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Jason Topp

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #25 on: January 19, 2009, 10:39:51 AM »
It must be on the water:

Pacific Dunes
Kiawah

Shane Wright

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #26 on: January 19, 2009, 10:44:35 AM »
Out of the courses I have played in the U.S., Prairie Dunes is hands down the most pleasant walk.  The trip to the next tee box is often just a short path from the previous green cut thru the western Kansas version of gorse.  I don't mind the tough walks such as a Sand Hills, (if it is blowing 35+) but Prairies Dunes is hard to match.  A round can be played, which gains a lot of points in my opinion.  The tee boxes are close and the course is about 6700, yet it is one of the hardest courses I have played because of the tight driving and severe green contours.  

Colonial is also another wonderful walking course, but Prairie Dunes is my favorite.


Shane Wright

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #27 on: January 19, 2009, 10:45:43 AM »
Out of the courses I have played in the U.S., Prairie Dunes is hands down the most pleasant walk.  The trip to the next tee box is often just a short path from the previous green cut thru the western Kansas version of gorse.  I don't mind the tough walks such as a Sand Hills, (if it is blowing 35+) but Prairies Dunes is hard to match.  A round can be played, which gains a lot of points in my opinion.  The tee boxes are close and the course is about 6700, yet it is one of the hardest courses I have played because of the tight driving and severe green contours.  

Colonial is also another wonderful walking course, but Prairie Dunes is my favorite.



meant to say "a Fast round can be played..."

Phil McDade

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #28 on: January 19, 2009, 10:48:53 AM »
This past September, I spent several days in near-perfect early-fall weather in Wisconsin at Milwaukee Country Club. I thought it was a terrific walking course -- not flat by any means, but for the most part gently rolling hills, with easy and quite logical (to me, a real key part of any course that's regarded as a good walking course) transitions from green to the next tee.

To me, a good walking course includes both logical transitions, some varied terrain, and interesting visuals beyond just the golf holes themselves. Here are a few views.

The course plays alongside the placid Milwaukee River in several stretches. Here is a view from alongside the par 5 15th.



From the elevated tee of the 10th, with the river in the distance. The club has made a special effort to clear trees and brush from the river banks to open up the views.



I like courses in which the terrain hides something beyond, and it's slowly revealed as you walk toward it. Here's the tee shot on the 18th hole, with the clubhouse just peaking above the fairway bunker beyond that's benched along a ridge line.



Here's the view once you crest the ridge-line -- the stately clubhouse framing the green.



Here's another view of the clubhouse -- this from the back tee of the short par 4 9th. I really like how the clubhouse sits in the background, and the golfer has a view of it during the entire length of playing this hole.





Bob_Huntley

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #29 on: January 19, 2009, 11:07:13 AM »
It would be tough to beat the Shore Course at MPCC.

Bob

Greg McMullin

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #30 on: January 19, 2009, 11:10:51 AM »
Highlands Links
Ingonish, Cape Breton
Nova Scotia

Melvyn Morrow

Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #31 on: January 19, 2009, 11:27:18 AM »

Rob

Whilst it is a good question “What are the Best Walking Courses in America?”

To add to our overall information and database I suggest that we should also be answering the following questions.

I would like to know the numbers of walkers on these courses on an average day and if carts are available what is the percentage of Walkers to carts or visa versa.

I would also like to get an idea of the time to walk the average round on normal days.  Also the time for the carts.

Melvyn

Garland Bayley

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #32 on: January 19, 2009, 11:44:44 AM »
Rob,

Your yardages add up to less than a mile and a half. So that puts it probably at less than 6 and a half miles if you take five miles as the rest of the walk. My buddy and I figured it was at most 6 and a half miles when we finished in slightly over 3 hours.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Jason Topp

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #33 on: January 19, 2009, 11:49:21 AM »

Rob

Whilst it is a good question “What are the Best Walking Courses in America?”

To add to our overall information and database I suggest that we should also be answering the following questions.

I would like to know the numbers of walkers on these courses on an average day and if carts are available what is the percentage of Walkers to carts or visa versa.

I would also like to get an idea of the time to walk the average round on normal days.  Also the time for the carts.

Melvyn



Melvyn:

My club has a terrific walking course (although I would not rate it as one of the best because there is nothing unique or special about the views).  

70% of the people ride.  In a two ball I walk and play in under three hours on Sunday mornings.  It is rare for a fourball group to take more than four hours with 3:30-3:45 more the norm.  If I try and squeeze a round in on a cart I can finish in under 2 hours but it is more like a carnival ride than golf. Most people play in 4 hours or less regardless of whether they ride or walk.    

By contrast, the public course I used to play almost always takes 4:45.  At that course 70% of the people walk.  I think the layout (some walks between holes), a full tee sheet, and a different expectations of players all account equally for the difference in pace.  I don't think carts make much difference one way or the other.

Tom Ferrell

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #34 on: January 19, 2009, 12:00:50 PM »
With admitted bias, I have to say that I LOVE walking Colorado Golf Club.  An intimate routing set on an incredibly vast canvas.  Outstanding!

Riviera is a great call.  The Ocean Course.  Winged Foot East.

Ballyneal!

And I thoroughly enjoyed my round at Conway Farms outside of Chicago.  The walking paths were great and really added to the playing experience.

I am playing Chechessee Creek next week - can't wait to walk that one.

Tom Huckaby

Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #35 on: January 19, 2009, 12:05:17 PM »
Tom F:

I played two rounds at Colorado GC last fall, and well... walking that would seem to be pretty strenuous to me.  I wouldn't know though because we didn't bother to try... my member friend there said it was silly NOT to take a cart.

But it's interesting though - I get what you mean by "intimate routing set on an incredibly vast canvas" - the course covers a LOT of ground, but the green to tee distances are tiny, sometimes non-existent.  And that is pretty neat.  Still, you have some pretty serious hills there, so I'm guessing my member friend is not insane taking a cart most if not all of the time.


Bob H. - concur that MPCC  Shore is a very pleasant and inspiring walk... assuming one gets a ride from 18th green back to the clubhouse.   ;)

Mark Arata

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #36 on: January 19, 2009, 12:11:18 PM »
Fishers Island is a very nice walk..........
Agree with Prairie Dunes as well, Atlantic City is a very easy walk as well, tees right next to the greens on just about every hole.
New Orleans, proud to swim home...........

Rob Rigg

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #37 on: January 19, 2009, 12:35:54 PM »
Garland - Then that's probably about the right number eh? 6.5 miles at Tetherow. I played it in 100 degree weather during the summer so it was more fatiguing than usual. If I lived there I would walk the course with a push cart (I prefer to carry).

Sidenote - My canuckian origin prevents me from understanding the imperial system or whatever you use in the US, it's all about metric  ;D

Gents - Thanks for the great response, keep them coming.

Melvyn - I agree - but this is golf in America, any walking is good walking and as long as a club permits walking 24/7 I have little issue with them. The gems like a Bandon or Ballyneal where there are no carts are probably few and far between.

Sam Morrow

Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #38 on: January 19, 2009, 02:32:27 PM »
Courses recently played:

Black Sheep Golf Club
San Antonio CC
East Hampton
Garden City Mens
Del Paso CC
SFGC
CC of Fairfield
The Everglades Club

I forgot about San Antonio CC, great walk, actually reminds me a lot of Tulsa Country Club.

archie_struthers

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #39 on: January 19, 2009, 03:08:04 PM »

 ;D ;) 8)


Rather good exercise but Sand Hills immediately springs to mind....remember we said America!

Mike Salinetti

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #40 on: January 19, 2009, 05:01:06 PM »
Harbour Town Golf Links is one of my favorite walks.
Mike Salinetti
Golf Course Superintendent
Berkshire Hills Country Club
Pittsfield, MA

Mitch Hantman

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #41 on: January 19, 2009, 05:05:14 PM »
Maidstone.  Great course, no easier walk that I have seen in the U.S.

Patrick_Mucci

Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #42 on: January 19, 2009, 10:10:14 PM »

Rather good exercise but Sand Hills immediately springs to mind....remember we said America!


Archie,

Maybe I misunderstood the initial post.

I thought he meant the courses to walk rather than the best walking courses.

I certainly wouldn't put Sand Hills in the best courses to walk as I think the walk is difficult,

But, it's certainly one of the best walking courses in terms of the quality of the golf course.

Could we get some clarification from Rob Rigg ?

Andy Ryall

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #43 on: January 19, 2009, 10:36:15 PM »
I would also mention Arcadia Bluffs as being a pretty managable walk with tees and greens in close proximity.   

My favorite walking round was a gorgeous afternoon at Pacific Dunes in June 2002, where the pro shop asked me to take my time and not catch up to three foursomes that had gone out 30 minutes prior.   Just my clubs and my camera.   

Rob Rigg

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #44 on: January 19, 2009, 11:26:33 PM »
Gents - Thanks for all the responses

To clarify - My Walking Golfer ranking system would go something like this:

Walkability - 0 to 5 points (0 = No walking allowed, 1 = mountain range, 2 = wicked hills, 3 = rolling but certainly manageable, 4 = comfortable walk or 3 + Walking Only Course, 5 = easy walk or 4 + Walking Only Course)

Architecture, Aesthetics and Layout - 0 to 3 points

Experience, Playability and Strategic Merit - 0 to 2 points

Total Score out of 10 points

Any course that is 8 or better would probably make the list of Best Walking Courses in America (or at least in its State) - IMO.

Patrick - I think this will get us to a list of the Best Courses to Walk in America because a great course, provided it is a 3 out of 5 for walkability would make it. ie) Sand Hills would certainly make the list (based on what I have seen, read, etc. having not had the opp to play there)

If anyone passionately disagrees with the scale please let me know and it can be refined!


Jerry Kluger

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #45 on: January 20, 2009, 05:14:56 PM »
I think Ballyneal is a great walking course because the routing allows so many options if you decide to play less than 9 holes - going out in the late afternoon with a few clubs or a set of hickories is great fun.

PCCraig

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #46 on: January 20, 2009, 05:23:04 PM »
I'm not sure if there's an easier walk out there than Shoreacres. 

Most flat courses are.  ;)
H.P.S.

Sean_A

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #47 on: January 20, 2009, 05:54:43 PM »
The best walking courses not only should be a relatively easy walk (not necessarily dead flat), but they should also offer something worth walking for.  Two wonderful courses which nearly pull off the walking deal without a hitch are Merion and Old Town.  A couple courses quite a bit further down the favourites scale, but probably better walks than the above are Mid Pines and Pinehurst.  The one problem (if you can call it that) with all four of these courses is the lack of surrounding views which can really boost the quality of a walk.   For this reason, I think courses with views to the sea, mountains or some other lovely view have a serious jump on nearly any city/suburb course.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024:Winterfield, Alnmouth, Camden, Palmetto Bluff Crossroads Course, Colleton River Dye Course  & Old Barnwell

Garland Bayley

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #48 on: January 20, 2009, 07:31:29 PM »
IMHO easy walking and best don't go together. In general, if you can golf it, it is walkable! The most demerits for walking should have to do with the connections between holes and any detours necessary to proceed from shot to shot.

For example, Black Mesa requires detours from most every tee to the landing area, because they went to the expense to allow for cart riders, but not walkers. It will be interesting to see Tom D's approach to this for his course there.

Many of you have not seen Forrest's Hideout in UT. The tees are relatively close to the greens. However, some of them require a severe uphill hike to the tee at perhaps 5000 ft in elevation.

Make me do the hike while playing a hole, no problem. Make me do such a hike between holes, demerits.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Rob Rigg

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Re: What are the Best Walking Courses in America?
« Reply #49 on: January 20, 2009, 10:14:38 PM »
If walking became the "norm" once again, we would not have to deal with long green/tee transfers, because as Garland says - A walk when you are playing is not so bad, it is the walk to get to the tee from the previous green that can suck.

The issue with most RE based courses and many courses built in "non-golf" friendly areas is the massive distance between green and tee.

Resort courses also often fall victim to this "mistake". Brasada Ranch is an example of a course that is so broken up by green to tee transfers that it is impossible for a walker to navigate, and thus difficult to enjoy. The views are spectacular, the architecture is mediocre at best, and it is a slog to get through. To see a great site debased in this way is frustrating.

Great point by Sean as well - when you walk, like when you ride a bike or go for a jog instead of driving, it is possible to deeply absorb the aesthetic qualities of a course. Thus, superior aesthetics, in the form of great topography, mountains, or ocean, elevate the walking experience further and can make a good course "great" in the eyes of the walking golfer.

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