Golf Courses that Way Exceeded Expectations

[Michael George]

One of my favorite things about playing great golf courses is the weeks of anticipation before you leave for the trip.  I often use this time to read as much as possible about the course and its design.   Expectations are obviously high and often the courses meet expectations.  However, every once in a while, a course sneaks up on me and really exceeds my expectations and has me scrambling to learn more about the course after my round.

Thoughts?
 



    

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

Well, Pebble Beach exceeded my expectations, and by a large margin. 

Rustic Canyon, Edgewood Tahoe and Naval Academy all exceeded expectations and I've been back to them all numerous times.

[Michael George]

Jamie:

Thanks for the reply.  Was not thinking about top ranked courses like Pebble and Bandon, etc...  However, appreciated your other responses.

[Mac Plumart]

Crail Balcomie far exceeded my expectations.

Rivermont.

Aiken Golf Club.

Dismal River.

Canterbury.

[Mark Saltzman]

Lately:
Dismal River
Bayside

Earlier:
Essex (Canada)
Franklin Hills
Crag Burn

[Michael Goldstein]

Secession

[Doug Siebert]

Dismal River definitely exceeded my expectations, which were pretty high to begin with.  But I think maybe the issue was that my expectations weren't as high as they should have been since GCA seems to dog on the course because they don't have a lot of respect for Nicklaus as an architect (or his team, for those who think Nicklaus just collects the checks and lets someone else do all the work)

I wonder if the same course was there but someone else's name had been stuck on it, someone who is seen more favorably on GCA, how differently it would be seen...

[Mark Pearce]

Crail Balcomie far exceeded my expectations.

Mac,

I'm surprised and really pleased that you liked Balcomie as much as you obviously did.  I'm just really sorry that I wasn't able to make it up to join you there.  On a sunny day it is a place that makes you glad to be alive, isn't it?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Even though I knew it was top flight, Royal West Norfolk exceeded my preconceptions when I first visited 35 or more years ago. Just magical, and the magic hasn't diminished. Hilversum, Royal Belgique, Hamburger, Wallasey, New Zealand, Hankley Common, Stoneham, Ferndown, West Cornwall, Southerndown, Berkhamsted come to mind as other examples from the past (some of it very past!).

One example of a revisit that more than exceeded expectations: Halifax. I had played it several times in the distant past, but returning there after a gap of some twenty years it came up better than expected, despite dismal, rainy, foggy weather. 

[Mark Pearce]

Leven Links, Brampton, Worplesdon, Lawsonia Links

[Ronald Montesano]

Michael,

Longaberger met my expectations...it is a great piece of property and a very solid routing, but there were too many hazards placed in spots of chance for me to elevate it to "exceeded." It is eye-catching, challenging and a feat of routing on a diverse piece of land (it also has the worst signage leading to the course in history!)

Last week, I played four courses in NY and CT...Yale did exceed my expectations, as you cannot prepare yourself for those greens, those fairways, that layout. You walk off saying "I want it again" for multiple reasons. Watertown (CT) met my expectations...it is, in my mind, a typical Cornish New England layout...the routing is quite interesting, the holes are challenging, there are one or two head-scratchers and that is that. Cornish had to work with an in-place set of holes that he couldn't alter, so holes like 1-3 and 13-18 (on the clubhouse side of the road) are untouched and unmemorable (with the exception of #2, which is memorable.)

The other two courses, Mohawk and Copake, both in NY, both exceeded my expectations wildly. They are golden-age layouts by the same archie (Dev Emmet) yet nearly as different as Lester George's Kinloch and Ballyhack. The former has the private-club backing of membership, while the later is located in Dirty Dancing country, a public-access joint that had the fortune to stumble onto Mark Fine and Scott Witter for a reno.

I could go on, but I think I've answered your question. Nice thread!

[Sean_A]

After a gap of many years and seeing it again a few years  ago, Stoneham.  This is a course nobody talks about and if the greens (like at Delamere) were worked on a bit to create more interest this course would be awesome.

A very well known courses under the same circumstances as above, Sunny New.  

In the past few years three Colt courses have surprised me: Southfield, Harborne and especially Camberley Heath.  None fly high on the radar, but they essentially offer the good stuff Colt is famous for but in a less grandeur setting.

My biggest links surprise in a long while was Strandhill a few years back.  Stretching back quite some time now Gullane #3 really took me by surprise.  It has all the attributes of a wonderful course except some length.  Even cranking the yardage up to something like 5800 would make a huge improvement.  All the shots are there, but at 5200 yards the course can be overpowered by the driver.  There just isn't enough funk or harshness to combat guys hitting drives even 250 yards. 

But, my biggest surprise in recent memory is definitely Cavendish.  This short length design holds up very well for the club player and is a pure pleasure to play. 

Ciao  

[Cory Lewis]

I played a course two weeks ago that really blew me away, St. George's on Long Island.  I had never heard of it until I saw Brad Klein's article in Golfweek.  A fantastic Emmet course with some really cool holes.  One of the most fun to play courses I have ever seen.

[Tim Martin]

I played a course two weeks ago that really blew me away, St. George's on Long Island.  I had never heard of it until I saw Brad Klein's article in Golfweek.  A fantastic Emmet course with some really cool holes.  One of the most fun to play courses I have ever seen.

Cory- St. Georges had been on my mind since I read the Golfweek article. My expectations were far exceeded. Brad Klein hit the bulls eye with his review-awesome golf course. 

[Carl Rogers]

Despite some encroachment development issues that TD had nothing to do with, Riverfront, in Suffolk, VA will surprise a lot of you.

[Dan Chapman]

Primland immediately comes to mind.  Also, Bandon Trails and most recently Rolling Rock in PA.

[Jamie Van Gisbergen]

Despite some encroachment development issues that TD had notthing to do with, Riverfront, in Suffolk, VA will surprise a lot of you.

Not to get off topic, but my opinion of Riverfront goes down each time I play, which is about 4-5 times per year, depending how often I make it home. I've played it before and after houses, and the houses are a real ruination for the course, sadly.

[Tim Gavrich]

Copake comes to mind for me, for sure.  I was really blown away by Shelter Harbor.  I knew I was going to like Sunningdale Old, but I was utterly blown away by how much I enjoyed it.

[Jim Tang]

I knew Lahinch was going to be great, but still it exceeded my expectations.  Of all the Irish courses I played during a 10 day visit, I had the most fun at Lahinch.

[Michael George]

Ronald:

I would agree that the bunkering was the weakness of the course.  Too many bunkers on the outside of doglegs.  

However, one of Mackenzie's principles of golf course architecture is "the course should have beautiful surroundings and all the artificial features should have so natural an appearance that a stranger is unable to distinguish them from nature itself"  I think Arthur Hills really did a splendid job meeting this principle by routing the course naturally through the hills and incorporating really interesting shots into the round.  I would never say that #8 is one of the best architectural holes that I have ever played, but it is one of the most fun - which is why I play the game.


Doug:

I would agree with your preconception on certain golf courses solely because of the architect.    

Re: Dismal River, I believe that Nicklaus designed the course after Sebonack.  Maybe Tom Doak rubbed off on him.  I am sure that Nicklaus would never admit it, but it is impossible for any architect not to learn something in a project like that.  I am sure that Tom Doak would admit that he took certain things from Jack.  From what I have heard, Dismal River is the most "natural" course that Nicklaus has ever designed and that since, his work is showing a more natural look.

[Paul Jones]

I knew Lahinch was going to be great, but still it exceeded my expectations.  Of all the Irish courses I played during a 10 day visit, I had the most fun at Lahinch.

Lahinch exceeded my expectations also; however, Cashen Course at Ballybunion exceeded my expectations the most on that trip (probably because I heard a lot of negative comments and had very low expectations).

[Keith OHalloran]

Michael, I believe that Dismal River and Sebonack opened within a few weeks of eachother in 2006. In fact, Dismal River may have had its opening earlier. It does seem that some work was done at Dismal since then. Maybe the experience at Sebonack influnced JAck in his changes?

[Bill Weber]

The two courses at Barnbougle completely blew me away. On a trip where Tasmania followed Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Jacks Point and Paraparaumu in NZ then followed by the sandbelt courses of Royal Melbourne, Victoria, and Kingston Heath in AU I thought we were set up for a letdown. Wrong! In my opinion the golf terrain and turf rivaled Scotland's links courses and the warm reception by all there definitely exceeded expectations. I would return in a heartbeat. If the two courses Richard mentioned ever become a reality it would become the Bandon of Australia if not already. The wind added a dimension that 5 trips to Scotland didn't rival in its entirety for the total stay.

[Mark Johnson]

my list---   not the greatest courses in the world but ones where i had low expectations coming in

- Trump National LA (great views)
-  Irish Course at Whistling Straits (probably requires more shotmaking than its famous brother)
- Dallas National (not a typical Texas Course)
- Ross Bridge (more to it than just length)
- Grayhawk Talon (straightforward and fun)
- Dacotah Ridge (best kept secret in MN)
- Prairie Landing (nice quirky suburban course by the Airport)
- Rich Harvest Links (still like Black Sheep better, but dont understand why so many people hate it so much)

[Fred Gray]

Ok this will label me as weird but TOC exceeded my expectations by 100%

We were in the middle of a great week of links golf, wife was really enjoying the odd bounces and the views so setting up another trip will be easy, all in all a great trip. We were in the ballot everyday but getting picked was just icing on the cake.

So I show up at the first tee think this is cool, history, etc but by the second hole I was coming to realize this was the most perfect place for golf in the world.

It is the best golf course I have ever seen, the people that claim the New or somewhere else is a "better test" I disagree.

Fred