[Kalen Braley]

If you are talking about value, Alabama is light years ahead of Utah. RTJ Trails was funded by the State Pension Fund and it might as well be muni.

Richard,

I wondered about the various golf trails in the South East portion of the country.  While I don't doubt its a fine selection of courses, many of which are better than what you find here, how does it compare for peak season price points?

Kalen

[Richard Choi]

Other than a couple of courses, RTJ Trail fees are $64 peak and you can get discounts. Most of the courses have 36 holes or more so you will get quite a break on replay fees as well.

[Doug Ralston]

Kalen;

Kentucky State Parks Golf Trail are max $42, usually cheaper, and several should make this list, admittedly IMO. I am uncertain if State funded IS muni, I see some disagreement here. But there are some 5-6 Doak courses here very cheap. I notice Lassing Pointe among this list given, and at least 3 on the park trail are better than that. Again all opinion, of course. Whatever, they are dramatic values!

Doug

[Kalen Braley]

Richard,

Sounds like a decent deal...but then you have to live in Alabama too!!!   

Doug,

Sounds like some super deals there in your neck of the woods....I too am all for the dramatic values.  I guess if one has to live in Utah at least the Public golf and Off-roading scenes are pretty darn good....and the skiing sublime if your into that!! 

[Matt_Ward]

Kalen:

If you think SM is really a 6 -- then TP has to be, using your own assessments, no less than a 7. My God, I can only imagine what number you would give Sand Hollow. I see SM as a very good Doak 4 -- check out what Doak says about 4 level ciourses. TP, for me, is no more than a solid 5 -- it might be a bit higher but at best a 6 and that's being flexible from my end. I'd be interested in seeing what you give Sand Hollow when you play there.

Kalen, Soldier Hollow / Gold is a long course but one that really lacks any buzz in terms of unique and interesting design. The value is good -- but the depth of real mesmermizing architecture is simply not present. I'd give the layout a Doak 4.

As you can see -- others have weighed in with value-oriented golf options in their respective neck of the woods.

Utah is emerging as a golf destination for different levels of courses -- the public side is now coming forward with a range of options and I have always trumpeted the success of the greater St. George / Mesquite area for the slew of courses you can play there.

One other state mention -- you can't do wrong for the range and quality public golf options you get in and around the Indianapolis area. Plenty of solid designs that won't break the bank.

[Chris_Clouser]

Matt,

I can always count on you for the plug on Indianapolis golf.  Unfortunately, the best muni options we in this neck of the woods are either Eagle Creek or Timbergate down in Edinburgh.  Both are at least a notch below Blackthorn in their current forms.  I think the original Eagle Creek course could be on the same level, but it was broken up in recent years between the two courses.  Still can't figure out why they ever did that. 

[Matt_Ward]

Chris:

I should have broadened my reach -- Indiana as a rule does have a slew of quality public courses that Kalen and others would find most appealing. The fees are very reasonable -- and the offerings are of top quality. No doubt the daily fee privately owned side has the better selection -- but you did mention a few of the taxpayer-owned courses too.

What amazes me is how many people seem to forget that Indiana is lost since so many people quickly leap to Ohio and Illinois. Reminds me of my home state (NJ) and how far too many people only seem to think that Pennsy and The Empire State have top quality golf.

[Damon Groves]

I think Golfweek has stretched the definition of what most of us consider a Muni. For me, my local course Santa Anita is about as good of value as I can think of. Olivas Links, which is on the list, is a great course as well.

[ed_getka]

Seeing Callippe Preserve at #43 is a bit of a surprise. I have only played it once, but I am not sure it is a better course than the Metropolitan Golf Links by the Oakland Airport.

     I played Callippe a few times (less than a mile from my old house) and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone interested in architecture over Metropolitan. CP does have some very good holes, but I just think Metropolitan has more worth seeing.

[R_Paulis]

Flanders Valley benefited from having served as host to both the Men's and Women's Public Links events from years ago. Morris County Park Commission has also done a fine job over the years with what it offers to its residents and those who opt to play there. However, the bar for quality taxpayer-owned golf is not the singular domain of such places today. Frankly, Monmouth County in NJ has the best overall collection of such taxpayer-owned courses -- places like Hominy Hill, Howell Park, Charleston Springs, etc, etc.

I fondly recall the search for better public NJ courses in the mid 80's and finding Flander's Valley which had recently expanded to 36. It was quite an upgrade from Warrenbrook golf course but the $4 student greens fees at the Rutgers golf course was tough to beat. And wow, Hominy Hills, what a gem. It's been over 15 years since I played in NJ and someday soon I'll need to revisit.

[Sean_A]

One of my favourite munis is Leslie Park in Ann Arbor.  $29 to walk on the weekend - which is less than when I lived there 11 years ago! 

http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/lesliepark.html

I have always been a fan of Cascades in Jackson as well - $25 to walk on the weekend.

http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/cascades.html

Pierce Lake (Washtenaw County course) in Chelsea is also very good but a bit more expensive at $35 on the weekend.  Its much newer than the other two.

http://michigan.twoguyswhogolf.com/reviews/piercelakerev.html

I don't have any clue how these compare to most of the munis listed, but all three of these are at least as good as Wilmington, but none are in the class of Lederach.  I wish someone would come in and redo Leslie because that property should be yielding a very, very good course.  It has mild hills, a few water holes and streams.  Don't get me wrong, there are several very good holes, but a few are clunkers.

Ciao 

[Scott Sander]

Chris and Matt-

Your thoughts on The Fort? State-owned, so I guess it fits the definition.  I'd play it 3-to-2 over Blackthorn, and I really like Blackthorn.

[Adam Clayman]

We've just returned from class B state championship in Lincoln NE. @ Holmes park. I was impressed with the facility as well as the golf course. Treed but not overly so. Movement abounds so much so that our boys had major difficult creating shots off the varied lies.

[Matt_Ward]

The definition of muni's needs to be fully discussed.

Like I said previously -- the more narrow definition would be to include only those courses that are taxpayer-owned but at the local community / county level. Under that narrow definition that would exclude state parks and the like.

I personally believe that so long as the facility is taxpayer-owned -- it can use the erroneous tagline "muni."

Kalen's point previously is a more important one. At what cost do the courses really spread apart from one another.

I don't see taxpayer-owned layouts being a fair comparison between those that charge over $100 to those that charge under that figure. No doubt some of these $100+ courses do so only for non-residents but if such taxpayer-owned layouts are to have a bonafide apples to apples comparison point -- then grouping courses under some price ceiling would be a big help for those who want to sample quality designs without breaking the bank to do so.

[Drew Standley]

Always nice to see Memorial Park get its due. Fun, plenty of challenge from the tips, three holes where you get to ogle tasty female joggers, walkable and the deliciousness that is Beck's Prime awaits you after your round.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there.  Memorial Park is boring, the conditions are spotty, the starters/marshalls are rude, and the only way they make the course challenging is to grow the rough 4 inches for the City Am.  It's truly a Par 70 as well.   

Beck's Prime is damn good though.   

[David Kelly]

Beck's Prime is damn good though. 

Ahhh, Beck's Prime.  That  and Nuzzo's new Wolf Point are the only things that would get me to visit the Houston area again.

[Drew Standley]

Beck's Prime is damn good though. 

Ahhh, Beck's Prime.  That  and Nuzzo's new Wolf Point are the only things that would get me to visit the Houston area again.

David, I'm sure we could find a way to entertain you while you are here.   

[Sam Maryland]

Given all the roads that have been run through/around it I'm not sure how much of the original routing of the oldest muni in the country exists, but you can't believe how good the conditions are at Van Cortlandt Park (the 10th fairway is even dry!).  I hadn't been up there in 5+ years and recently played, there's hardly a blade of grass out of place -- I mean it's wall-to-wall carpet and in places where the erosion/rocks/hardpan NEVER had grass, just astounding.  They rebuilt 6-7 greens that just reopened and they are a little slow, but overall it's an astounding transformation.  $34.50 for NYC residents, go EARLY.  Need to get back out to Pelham and see if it's been similarly transformed, some pretty good holes out there.

[Ray Richard]

 Nice article from Mike Whitmer of The Boston Globe about George Wright http://www.boston.com/sports/golf/articles/2009/06/11/george_wright_gc_has_been_righted/

 The article describes the solid management team structured by the City of Boston. The guys mentioned in the article are supplemented by others in the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. I've seen them in action, and they are dedicated to the revitalization of this course. In the murky political state of Massachusetts, it's nice to see a publicly managed entity work so well, especially when the 36-hole facility at Ponkapoag (run by state of Mass.) a few miles away suffers from closed holes and horrid conditions.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Does anyone have any knowledge of what is happening, if anything, at Boston's other course, William Devine?
I looked at it 24 years ago and was driven around the course by a local golfer in his Eldorado.  Not around the course, over the course.  They were using broomsticks for flagsticks.  I know it is in a rough area, but my novice architecture eyes told me there was some good stuff there.
Didn't Ross rework it some at one time?

[Ronald Montesano]

1.  Reverse JANS?

2.  Sheridan in Tonawanda, NY?

3.  WVA state courses:  http://www.wvstateparks.com/packages/golf.htm

4.  Winston Lakes in Winston-Salem, N.C.?

5.  Bryan Park, Greensboro, N.C.?

6.  Putterham, next door to The Country Club, MA?  http://www.brooklinegolf.com/

[Derek Dirksen]

We've just returned from class B state championship in Lincoln NE. @ Holmes park. I was impressed with the facility as well as the golf course. Treed but not overly so. Movement abounds so much so that our boys had major difficult creating shots off the varied lies.

Holmes Park, really???  I grew up in right across the street from Holmes.  I've played there a lot and there is absolutely nothing special about it.  It would be a great place to run my dog and that is about it!!! 

[Adam Clayman]

That's just not true.

The entire park complex is special. While a municipal, from my perspective, it is not typical of most muni's. Right down to the ma and pop feel in the clubhouse from the pro and concessionaire.

Architecturally, it's vastly superior to many many places that charge more and have less than ideal grounds for golf. The terrain is perfect, and the way the ground was used, utilizing the hillsides the way they are, was challenging, varied and not over treed. The green complexes were no slouch either. Everyone of them had a section or two that under tournament conditions would be all any golfer could handle. Sure it's not world class, but believe me, vastly superior in most aspects that matter. It had enough freedom to be mentioned and catch my attention. The openness of the practice areas and the maintenance of entire complex was clean and acceptable. Even after having their budget cut 30% this year.
 Other than the people, Thats what makes a place special. Not how highly it's considered by the Hammy Hearst's of the world.

[Derek Dirksen]

Adam, I guess one man's junk is another man's treasure.  Thats the beauty of an opinion   In my opinion both Pioneers Park (built in the 1930's) and The Highlands (Jeff Brauer Design) are much better golf courses. 

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()