Ultimate 18 - under $100

[Mark Manuel]

#1 at Hanover CC?  I have to take issue with that.  The bunkering there is borderline ridiculous.  Neat location for the tee and the elevation is great, but the rest of the hole is questionable at best.  Too much going on around you and they still have a serious drainage problem.

Just another man's opinion.

[Matt_Ward]

Bill S:

You mentioned the 13th at Devil's Thumb in Delta, CO for your all-18 listing. I also like the hole although I did not select it.

Be curious as to your thoughts on the 9th which I did pick and your overall impressions of the course.

Thanks ...

[Nick Werner]

I too would be curious to hear JNC's rationale for including #1 at Hanover CC.  It's a fine hole on a fun, quirky New England course, but in my opinion it isn't even close to one of the best par 4s on the course.  I think the new holes #11 and #16 are the best par 4s on the course.  Of the old holes, I'd put #7 - #9 and #13 all ahead of #1.  And if they fixed the drainage issue, I even think #2 a better hole.  I just think that each of these holes either takes a bit more thought off the tee or has more options to play than #1.  Would love to hear others thoughts who have played here...

[JNC Lyon]

I guess some people were very upset with my choice of Hanover Country Club's 1st Hole as my starting hole.  

A few points:

• It has been awhile since I played Hanover Country Club, and I have only played it once.  I know I wanted to include a hole from the course because, as was stated above, it is a quirky golf course with some interesting terrain.
• I selected the first hole for a few reasons.  I prefer a mid-length par four as a starting hole.  At 415 Yards, you are able to make a par, but your round is not totally ruined if you make a bogey.  The first at Hanover, as I remember it, has a neat tee shot and a cool uphill approach.  Like I said, I've only played the hole once so I cannot speak to the drainage issues of the course.  If I played there more often, I might see the routing of the hole as a greater problem.
• I like holes 7 through 9 at Hanover.  The shared fairway on 8 and 9 is very cool.  However, I was not particularly impressed by either the 11th or 16th holes.  I remember that both were lacking in strategy, and they are both brutally difficult par fours.
• Going through the list, I was surprised at how few public courses have starting holes that I actually like.  I suspect the reasons for this are many, but I could not find another course on the list that contained a hole that would make a suitable replacement for Hanover's first hole.  Thus, my choice remains!

[Ian_L]

The Bandon courses are $75 in the winter, and they play just as well.

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