Most Overrated and Underrated courses

[Carl Nichols]

"The best courses in the world have great short par 4's"-Tom Doak....If you don't take this hacker's word for it maybe you'll listen to the master.....

Where are the great short par 4's at Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Fenway, and ANGC ?

You don't consider the 4th at Pebble a great, short, par 4 ?

# 3 at Pinehurst # 2 ?

I haven't played the other courses, but #6 at WFW is a pretty good short par 4. 

[Mark Pritchett]

"The best courses in the world have great short par 4's"-Tom Doak....If you don't take this hacker's word for it maybe you'll listen to the master.....

Where are the great short par 4's at Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Fenway, and ANGC ?

You don't consider the 4th at Pebble a great, short, par 4 ?

# 3 at Pinehurst # 2 ?

#3 at ANGC is a great short Par 4.

[Emil Weber]

Underrated:

Rustic Canyon!!! - I haven't played many courses you would consider greats, but I can't get in my head how there could possibly be 228 (http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/searchresult.asp?step=1) better courses in the US. The course is everything I could ask for. Strategy in every shot, awesome and varied greens contouring, minimalistic, no weak hole, Variety everywhere, f&f, a great, great walk out in nature, aaaaaaah .

Burnham & Berrow - currently ranked 34th in England but for me it is on par with Saunton E and St. Enodoc (both ranked in the top15). Great holes fom 1 to 18, consistent, highly strategic, good set of par 3s.

[Sean_A]

Underrated:

Rustic Canyon!!! - I haven't played many courses you would consider greats, but I can't get in my head how there could possibly be 228 (http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/searchresult.asp?step=1) better courses in the US. The course is everything I could ask for. Strategy in every shot, awesome and varied greens contouring, minimalistic, no weak hole, Variety everywhere, f&f, a great, great walk out in nature, aaaaaaah .

Burnham & Berrow - currently ranked 34th in England but for me it is on par with Saunton E and St. Enodoc (both ranked in the top15). Great holes fom 1 to 18, consistent, highly strategic, good set of par 3s.

Emil

I think there is absolutely nothing to choose between Saunton and Burnham.  If there ever was a dead heat between two courses this is it.  To me, St Enodoc stands comfortably above both.  Burnham doesn't have the lows of St Enodoc (#13 in particular and to a lesser degree #8), but neither does it have the highs with truly drivable par 4s, magnificent scenery, a remarkable par 4 of great controversy (#10) and of course the wild 6th.  This to me is the  difference between the two.  Not much when looked at separately, but when combined these elements add up to a lot. 

The one course I see listed in the top 15 of England is Hillside.  This is nothing close to how I see it.  Hillside has a wonderous site that whose design lacks in imagination.  Something is seriously amiss when the much flatter front 9 is better than the holes through the dunes of the back 9.  Hillside has to be one of the greatest lost opportunities in England. 

Ciao

[Jud_T]

Terry- not to beat a dead horse, but Butler and Bob'o'link both recieved a 6 in the Confidential guide, with an implicit preference for the atmosphere at Bob'o'link...I may not be the most reliable source for GCA, but I'll take TomD's advice on the subject any day of the week.  Of course, he gives Pebble a 9, so he's not perfect either....

[Mac Plumart]

Under-rated...

Aiken Golf Club; Aiken, South Carolina...Old school feel, very well routed, off the charts wonderful greens with terrific contours and great placement which creates interesting choices for angles of attack.  And the kicker is it costs $25 to walk.

Canterbury; Cleveland, Ohio...hands down the best turf I've played golf on.  Truly spectacular routing.  Wonderful variety in golf holes.  Very tricky and subtle greens, again with simply sublime turf/putting surfaces...ideal blend of contours and appropriate green speeds.


Over-rated...

Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands; the blending of the two nines creates a totally disjointed feeling golf course.  The front nine is pretty wide open and has a classic golf course feel to it.  The back nine is tight, winds in and out of trees, and up and down hills.  The routing on the back makes every twist and turn awkward.  It seems to me that water is an over-used hazard on this course.

Tobacco Road...I know this is a love hate deal.  So, I won't belabor the point.  It isn't for me.  However, a lot of people love it.  That is fine and I respect it.  I look forward to trying out Calendonia as I was told this might be a Strantz that is more normal.