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Bob_Huntley

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The Best 2 Course Clubs
« on: December 14, 2008, 06:31:45 PM »
The thread 'Best 12 Month Clubs' got me thinking.

What about the club with the best two 18 holers. 


Bob


Mike Sweeney

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2008, 06:39:26 PM »
Despite its "utopian, communistic policies"  :D , I would choose MPCC for its contrasting combination of one classic and one modern course in one of my favorite locations on earth.

Tom Birkert

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2008, 06:41:43 PM »
Bob,

In the US, from what I have been told, it is Winged Foot although I'm sure that there are others which enter the equation - Merion for starters.

In the UK I'd say it's pretty hard to beat Sunningdale.

Bill_McBride

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2008, 06:42:06 PM »
MPCC without a doubt.  There is not a second course at Pinehurst close to #2.  I haven't played the Dunes at MPCC, but I hear it is as good as the Shore which is terrific.

LACC, haven't played the South.

Royal Melbourne, need to get there.....

St Andrews, New and Jubilee lagging far behind The Old.

Ash Towe

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2008, 06:42:32 PM »
Bob,
MPCC
Sunningdale
Ballybunion
Royal Melbourne

I have only experienced MPCC and Royal Melbourne but the other 2 are sure on my wish list.

Peter Ferlicca

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2008, 06:46:22 PM »
Olympic Club, but the ocean course doesn't get as much recognition as the lake.  You also get to enjoy the fantastic par 3 course on the ocean.  Im pretty sure there isnt any golf clubs out there that have that feature.

Andy Troeger

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2008, 06:49:20 PM »
I'll stick with only clubs that I've visited (at least one of the courses). Without having played The Dunes either, it would seem pretty tough to beat MPCC.

Other clubs that may not get as much mention:

Forest Highlands (Canyon and Meadow)--both top ten in AZ per Golf Digest. Canyon is handily my favorite course in Arizona, and Meadow would also make my top ten. (Haven't played Whisper Rock, but if we're discussing AZ it probably deserves a mention).

Olympia Fields (North and South)--especially after the South re-do it would seem.

Promontory (Dye Canyon and Painted Valley)--not the level of the other two I mentioned, but the Dye course especially is a nice course.

Las Campanas (Sunset and Sunrise)--two Nicklaus courses rated highly in New Mexico. Again not the level of the others mentioned but one could do much worse.

PCCraig

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2008, 06:51:21 PM »
Merion
Winged Foot
Olympic Club
Forest Creek

How about best 2 course publics??? Would that be Cog Hill and / or bethpage?
H.P.S.

henrye

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2008, 07:00:22 PM »
The thread 'Best 12 Month Clubs' got me thinking.

What about the club with the best two 18 holers. 


Bob



For myself, Sunningdale.  What about you, Bob - any opinion?

Phil McDade

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2008, 07:19:07 PM »
Merion
Winged Foot
Olympic Club
Forest Creek

How about best 2 course publics??? Would that be Cog Hill and / or bethpage?

How about just down the road from St. Andrews and the two courses at Crail? One ancient, one modern, two very different tracts, and different approaches to architecture.

Bob_Huntley

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2008, 07:22:02 PM »
The thread 'Best 12 Month Clubs' got me thinking.

What about the club with the best two 18 holers. 


Bob



For myself, Sunningdale.  What about you, Bob - any opinion?


Henrt E.,

I think it a tie between MPCC and Winged Foot and my reasoning is thus:

The majority of the members at both clubs are indifferent as to which course they play, whereas at Olympic, Baltusrol, Merion, Congressional, Ballybunion and Sunningdale there is a definite favorite.

Bob


Matt_Ward

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2008, 07:25:22 PM »
On the American side -- Winged Foot takes the spot for me.

The West has a stellar reputation as a top tier championship deciding club.

It's little brother the East Course -- is no light weight by any means and has hosted a number of key events over the years as well.

When you factor in the nature of the membership itself -- one of the best among low handicap players within the USA -- you have a club of simply outstanding pedigree.

Tillinghast was asked to create a man-sized course and did that superbly.

Some facilities may have one course of top tier quality -- see Merion / East, Olympic / Lake, but none can match the dynamic duo Winged Foot presents in the States.

Tim Gavrich

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2008, 07:37:54 PM »
In New England, The International has to be up there.
Senior Writer, GolfPass

Bob_Huntley

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2008, 07:40:33 PM »
On the American side -- Winged Foot takes the spot for me.

The West has a stellar reputation as a top tier championship deciding club.

It's little brother the East Course -- is no light weight by any means and has hosted a number of key events over the years as well.

When you factor in the nature of the membership itself -- one of the best among low handicap players within the USA -- you have a club of simply outstanding pedigree.

Tillinghast was asked to create a man-sized course and did that superbly.

Some facilities may have one course of top tier quality -- see Merion / East, Olympic / Lake, but none can match the dynamic duo Winged Foot presents in the States.


Matt,

It is an interesting  fact  that the 1929 U.S. Open was to be contested over the East Course, however, a torrential downpour the day before washed out a piece of the course and an access road. Without much ado the USGA elected to go ahead with the tourney on the West  and it has remained there ever since.

Bob

JC Jones

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2008, 07:58:16 PM »
How is the second course at Baltimore?
I get it, you are mad at the world because you are an adult caddie and few people take you seriously.

Excellent spellers usually lack any vision or common sense.

I know plenty of courses that are in the red, and they are killing it.

Carl Nichols

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2008, 08:10:20 PM »
Off the top of my head, of the places I've played -- which is a big caveat, having never played MPCC, LACC, Olympia Fields, Baltusrol, or some others -- and assuming we're talking about only private clubs, my U.S. rankings would be: 

Winged Foot:  two great courses; some think the East is almost the equal of the West; membership is somewhat indifferent to the course they're playing.

Olympic:  Having a terrific par 3 course on the cliffs of the Pacific beats out the others below.

Merion:  2nd course is weaker than WF East

Congressional:  I think the Blue is a little underrated (in part because of conditioning issues), and with the renovation, the Gold is a solid course. 

Saucon Valley:  haven't played the renovated Old; the others are a little outdated IMHO.

Berkeley Hall:  only played one of the courses, but the one I did play wasn't all that memorable.

Matt_Ward

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2008, 08:12:52 PM »
Carl:

Good comment / re: Saucon. How the Grace was ever rated in the top 100 of American courses truly makes me shake my head in wonderment.

Bob:

Great point !

The East could very well have garnered the top dog position.

My only issue with Winged Foot is that so many people think of the West as an unrelenting monster -- the course doesn't need to be armed to the teeth as the USGA is wont to do.

Last item -- as much hype as Tiger got in '97 for torching ANGC, I still view the four round Davis Love III had in the PGA that year at WFW -- with a four-round total below 270 - the first ever in the club history's -- to be one of the ultimate achievments ever in golf.

J_ Crisham

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2008, 08:26:49 PM »
My list from clubs I have played would be 1) MPCC 2) Baltusrol 3) OFCC 4) Ballybunion 5) St. Andrews Old and New 6) Oakland Hills 7) Champions Golf Club. My favorite would be MPCC . Great layouts in addition to just something special about being on the Monterey Peninsula.             Jack
« Last Edit: December 14, 2008, 08:32:10 PM by Jack Crisham »

Tim Bert

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2008, 08:27:36 PM »
No love for Vanderbilt Legends Club...  :( :(

Bob, maybe you and I should trade for a year and see if you change your mind!!  :) :)




Dean Paolucci

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2008, 08:30:36 PM »
I agree with many of the aforementioned candidates.  I would also add Canoe Brook to the list.  The North Course is the US Site for the British Open Qualifier and the South is an admirable test.
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."  --  Mark Twain

Kevin Pallier

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2008, 09:12:50 PM »
Limited to those with 36 holes from what I've seen = Sunningdale for mine - over Royal Melbourne.

Others that I particularly enjoyed
(GB&I) = Berkshire, Walton Heath + Saunton
(Aust) = Peninsula + The Grange


scott_wood

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2008, 09:21:19 PM »
being sentenced to always play solely @ Pumpkin Ridge wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.....
not in the august company of others mentioned, but not too shabby, either.....

Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2008, 09:27:58 PM »
I'm not sure how good the Nicklaus course is but Pete Dye thinks his Colleton River course is one of his best.

Carl Nichols

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Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #23 on: December 14, 2008, 09:31:31 PM »
Mike:
What about the two private courses on Kiawah? 

henrye

Re: The Best 2 Course Clubs
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2008, 09:31:59 PM »
The thread 'Best 12 Month Clubs' got me thinking.

What about the club with the best two 18 holers. 


Bob



For myself, Sunningdale.  What about you, Bob - any opinion?


Henrt E.,

I think it a tie between MPCC and Winged Foot and my reasoning is thus:

The majority of the members at both clubs are indifferent as to which course they play, whereas at Olympic, Baltusrol, Merion, Congressional, Ballybunion and Sunningdale there is a definite favorite.

Bob



Interesting on Sunningdale.  I've met memebers, and others, who prefer the New.

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