Exceeding Expectations

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen,

WV blew me away too. I have to give you credit for my playing it. If not for your glowing reviews I never would have driven the three hours to see it.

Its a bit of a trek, but totally worth it.  I drove 10 hrs to see it a couple of years ago! 

Kalen,

You forgot to tell Mark the outcome of your 10 hour drive and visit a couple of years ago!

I think thats common knowledge by now.  What has been forgotten though was the fact that I majorly wrenched my back just 7 days before and was lucky to even be able to make that trip. 

[Will MacEwen]

I was quite skeptical about Sagebrush, because so many courses in British Columbia have been all hat and no cattle.  The promotion and buzzwords all sounded good, but we hear that with every Bear Mountain, Chateau Whistler, and yes, Furry Creek.

It only took a few holes of play to realize the course was well beyond my expectations.

[Jim Franklin]

Milwaukee CC - Heard it was good, but loved it.
Northland CC - Not a huge Ross fan, but this blew me away.
Gozzer Ranch - Not a huge Fazio fan, but this was fantastic.
Black Mesa - I was expecting a lot, but it was way better than I anticipated.

[Michael George]

Jim:

I have heard Milwaukee is great and a must stop (if possible) with any Whistling trip.  I recently read that they have a long term strategic plan to make the course even more like it was when Colt/Alison designed it.  Being that Kirtland is the only Colt/Alison course that I have ever played (and I absolutely love the course), I am really looking forward to playing Milwaukee.

[Tim Bert]

Nice to see Kingsley on so many people's 2011 list. I hope others have the opportunity to add it to their 2012 list.  It continues to exceed my expectations with every visit.

For me the course that topped this list in the last 24 months was Oakland Hills. Went in with high expectations but I was unprepared for what is in my opinion perhaps the best set of greens I have seen on a classic era course.

[Mark Saltzman]

For me the course that topped this list in the last 24 months was Oakland Hills. Went in with high expectations but I was unprepared for what is in my opinion perhaps the best set of greens I have seen on a classic era course.

+1. I forgot about Oakland Hills.  I went in with modest expectations. Probably the best set of greens I have ever seen.

[Bill_McBride]

Kalen,

WV blew me away too. I have to give you credit for my playing it. If not for your glowing reviews I never would have driven the three hours to see it.

Its a bit of a trek, but totally worth it.  I drove 10 hrs to see it a couple of years ago! 

Kalen,

You forgot to tell Mark the outcome of your 10 hour drive and visit a couple of years ago!

I think thats common knowledge by now.  What has been forgotten though was the fact that I majorly wrenched my back just 7 days before and was lucky to even be able to make that trip. 

Wasn't that why Garland beat you?

What was your excuse at Chambers Bay?

 

[Mike Boehm]

The biggest surprise for me this year was the North Course at Oakland Hills.  I'm fortunate enough to make it out on the South about once a year, and I love it, but it had been 15 years since I played the North.  The variety of holes is great, and the greens were much more interesting than I remembered.  Best course in town that nobody ever talks about - with the exception of the South and Franklin Hills, to me it is as good or better than any course in the Detroit area.

[Ian Andrew]

Enniscrone

It wasn't even on the radar when we initially decided to go.
A profile on GCA had us "add" it on.

I've seen more than two thirds of what is believed to be the best in the world and I believe it's comfortably a top 100 course.
I was that suprised.

[Sean_A]

Enniscrone

It wasn't even on the radar when we initially decided to go.
A profile on GCA had us "add" it on.

I've seen more than two thirds of what is believed to be the best in the world and I believe it's comfortably a top 100 course.
I was that suprised.

Ian

For some reason Ennicrone doesn't get much love.  I think it sets very comfortably in the middle of the Irish Big Guns table - thats top 5 and surely in the dicussion for top 100 world.  Maybe its because the course is newish that prevents folks from saying it belongs with the traditional top 5 of Ireland?  Club rep and history matter in the rankings.

Ciao

[Niall C]

Rather than plumping for individual courses I'm going to shout about the whole of Moray. For those that don't know thats the area visiting golfers normally rush through on the way from Cruden Bay to Dornoch without stopping other than to take on fuel. I moved up here for work just over two years ago and wasn't really expecting much by way of golf. Sure I knew Lossiemouth had a very good links and I'd played Nairn which is one of my favourites but apart from that I wasn't expecting much. How wrong I was !

Elgin - a touch of the Rosemounts about this course as its surrounded by silver birch with the odd sprinkling of gorse, heather and fine turf. Those that who dismiss it because its not a par 72 need their head examined. Ten holes over 400 yards, only one of which is a par 5 make it a testing challenge but don't take that as meaning its a slog for the average golfer, its not. Some really interestingly contoured greens.

Forres - like a smaller more irreverent brother to Elgin. More ups and downs with a bit of blindness but far from being unwalkable.

Nairn Dunbar - not quite as good as Nairn West but possibly offers more variety and has some really great holes. Played it once but top of the list for a repeat play.

Duff House Royal - all about MacKenzies wonderful greens. The two double greens are a joy to behold and the plateau green with Duff House in the background is possibly the star of the show. On the other hand the two tier green on the finishing hole with the bank as a backstop possibly tops it. If you don't enjoy playing here take up tennis. What minimilism is, or should be, about IMO.

Cullen - completely bonkers. I think its got 10 par 3's but could be wrong as I lost count. At least half of those require a long iron or a wood. Expect to play over sea stacks, over chasms, up cliffs and down cliffs. If it doesn't put a smile on your face, I'm sure there's a tennis club nearby.

Strathlene/Buckpool - two cliff top courses within a mile of each other. Strathlene, originally laid out by Old Tom that still has some of his holes while Buckpool is slightly more modern (1920's) and is not too taxing but with some really good holiday golf.

Niall

ps. for the pedants, Duff House Royal and Nairn West are outside the Moray boundary but as the two extremes you could probably get from on to the other in about an hour.

[Pete Balzer]

1. Sapnish Oaks- With all of the financial issues and course upgrades, wasn't sure what to expect. Pleaseantly surprized.
2. Prairie Club Dunes- Wow, talk about options.

[Anders Rytter]

Played Ardglass this summer. Hadn't done any research but ended up there more or less by coincidence. very nice day despite some less interesting holes. Hole 1 through 5 and 11-12 are just amazing.

[Bill McKinley]

Oakland Hills - South: Played it this year and despite it's lofty ranking, I didn't expect it would be as good as it was.  Many of the green complexes were awesome, but the 5th and 14th stand out as 2 of the best.  Also the 10th and 11th holes are all world par 4s.

Fox Chapel: It had me at #2.  Awesome punchbowl green and it just got better from there.  You get a glimpse of the 17th green (Biarritz) when you play #7.  Then playing 17 is a treat followed by 18, a really fun par 5 finishing hole.  #8 is another tremendous par 4

[Tim Martin]

Merion West- 6000 yards of pure joy. 

[Sam Morrow]

The Eagles exceeded expectations last Sunday in their complete beat down of the Cowboys.   

Oh, wait, you wanted golf courses.  Recently I played Frog Hollow in Delaware, a Liddicoat and Horn design, a public course within a housing development.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Fun greens and exceptional conditioning for the price (19 bucks via an online special).

Joe, 

Screw you!

I had that coming.

[Mike Hendren]

Turtle Point Yacht & Country Club
Aiken Golf Club
Lulu CC
Spyglass
Ballyhack