Most Underrated Courses

[Anthony Gray]

  OK lets talk golf courses. What are the ones that don't get there due?

   I'll start with Prestwick. When was the last time it cracked the top 100 in the world. It has uniqueness that rivals North Berwick and Cruden Bay. It has famouse holes that are known world wide.

  What are some others? And why are they undervalued?

   Anthony

[Bruce Wellmon]

I'll vote for Tobacco Road, the Mike Stranz design in NC. Currently #23 in NC per Golf Digest.
IMO it's way better than that. 

[Tom_Doak]

Anthony:

A tough question because once you develop any consensus, a course is no longer under-rated.

My vote is still for Rye in England.  It's the only course I'd put in the top 50 in the world which doesn't even make the consensus top 100.  A lot of the difference must be the par-68 configuration.

[Dan_Callahan]

Wherever Yale is in the various rankings, it is too low.

[JC Urbina]

Anthony
You could have not asked this question at a better time.  I just returned from Scotland and revisited a course I had not seen in years and I came away with a solid feeling.   Western Gailes is top 100 in the world

[Peter Ferlicca]

Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, IN, I just absolutely love this golf course, every time I play it I leave enjoying it more.  I don't know why it gets snubbed, but I feel this golf course gets no respect.  It always ranks up there for top 50 hardest golf courses, but that is about it.  There is such a great variety of golf holes, some of the smallest greens you will ever see, and IMO a fantastic routing in a glorious setting.

[Chip Gaskins]

My home course, Haines Point in Washington DC....just kidding.

Tobacco Road
Pine Needles
Gullane #1

[Mark Pritchett]

I have to go with Wolf Run. 

[Adam Russell]

My vote's Palmetto Golf Club.

[Cristian]

De Pan   , (I just did a pictorial, but seriously the back 9 is top100 material...)

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40781.0/

[Kyle Henderson]

My home course, Haines Point in Washington DC....just kidding.

Tobacco Road
Pine Needles
Gullen #1

Agree with TR. Disagree with Gullane #1 (assuming you meant the same course).

[jonathan_becker]

Canton Brookside (Ross).  Yeah, it's in the GW top 100 classic (#67) and that's probably where it should be.  But I'm biased because my parents were members when I was a kid and I maybe speak too highly about the place sometimes.  Though, ask Brad Klein....simply amazing green complexes.

[Raphael_Larson]

RTJ.

It's comparable to Kinloch in quality, conditioning, and ambience yet somehow gets very little love in the rankings (#86 Golfweek Modern, not ranked by GM or GD).   

[Jim Nugent]

I'll be curious to see if any courses make this list and also the most overrated list. 

[Dean DiBerardino]

The Country Club in Pepper Pike, Ohio. I don't know if this course gets confused with it's namesake in Brookline, as Mr. Doak once wrote, or it's neighbor, The Pepper Pike Club.  With recent renovations/restorations made to the course, I don't understand why it doesn't receive higher rankings than it does.  It's my favorite course in the Cleveland area, an area with a lot of talent.

[Carl Johnson]

 . . . What are the ones that don't get there due?   I'll start with Prestwick. When was the last time it cracked the top 100 in the world. It has uniqueness that rivals North Berwick and Cruden Bay. It has famouse holes that are known world wide. . . .

Anthony

Agree on Prestwick.  Based on my personal experience: when planning a visit to Scotland with other U.S. golfers, one of our guys vetoed Prestwick "because it's too short."  This guy's 7 handicapper, but not a particularly long hitter.  On a later trip, without him, others of us played Prestwick and loved it, including one guy (not me) who hits it longer than the naysayer.  Also, I'm not sure how receptive Prestwick is to visitors, assuming that makes a  difference.  Some of the staff seemed pleased to have us as visitors, but others did not.  While not as stiff as Troon or Muirfield, Prestwick was not the most welcoming.  In any case, my top two courses in the Troon area are Western Gailes and Prestwick, both beating out Royal Troon.

[Link Walsh]

I'll go with Harrison Hills in Indiana and Mid Pines.  It's hard to think of other courses where I've had more fun playing. 

[Anthony Gray]

 . . . What are the ones that don't get there due?   I'll start with Prestwick. When was the last time it cracked the top 100 in the world. It has uniqueness that rivals North Berwick and Cruden Bay. It has famouse holes that are known world wide. . . .

Anthony

Agree on Prestwick.  Based on my personal experience: when planning a visit to Scotland with other U.S. golfers, one of our guys vetoed Prestwick "because it's too short."  This guy's 7 handicapper, but not a particularly long hitter.  On a later trip, without him, others of us played Prestwick and loved it, including one guy (not me) who hits it longer than the naysayer.  Also, I'm not sure how receptive Prestwick is to visitors, assuming that makes a  difference.  Some of the staff seemed pleased to have us as visitors, but others did not.  While not as stiff as Troon or Muirfield, Prestwick was not the most welcoming.  In any case, my top two courses in the Troon area are Western Gailes and Prestwick, both beating out Royal Troon.

  Carl,

  Similiar experience at Prestwick with the staff. Felt a little unconfortable. The day before I played I checked into one of the hotel across the street and walked over to the fence to view the plaque at the former first tee of the first Open. I could tell I was being watched. When I went to the clubhouse to confirm my tee time I was told due to relics in the clubhouse I had to leave. The next day the pro was completely different and when I asked him what relics he showed me a course map that had been autographed by many of the past winners and said the score card with Young Tom's eagle on the first hole in the Open was under lock and key. But what an excellent golfing experience.

  Anthony

[John Moore II]

I'll vote for Tobacco Road, the Mike Stranz design in NC. Currently #23 in NC per Golf Digest.
IMO it's way better than that. 

Tobacco Road is also ranked like 80th in the nation among public courses (GD list). Frankly, I think its overrated. I love the course, but its just too odd and its takes forever to play a round there. Maybe after I play there again tomorrow, I will change my opinion of it. But I just don't think its that great a place.

[JC Urbina]

Anthony
I spent time at Prestwick last week and I can say without a doubt David Fleming The professional and his staff are top notch.  I walked into the club unannounced and asked if I could take some pictures.  The young man behind the desk said absolutely and that David was giving a lesson and if I wanted to talk to him he would be back in an hour.  The starter asked after I had taken some pictures if I wanted to look in the card room at some of the artifacts for which I happily accepted.  Prestwick was somewhat of a homecoming since it was the first course I set foot on back in 1986.  I walked the championship holes and was given the routing of the famous layout of the first open Championship.  The routing was the first layout circa 1851.  I asked if I could play the championship course they all laughed.  
Twelve cool holes.  Played over three rounds.  The holes included a Bogey 6 ( Back Cardinal)  hole measuring 578 yards 1 foot 9 inches.  

Carl
Agreed Western Gailes one of the best on the Western Side.  Maybe top 50 in the world ( every time I talk about it the rating goes up)

[Tim Leahy]

Sandpiper GC near Santa Barbara, Ca.
W.F. Bell design that I think is better than Torrey South, and I like Torrey South alot. It's better than the overrated Trump course in Palos Verdes or either of the Half Moon Bay courses in my opinion.

It's sister course La Purisima is pretty good too and doesn't get much attention.

[Mark Pearce]

Gullane 1 isn't even the second best course in Gullane.  It's not in the best 100 in the UK IMHO.

[DMoriarty]

Sandpiper GC near Santa Barbara, Ca.
W.F. Bell design that I think is better than Torrey South, and I like Torrey South alot. It's better than the overrated Trump course in Palos Verdes or either of the Half Moon Bay courses in my opinion.

It's sister course La Purisima is pretty good too and doesn't get much attention.

Not sure I agree with either one of these.  Those in love with the ocean views love Sandpiper and probably think it is better than it is.  Those annoyed with the first group probably underrate it.   I think it is pleasant golf and has a few of very good holes (10, 13, 14) but not sure I'd call it it underrated.   I played there a lot in grad school and do always enjoy playing there though.   I agree that it is better than Torrey South, but would say that Torrey South is more overrated than Sandpiper is underrated.    I am not a driving range guy, but I love Sandpiper's.  Very relaxing.

As for La Purisma I enjoy playing there as well, but more for the incredibly peaceful setting than the the quality of the architecture.  The course can be extremely difficult and is fun, and is always sort of a cultish favorite in California, and it my mind that is probably about how I feel about it.   

Obviously just my opinion to take or leave as you prefer.

_________________________________________

As for quality designs that are completely under the radar except for a few in this crowd,  I'd say that the Santa Anita Golf Course, a Los Angeles County course that does as many as 110,000 rounds a year, is underrated and really an impressive design.

But this is of course on a different level that Prestwick and some of the others mentioned.

[Derek_Duncan]

Colorado Golf Club.

[PThomas]

Kirtlanc CC in Ohio...recently restored, has some elevation..a real sleeper