[Jason Topp]

I thought it might be interesting to have everyone willing to do so identify one recommended course for each of the following categories in your area:

1.  Public access - price no object
2.  Public Access - budget
3.  Private - access not an issue
 

[jonathan_becker]

Jason,

How local are you talking?  Within 30 minutes?  less?

[Mac Plumart]

Cuscowilla
Longshadow
Augusta National, Peachtree, East Lake (I did three because access is sometimes tough for these courses)

[Garland Bayley]

1.  Public access - price no object
Pumpkin Ridge - Ghost Creek
2.  Public Access - budget
Eastmoreland
3.  Private - access not an issue
Columbia Edgewater (better routing on better golfing ground than Pumpkin Ridge IMO.)

[Jason Topp]

Mine:

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Public - price no object - Stoneridge http://www.stoneridgegc.com/

Terrific Bobby Weed Course in an ugly setting.  Plays firm and fast, exposed to the wind, a bunch of birdie holes and a bunch of very difficult holes.  Great greens in terms of both condition and slopes.  Rough edged bunkering that is unique in my experienced and fits the site (an old Quarry) well.

Public - Budget

Links at Northfork - http://golfthelinks.com/

Tough call for me - a lot of decent reasonably priced courses in town.  I really enjoy Bunker Hills but nothing is memorable about the architecture.  Keller has a great history with the St. Paul Open and is a suprisingly good course.  Gross is a good Minneapolis muni that is a bit rough in condition and Chaska Town Course is a bit too expensive to make this list.  The Links is a bit nauseating because it is by no means a links, but the par 3's and 5's are very good, several terrific par fours are sprinkled between some bland holes and the course is usually in excellent condition.  On a windy day, you can play holes 5-13 dead into the wind which can beat you up pretty badly.

Private

Oak Ridge

I am totally biased for my home club, but there is not a course I have played in the Twin Cities that I like better.  I suspect if Ross or some other name architect had designed the course it would be ranked among the very best in the state.

http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/oak-ridge-country-club

[Jason Topp]

Jason,

How local are you talking?  Within 30 minutes?  less?

It is up to you.  Longer if you think it is worth the drive for someone on a short trip to the area.

[Mark Pritchett]

1.  Aiken Golf Club, Mount Vintage (if conditioning trumps architecture)
2.  Aiken Golf Club, Forest Hills
3.  ANGC, Augusta Country Club, Palmetto, Champions Retreat, Sage Valley

[RJ_Daley]

Area, Green Bay WI

Public, price no object:  the obvious is Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run.  1 hour
public, budget:  Lawsonia 1.25hour, Brown County GC local, Eagle Creek 30mins.
Private, access no object:  Gotta go a ways, Milwaukee CC and Blue Mound CC, 1.45 hours.

[Sean Leary]

Seattle

Chambers Bay
Gold Mountain (Olympic)
Aldarra

[jonathan_becker]

Jason,

How local are you talking?  Within 30 minutes?  less?

It is up to you.  Longer if you think it is worth the drive for someone on a short trip to the area.

Ok.  I'll keep mine under an hour.  Northeast Ohio (Akron)

1. Stonewater  (There aren't many good high end publics near me)
2. Mohican Hills
3. Canton Brookside or TCC Pepper Pike

[Tom Huckaby]

I live in San Jose, CA.  Going an hour away brings some very obvious heavy hitters into the mix.  So that's no fun.  I shall stick to much closer to home... those within 1/2 hr drive from downtown San Jose.

1.  Public access - price no object
Pasatiempo.  We're lucky there.  30 minutes means one has to drive like Ed Getka though.  But close enough.

2.  Public Access - budget
No great contenders, everything is overpriced here.  But closest thing would be Spring Valley GC in Milpitas.  Very quirky fun course in the hills, decent specials can be obtained price-wise.

3.  Private - access not an issue
Slim pickin's.  Gonna have to go with Boulder Ridge CC in San Jose.  Fun course, nice views, Arizona in Silicon Valley.  Nothing to travel here specifically for, but decent enough.

[Sean Leary]

1.  Public access - price no object
Pumpkin Ridge - Ghost Creek
2.  Public Access - budget
Eastmoreland
3.  Private - access not an issue
Columbia Edgewater (better routing on better golfing ground than Pumpkin Ridge IMO.)

C-E is an interesting Choice. I would take Witch Hollow, Waverly and Royal Oaks ahead of C-E. Have not played Portland GC.

[Bob_Huntley]

Slam dunk here, you could cover all three with a large bowler hat, or lets say less than five minutes by car.

1. Pebble Beach

2. Poppy Hills

3. Cypress Point


Bob

[Jason Topp]

Slam dunk here, you could cover all three with a large bowler hat, or lets say less than five minutes by car.

1. Pebble Beach

2. Poppy Hills

3. Cypress Point


Bob

Tough to beat that list.  I'm surprised at Poppy Hills but I presume the rate break through NCGA membership is a big factor.

[Jason Elwell]

North Alabama

1. Public (Price no object) - Limestone Springs, Oneonta, AL

2. Public (Budget) - RTJ Golf Trail, The Shoals (Fightin' Joe or Schoolmaster), Muscle Shoals, AL

3. Private - The Ledges, Huntsville, AL ( my home course )

[Carl Nichols]

Within 30 miles of my house in Northwest DC:

1.  Westfields [upper Montgomery County courses are outside 30 miles, and haven't played some of the newer publics]
2.  Redgate (Rockville) -- but haven't played Twin Lakes.  
3.  RTJ is my current pick over Congressional Blue and Columbia, but I go back and forth on these all the time.

[Mark Pritchett]

Cuscowilla
Longshadow
Augusta National, Peachtree, East Lake (I did three because access is sometimes tough for these courses)

Mac,

Local, not regional!

MP

[Mac Plumart]

It is local in my book! 

[John Foley]

Here in Rochester NY



1.  Public access - price no object - Ravenwood - GW just listed it #3 public - 2 min from my house!!

2.  Public Access - budget - Greystone - pretty sure that quality / price point beats most!

3.  Private - access not an issue - Oak Hill East - Monroe gets the GCA love, CCR has a great renovation but OH East is still better

Jason - Glad to see the love for the Shoals - had a great time there a few years back.

[Andy Hughes]

In MD but apparently within just a few miles of Carl:
1. PB Dye GC (haven't seen Lake Presidential yet)
2. Glenn Dale (though I was pleased to see Carl include Red Gate as I think for a course that is little-thought of around here it has some good and interesting holes.)
3. Columbia

[Nick Campanelli]

Boston Area....alot to choose from, and other states are only 30 min away.  we think small up here in New England

No Budget  
Red Tail GC (Acton, MA)  
Brian Silva, Architect

Pine Hills Golf Club (Plymouth, MA)
Nicklaus, Jones, Architects

Budget
Widows Walk GC (Scituate MA, 20 min from Boston)
Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Architect

Private
Wannamoisett CC (Providence, 40 min)
Donald Ross, Architect

...i have yet to play the private clubs around Boston (The Country Club etc, but im sure they would be up there)

[Jason Elwell]

John,

As you know, The Shoals is really great. An underrated stop on the RTJ Trail in my opinion. I've only had the opportunity to play The Schoolmaster, but I hear the Fightin' Joe might be the better course. Hope to try it out soon. The RTJ Trail courses in Huntsville are a joke. I wouldn't waste my time there.

[Bob_Huntley]

Slam dunk here, you could cover all three with a large bowler hat, or lets say less than five minutes by car.

1. Pebble Beach

2. Poppy Hills

3. Cypress Point


Bob

Tough to beat that list.  I'm surprised at Poppy Hills but I presume the rate break through NCGA membership is a big factor.

The last time I looked, it was something like $50.00 at Poppy for an NCGA Member. You would have to leave the Forest to do better than that.


Bob

 

[Steve Strasheim]

Mine:

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Public - price no object - Stoneridge http://www.stoneridgegc.com/

Terrific Bobby Weed Course in an ugly setting.  Plays firm and fast, exposed to the wind, a bunch of birdie holes and a bunch of very difficult holes.  Great greens in terms of both condition and slopes.  Rough edged bunkering that is unique in my experienced and fits the site (an old Quarry) well.

Public - Budget

Links at Northfork - http://golfthelinks.com/

Tough call for me - a lot of decent reasonably priced courses in town.  I really enjoy Bunker Hills but nothing is memorable about the architecture.  Keller has a great history with the St. Paul Open and is a suprisingly good course.  Gross is a good Minneapolis muni that is a bit rough in condition and Chaska Town Course is a bit too expensive to make this list.  The Links is a bit nauseating because it is by no means a links, but the par 3's and 5's are very good, several terrific par fours are sprinkled between some bland holes and the course is usually in excellent condition.  On a windy day, you can play holes 5-13 dead into the wind which can beat you up pretty badly.

Private

Oak Ridge

I am totally biased for my home club, but there is not a course I have played in the Twin Cities that I like better.  I suspect if Ross or some other name architect had designed the course it would be ranked among the very best in the state.

http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/oak-ridge-country-club

Jason,

I used to go to Minneapolis for golf every year. Agree totally with Northforlk, fun course. It was always between that and Baker National for public.


For me, in Lincoln, NE its:

Public: Highlands
Public,CCFAD: Quarry Oaks
Private: Firethorn

Great thread, 4 new replies while I was typing.

[Mark Pritchett]

John,

As you know, The Shoals is really great. An underrated stop on the RTJ Trail in my opinion. I've only had the opportunity to play The Schoolmaster, but I hear the Fightin' Joe might be the better course. Hope to try it out soon. The RTJ Trail courses in Huntsville are a joke. I wouldn't waste my time there.

I enjoyed Limestone Springs, witnessed my friend double eagle #16.

Played one of the Huntsville RTJ courses, Highlands?  I think that is what it was called, pretty forgettable course and at $65 hardly a bargain. 

 

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()