RECOMMENDATIONS That Aren't Well Known

[Phil McDade]

Spring Valley GC, an original and largely untouched Langford/Moreau west of Kenosha WI, just north of Antioch IL on the Wisconsin/Illinois border. Discussed on occasion here by us Langford nuts, it's completely bunkerless, features some terrific greens, and a wonderful set of par 3s. About as low-key as it gets; maintenance is OK, pace of play uncertain, but a neat museum piece. At an all-day weekend rate of $21.50, maybe the best under-$25 course in the Midwest.

[Fred Yanni]

OK - after being unemployed all last summer I had a bunch of time to explore the state of CT and surrouding areas.  The bad news is that much of the golf in CT flat out stinks.  The good news is I discovered this old Ross gem.

In CT:

Shennecossett Golf Course (Ross - 1916 I think).  Classic Ross features are everywhere.  Greens that walk off right to the next tee and great green complexes.  Three of the original holes were destroyed when the town exchanged land with Pfizer to get a piece of land on the water.  The three newer holes are pretty good with great views but not part of the original design.  If I get up there this summer I will take pictures and do a broader review.  Green fees are under $50.00 and you can walk.     

Yale: - Nothing more needs to be said.  Tip - its a private course unless you are affiliated with the University.  If you belong to a private club have them call ahead and tell them a member is in the area and wants to play.  This worked both times I played last summer ($100.00 as of last summer). You can walk too!

In Upstate New York:

Seven Oaks Golf Couse (Colgate University  - RTJ).  I am very biased here but this course is a gem.  Great setting in the valley below Colgate.  Super layout  and classic huge RTJ greens with fantastic pin options.  Playable for players of all levels.  Maybe has the best collection of 4 risk/reward par 5s on a course anywhere.  Interesting design point - no fairway bunkers - not one...  and you can walk!  Another course that I need to do a full work up on for all of you.


If you do play Seven Oaks you need to try to play one of the Oneida Casino courses - overpriced for upsate NY and a bit of a golf factory but all 3 are pretty good if you have the cash to spend.

[Jon Wiggett]

From my neck of the woods Wick is a real old world links and Reay, also a links is worth the journey up to it. Also, Grantown. For the 9 holers Fort Augustus and Carrbridge though Abernethy is my favourite with many quirky holes.

[Jason McNamara]

Well Jon, you can't give us Wick and Reay without a comment on Thurso!   

[Dan Herrmann]

Ross' Monroe Golf Club, Rochester NY

[C. Sturges]

In the Cleveland area, Ross' Hawthorne Valley Country Club.  Played there yesterday and was blown away.  The only weak hole is number 11 where they added a pond on the left side, but the hole still has a good green.  The par threes are some of the best in the area.  The greens on a whole are better than many of the other known Ross courses, such as Shaker Heights and Acacia.  If you are in the area I would highly recomend it.  The course is now semi-private.  The only bad thing is the number of trees, but that can be solved with a couple of days with a chain saw.  I am hoping to get my friend to post some pictures.
Chris

[jonathan_becker]

In the Cleveland area, Ross' Hawthorne Valley Country Club.  Played there yesterday and was blown away.  The only weak hole is number 11 where they added a pond on the left side, but the hole still has a good green.  The par threes are some of the best in the area.  The greens on a whole are better than many of the other known Ross courses, such as Shaker Heights and Acacia.  If you are in the area I would highly recomend it.  The course is now semi-private.  The only bad thing is the number of trees, but that can be solved with a couple of days with a chain saw.  I am hoping to get my friend to post some pictures.
Chris

I've been told HVCC is pretty good.  Considering I only live about an hour or so from there, I should probably check it out.  Please do post some photos if you can.

[Ed Oden]

Ross' Monroe Golf Club, Rochester NY

Agreed... http://www.flickr.com/photos/eko_gfl/sets/72157622455301816/show/

[Jim Hoak]

In the Monterey, CA area, the Pacific Grove muni is a fun course, with 9 excellent holes.  In that sense, it reminds me of Portstewart in Northern Ireland, which would be better known except that it has 9 outstanding holes and 9 mediocre holes.

[PThomas]

Kirtland near Cleveland....very probably should be in the GW top 100 Classic list

[Jon Wiggett]

Well Jon, you can't give us Wick and Reay without a comment on Thurso!   

Sorry Jason but I have never gotten around to playing Thurso for some reason

[C. Sturges]

Jonathan,
We should go play Hawthorne sometime!  I am about twenty minutes away and it is a great course.

Paul,
Kirtland is a wonderful course and I agree with you.  On the other hand Country is even better in my mind.  I know it has been profiled here, but I can not waite till it is on National TV hosting the women.

There is a ton a good to great golf in Northern Ohio, and most of it is unknown out of the area.

Chris

[Tony_Muldoon]

Well Jon, you can't give us Wick and Reay without a comment on Thurso!   

Sorry Jason but I have never gotten around to playing Thurso for some reason

Jon Could I ask that you start a new thread and fill us all in on what exactly you are up to at the moment?  There was an intriguing post not long ago.

[PThomas]

Jonathan,
We should go play Hawthorne sometime!  I am about twenty minutes away and it is a great course.

Paul,
Kirtland is a wonderful course and I agree with you.  On the other hand Country is even better in my mind.  I know it has been profiled here, but I can not waite till it is on National TV hosting the women.

There is a ton a good to great golf in Northern Ohio, and most of it is unknown out of the area.

Chris

C - i preferred Kirtland over TCC, but not by much...have you played Pepper Pike?  I havent yet

[jonathan_becker]

Mr Sturges,

I shoot you a pm sometime this summer and we'll check it out!!  There's a guy in my office that wants to see it too.

Paul,

I'm playing TCC this summer and I'm so pumped I can't stand it!!  But Kirtland looks so fantastic as well.  I haven't played it yet, but it's one of the last big names for me to knock of in NE Ohio.  I love Ran's profile of it.

I'll be interested to see how TCC stacks up as Canton Brookside is maybe the best (IMO) of NE Ohio golf.  Sometimes I sound like a broken record praising Brookside, but it's absolutely fantastic.

[PThomas]

Mr Sturges,

I shoot you a pm sometime this summer and we'll check it out!!  There's a guy in my office that wants to see it too.

Paul,

I'm playing TCC this summer and I'm so pumped I can't stand it!!  But Kirtland looks so fantastic as well.  I haven't played it yet, but it's one of the last big names for me to knock of in NE Ohio.  I love Ran's profile of it.

I'll be interested to see how TCC stacks up as Canton Brookside is maybe the best (IMO) of NE Ohio golf.  Sometimes I sound like a broken record praising Brookside, but it's absolutely fantastic.

i played Canton once Jonathan...the back nine after a rainstorm, so some of the starch was out of those greens...but yikes! the ones on the front were extremely challenging

Kirtland was such a surprise , I didnt expect it to be so good....some nice elevation on some the holes to boot..a real sleeper imho

[John Moore II]

I will go back to the original topic and add a few courses.

I won't even bother with the Pinehurst area, any course down there that isn't well known isn't worth even looking at the parking lot.

In Raleigh, you have The Neuse and the new NCSU course. Those are both very good and neither are ranked by any significant publication. Other than those two, the quality drops quickly.

Outside Wilmington, NC, Castle Bay used to be good, but I am not sure anymore since I have not played there since they built 750 or so houses on the site.

And for the Tidewater Virginia area, Riverfront and VA Beach National are fairly good places to see. Beyond those two, I can't really think of any that aren't rated by some magazine.

[Jon Wiggett]

Well Jon, you can't give us Wick and Reay without a comment on Thurso!   

Sorry Jason but I have never gotten around to playing Thurso for some reason

Jon Could I ask that you start a new thread and fill us all in on what exactly you are up to at the moment?  There was an intriguing post not long ago.

Hi Tony,

thanks for asking. I am just in the process of seeding the final two greens on my project. The last three weeks I have been going into work between 5am and 6am each morning and working till after 8pm with occasional bathroom breaks and food. This should be finished by saturday when I will take a few days rest and visit my Mum down south (she has no internet so no GCA ) After this I should have some more time (although I often think this only to be proved wrong) and I intend doing a thread introducing my course to the discusion group. Till then I ask you for a little patience.

Jon