Notable Public Access Course List

[Tim Pitner]

Curious why you say that it's surprising to see Colorado with so many on the list?

Because California, Arizona, Oregon, Florida, South Carolina, and Michigan are well known vacation spots for golf and you expect them to have a high number of notable public courses. You don't usually mention Colorado in the same grouping.

Colorado is very strong on the public-access side.  With some notable exceptions, it's relatively weaker on the private side. 

You expect Oregon to have a high number of notable public courses?  I'll have to go back and look at Oregon's list but, other than the Bandon courses, I don't expect that at all. 

[Travis Dewire]

Wyatt,

Taconic is one of the greatest courses I've ever played, sits on 150 acres, in the beautiful berkshires gotta love it. Not sure if it was just a typo, but the designer with Stiles, is Van Kleek, with a k not f.

Geroge Wright is a great track, but conditions can be tough sometimes.

Can't think of two better public courses with layouts like these, great choices!!!!

[Brian Marion]

I would add Tanglewood Park- Championship in Winston-Salem to the NC list. RTJ

[Scott Sander]

I humbly submit Bear Slide in Cicero, Ind. for consideration.   Great land and very good use of it.  Particularly interesting is how the course genlty eases from very wide in the opening holes to very narrow in the closing stretch, building a sense of growing claustrophobia, but still providing -many- options in the narrow holes.

On my list, it's nearly the equal of Trophy Club and has it in spades over Prairie View. 

Coyote Crossing in Lafayette is also a fantastic use of land and quite a bit less brutal than Dye's Kampen course in West lafayette.

[BCowan]

Florida- Ocala GC (Ocala, FL)

Michigan- Diamond Springs (Holland,MI) DeVries

 Washtenaw GC  (Ypsilanti,MI)

Monroe CC (Monroe,MI) Ross

[Carl Rogers]

Add several in the Tidewater Virginia Area
- Sleepy Hole; Suffolk, VA
- Cypress Creek; Smithfield, VA
- Sewell's Point; Norfolk, VA
- Nansemond River; Suffolk, VA
- Lambert's Point: Norfolk, VA
- Virginia Beach National, Virginia Beach
- King Carter, Irvington, Virginia
- Heron Ridge; Virginia Beach

none are remarkable, but for someone who lives in the area, the access and price point and golf in combination is not bad

[Mike Schott]

Florida- Ocala GC

Michigan- Diamond Springs, Washtenaw GC, Monroe CC

Ben, have you played Monroe yet? Is there any Ross left?

[BCowan]

Mike,

   Yes, 14 or 15 holes are pure Ross.  Besides possibly more trees then originally, I think most is left untouched.  A friend of mine did a master plan for them a few years back with the previous owner, he indicated that beside the new holes it was untouched.  I played it prob 10 years ago.

[Criss Titschinger]

Updates for the Ohio List:


Aurora Golf & CC is NLE.
Longaberger Golf Club is now known as The Virtues Golf Club
Aston is really Aston Oaks
Cook's Creek is now known as RainTree South Golf Club


Personally, I would have Stonelick Hills (in the Cincinnati area) on this list and remove Aston Oaks. Stonelick Hills, to me, is the Cincinnati area's #1 public golf course.


Might also consider putting Hawthorne Valley on the Ohio list, as they re-opened in April as a public golf course.

[Chris_Blakely]

Mike,

   Yes, 14 or 15 holes are pure Ross.  Besides possibly more trees then originally, I think most is left untouched.  A friend of mine did a master plan for them a few years back with the previous owner, he indicated that beside the new holes it was untouched.  I played it prob 10 years ago.

Hole 6 and 9 are Jerry Mathews holes.  The greens / holes these replaced are still there.  The club maintains the old 9th green at it is one of the best Ross built there.  There is an abandoned green behind the fourth green that is obvious.  The tennis courts / pool / driving range most likely eliminate caused these three holes to be eliminated.  Not sure if the current practice green is an old Ross green.

[Brian Bowman]

I would also like to add the Golf Club at Stonelick Hills in Batavia, Ohio (outside of Cincinnati)

[Chris_Blakely]

Blue Heron GC, Medina, OH is closed for good.
Balsams Resort, Dixville Notch, NH has been closed for several years, but may be reopening.

[Pete_Pittock]

For Oregon I would add
Gearhart-Seaside
Salishan-Newport
Black Butte (Green Mdw, Glaze Mdw)  -Sisters
Brasada Ranch-Redmond

[Garland Bayley]

For Oregon I would add
Gearhart-Seaside
Salishan-Newport
Black Butte (Green Mdw, Glaze Mdw)  -Sisters
Brasada Ranch-Redmond

Salishan should be Gleneden Beach no?

[tomgoutman]

Pennsylvania--Hershey Links is no longer open--sold for housing development.
Missouri--add Missouri Bluffs, a sticking effort amid great rolling terrain outside of St. Louis, designed by Tom Fazio

[Ronald Montesano]

Wyatt,

Taconic is one of the greatest courses I've ever played, sits on 150 acres, in the beautiful berkshires gotta love it. Not sure if it was just a typo, but the designer with Stiles, is Van Kleek, with a k not f.

Geroge Wright is a great track, but conditions can be tough sometimes.

Can't think of two better public courses with layouts like these, great choices!!!!

Ha Ha Ha

I love when a guy, in the act of correcting a typo, makes a typo ... Geroge Wright!!

We are all human and fallible.

[Ronald Montesano]

Kevin Lynch did a bit of work for Buffalo on page three of this thread. I would add the following courses in Buffalo-Niagara:


Two Hurdzan & Company courses (before the split with Fry) are Diamond Hawk (Cheektowaga) and Harvest Hill (Orchard Park).


RTJ2 post Chambers Bay in Lewiston (north of Niagara Falls) has Seneca Hickory Stick.


East of Buffalo are Links at Ivy Ridge (Akron), a design by no designer of renown that is worth the time, and Arrowhead (Akron) by Scott Witter, former contributor here. Witter also has Ironwood (near Byrncliff in Cowlesville) a little course that plays big. Tips out at 6300, I think, but loads of fun and interest.

[Jud_T]

Illinois Update-  Add Langford's Kankakee Elks and Esler's Mount Prospect GC.

[Russell Lo]

Hawaii-Island by island
Kauai
Wailua GC Municipal-near Lihue (airport)-Walkable. Best deal in the state! 15-20 north of airport.
Poipu Bay resort-30 minutes outside of Airport
Kiahuna-near Poipu
Puakea-near Airport
Princeville (Prince and Makai) 1 hour north of Airport near Princeville and Hanalei

Oahu
Turtle Bay Palmer-90 minutes from Waikiki-45 minutes from Ko Olina
Ko Olina-45 minutes from Waikiki
Ala Wai-Municipal 5 minutes from Waikiki, cheap and slow, but fun
Hoakalei-Private Ernie Els course that allows public access-60 minutes from Waikiki
Koolau and Royal Hawaiian. Pretty but you'll be disappointed.

Maui
Kapalua Plantation West side of Island 45-60 from airport
Kaanapali-Resort 45 from airport
Wailea (Gold, Old Blue, Emerald)-Gold is their Championship, Old Blue is the original that the locals play. 40 minutes from Airport, 15 from Kihei, 5 minutes from Wailea hotels
Pukalani-Above Kihei and 20 minutes from the Airport. Lots of locals and cheap, but fun
Waiehu-near Wailuku (15 minutes from Airport-Municipal, Goat Track with great views, fun par 3s and cheap
Dunes at Maui Lani-5 minutes from Airport 30 from Wailea, 45-60 from Kaanapali. Fun track and not too expensive. Great track to get in your other 18  on the way back from the other side of the island.

Hawaii
Any of the Resort Courses (in Order)
Mauna Kea (45-60 north of airport) $$$$
Mauna Lani (30-45 north of airport) $$$
Waikoloa Beach (couple of nice holes) 30 north of airport $$$
Waikoloa Village (up the mountain, usually pretty windy) 30-45 north of airport $$$
Makalei-15 minutes up from the airport. Fun local track playing across rock walls to keep cattle out, Koa trees and peacocks, but still fun. $$
Big Island CC-40 minutes north and up the mountain from airport. Up the hill from Waikoloa Village and Mauna Lani-fun track with a little bit of wind.
Volcano Golf Course-1-2 hours from Kona Airport around South Point, but faster from Hilo airport (90-120). Really fun track up at elevation with native trees, grasses, animals and Madam Pele. Go to the Volcano House for a slice of Poha Berry Pie before the drive back.

Privates are really fun if you can get on:
Nanea-10-15 from airport
Kukio-20 minutes forth of airport
Hokulia-30 minutes south of airport
Kohanaiki-15 minutes south of airport before hitting Kailua town
Hualalai-so pretty you'll almost forget what you paid.

[Chris Mavros]

Three Little Bakers in DE is now closed.  I would put White Clay Creek, an Arthur Hills design in Newark, DE, in its place. 


I would also include LuLu CC in Glenside, PA to the list.  It's a great Donald Ross course. 

[Blake Conant]

Wyatt,


It might take a couple days to organize, but google maps would be a great way to preserve, present, and update your list with ease.  I've been updating a list of golf courses for the past few years and it's helped me quite a bit.  Worth a shot if you've got time to put it together. 


Here's mine:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hRJpOVZEcCjcajsoEBCR-piYfyw&usp=sharing

[Chris Pearson]

Kentucky
Nevel Meade (Prospect), Steve Smyers


The latest word is that Old Silo (Mt. Sterling) is in horrendous condition and is not worth the trip east from Lexington.