDade]

Blackhawk CC west of Madison, WI.  I've mentioned this before.  It's also a blast because half the par 4s are drivable, it's really hilly, the greens are fun and it's what I call "high-beta golf".  You can make eagle or X on almost half the holes.

Good call, although it's probably more of the "hidden gem" category than a course that GCA types might not like. Blackhawk is real below-the-radar stuff -- even in Madison, it doesn't get nearly the pub that other privates do. Interestingly, a ton of Madison city tourney golf champs over the years have come out of Blackhawk, a pretty good testament it seems to the course. I think if it had more exposure to folks on the GCA board, they'd love it, because it's got lots of quirk and really uses the lay of the land in interesting ways.

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

CC of NC

Its one of my favorites in NC, but it often gets lumped in with the "Dark Ages" of GCA crowd.l

[Matt OBrien]

Make that 3 for HVCC...

[Brian_Ewen]

Gleneagles - I always thought the course was terrific - but very few others even acknowledge the place even exists.

Ian , I hope mean you mean The Queens course at Gleneagles . How it gets no love is beyond me ?

[Kalen Braley]

David Stamm,

Great call on both Pajaro and Old Del Monte.  Too really fun courses that can be easily overlooked.  Petes greens did rock and the course has terrific views and ODM really has some great bones to it.

Another course to add is Indian Canyon in Spokane, WA.  I did a profile on it in here, but it really is a must see course if in the area, especially when it comes to cantered fairways.   

[Carl Rogers]

Those of in the DC area or North Carolina will not be dissapointed if you spend the time and gas money if you teed it up at Riverfront in Suffolk, VA.

It might be a more subtle and complex course than Beechtree, but you need to make up your own minds.

[Tim Gavrich]

Of all the golf courses I've played that already do or would probably get a lot of GCA criticism, my favorites would have to include:
Duke GC
TPC River Highlands
Gillette Ridge (which grows on me more and more with each time I play it)
both the Blue Monster and the Great White at Doral
Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards
Scotscraig
Coosaw Creek
Maryland National

[mike_beene]

Tim,I will second the Cliffs Vineyards course. I will add Spanish Bay, Oak Tree and Reflection Bay.

[Ed Oden]

I agree with those who hold HVCC in high regard.  But I don't think it fits the profile of this thread.  While it might not get as many raves as some more heralded courses, I don't ever recall seeing any negative reviews.  Same thing with Old Town.  HVCC and Old Town may lack exposure, but I think they are both generally well regarded on this site.

On the other hand, I have never understood the venom some on this board have for Congressional and Medinah.  While I can't say either is one of my "favorites", they are both fine courses nonetheless.   Are they overrated?  Sure.  But both are too often panned as crap.  Such characterizations are gross overexagerations.  In my opinion, the rankings are closer to the truth than the pans.

Ed

[Mark Pritchett]

I think Dye Colleton River is quite good.  It doesn't seem to get the same respect as Long Cove and Harbour Town on this site. 

[Doug Wright]

Spanish Bay, a personal favorite for personal reasons (played it on my wedding day...).

Talking Stick South, which I think is just a really solid course and a cool contrast to TSN.

PGA West, fear-inducing but fun-if-you-pull-them-off shots at every turn of this Dyeabolical track.

Grandote Peaks, probably not a GCA.com favorite because it's more of a hidden gem, located in remote southern Colorado.

[Rob Rigg]

Summit in TO - a Stanley Thompson layout with a lot of great elevation changes.

Toronto has so many courses that it often goes unnoticed because it is north of the city and needs a little bit of work.

Strong holes, IMO, include 1, 4, 8, 14, 16, 18

There are also a few "quirky" holes including 6, 7 (when it was in play), 12, 17

As with many "older" Toronto courses, Summit is quite interesting because the holes are not formulaic or redundant. The architect was not afraid to create some holes that would probably be rejected today.

[Peter Ferlicca]

San Gabriel Country Club in Los Angeles, CA

I don't think this course has ever been mentioned on this site.  It is on a very small piece of property, but it has great bunkers and fantastic greens.  Very, very tight off the tee, there are some holes that are only 15 yards wide with trees lined on both sides. 

[Mike Benham]

Monarch Bar, Tony Lema Course, San Leandro, CA

[Ari Techner]

The Heather at Boyne Highlands I think is one of the better courses in N. Mi and doesnt get much of any love on here.  I could be biased after 100s of rounds here while in college but I think this course is great and the stretch from 8-17 is really special. 

[Matthew Rose]

DSchmidt - I used to play matches at Blackhawk CC back in high school; to this day it remains one that always stands out among the courses I've played (a list of which is admittedly not the equal of most of the posters on this site). At the time I wasn't particularly fond of it because I usually played it poorly, but from an architecture standpoint, I loved it for its eccentricities (several par fours under 300 yards, Par 3-Par 4-Par 3 finish, etc.). My front nine was often several strokes higher than my back nine, regardless of how I played.

Tom D - would that be the Commonwealth on the Melbourne sandbelt? If so, then that would be one I enjoyed thoroughly, despite terrible weather. Played it the day after my wedding in a downpour.

[Bill Gayne]

Doonbeg is a favorite of mine that get's mixed comments on this site. I think many of the comments are based on word of mouth and reports from when the course first opened. Significant changes have been made and the course is now much more playable and fun to play then it was in 2002.

[Sean Leary]

Portstewart. Front 9 is fantastic...

[Joe Hancock]

Marquette Trails in Baldwin, MI.

Whacky, fun, cool contours on greens.

[Tim Bert]

I'll second Jack's comments on Olympia Fields North.  I went in expecting to be underwhelmed, simply based on everything I've ever read including it being one of the "worst" US Open courses.  I really enjoyed the course, and it offered much more than I expected.  It can be a brute, but it was fun and it had enough options with various tees to play regularly.  Perhaps even better was the walking tour of the South course, which looks like a lot of fun!

I always mention Newport National on threads like this.  It doesn't seem to garner much attention or praise, and I think it is a really nice New England public course. 

My homer pick is Vanderbilt Legends Club North.  It's never going to make any lists, but the course you play the most will always hold a special place in your heart (at least it should or you ought to find another place to play the most.)  It's got a couple really good short par 4s, and a good mix of par 5s.  I really like the wide fairways, interesting greens, and the pseudo firm and fast conditions (as firm and fast as you've seen zoysia anyway) they get going in the summer.  The super and his team do a great job.  If only they'd take a chainsaw to a couple of trees on a few select holes. 

[Tim Leahy]

Sandpiper near Santa Barbara, Ca. Some great ocean holes, good greens, spectacular views and can play as tough as any in Cali with the wind up. Great double header with La Purisima.

http://www.sandpipergolf.com/