Golfweek's Best New Courses 2009

[Tom_Doak]

Bobby Clampett is listed as the designer of the Payne Stewart GC?

[Kalen Braley]

Thats what it says here!!  He was a "design consultant"  Chuck Smith is the designer

http://www.hilton-paynestewartgolfclub.com/

Some course photos:

http://www.hilton-paynestewartgolfclub.com/photo-gallery/payne-stewart-golf-course.asp

[Garland Bayley]

Coz,

We are in agreement about one thing at Palouse Ridge. #6. Otherwise we have opposite views. It is my fourth Harbottle, and IMO his weakest effort. IMO it falls well short of Olympic and Juniper. Just compare the driveable par 4s at the three, and see how far short he comes at Palouse. I couldn't help think the whole time that the client must have given him some unusual requirements to make him mail in a design like that. I would suspect that WSU has to be at a great disadvantage recruiting for golfers in the PAC 10. I had to wonder if they decided they could recruit wild bombers and poor putters, so they asked for a course where the greens could be approached from any direction and were so boring as to allow even the poorest putter to hold his own.

[Walter Bart]

   I'm not sure  that Tom's remarks regarding the Payne  Stewart course were " disingenuous and unneccessary," but they were certainly one of the few things that made me spontaneously laugh today, especially with snow coming down near Boston on Oct 18th.  Looks like golf weather by Tuesday, however.

[Scott Weersing]

I think I will post here instead:

At first, it seems that every course that opened in 2008 and up to May of 2009 is on the list.

Here are few the Golfweek raters missed:

Links at Summerly, http://www.pe.com/sports/golf/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_summerly.3d3abda.html

Ratliff Ranch by J. Brauer
http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.aspx?course=1267456

Rock Manor by L. George
http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.aspx?course=2064856

Four Mile Ranch GC by J. Engh
http://www.fourmileranch.com/golf-course.php

Which one do you think should have made the list that did not? Is making the list about hype and getting raters to come out?

[Andy Troeger]

Scott,
Good catch on Four Mile Ranch. I prefer it to #3 Rainmakers, #7 French Lick, and #22 Idaho Club. None would be that close.

[Matt_Ward]

Andy:

Four Mile Ranch gets little attention and sadly it has no less a design quality. The layout does provide a walking option that is doable, with fees that are quite modest and combined with a design that can never be tagged as boring or pedestrian.

The layout, as you know, focuses more attention on ball placement -- whether off the tee or with one's approach play.

[Pete_Pittock]

Could be a lack of raters showing up.

[Jim Franklin]

Garland,
Average Rating:
Rock Creek   8.28

8.28?  What the hell is wrong with these people?  Are they blind?   

They have to be blind. RCCC is easily 9++.

[Kalen Braley]

Cmon Dave (and Jim),

If the course didn't have such a neat clubhouse with awesome grub, I'd be surprised if it even made this list!!   

I mean lets look at some facts:

1)  Remote as all get out, takes a real effort to get to.
2)  The place is a ghost-town, almost no one is out there on any given day.
3)  The carts tend to roll on one specific hole that we won't mention for Jim Franklin's sake.
4)  The bunkers are so massive, you need a map to navigate them.
5)  The greens are far too undulating/tricked out and are hardly "fair"
6)  The fairways are constantly giving one uneven stances.
7)  On some holes its not always "right there in front of you" complete with blind shots if you get out of position.
8  It was built on a cattle ranch of all places.
9)  Did I mention it was remote!!! ??

   

P.S. I almost forgot...and it doesn't even have a beverage cart girl...what kind of respectable course doesn't have a hot cart girl??

[Ken Fry]

Is Lester George's Ballyhack too new to be considered?  I'd be very hard pressed to believe it wouoldn't make the list.

Ken

[Jim_Kennedy]

Palouse Ridge! You've got to be kidding!
I wasn't that enamored with Tetherow, but it still trumps Palouse Ridge big time.

But, my biggest question is how did it ever get above Wine Valley?!?!?!

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Maybe the raters are looking ahead and knocking off points for the housing that will be surrounding WV?

[Kalen Braley]

Palouse Ridge! You've got to be kidding!
I wasn't that enamored with Tetherow, but it still trumps Palouse Ridge big time.

But, my biggest question is how did it ever get above Wine Valley?!?!?!

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Maybe the raters are looking ahead and knocking off points for the housing that will be surrounding WV?

Or maybe they just didn't like those 3 ponds on the course!! 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Could be Kalen. 

[Phil McDade]

I would like to be on the other side of a business deal with anybody who thinks that Whistling Straits (8.69) is a better golf course than Rock Creek (8.28)

Dave:

Are you saying, as a business proposition, that you'd take Rock Creek over WStraits?

[Matt_Ward]

Dave:

Don't often agree -- but on this one you are 100000% correct -- Rock Creek has the goods on WS -- in fact, I see the WI layout for the Irish and Straits courses being two of the most overrated layouts in the USA.

[Nick Church]

Sadly, I report that #35 (Fairvue Plantation (Foxland); Bill Bergin, Gallatin, TN) was closed abruptly 2 weeks ago.  The official letter confirmed that the economic conditions led to the "winter closing."  Though it states the course will reopen in the spring, most members believe the course will not open as part of the Fairvue Plantation country club.

I had posted pictures of the course a couple years ago, prior to its opening. (link: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30013.0/)

The Foxland course was the preferred choice of many golfers because of its design and isolation from encroaching housing (although 3-4 have already been completed, but not all occupied). 

If my armchair architect "studies" have been productive, then I believe Bergin designed the Foxland course to emulate the strategy & bunker style of MacDonald and Raynor (flat bunkers with pushed up greens).

[Mike Hendren]

Nick,

I had not heard that about the Foxland course.  I looked around prior to opening and coupled with your pictures believe that it is clearly superior to the original 18 at Fairvue.  The housing market has undoubtedly taken its toll on the overall development but I'm astonished they would close Foxland in early October since right now is the prime time to play golf in our region. 

Unfortunate.

Mike

[PThomas]

i wish you guys would stop raving about Rock Creek...cause that means i gotta try and get out there next year!

[Adam Clayman]

Shivas only feels that way because his jet didn't stop in Holyoke.

[Bruce Wellmon]

Has anyoine played the 12 Oaks course in NC?

[Cory Lewis]

Has anyoine played the 12 Oaks course in NC?

I tried, but I was down there two weeks before it opened and the next time I went down, it had closed.  Is it reopen now?