[Sean_A]

It has been a good few months.
The European Club
Druid's Heath
Cabot Links
Cabot Cliffs
Bryce Resort
Pinehurst #10
Musgrove Mill
Tot Hill Farm
Cabot Citrus Karoo
Ballyneal
GrayBull
Sanctuary
Warwick Hills
St. Johns Resort: The Cardinal
Tree Farm
Old Barnwell
Point Hardy GC: Cabot St. Lucia
Frederica
Ocean Forest

What do you think of St John’s?

Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

It has been a good few months.
The European Club
Druid's Heath
Cabot Links
Cabot Cliffs
Bryce Resort
Pinehurst #10
Musgrove Mill
Tot Hill Farm
Cabot Citrus Karoo
Ballyneal
GrayBull
Sanctuary
Warwick Hills
St. Johns Resort: The Cardinal
Tree Farm
Old Barnwell
Point Hardy GC: Cabot St. Lucia
Frederica
Ocean Forest

What do you think of St John’s?

Ciao

I played with guys who had played it eight times since it opened. They loved it. I asked them, "Why?" They said it is in good condition, pretty, and has some hard holes. They were right. Was it architecturally interesting? Not really. Do I want to play it again? Not really. There were two par fives, a short par four, and a couple of par threes that I liked, but that is about it. As a nice pace to have a company scramble, it is great. If you and your spouse want a nice place to stay and play golf on a weekend, it is a good place. That is what it was designed for, so it works.

[Bob_Garvelink]

I have been on a good run of some amazing golf courses as of late.


1.  High Pointe
2. Belvedere
3.  Forest Dunes
4.  The Loop
5. Arcadia Bluffs
6.  Whistling Straights
7. Sand Valley
8. Mammoth Dunes
9.  Angels Crossing
10.  Stoatin Brae

[Jeff Segol]

Hi Matt:


Wondering if you agree with something I wrote in another thread, which is that the courses in our neck of the woods are really differentiating on cost relative to condition? For example, I played earlier this month a Metropolitan, and found the course conditions pretty poor. They're struggling to keep grass on the fairways. Anything that is in decent condition in the Bay Area is $100+ on the weekends to walk, or you have to play as a single at 2 p.m., which I hate. Last Sunday I got up a 0-dark-thirty to drive from San Jose to Stockton to play at Spanos Park, which I really enjoyed because it was in decent condition.

This will be fun since I was basically the last one to post:

Metropolitan GL, Oakland, CA
Gleneagles GC, San Francisco, CA
Sharp Park GL, Pacifica, CA
Lake Merced GC, Daly City, CA
Lincoln Park GC, San Francisco, CA
Northwood GC, Monte Rio, CA
Poplar Creek GC, San Mateo, CA
Presidio GC, San Francisco, CA
Olympic Club (Ocean), San Francisco, CA
The Lido, Nekoosa, WI

[Sean_A]

It has been a good few months.
The European Club
Druid's Heath
Cabot Links
Cabot Cliffs
Bryce Resort
Pinehurst #10
Musgrove Mill
Tot Hill Farm
Cabot Citrus Karoo
Ballyneal
GrayBull
Sanctuary
Warwick Hills
St. Johns Resort: The Cardinal
Tree Farm
Old Barnwell
Point Hardy GC: Cabot St. Lucia
Frederica
Ocean Forest

What do you think of St John’s?

Ciao

I played with guys who had played it eight times since it opened. They loved it. I asked them, "Why?" They said it is in good condition, pretty, and has some hard holes. They were right. Was it architecturally interesting? Not really. Do I want to play it again? Not really. There were two par fives, a short par four, and a couple of par threes that I liked, but that is about it. As a nice pace to have a company scramble, it is great. If you and your spouse want a nice place to stay and play golf on a weekend, it is a good place. That is what it was designed for, so it works.

Thanks Tommy.


Ciao

[PCCraig]

Most Recent First dating back to August 1:
Pebble Beach
Pacific Grove
Cypress Point
Olympic Club (Lake)
Shoreacres
White Bear Yacht Club
Sutton Bay
Lido
Royal Portrush
Castlerock
Portstewart
Ardglass
Royal County Down
Portmarnoch
Landmand

It’s been a pretty good run!

What did you think of Ardglass?

Ciao

I enjoyed it quite a bit. The strategy of the course is a bit rudimentary but the setting is so spectacular you don't mind much at all. The routing is pretty interesting, starting on the cliffs then working down toward a coastal town, back to the cliffs, before going inland. They are sprucing up some of their finishing holes. The 17th is a new par-3 with a pretty backdrop and they are restoring an old stone wall as a feature on the 16th a la North Berwick.


Wonderful people though. If you go, don't miss The Old Commercial Bar just off the parking lot. Perhaps my favorite pub that we visited on our trip.

As its been wet recently, how did it play?
After my one autumnal visit I had trouble seeing it as a links and wonder how much those views elevate its rating?

Greatly enjoyed the welcome and informality.

I was there in August. It was dry & firm during my one play. It's not really a true "links" course but it was fun and I enjoyed the round quite a bit. Multiple people on our trip said they had more fun playing Ardglass than any other course we saw...smiles don't lie! 

[Matt Schoolfield]

Hi Matt:

Wondering if you agree with something I wrote in another thread, which is that the courses in our neck of the woods are really differentiating on cost relative to condition? For example, I played earlier this month a Metropolitan, and found the course conditions pretty poor. They're struggling to keep grass on the fairways. Anything that is in decent condition in the Bay Area is $100+ on the weekends to walk, or you have to play as a single at 2 p.m., which I hate. Last Sunday I got up a 0-dark-thirty to drive from San Jose to Stockton to play at Spanos Park, which I really enjoyed because it was in decent condition.

Jeff, I think we may have very different perspectives on things, but I am basically a match play zealot so conditions are significantly less important to me. The conditions at Metropolitan were imperfect. Ironically, the biggest criticisms I had were the soggy sections resulting from over-watering, probably in an attempt to account for the occasional bits of patchiness here and there. I tend to find firm-fast-but-patchy to be totally fine and playable, especially for a links-like course.

It was a 5+ hour round in 20+ mph non-prevailing winds (PCC +1), and I put up my highest score since Feb 2002, so yea, sub-optimal, but none of that stuff really bothers me much. I was just happy to be at a thoughtfully designed course with a good friend. I think #10 is one of the better holes in the Bay Area, and while I do have some criticisms of the back nine, on the whole it's thumbs up from me.

I only wish I'd won the match 

Obviously, anyone in the Bay Area, reach out if you want to play a round together. I'm always happy to meet up with other golf architecture nerds.

[Sean_A]

Most Recent First dating back to August 1:
Pebble Beach
Pacific Grove
Cypress Point
Olympic Club (Lake)
Shoreacres
White Bear Yacht Club
Sutton Bay
Lido
Royal Portrush
Castlerock
Portstewart
Ardglass
Royal County Down
Portmarnoch
Landmand

It’s been a pretty good run!

What did you think of Ardglass?

Ciao

I enjoyed it quite a bit. The strategy of the course is a bit rudimentary but the setting is so spectacular you don't mind much at all. The routing is pretty interesting, starting on the cliffs then working down toward a coastal town, back to the cliffs, before going inland. They are sprucing up some of their finishing holes. The 17th is a new par-3 with a pretty backdrop and they are restoring an old stone wall as a feature on the 16th a la North Berwick.


Wonderful people though. If you go, don't miss The Old Commercial Bar just off the parking lot. Perhaps my favorite pub that we visited on our trip.

As its been wet recently, how did it play?
After my one autumnal visit I had trouble seeing it as a links and wonder how much those views elevate its rating?

Greatly enjoyed the welcome and informality.

I was there in August. It was dry & firm during my one play. It's not really a true "links" course but it was fun and I enjoyed the round quite a bit. Multiple people on our trip said they had more fun playing Ardglass than any other course we saw...smiles don't lie! 

You encouraged me to check out the website. I became immediately discouraged by the green fee. 👀

Ciao

[Jeff Schley]

How lucky we are as golfers to experience the top architectural courses.  Have a back issue to let heal, but last couple trips were very enjoyable.

• Falkenstien (Germany) - Augusta of Germany they say. Lovely setting and although the entire course wasn't in full bloom, it is quite stunning visually. I really recall the downhill holes, the first particularly was an elevated tee shot long par 4. Probably could use to lose some trees, but I know that is also what defines it.
• De Pan - Lovely woodlands here, quaint location away from any noise and distractions. I don't recall seeing another hole from the one we were playing. Very defined corridors of play framed by trees with fairly small greens. Not a tough walk and lovely secluded experience.
• Kennemer - Right next to town, only played 18 of the 27, which included the Colt 9. Surprisingly was first off the tee and host said without wind is almost unheard of. Course is very scoreable without the wind, but that's like hitting 00 in roulette. Pretty narrow off the tee, so with average wind at all I can see this being pretty difficult.
• Noordwijske - Big and bold. Wow you can see quite a bit from the clubhouse and huge mounds are everywhere. They took down hundreds of trees recently so the corners of the course are much more open as per my friend. I quite a bit of waste area and was quite windy. Greens were maybe a 9 speed, which is needed with that much wind.
• Hudson National 2x- Tough, a long course with 1 and 18 being the toughest holes on the course. Need fairway wood to reach the green and run in opposite directions. Long par 3's as well, one over 230 from white tees. Just long and hard, tough walk as well wow. A couple big climbs. Also a gorgeous clubhouse and service. Of course the conditioning was immaculate.
• Baltursol Lower - I liked the changes and saw the upper being created while there. Fairways were more expansive and greens larger. It did make for a couple really tucked pins which were sucker locations. To maintain those bunkers you need an army of man hours.
• Winged Foot East - Huge winds that day, wow. Most groups cancelled it looked like and had most of the course to ourselves. I like the East as it is more playable, won't lose many balls, but the greens this day won. The wind combined with the conditioning of the greens made for a tough day for all on the greens. Any day here is a joy.
• Shinnecock - First time and I can say I respect these greens and surrounds big time. Just not good enough short game to chip on those shaved surrounds. Played well off the tee, surprisingly as I hit 12 fairways which for me is unusual, but still shot 103. Our caddie told us after a while, "new rule, you can't ask if its a par 5."
• Metropolis CC - Under the radar course in a tough neighborhood Westchester. Loved the variety of green designs. In immaculate condition, but the greens were outstanding. Doesn't get much attention as is deserved. Would definitely come back again.
• Wade Hampton - First time and the best Fazio along with Shadow Creek. Setting is a 10, conditions are top notch. It is one of my favorite courses in the world and in my top 10.
• SF Golf Club - Greens were phenomenal. Very playable tee to green, but the speed of the greens were very fast.
• OFCC North - Home course and rough was high for most of the time I played there this summer. It is just a difficult course, thus with high rough you need to make good decisions to play back to realistic positions.
• Had a nice trip to Aberdeen, London and NW England. Two highlights were Rye GC is a VERY tough course. Formby was a wonderful surprise with a treed links which was unexpected and enjoyed it quite a bit.

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