[A.G._Crockett]

Mr. Crockett thanks for the education.  I am sure you are correct.  I am an enthusiast not an expert.  The coast of the Carolinas is to me somewhat like the windmills were to Don Quixote.  I can't help but picture courses on some of the seaside land I've seen.  Still and all, I'll continue to hold out my delusional hope for a great seaside course in NC - as close to links as possible, if you please.

Chris,
It's just into SC, but have you played True Blue?  It's a reasonable facsimile of a links, I think; at least as close as you can get in the area without going to the Ocean Course.

[Ronald Montesano]

Probably not necessary, but Bruce's notation of Kris Spence's involvement at a number of courses should be enhance to indicate his role in redesign/touch-up/plastic surgery/renovation or whatever you like to call it.  Are all of those Spence ones Donald Ross designs?

[Ed Oden]

Chris,
The land and climate on the NC coast aren't for true links courses.  In a humid subtropical climate with bermuda grasses, you can't build the type of courses that you find in the British Isles or in the Pacific NW here.  Firm and fast conditions, for instance, are just almost impossible to achieve.  It just doesn't work.  

As mentioned earlier in the thread, though we all look longingly at the Outer Banks for golf courses, it isn't possible.  They are too shifting, too fragile, and too narrow for golf courses, and it isn't links land anyway.  If there is any true links land on the NC coast, I'm not aware of it, but it certainly wouldn't be the Banks.  

A.G., no doubt there is a lot of truth to your post.  However, I am not convinced that it is impossible to have a links course (or close to one) on the Carolina coast.  If you've been to Yeamans Hall, then you know that fast and firm conditions are achievable in humid subtropical climates with bermuda grasses.  And these pics from Chip Gaskins in post #13 of this thread are mouthwatering:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40735.msg860417/

I'm not saying that it would be easy.  Just that I think it is possible.

Best wishes,

Ed

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I think one is using two states an area is a bit unfair when comparing to SF/Monterey Peninsula or Long Island. I think the Carolinas have some very good and a ton of average, much like Florida or Arizona. I think Long Island/New JerseyPhilly trumps the Carolinas in quality and quanity. SF/Monterey Peninsula is the best 12 month play area on earth to me as far a very good golf.

[V. Kmetz]

This is narrower in scope than anyone else has offered, but to me...

If you stand at the corner of Anderson Hill Road and Purchase Street in the hamlet of Purchase, NY (a govermental division of Harrison) you are in the single most clustered mecca of private golf.

Within three miles of that spot in any direction but due south (where you will hit Apawamis, and Westchester soon after three miles) you have

Century - 0.7 miles
Old Oaks - 0.5 miles
Brae Burn - 1.4 miles
CC Purchase - 1.0 mile
Fairview - 2.5 miles
Tamarack - 3.0 miles
Doral Arrowood - 1.6 miles
(my unmentionable #1) - 1.5 miles

Not all of these are wonderful, they are all private, but you can learn a lot about GCA when taken as clustered group.  Like a botanical garden of styles throughout the years

Westchester-Fairfield has a few great clusters like this, but this is the tightest, most voluminous grouping.

the intersection of Weaver St and Griffen Avenue in Larchmont is runner up with:

Winged Foot
Quaker Ridge
Bonnie Briar
Wykagyl

cheers

vk

[Chip Gaskins]

With all that coastline and a large population of golfers prowling about the state there should be at least one really good links course in NC.

Chris

Don't worry, growing up on the coast of North Carolina, and loving golf and all things GCA, if there is any chance to build a world class golf facility in coastal NC I will be working on it!

Chip

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