[Tom Huckaby (Guest)]

Hello Blokes:

Cleaning out a closet recently I came across a list I did years ago of the best 18 holes I had played to date, by hole number.  It was interesting to see how I felt when I compiled that list, many years ago.  In any case, it got me to thinking it would be fun to update... So such is below, produced for your amusement and comment.  This is a list of what I consider the 18 best holes I've actually played (courses walked or seen are NOT allowed), with "honorable mention" listed in alphabetical order.  There were some very tough choices but at least for now, I do like my list... Obviously it would help if I get to Augusta, Pine Valley, Merion, several others, but I believe my list for now is pretty decent.

I'm ready to debate my choices... Also, note that if you suggest something missing, the likely response will be "I haven't played it."

In any case, here goes.... front nine first

Best 18 Holes I’ve ever played (front nine)
Based on number


1.  Spyglass Hill GC:  550 yard par 5, sweeping down toward ocean, green sits as an “island” surrounded by sand.
Honorable mention:  Ballybunion Old, Lahinch, National Golf Links of America, Pacific Dunes, Prestwick (Old), Shinnecock, St. Andrews (Old)

2. National Golf Links of America:  “Sahara” – 330 yard par 4 filled with strategy.
Honorable mention:  Applebrook GC, Ballybunion (Old), Chicago GC, Cypress Point, , Lehigh CC, Olympic Club (Lake), Pacific Dunes, Pasatiempo, Riviera, Royal Dornoch, San Francisco GC, Spyglass Hill,

3. National Golf Links of America:  “Alps” – 426 yards, a contender for the single best hole on this earth.
Honorable Mention:  Cruden Bay, Gullane #1, Olympic Club (Lake), Pebble Beach, Prestwick (Old), Royal Portrush, Spyglass Hill, Yale University GC

4.  National Golf Links of America:  THE Redan – 185 yards, perfection, perhaps the best par 3 on the planet.
Honorable Mention:  Bandon Dunes, Cruden Bay, Lahinch, Lehigh CC, Pacific Dunes, Pebble Beach, Riviera, Royal County Down, Royal Dornoch, Spyglass Hill, Yale University GC

5. Walton Heath (Old) – 395 yards, par 4 – perfect example of heathland golf.
Honorable Mention:  Bandon Dunes, Cabo del Sol, Cabo Real, Cypress Point, Nairn, Palmilla (Mountain Nine), Pebble Beach, Sunbrook GC (St. George, Utah – The Pointe Nine)

6.  Green Spring GC (St. George, Utah) – 449 yards, par 4, tee shot straddles a ridge with gaping canyon right and ob left, then 2nd must clear the same canyon going to the right.
Honorable Mention: Carnoustie, Cypress Point, Pacific Dunes, Pebble Beach, Royal Dornoch, Shinnecock Hills

7.  Pebble Beach GL – 107 yards, tiny green perched atop the Pacific.
Honorable Mention:  Ballybunion (Old), Cypress Point, North Berwick (West), Olympic Club (Lake), San Francisco GC

8.  Pebble Beach GL – 433 yards, 2nd shot over ocean chasm, incredible.
Honorable Mention:  Cruden Bay, National Golf Links of America, Royal Troon, Valley Club of Montecito

9.  Royal County Down GC – 425 yard par 4, over the dunes and into a valley, incredible view, incredible green site.
Honorable Mention:  Cypress Point, Monterey Peninsula (Dunes), Muirfield, North Berwick (West), Palmilla (Ocean Nine), PGA West (Stadium), Pebble Beach, San Francisco GC, Turnberry (Ailsa), Yale University GC

Back nine to follow...Whaddya think?

TH

[BillV]

You got #3 right, all the way.

[Tom Huckaby (Guest)]

Yep - even with all that competition, #3 is one of the ones I feel "safest" about.  BTW, I swear I didn't try to have NGLA get 2,3 and 4... but look at those and in each case tell me which hole is superior to NGLA?

TH

[Ran Morrissett]

Tom,

I've always loved doing such lists too but the problem I have is that the resulting composite course ends up too tough for me to want to truly play a bunch.

When I see 8 at PB followed by 9 at RCD, I wonder if you have fallen prey to that as well?

Cheers,

[BillV]

Actually 3&4 are completely correct!  

[Tom Huckaby (Guest)]

Bill - yep - I feel safe with 4 as well.  2 is indeed arguable but damm, I can't put any of the others over NGLA either!

Ran - oh yeah, it's a tough course, no doubt.  But heck, I could be happy playing 8 at Pebble and then 9 at RCD.  I just wouldn't expect to do these holes in less than 10 strokes very often!

9 is a very tough choice... RCD wins by a nose.  I could VERY easily throw this one also to Cypress and then that would solve the "too tough" issue, wouldn't it???

TH

[Gib_Papazian]

Leprechaun,

I can't really argue with anything on your list and want to commend you for being one of the few who understands  what a stellar hole the Sahara is.

But you know, I can't believe that #4 on Olympic Lake doesn't make the Honorable Mention list.  

[Tom Huckaby (Guest)]

Gib, as you read previously I was blown away on #1 at NGLA.. by the time I got through 3 I was ready to freakin' weep.  1,2 and THEN Sahara?  Oh yeah, Sahara makes any list I'm ever gonna do.  So then you walk off that green and are hit by THE REDAN?  Jeez... it was too much for me to handle... my game that day showed it.

Interesting side note - this got me to thinking about greatest first 4 holes and while NGLA has to be the champ, it's curious to me how close Spyglass Hill comes to this....

Re #4 at OClub Lake, that is indeed an oversight.  I could add 5 and a few others also.  I did just try to limit the "HM"'s to holes that darn near win overall... But in any case 4 belongs.  I'll add that to my master list.

TH

[GeoffreyC]

Huckster

I'm a bit surprised to see #3 at Yale on your list. Its one of the coolest tee shots I know but the 2nd shot is a less interesting blind approach to the only green (maybe 16 too) complex lacking interest on the course.

Now when they (yeah right) restore the huge double punchbowl green next to the water then its a keeper for your list.

PS- I'm not a great fan of the dropshot 3rd at Spyglass either (in spite of 2's the last two times I played there). Its a good hole but world class?)

Where are the holes from SFGC  

[A_Clay_Man]

I have a major bone of contention over your #6 choice. I assume no one else objected because of it's obscurity. However young leprechaun, that hole is a perfect example of what I believe Ran is getting at, and that is that you have a affinity for difficulty. The hole in question is brutal, the second shot is all carry. As I recall it, the hole was a 200ydish layup to the narrowing landing area with a huge baranka between there and the green on an almost 90 degree right turn. There may have been a sliver of fairway on the rightside... but what testosterone slingin, full blooded american male gonna do? Lay-up? No. It's either hit it flush or its flushed into the baranka. Very one dimensional.

 

[Hidden_Gem (Guest)]

#4 at NGLA the Best Redan on this planet?  I have only played it once and did get up and down for par, but I would not make such a bold statement in support of that.  I like the #2 at Somerset Hills and #2 at Fishers Island as a couple of Redan's that would gain some support. Actually, I like #2 at Somerset Hills more.

I have played most of the courses you mentioned here, (Valley Club is at the top of my "Wish" List), and would need to give more thought to your choices. Having played Muirfield, I thought you would have made more references here? (My personal fav in Scotland)

[Tom Huckaby (Guest)]

GC - Yale to me is like NGLA - there are just so many great holes, any of several could make my HM list.  I just did REALLY like #3 - I don't know, I have a thing for placement of tee shots making the 2nd a bit easier, as it does there... I had thought I hit a good tee shot and was too far left and too far up - shorter and righter would have been better!  Then the green, well, we can wish for what was, but what's there is pretty darn cool also.  But you're right, #2 ought to be on the list also... as well as several other holes!  Re SFGC, well, the holes that deserve it are on there.  As for #3 at Spyglass, I love that hole... green as an oasis in the sand... very tough when wind is blowing...

Gib - I got Sahara and Alps reversed in my quick reply to you - wow, that's bad.  My excuse is I was trying to talk on the phone and type at the same time!

Adam - very cool - I'm just glad someone besides me has seen #6 at Green Spring!  Oh, it's a very tough hole, no doubt - I've taken groups there many times and I believe the current total is 5 pars out of something like 100 tries.  This is not the greatest group of golfers, but still, that says something... But to me, that doesn't take away from what is one incredible golf hole, straddling a very deep canyon and then crossing it.  It's also more subtle than you'd think... only after playing it several times did I realize how uphill the 2nd shot is - your eyes don't tell you that.  Nope, this is one great golf hole and the fact it is difficult adds to the experience, rather than subtracting.... 8 at Pebble is just as hard - should I delete that?

Seriously guys, I am no glutton for punishment... Yes, as a composite this makes one tough course, but each of #2,5,7 here are not all that hard, and my back nine has several of this type also... Yes, difficult holes are on here, but that's because they're great, not because I have any affinity for difficulty.

Hidden Gem:  I'll stand by saying 4 at NGLA is the best redan on the planet - hey, I may be wrong but I'm not gonna be that far off.  In any case, I haven't played the others you mention, so it stays as my #4, and the comment, well, that can be removed.  In any case, which #4 on my list surpasses it?  As for Muirfield, I included several holes and actually agonized over two making the "best of best"...  That's all I can do.  I gave a bit of thought to these choices, but they're not life or death or anything!

TH

[A_Clay_Man]

Th- I would argue for days that the eighth at pb is no where near as hard as #6 at GS. I have seen many a par out of ag's on #8 while you have attested to seeing very few out of the same ag @ GS. The difficulty is one thing but the dimensionality is another.
Perhaps the word 'best' should be replaced by "My favorite' or best to qualify what best is. And of course that depends on what your definition of is is.  

[J Shackstein]

:oWhat about No. 9 at the Cascades?  The second shot past the high tension wire is hard to top.

[THuckaby2]

Ha!  Now how could I omit that?  

TH

[SPDB]

Tom - Get thee to The Creek, so its 6th can then replace Green Spring (which I'll admit I have never played).

[THuckaby2]

SPDB, that is my most "controversial" choice most definitely.  #6 at Green Spring is not even universally loved by those who HAVE seen it!  It does win on any "incredible" scale though - has to be seen to be believed.

The Creek, eh?  Hmmmm.... jeez, I'd love to make this replacement!  Some day....

TH

[Jeff Fortson]

I just came across my nine that I wrote about a month ago.

#1 Shinnecock
#2 Pasatiempo
#3 NGLA
#4 NGLA
#5 Pinehurst #2
#6 Kingsbarns
#7 Cruden Bay
#8 Pinehurst #2
#9 Turnberry

Just thought I'd add mine and see what comments might surface.  These are of course of courses that I have played so Pebble and some others won't show up on my list.

Jeff F.

[Ken_Cotner]

After looking at Jeff's choices, it struck me that Pinehurst #2 rarely has individual holes that show up on "best-of" lists.  True?

Maybe a reflection of how consistently good the holes are, how well routed the course is, and the lack of visual drama.  2, 5, and 12 (or is it 13?) have to be contenders, though.

Ken

[wsmorrison]

Tom,

Nothing from Pine Valley, not even an honorable mention?  Might it be that you haven't played it?  I would have to think nearly the whole front nine would make my list of best or honorable mention spots.  I tried to not consider some of the front 9, very difficult.  As purely the best by number though, have to say 2 and 5 for certain.

[THuckaby2]

WSM:  remember, this is the best 18 holes I've actually played.

I have yet to see Pine Valley, and I have no great hopes that I ever will, really!  Of course strange and wonderful things have happened for me on the golf front, particularly in the last few years, so you never know.

I'm sure if I do see PV many holes will make this list.

TH

[wsmorrison]

Aha!  that explains it.  If you could play one course that you never have to date, what would it be?  For me, Cypress Point.  It was Shinnecock, since remedied.

[THuckaby2]

WSM:  that's a great question... let's just say we've already discussed one VERY high on my list of "some day/love to play" courses. If PV isn't #1, then I must be in a weird mood.  Augusta is up there also, and Sand Hills, and Royal Melbourne... and many, many others...  Dare to dream!

TH

[Tim_Weiman]

Ken Cotner:

I would think #5 at Pinehurst would be the strongest contender for most all star lists, especially if one has difficulty in mind.

The first hole also appeals to me as an opener.

[Jeff Fortson]

It seems to me that #1 at Shinnecock gets overlooked as one of the greatest openers in golf.  There may be some holes that are as strategic of an opener or some openers may have more history, but none have as beautiful, inviting, or panoramic start as Shinnecock #1.  Of course this is pure opinion but it still amazes me that many don't see it the way I do.

Jeff F.

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