[Bruce_Dixon]

It seems that every course preaches the mantra of 'being appealing and attractive/enjoyable for all levels of golfers', etc.  What courses do you feel truly deliver on this promise?  I am thinking of either 9 holes or maybe 12, but not a full 18 hole 'championship' course.  Somewhere it doesn't eat up 5 hours to play, you can take grandpa and the kids, but still has the appeal to attract core or avid golfers.  Are there any such courses that come to mind?

[Willie_Dow]

My favorite is Marion Golf Club, Marion, MA.  I believe it is the first course designed by the "Captain"!

[Ryan Admussen]

There's a new executive course in ontario that looks pretty interesting, should take 3-3.5 hours to play
[url]http://www.turnberrygolf.ca/golf.htm/[url]

[Aidan Bradley]

I think Todd Eckenrode's "Terranea" fits the bill.........

http://www.terranea.com/california-golf-resorts.php?esiteurl=terraneagolf.com&esitecname=terraneagolf.com

[Rich Goodale]

The unquestioned best in this category is NLE--the Dornoch Struie course of 1946-~1985.  It was then a virtually pristine pastiche of Old Tom Morris, John Sutherland and maybe even Joyce Wethered holes; playable in little over an hour if you were in a hurry, a couple of peaceful hours if you were not; never busy with no formal starting times and with few protocols; scene of the best annual competition I will ever be lucky enough to play in, The Dads and Lads--30-40 boys and girls, men and women, ages 8--->80, in 4-somes, on a lazy July afternoon, with celebrations at the Brughfield House Hotel starting on completion and lasting well into the night.

Those were the days, my friends.

Rich

[Ally Mcintosh]

The unquestioned best in this category is NLE--the Dornoch Struie course of 1946-~1985.  It was then a virtually pristine pastiche of Old Tom Morris, John Sutherland and maybe even Joyce Wethered holes; playable in little over an hour if you were in a hurry, a couple of peaceful hours if you were not; never busy with no formal starting times and with few protocols; scene of the best annual competition I will ever be lucky enough to play in, The Dads and Lads--30-40 boys and girls, men and women, ages 8--->80, in 4-somes, on a lazy July afternoon, with celebrations at the Brughfield House Hotel starting on completion and lasting well into the night.

Those were the days, my friends.

Rich

Nice memories Rich... We are heading to Dornoch in June... I've never looked at the current Struie?... Should I?


My favourite is the Wee course at Blairgowrie...

[Rich Goodale]

Hi Ally

The current Struie is very different from the one I speak of above, but definitely worth looking at (and even playing) if you have the time, at the very least to look at holes that were part of the Championship course until WWII.  Those holes would be the 1st (13 on the pre-war championship course, 1 on the 1947-85 9-hole struie), the 4th (15, 3), the 17th (16,7) and the 18th (17,8).  Also take a good look at the excellent 15th and the 16th, which came from the ladies course ( and were holes 4 and 6 on "my" struie).

Also take the time to look at Robin Heisman's fine new holes (9-13) out by the Firth, and do not forget to take in he views, back towards the town and down across the Kyle of Sutherland to the Struie hill itself.

Cheers

Rich

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Rich,

I'll walk out on the course one day keeping that above post close to hand....

[Tom MacWood]

I would second Marion and add Truro further on to the Cape.

[Bruce_Dixon]

Thanks for the input guys - I'll check these out.

[Tyler Kearns]

I would second Marion and add Truro further on to the Cape.

Bruce,

I think both of these courses, as well as many others, are featured in Anthony Pioppi's "To the Nines".

TK

[Bill_McBride]

I would second Marion and add Truro further on to the Cape.

Bruce,

I think both of these courses, as well as many others, are featured in Anthony Pioppi's "To the Nines".

TK

Also out on the Cape is the antique 9 hole course at the Chatham Bars Inn.  My son and I had a very fun round there when he was about 12.  Tiny greens, short holes, honor box.  Great fun.

[Mike Nuzzo]

There's a new executive course in ontario that looks pretty interesting, should take 3-3.5 hours to play

3-3.5 hours.
Really?
That sure does seem long.

[Sean_A]

I always mention http://www.marylandgolf.com/annapolis.html when 9 holers pop up.  I have a lot of time for the place.

Looks a lot like Yeamans!


Ciao

[Ryan Admussen]

There's a new executive course in ontario that looks pretty interesting, should take 3-3.5 hours to play

3-3.5 hours.
Really?
That sure does seem long.

I would say 3-3.5 hours or so is average for an 18 hole executive course depending on the player

[Andrew Mitchell]

Hi Ally

The current Struie is very different from the one I speak of above, but definitely worth looking at (and even playing) if you have the time, at the very least to look at holes that were part of the Championship course until WWII.  Those holes would be the 1st (13 on the pre-war championship course, 1 on the 1947-85 9-hole struie), the 4th (15, 3), the 17th (16,7) and the 18th (17,8).  Also take a good look at the excellent 15th and the 16th, which came from the ladies course ( and were holes 4 and 6 on "my" struie).

Also take the time to look at Robin Heisman's fine new holes (9-13) out by the Firth, and do not forget to take in he views, back towards the town and down across the Kyle of Sutherland to the Struie hill itself.

Cheers

Rich

Rich

How different is the current Struie course from the one I played in 1999?

[Rich Goodale]

Hi Andrew

Of the holes you would have played in 1999 only 8 have not changed (today's 1, 2, 6, 8, 15-18; in 1999 these holes were probably 1, 2, 12, 14, 16-18).  The main changes are the 5 new and 2 remodeled "championship" holes (tournament shot values, large undulating greens, etc.) designed by Robin Hiseman and built in the early Noughties.  I was impressed as to how well it is settling in when I played there in August.  It is by no means perfect (the mid-80's Steel holes are still largely a disaster), but it is worth playing when in Dornoch.

Cheers

Rich

[Andrew Mitchell]

Thanks for that Rich

I have to confess I can remember little of the Struie, part of that is down to the fact that it was ten years ago.  I remember not being overly impressed but that may have been due to the fact that we played it as the afternoon round in a 36 hole day with the morning round being my first ever time on the championship course.  The Struie didn't have any chance of following that!

Based on what you say re Robin's changes I'd happily play it again on a future visit to Dornoch.

On the subject of family friendly 9 holers, surely they don't come friendlier than the children's course at Gullane. An adult has to be with a child to play it!

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