Bread And Butter Golf Courses

[Kyle Henderson]

To me, the working definition of "Bread and Butter Golf" is epitomized in courses like Los Positas in Livermore. The body of work by Bob Graves and his associates (Neal Meagher was one) are all remarkably consistent - and invariably enjoyable to play. Pascuzzo goes off the deep end here and there, but I have never walked off one of their layouts with the kind of visceral anger at having wasted four hours of my life reserved for some Nicklaus courses like Coyote Creek.

A round on a Graves course is like a visit to kindly Uncle Bob's house, where the chairs are comfortable but not fancy, and although the wallpaper looks a little peeled and sun bleached, everything in the decor works pretty well together. The television is not a flat screen, but the 49er jerseys are still red and the grass looks green and the though the beer is not imported, it is still cold and plentiful.

Does he have a "signature design?" Maybe La Purisima, but he more likely would like to be remembered for Sea Ranch which - like the man himself - is friendly and charming, but deceptively clever.  

http://www.worldgolf.com/golf-architects/robert-muir-graves.html
  

I wish I was a golfer back before they redid the front nine and added the excutive course. For me, the current front nine is a step down from the original holes on the back side.

I've played quite a few Graves course around the SF Bay and generally I find them a bit bland, a la Bell Jr., but with a bit of quirk here and there to add some interest. The routings are usually decent, the conditions generally muddy, and the green complexes failry simplistic. Somehow, I always get the feeling he had small budgets and did what he could given the constraints presented.

La Purisima is probably the best I've seen from his portfolio, but it has some akward holes (narrow, side-sloping fairways and oddly positioned, mand-made water hazards) on land that might have produced something greater.

I don't know that any of his work quite fits the "bread and butter" criteria (as presented in this thread) by my reckoning.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Ron M - No Mark Twain in Elmira? or is that to far away for you?

[Sean Leary]

Here in Seattle

Original Course at Gold Mountain
Everett Golf and CC
Lake Spanaway

[Will MacEwen]

Sean - north of Seattle I would add Lake Padden, although it has been years since I played it.

In BC, Fraserview and Whistler Golf Club.

[Sean Leary]

Will,

I would agree with Lake Padden. What about Peace Portal?

[Ronald Montesano]

Jaeger...Elmira is what I would call central New York.  I'd lump it in with Corning and Binghamton.  WNY for me extends south and west to the PA line and east to Rochester and the Finger Lakes.  Rochester and the Finger Lakes region have a number of very good courses.

[Will MacEwen]

Will,

I would agree with Lake Padden. What about Peace Portal?

I only played it once when my game was a mess, several years ago. 

Avalon was my bread and butter when I was a student because it was Canadian at par, play all day for the price of 18.  Worst drainage of any course I have ever played - even though it was up on a bluff or plateau or something. 

[Tim Gavrich]

Few more that come to mind:

- Lexington G&CC; Lexington, VA
- Vista Links; Buena Vista, VA
- River Club; Litchfield Beach, SC
- Willbrook Plantation; Litchfield Beach, SC
- Stanley GC; New Britain, CT
- Timberlin GC; Berlin, CT

[Carl Nichols]

Simsbury Farms (muni), Simsbury, CT:  good but not great course, interesting mix of holes, nice but not spectacular location, terrific fall foliage, reasonable but not terrific conditioning .... and a great deal.

YES!

Geoffrey Cornish would seem to be the consummate bread-and-butter architect.  He never had much in the way of a "magnum opus" and none of his courses are especially high on state or national lists.  They're just solid, user-friendly, enjoyable golf courses.  Some of my favorites:

- Hop Meadow CC; Simsbury, CT--my home course for the first 18 years of my life.
- Portland GC; Portland, CT--not too long, but some fun downhill shots and big, clam-shell bunkers and good par 3s.
- Tower Ridge CC; Simsbury, CT--Draped over the side of a mountain as well as a few holes by the Farmington River.  Some good quirk and some excellent views of the Farmington Valley.
- Sugarloaf CC; Sugarloaf, PA--I played there with my father on the way back to W&L one time at the recommendation of Mike Cirba, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Some others:
- Indian Wells GC; Surfside Beach, SC--a straightforward but enjoyable (and very affordable) earlier course on the Grand Strand that has two excellent short par 5s.  Designed by Gene Hamm.
- Paradise Point GC (Gold); Camp Lejeune, NC--solid, solid golf course on the Marine base in Jacksonville, NC where we play in a tournament every Spring.  George Cobb's first design, I believe.
- Triggs Memorial GC; Providence, RI--Providence's municipal course, a pretty well-preserved Donald Ross course.
- Shennecossett GC; Same as above; Groton, CT--basically the same case as Triggs.

Tim--
I'll only quibble with one of your selections -- Tower Ridge.  I played it last year for the first time in about 15 years and found it way too gimmicky.  It used to have great greens (in the conditioning sense), but they weren't particularly good on my last visit.

While we're talking about that area, how about Avon GC?  

[Bill_McBride]

Here in Seattle

Original Course at Gold Mountain
Everett Golf and CC
Lake Spanaway

Sean, isn't Spanaway an A. V. Macan design?  I played it back in the late '60s when I lived in Seattle briefly, it was a good solid track, nice bread and butter call.

[Mike Wagner]

Sean,

Great call on Spanaway.  I would add Skyridge (Sequim) to the NW list.  No one knows about it and it's my 2nd favorite course in the state.  10 holes....linksy....outstanding greens...no one there.  Oh, and very little rain....

[Mark_Rowlinson]

In the UK I think this is the level that Sean Arble in particular is so good at identifying and describing in an objective way - Southfield is his latest. I'd nominate Luffenham Heath, Crowborough Beacon, Prestbury, Stoneham, Whittington Barracks, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Seaton Carew and hundreds of other courses. The main thing is to remember what Bread and Butter Pudding is - one of the great culinary delights when made properly. It is even better when made with pannetone. I am happy to send recipes to any GCAers who don't have access to a recipe. It really is a gastronomic delight when properly made.

[Ronald Montesano]

Tim hit the nail on the head with the Hartford area...that joint has more bread and butter, solid rounds of golf than most other cities in the northeast.  Rockledge, Blue Fox Run, Tunxis, Wintonbury Hills, Tallwood, Blackledge, Hunter, even Lyman Orchards are unspectacular, hearty golf courses.

[Cliff Hamm]

I would include Manchester CC on the Hartford list.