[Tim Bert]

Well I have played Banff twice so I guess I should just retire since I have been fortunate enough to see a course that makes both the Doak and Urbina list.

I could go on and on with courses overseas that would make this list because I have never played anywhere but US and Canada.  The Old Course tops my international list because I have seen it on TV and on computer games and in books but I don't think you can "get it" until you play it - most likely multiple times.

I was just discussing this topic with a friend who travels extensively in the states but is not an avid golfer. He knows of my passion and asked about my top 5 domestic "must see" courses. Here's the courses and the rationale I gave him - no particular order.

NGLA - everything I know about what I enjoy in a golf course combined with consistent reviews of "fun, fun, fun" by the lucky few who visit make this a no brainer for me

Pine Valley - predictable and sort of a cliche. This one interests me just because it is consistently at or near the top of everyone's list an it looks simply punishing and difficult which is something I don't normally equate with fun. Still the fairways are supposed to he generous (just don't miss) and I would love to experience it and evaluate the playability. It can't be as impossible as it seems if it generates so much love. I will make it to the Crump Cup in a near future year.

Rock Creek - It is no secret I love a good Renaissance Design and this one appeals to me for a few reasons. The hyperbole with which those particularly fnd of this course speak grabs your attention. I have never been to Montana an need to get there and it wouldn't be a bad idea to get on up to Glacier Park and some other parts of the state.

TPC Stadium Sawgrass - Pete Dye's work doesn't get enough respect from me based on my small sampling of his courses.  I should probably put The Ocean Course on this list instead as I think I would be more inclined to enjoy it, but the TPC has always been of interest to me since ky early days of playing golf on the Sega Genesis before I had ever Swung a real golf club (didn't start playing until I was 18).  It looks like very much what I don't like about so many courses. So much water. Very penal in nature. Not enough room for my game.  But I need to experience it.  By the way this is the only one on my list that my non-avid golfer travel friend has played. I think it pleased him that he had gotten to one on my list before me.

Wolf Point - Everything excites me about this course. From dinner with Mike Nuzzo at the Dixie Cup and listening to his passionate story about getting involved in this project during the early stages to following his blog throughout the process to reading the joyful reviews and seeing the pictures from those that have joined him for a day at the course - I hope Mike gets a chance to design something equally special that is on display for the general public.     

     

[George Freeman]

National Golf Links of America
National Golf Links of America
National Golf Links of America
National Golf Links of America
National Golf Links of America

Where it all began and IMO no better place to start...

[Scott Warren]

Scott

Care to share your wish list ?

I will say this as a pre-amble: It makes me feel genuinely blessed, and I am sure we have all experienced this sort of thing, when I see Jim Urbina say how much he wants to see Alwoodley or when Tom Doak had Royal Zoute listed about a year back as one of the courses he most wanted to see, and had done for years (he has since made the pilgrimage!), to have had the chance to play those courses.

I think too often we focus on what we don't have, or what we haven't "ticked off" and not enough time is spent thinking how amazingly fortunate we are to have seen what we have seen - and most importantly at least in my case, met the people we have shared those experiences with.

Top 5 I have played (got to obey my own rule...): Royal St George's, Royal Dornoch, The Old Course, North Berwick, New South Wales

But, were I to choose five I most want to play one day, they'd be:

Sunningdale - Heathland golf may well be my favourite style of course, so the premier heathland complex in Britain has to be seen and savoured in this lifetime.

Pine Valley - The story of Crump's dedication to realising a dream, the who's who that helped him and the stories about what they created - 18 brilliant golf holes that mesh into a near-perfect course - is irresistible.

Cypress Point - People often tell me my beloved NSWGC has a site the equal of CPC but doesn't do it justice, so I'd love to see the brilliant routing, artful bunkers and have my chance to create a story for the grandkids on #16 (the amount of nights I lie in bed thinking how I will play that hole if I ever get the chance...)

Royal Melbourne - The undisputed best golf course in my homeland for almost 90 years. No brainer.

Royal County Down - Is it Bill Coore who uses the catchphrase "It just looks like golf"? RCD just looks like golf to me: thrilling, quirky, challenging... all the things my favourite golf courses tend to be.

There are so many courses that are knocking on the door of that list: Paraparaumu Beach (watched 2002 NZ Open there, was meant to play on the Monday after but it was too wet...), Morfontaine, Riviera, Muirfield, Fishers Island...

[JC Urbina]

JC Jones,

You must have read the Dream Golf Book second edition.  Goodwin relives the day I pushed hard for the burn.  I had to drain that part of the property and I was just trying to use a simple formula for a drainage issue.  It really looked good from the tee but the consultants and Tom overruled me.  It was a 4-1 vote.  But I didn't mind the outcome.
 My goal on every course I do is to think outside the norm of what you would expect. I told this to Keiser on more then one occasion at Old Mac and that is " Expect the unexpected" 

If you have seen all of the other courses on your list then by all means stop in and take a look at three wonderful golf courses at the resort and then give the fourth one ( Old Mac) a try and tell me what you think.  Imagine a burn running down along side # 1 crossing over by two green working it's way along # 3 tee and finally splitting the 17th fairway Moort before dumping out into a large bowl north of # 17.
 Goodwin was standing in the rain with many of Mike's friends that day as I tried to convince the crowd of onlookers that the burn was only 7% of the area on # 17 the rest was turf.

Bill,

If I run into some extra money I may take you up on that offer at Pennard.  Of course if I do make that trip my first stop will be in London at own and Alwoodley.

[Mark Pearce]

Jim,

Alwoodley's in Leeds, some way north of Leeds but if you did get across for BUDA you can be sure there'd be no shortage of GCAers keen to meet up for a game at Alwoodley.

This list is a really tricky one.  In many ways part of the issue is being honest with yourself.  Much as I'd love to say that, say, Pennard is in my top 5 (and much as I'm looking forward to playing it in September and as much as I know how much fun I have had at places like Kington) the reality is that there is an inevitable bias, for me at least, towards the big name courses.  That said, however, I surprise myself that Augusta National doesn't make my list.  In fact, when thinking about this list it occurred to me that there are many courses that head ANGC in my wish list.  Way more than 5, certainly, and the real difficulty is in paring down a shortlist of ten or so to the 5 we're allowed (I'm not going to cheat on this one).

I also realised that whilst there are many modern courses that look wonderful and I dearly want to play (all 4 at Bandon, Barnbougle, Cape Kidnappers, Sebonack, Sandhills etc.) none of those make my 5, either.  I guess, in the end, for that special magic attraction history plays a part for me.  I think also that my list is a little different than it would have been before May, when I was lucky enough to play Charles River and Yale which gave me an increased appetite for the best US courses (before then I think my list would have been dominated by links, heathland and sandbelt, with PV and CPC thrown in).

So, what are the 5?

1)  CPC.  It just looks wonderful from the pictures.  The 16th must be one of the most famous shots in giolf and the sheer beauty of the setting puts it up there.

2)  Oakmont.  Maybe it's the masochist in me but I do enjoy brutally difficult courses, if they have exciting shots to be played.  I loved the look of the course and the way it played for the last US Open there and the tree removal must have been a good thing.

3)  NGLA.  I'm surprised this made my list but I so enjoyed the template holes at Yale and the sheer historic value and apparent fun of NGLA gets it in.

4)  Royal Melbourne West.  It just looks brilliant.  Strategic, fast, firm.  Mackenzie.  What more do you need?

5)  Royal County Down.  Possibly better than RSG?  A musrt play (and maybe the only one on this list I will really get to play.

The three courses I had to eliminate from my shortlist of 8 were Shinnecock, Sunningdale and Pine Valley (I'm astonished by that.  Perhaps the tree removal at Oakmont swung it).  Merion, ANGC, Pebble, Birkdale, Turnberry and Walton Heath were considered but didn't make the shortlist.

Finally, as Scott says, we should realise how lucky we are to have played so many great courses.  To see how many of the courses I have played make other peoples lists is a reminder of how much great golf there is and how fortunate I have been to play even a fraction of these grteat courses.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

-

[Mike Cirba]

US

Oakmont
Myopia Hunt
Newport
The Country Club (Brookline)
Somerset Hills

Abroad

Muirfield
Royal County Down
Rye
Royal Dornoch
Cruden Bay

[Jim Franklin]

Home -

ANGC
Old Mac
Milwaukee CC
Camargo
Forest Highlands

Abroad -

Royal County Down
Royal Dornoch
Muirfield
Lost Farm
Barndougle Dunes

[Steve_ Shaffer]

1. a course in NJ near an amusement park
2. a course on Long Island with a windmill
3. a course in PA with a bridge over the PA Turnpike
4. a course in GA that used to be a nursery
5. a course in the sand hills of NE that used to be sand hills

[Thomas Patterson]

NGLA
Pine Valley
Cypress Point
TOC
Bandon Resort (all 4 courses please )

A guy can dream, right??

[Mac Plumart]

I like the ideas of posting why you want to play your Top 5.  Here goes...



#1---The Old Course at St. Andrews...this is The Home of Golf.  Anyone who loves the game has to visit this course in my opinion.  I've also seen the great golfing minds say that the more your play it the more you will appreciate it.  So, my mindset is to play it again and again and again through out the years.


#2---Augusta National---This is an iconic golf course, the home of The Masters, Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie compilation (two legends in the game).  It is (was) modeled after The Old Course. 


#3---Askernish---This seems to me like it just might be the way a golf course is supposed to be.  I will be playing it with hickories and relishing every swing of the club.


#4---Wolf Point---I have a hunch this might just be the biggest undiscovered gem in the entire world.  Again, The Old Course had a big influence on this course.  I also have a hunch that Mr. Nuzzo might be a golf course design genius that is just about to make a quantum leap.


#5---The Machrie---Like Askernish, this course/resort seems to me like it might be my ideal golf experience.  I've got to see if it in fact is.



And I've been on a business trip for a few days and away from the site and haven't had a chance to respond to some of the questions asked of me awhile back.


On North Berwick, I will take the time to play the course.  Y'all talked me into it.  I'll squeeze out Musselburgh if I have to.

On why the Rennaissance Club...it is right next to where I will be staying for a few days, so I think I can pop in there, play a quick round, and still have some time to enjoy the non-golfing activities in the area.  Also, it is a Tom Doak course and by the time I play it I will only have played one Doak course.  After this, I should have ammunition to criticize him relentlessly on this site!!!   

On Muirfield, oh yeah, I've got the 36 hole day with lunch lined up.  If you are going to do it...do it all the way, right!

Damn, I can't wait to go!!!

[Sean_A]

I like the ideas of posting why you want to play your Top 5.  Here goes...



#1---The Old Course at St. Andrews...this is The Home of Golf.  Anyone who loves the game has to visit this course in my opinion.  I've also seen the great golfing minds say that the more your play it the more you will appreciate it.  So, my mindset is to play it again and again and again through out the years.


#2---Augusta National---This is an iconic golf course, the home of The Masters, Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie compilation (two legends in the game).  It is (was) modeled after The Old Course. 


#3---Askernish---This seems to me like it just might be the way a golf course is supposed to be.  I will be playing it with hickories and relishing every swing of the club.


#4---Wolf Point---I have a hunch this might just be the biggest undiscovered gem in the entire world.  Again, The Old Course had a big influence on this course.  I also have a hunch that Mr. Nuzzo might be a golf course design genius that is just about to make a quantum leap.


#5---The Machrie---Like Askernish, this course/resort seems to me like it might be my ideal golf experience.  I've got to see if it in fact is.



And I've been on a business trip for a few days and away from the site and haven't had a chance to respond to some of the questions asked of me awhile back.


On North Berwick, I will take the time to play the course.  Y'all talked me into it.  I'll squeeze out Musselburgh if I have to.

On why the Rennaissance Club...it is right next to where I will be staying for a few days, so I think I can pop in there, play a quick round, and still have some time to enjoy the non-golfing activities in the area.  Also, it is a Tom Doak course and by the time I play it I will only have played one Doak course.  After this, I should have ammunition to criticize him relentlessly on this site!!!   

On Muirfield, oh yeah, I've got the 36 hole day with lunch lined up.  If you are going to do it...do it all the way, right!

Damn, I can't wait to go!!!

Mac

No need to squeeze Musselburgh out.  Its only 9 holes and can easily be played on the edges of the day.  It is worth giving it a go as there are a handful of fine holes and it doesn't cost much.  Remember, golf isn't just about ticking off big guns.  Peruse the menu and be adventurous once in a while.

Ciao

[Melvyn Morrow]

Mac

I agree with Sean, Musselburgh should not be overlooked. If you had to decide check out Tom's course at a later date.

Melvyn

[Don_Mahaffey]

My list is a little far fetched but...
1. Apache Stronghold circa 2000 (IMO, among Doak's finest and the best desert golf course ever built)
2. High Point circa 1990 (should have been an model for great affordable golf)
3. NGLA
4. Sand Hills
5t. Rock Creek
5t. Ballyneal

[JNC Lyon]

I like the ideas of posting why you want to play your Top 5.  Here goes...



#1---The Old Course at St. Andrews...this is The Home of Golf.  Anyone who loves the game has to visit this course in my opinion.  I've also seen the great golfing minds say that the more your play it the more you will appreciate it.  So, my mindset is to play it again and again and again through out the years.


#2---Augusta National---This is an iconic golf course, the home of The Masters, Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie compilation (two legends in the game).  It is (was) modeled after The Old Course. 


#3---Askernish---This seems to me like it just might be the way a golf course is supposed to be.  I will be playing it with hickories and relishing every swing of the club.


#4---Wolf Point---I have a hunch this might just be the biggest undiscovered gem in the entire world.  Again, The Old Course had a big influence on this course.  I also have a hunch that Mr. Nuzzo might be a golf course design genius that is just about to make a quantum leap.


#5---The Machrie---Like Askernish, this course/resort seems to me like it might be my ideal golf experience.  I've got to see if it in fact is.



And I've been on a business trip for a few days and away from the site and haven't had a chance to respond to some of the questions asked of me awhile back.


On North Berwick, I will take the time to play the course.  Y'all talked me into it.  I'll squeeze out Musselburgh if I have to.

On why the Rennaissance Club...it is right next to where I will be staying for a few days, so I think I can pop in there, play a quick round, and still have some time to enjoy the non-golfing activities in the area.  Also, it is a Tom Doak course and by the time I play it I will only have played one Doak course.  After this, I should have ammunition to criticize him relentlessly on this site!!!   

On Muirfield, oh yeah, I've got the 36 hole day with lunch lined up.  If you are going to do it...do it all the way, right!

Damn, I can't wait to go!!!

Mac

No need to squeeze Musselburgh out.  Its only 9 holes and can easily be played on the edges of the day.  It is worth giving it a go as there are a handful of fine holes and it doesn't cost much.  Remember, golf isn't just about ticking off big guns.  Peruse the menu and be adventurous once in a while.

Ciao

Agreed.  The courses of East Lothian are all so close together that you could easily play three different ones in one long summer day.  In one day, you could play North Berwick, Kilspindie, and Musselburgh and still have time for a few pints.

Don't limit yourself to pre-planned golf while in Scotland--make sure to make some spontaneous excursions to lesser-known courses.  You might be surprised by what you find.  There is no better place to do this than East Lothian.

[Dan Herrmann]

All great answers!

Let's imagine what we'd see if this question were posed on a non-GCA website...
1.  Trump National (great waterfalls)
2.  Liberty National (great view of the Statue of Liberty)
3.  Ballyowen (they play bagpipes and wear knickers!)
4.  Bell Bay - Nova Scotia (Wayne Gretzky played there)
5.  Augusta (doesn't everybody want to play there?)

[Mark Chaplin]

Cypress Point
NGLA
ANGC
Royal County Down

[Tony Weiler]

Cypress Point
NGLA
ANGC
Royal County Down

Mark, you are selling yourself short.  Most put more than 5, you stopped at 4!   

[Matt_Cohn]

Keeping it local.

1. Cypress Point - obviously.
2. The Institute - I just think it would be cool to say that I've played it.
3. Meadow Club - might get to in July, but again that combo of very cool and very under-the-radar.
4. Pasatiempo - obvious as well I guess.
5. Pebble Beach.

[Ben Sims]

I also have a hunch that Mr. Nuzzo might be a golf course design genius that is just about to make a quantum leap.

You have no idea.  There are many of us here that should be hitching a wagon to this ox.  The market--unfortunately--dictates that he may be relatively undiscovered for a bit longer.  But if the econmy rebounds and the right people see his work, we all may be privy to something very cool. 

[Jason Mandel]

Cypress Point
St. Andrews
National Golf Links
Royal Dornoch
Shinnecock

[Jeff Taylor]

US

Oakmont
Myopia Hunt
Newport
The Country Club (Brookline)
Somerset Hills

Abroad

Muirfield
Royal County Down
Rye
Royal Dornoch
Cruden Bay

I just played Muirfield in May. It should not have been on my list. I do like the idea of Newport though.

[Gary Slatter]

Royal Melbourne
Wolf Point
Old MacDonald
Merion
St Alberts

I'd like to play the first four with Rich Goodale and the last one with Anthony.   This was difficult because the real 5 courses that I want to play would be all be repeats, I enjoy old challenges vs. new ones (because of my personal game).

[Mac Plumart]

JNC...

you say, "In one day, you could play North Berwick, Kilspindie, and Musselburgh and still have time for a few pints."

Frankly, I can't.  My legs aren't quite there yet...and may not ever be.  36 at Muirfield will take a toll on me.  That is why the travel tim to Askernish will be welcome.  And why I had orginally planned to play the 9 hole Musselburgh on another day.  I still might do that, although North Berwick is calling me.

David Tepper told me awhile back to plan these Scotland trips out with the mindset you will be going 4 times in total.  So don't schedule too much in any one trip.

To me that makes sense given my leg issues and to allow things to soak in rather than overdoing too many things in one day or one trip.

All this talk has got me pumped.  Ugh...can't wait!!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I forget. When is the GCA outing at NGLA this year?

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