Your Last Ten

[Mike Hendren]

Shiloh Falls (3)
Grandfather Mountain - Mountain Springs (6)
Grandfather Mountain - Championship (7)
Mimossa Hills (5)
Temple Hills (2)
Farm Links (5)
Olde Macdonald (8.0)
Pacific Dunes (9.0)
Bandon Trails (8.5)
Bandon Dunes (6.5)

6.0 average is about what I'd expect.

Glad to see some love for Kilspindie, Fossil Trace, Aiken and LuLu.  

Mike

[JMEvensky]

Stemming from Mac's recent thread, someone made the comment that most of the folks on here generally play average courses.  

Sven,

I'm going to go out on a limb after these past 4 pages and say that whoever made the comment that "folks on here generally play average courses" was mistaken.

Or perhaps those that do play average courses have no interest in posting with these lists that seem to all include the best courses in the country.

Well,since it was I who said it...

There are over 1200 members of this DG.This is a small sampling--I think your comment is probably accurate.A poll such as this is a good excuse to boast.

Also,naming the last 10 courses you played is a lot different then naming where you played your last 100 rounds.

[BDuryee]

Sean,

After replying to you, I looked back at my list and assumed that is what you meant. Thinking about it, when most of your golf is played in NE tough not to find the quirk when you factor in the rolling hills of NE and older courses. And then throw in Caledonia as the only course outside of NE in the most recent 10 and I would concur ...a lot of quirk

[Rick Shefchik]

Stillwater C.C.
Mendakota
Midland Hills
Olympic Hills
Town & Country
Hazeltine
Northland
Lawsonia
Arizona National
Rochester G&CC
Minikahda

[Alex Miller]

Stemming from Mac's recent thread, someone made the comment that most of the folks on here generally play average courses.  

Sven,

I'm going to go out on a limb after these past 4 pages and say that whoever made the comment that "folks on here generally play average courses" was mistaken.

Or perhaps those that do play average courses have no interest in posting with these lists that seem to all include the best courses in the country.

Well,since it was I who said it...

There are over 1200 members of this DG.This is a small sampling--I think your comment is probably accurate.A poll such as this is a good excuse to boast.

Also,naming the last 10 courses you played is a lot different then naming where you played your last 100 rounds.

I think some of us make more trips than the average person. Ok, a lot more trips. However it seems to me that everyone does a pretty good job of seeking out better courses depending on their region. It seems that many however do subscribe to "life is too short to play bad golf courses".

[Ben Sims]

Fred, Pat, JM,

My argument here--and on the "broadening" thread--is that I don't have the resources or time to play something I am not interested in.  There have been plenty of places I have played that weren't great, but had elements of high expectation in them.  I reckon my last 100 courses played would be on par with my last ten list.  That is to say, it would be pretty loaded with quality golf.

Between deployments, flying, financial obligations, etc; I have few opportunities to get out there.  When I do, I'm trying to make doubly sure that I am setting myself up to either learn something new and see something that will inspire me or hang out with friends and be entertained.  

Life's too short to try and learn from poor courses that aren't very good.  Just like life's too short to learn how to lead by being under bad bosses.  

[Bill Hyde]

CC of Detroit (multiple times, including one round with a guy who putts pretty well) - 7
Plymouth CC (MA) - didn't play but watched my kid 3x in AJGA event - 7.5
Essex County (MA) - 9
Acushnet Valley (MA) - 6
Winged Foot (West) - 8
Garden City - 9
Shinnecock - 10
NGLA - 10
Oakland Hills - 8
Detroit GC - 6

I would happy to play the rest of my rounds on 8 of those courses...a great year so far!

[Bill Seitz]

Spring Valley - Salem, WI (2nd round of a 36 hole day)
Shepherd's Crook - Zion, IL
Maple Meadows - Addison, IL (First time I've ever broken 70)
Ravisloe CC - Flossmoor, IL
Cantigny (Woodside/Lakeside) - Warrenville, IL
Cog Hill #4 - Lemont, IL
Sunset Ridge CC - Northfield, IL
Pine Meadow GC - Mundelein, IL
Beverly CC - Chicago, IL
San Clemente Municipal GC - San Clemente, CA
Rustic Canyon - Moorpark, CA
Arroyo Trabuco - Mission Viejo, CA

That's actually 11, and in that span I've played twice at Cog #4, Sunset Ridge, and Ravisloe.  I'd say most of those are pretty "average", with the exceptions being Dubs, Beverly, and Rustic Canyon.  I'd also argue that most of those courses, even if considered average, are a lot of fun, especially Shepherd's Crook, Spring Valley, and Ravisloe.  Maple Meadows was part of a work outing, and it was fun because I played well in front of clients, but otherwise probably the lowest rated course on this list.  

[Jud_T]

 I'd also argue that most of those courses, even if considered average, are a lot of fun, especially Shepherd's Crook, Spring Valley, and Ravisloe.

Bill,

Shhhh!. You just rattled off my go-to public list!    If you haven't yet, you should check out Highlands of Elgin.  If you like Shepherd's Crook it should be right up your alley...

[PCCraig]

Fred, Pat, JM,

My argument here--and on the "broadening" thread--is that I don't have the resources or time to play something I am not interested in.  There have been plenty of places I have played that weren't great, but had elements of high expectation in them.  I reckon my last 100 courses played would be on par with my last ten list.  That is to say, it would be pretty loaded with quality golf.

Between deployments, flying, financial obligations, etc; I have few opportunities to get out there.  When I do, I'm trying to make doubly sure that I am setting myself up to either learn something new and see something that will inspire me or hang out with friends and be entertained.  

Life's too short to try and learn from poor courses that aren't very good.  Just like life's too short to learn how to lead by being under bad bosses.  

Ben,

I understand and agree with you. This golf season I've moved from a relatively small condo in downtown Chicago to a house in the suburbs of Minneapolis to which I greatly underestimated 1) how big of a pain it is to move your stuff to a new city, and 2) how much work goes into a house! Needless to say my general time allotment for golf has been limited. Thankfully I'm afforded half days every other Friday in the Summer and I've done my best to use them to get out and see some different golf courses. Maybe it's that I know I'm not going anywhere, and either are the "average" courses, but I'd rather spend my time searching out the courses that interest me as well.

However, if I'm traveling someplace and looking to fit a few rounds of golf in I generally try to mix in a course that's a little more off the beaten path, compared to the often talked about courses in the area. For example, if someone comes to Minneapolis they are going to try to play Interlachen, White Bear YC, Northland CC, Minnekahda, and Hazeltine, but they'll also ignore a wealth of really interesting and solid courses that don't get much P.R.: Minneapolis Golf Club, Golden Valley, Oak Ridge, Rochester, Keller, Somerset, Midland Hills, Town and Country, etc..

[Greg Tallman]

Shiloh Falls (3)
Grandfather Mountain - Mountain Springs (6)
Grandfather Mountain - Championship (7)
Mimossa Hills (5)
Temple Hills (2)
Farm Links (5)
Olde Macdonald (8.0)
Pacific Dunes (9.0)
Bandon Trails (8.5)
Bandon Dunes (6.5)

6.0 average is about what I'd expect.

Glad to see some love for Kilspindie, Fossil Trace, Aiken and LuLu.  

Mike

That is a rather ringing endorsement for the "short" course at Grandfather... is that place a blast or what?

[Bill Seitz]

Shhhh!. You just rattled off my go-to public list!    If you haven't yet, you should check out Highlands of Elgin.  If you like Shepherd's Crook it should be right up your alley...

I was up there with the GCA group last year.  Made five birdies and still shot 76.  I also played it the year before when it was half new, half old.  That was an interesting experience.  I'd like to get to Bowes Creek out there as well just to check it out.  

I think the one day combination of Shepherd's Crook, Spring Valley, and Mars' Cheese Castle (to stock up on New Glarus) is going to become a bit more of a regular trip.  Great way to spend the day.  Still hoping to get down to West Lafayette sometime this year as well for Kampen and Coyote Crossing, but time is running out.

[Jud_T]

I'd also check out Deerpath.  Some old school greens and the best of the north shore town munis IMO...

[David Stewart]

Some I have played more than once, but here is my list of last ten courses:

UNC Finley (Chapel Hill, NC)
Tobacco Road (Sanford, NC)
Mid-Pines (Southern Pines, NC)
Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst, NC)
Southern Pines (Southern Pines, NC)
Lonnie Poole GC (Raleigh, NC - NC State Course)
The Preserve at Jordan Lake (Chapel Hill)
Hickory Stick (Greenwood, IN)
The Pit (Aberdeen, NC - now closed)
Timbergate (Edinburgh, IN)

[PCCraig]

Shhhh!. You just rattled off my go-to public list!    If you haven't yet, you should check out Highlands of Elgin.  If you like Shepherd's Crook it should be right up your alley...

I was up there with the GCA group last year.  Made five birdies and still shot 76.  I also played it the year before when it was half new, half old.  That was an interesting experience.  I'd like to get to Bowes Creek out there as well just to check it out.  

I think the one day combination of Shepherd's Crook, Spring Valley, and Mars' Cheese Castle (to stock up on New Glarus) is going to become a bit more of a regular trip.  Great way to spend the day.  Still hoping to get down to West Lafayette sometime this year as well for Kampen and Coyote Crossing, but time is running out.

Bill,

If you're up in that area Brown Deer Park outside of Milwaukee is pretty solid too. So you can stock up on New Glarus as well as make a visit to Kopps for lunch.

(BTW - One nice thing about the twin cities is that when I'm visiting my brother-in-law outside of St. Paul, I'm only 15 min from the WI border and a restock of NG brew! )

[Sven Nilsen]

I count over 60% of the latest Golf Mag World Ranking in the lists posted.

Those not played fall into a couple of categories:

Remote - Hirono, Teeth of the Dog, Nine Bridges, Kawana, Nanea, Kauri Cliffs, Tokyo, Durban

Royal - you can figure them out

Private - Winged Foot, Chicago, San Francisco, Southern Hills, Valley Club

There were a few not yet mentioned that surprised me - Ballybunion, Lahinch, Whistling Straits, Harbour Town, Waterville.  

[Kalen Braley]

Safe to say...

I think the point of this thread has been sufficiently proved.  The GCA.com crowd on average is very very far away from your average weekend muni-warrior.

[Mike Hendren]

Shiloh Falls (3)
Grandfather Mountain - Mountain Springs (6)
Grandfather Mountain - Championship (7)
Mimossa Hills (5)
Temple Hills (2)
Farm Links (5)
Olde Macdonald (8.0)
Pacific Dunes (9.0)
Bandon Trails (8.5)
Bandon Dunes (6.5)

6.0 average is about what I'd expect.

Glad to see some love for Kilspindie, Fossil Trace, Aiken and LuLu.  

Mike

That is a rather ringing endorsement for the "short" course at Grandfather... is that place a blast or what?

Greg, it is indeed a blast.  So much fun that it's easy to miss the stellar architecture.

Mike

[Terry Lavin]

Country Club of Orlando
Beverly
Olympia Fields
Dunes Club
North Shore
Shoreacres
Edgewood Valley
Ruth Lake
All Four at Bandon Dunes

[Bill Seitz]

Country Club of Orlando
Beverly
Olympia Fields
Dunes Club
North Shore
Shoreacres
Edgewood Valley
Ruth Lake
All Four at Bandon Dunes

Yeah, those don't suck. 

[Sven Nilsen]

Safe to say...

I think the point of this thread has been sufficiently proved.  The GCA.com crowd on average is very very far away from your average weekend muni-warrior.

Kalen:

The point of this thread was a little more involved than just pointing out that this group plays better than average courses.  There were a couple recent thread topics that the responses here shed some light on, including (a) broadening your horizons, (b) who is qualified to pass judgment, (c) a comment on the magazine rankings based on where people actually choose to play and (d) the service this "community" provides to the non-participating reader by actively voicing opinions based on a wealth of experiences.  I'll let people draw their own conclusions on these topics and others not mentioned, but I thoroughly enjoyed the various lists and the commentary.

[Peter Pallotta]

Sven - you're grappling with some interesting issues, but I think you're overestimating what might be gained through the Qs and As on this site.  Note, for example, that there are some 1200 posters registered here, the vast majority of whom have not posted on this thread...and so from a very small sampling of the golfing public (gca.com) you have heard from even a tinier slice (posters on this thread).  And one of the reaons why is probably the same reason I have not posted, i.e. because my answer would be:

Victoria East
Guelph Country Club
Springfield
Guelph Lakes
Osprey Valley - Heathland
Osprey Valley - Hoot
Copetown Woods
Braeben
Lakeview
Wasaga Sands

Aside from maybe Lakeview (Herbert Strong), the Osprey courses (Ian Andrew-Doug Carrick), and Copetown Woods (Dick Kirkapatrick), I'd bet there are not ten posters here who have ever even heard of those courses, let alone played them. Why/how would threads or discussions ever include those courses? And so we never hear about them, here. Multiply that by the 10 courses each played by the thousand gca.com members who haven't posted on this thread and you get 10,000 courses no one ever mentions here.  

Peter

[Roger Wolfe]

Carolina Golf Club, Charlotte, NC
Charlotte CC, Charlotte, NC
Preston CC, Kingwood WV
Woodloch CC, Hawley, PA
Primland, Meadows of Dan, VA
Roaring Gap Club, Roaring Gap, NC
Cross Creek CC, Mt Airy, NC
Gaston CC, Gaston, NC
Golden Horseshoe (Gold), Williamsburg, VA
Mimosa Hills Golf & CC, Morganton, NC

[Anthony Gray]

  TN National
  Cruden Bay
  TOC
  Castle Stuart
  Diamante
  Cabo Del Sol
  Pacific Dunes
  Old Macdonald
  Bandon Trails
  Harbour Town

  My addictive mind needs hits and the average course doesn't do it for me.

  Anthony

 

[Matthew Petersen]

Going well back into last year since I have barely played at all in 2011 ...

TPC Scottsdale (Champions) (Scottsdale, AZ)
WeKoPa (Saguaro) (Ft McDowell, AZ)
Trilogy at Vistancia (Peoria, AZ)
Biltmore (Links) (Phoenix, AZ)
Alma Golf Club (9-holes, Alma, NE)
Vista Verde (Scottsdale, AZ)
Pointe Lookout Mountain (Phoenix, AZ)
Seven Canyons (Sedona, AZ)
The Boulders (Carefree, AZ)
Ritz Carlton GC at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita) (Marana, AZ)