Jim:
I think GW's are very good also and have little complaints. One question is Mountaintop as most everyone that I have talked to that is very familiar with the area likes Grandfather and Diamond Creek better. Any thoughts from Wade and Bart and others that know the area well.
Good thread.
Michael:
Glad to offer my opinion.
Mountaintop is in a beatiful settting and has some very interesting holes. The level of service at the club is top notch and it has a very modern feel. There is pop music playing for all to hear at the driving range as you warm up. The entire golf staff is outside on the range and course all day long tending to the members and visitors. I have joked to some that the neck message I got on the first tee really loosened me up before my round. The routing is confusing at best and walking is quite a challenge...the first hole alone would stop most from attempting the walk....Here is a picture of the 2nd hole at Mountaintop.
Again, to show you the stunning beauty of the place, here is a long par 3 over a ravine (the fairway short and left of the green had been aerated and sanded):
Diamond Creek, the other Fazio you mention, is in a similarly stunning setting. It is a much tighter routing and certainly more walkable. The strategic nuances of this course seem to far outweigh those at Mountaintop. I believe the entire course has less than 50 bunkers and the maintenance is a near perfect firm and fast. I believe it is superior to Mountaintop .
As to Grandfather, I am a member and accordingly I can be accused of bias appropriately. Grandfather has the weakest opening hole of the 3 courses discussed here but has by far, the best and most walkable routing. I walk about 80 to 90% of my rounds at Grandfather and so do most of my guests. Grandfather feels much older and lies over ground without significant elevation changes. Grandfather is well-known for its fast, sloped greens but its fairways have traditionally been too soft (progress in that regard is being made). Grandfather's bunkering has been changed away from its original Ellis Maples design and truthfully, the bunkers lack depth and character. Grandfather is in need of further tree removal despite quite a bit of work in that regard over the last 2 winters. I love the place, and the setting for golf is tremendous.
What else can I tell you?
Bart