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Jim Colton

Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« on: August 18, 2012, 11:34:28 PM »
A twist on Wade's thread, what's your personal evolution of what you considered the best course you've ever played?

(will have to come back and edit, but here's a stab:)

1982: Homemade golf course on TriCities soccer field/Fabyan forest preserve
1984: Valley Green, North Aurora, IL
1984: Potawatomie, St Charles, IL
1986: St Charles Country Club
1993: World Woods Pine Barrens
1996: Blackwolf Run River Course
2000: Old Course at St Andrews
2006: Pacific Dunes
2009: Ballyneal
2010: Cypress Point
2011: National Golf Links of America


Alex Lagowitz

Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2012, 11:49:08 PM »
I'll give this a try, however its pretty easy for me:

1998: Basking Ridge Country Club
2002: Essex County Country Club
2007: Pinehurst #2
2010: TOC
2010: Royal Dornoch
2010: Muirfield
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 12:08:05 PM by Alex Lagowitz »

Mark Bourgeois

Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2012, 08:19:10 AM »
Birth to c2003 Yale
c2003 - c2005 #2 (starting about 10th play)
c2005 - c2006 RM West (starting about 4th play)
c2006 - c2006 #2 (~15th play)
2007 RM West (as of 5th play)
2007- RM Composite

Hmm, seems clear I don't know sh*t about sh*t until I've played it at least 5 times and over time. I'm sure that's just me. Guess it leaves the door open for Trump Scotland and TOC. Door's closed for PV, NGLA, CPC, et alii: 0 plays and can't see those ever getting to 2 nevermind 10.

Andy Troeger

Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2012, 08:36:55 AM »
Here's mine...

1987: Morris Park CC (South Bend, IN)
1995: Point O'Woods G&CC (Benton Harbor, MI)
1996: *Crooked Stick GC (Carmel, IN)
1998: **Point O'Woods G&CC (Benton Harbor, MI)
2005: Blackwolf Run River (Kohler, WI)
2006: The Golf Club (New Albany, OH)
2007: Pebble Beach GL -- for 3 days
2007: Cypress Point Club
2010: Pine Valley GC

*Before I started keeping an official list I do remember that Crooked Stick became my favorite when I played it in 1996. At some point, Point O'Woods took #1 back and stayed there until 2005. I now think Crooked Stick is the better course by a reasonably large margin, mainly because the Point made some changes none of which have been beneficial.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 09:25:21 AM by Andy Troeger »

Mac Plumart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2012, 09:19:55 AM »
2007...East Lake--is was ranked in the Top 100, it had to be good.
2008...East Lake--still considered it the best I'd seen, but I wondered why I never had "fun" while playing there.
2009...Kiawah Ocean--Wow!!  Beauty, brawn, playable...perfect!
2010...National Golf Links of America---My jaw dropped when I saw the first green and the course continued to get better.
2011...The Old Course---the epitome of "thinking golf"
2012...The Old Course---I wonder if this will ever get bumped off of my #1 spot.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 05:21:43 PM by Mac Plumart »
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

Tom ORourke

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2012, 09:48:32 AM »
I like this. Brought back memories.

1961 - Saxon Woods - Westchester, NY
1964 - West Palm Beach Municipal, Fla
1970 - Riverton, Riverton NJ
1972 - Ballybunion
1980 - Rolling Green, Philadelphia
1981 - Pine Valley
1982 - Merion


Mike Hamilton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2012, 10:28:31 AM »
Jim,

Definitely an interesting thread and head scratcher.

1982: Hillcrest Golf Course (NLE, Sharon Amity Rd Charlotte, NC)
1983: Raleigh Golf Association (Raleigh NC)
1985: Wolf Laurel Country Club, (Mars Hill NC)
1987-1998: DNP
1998: Barton Creek Fazio (Canyon Course?), Austin TX
1999: Bandon Dunes
2010: Pacific Dunes
2012: Ballyneal

Which would be saying that Ballyneal is the best course I have played IMO.  Note sure about that...but its close.

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2012, 10:35:54 AM »
Interesting exercise.  It's hard to actually piece a timeline together:

1993    Pascack Brook (NJ)
1994    Fiddler's Elbow CC (NJ)
1995    Fenway
1996    Yale
1999    Pinehurst #2
2003    RCD
2004    Pac Dunes
2005    TOC
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 11:02:34 AM by Jud Tigerman »
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Brian Colbert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2012, 11:33:25 AM »
Mine doesn't really speak to the depth I have now, but it is still an interesting list.

2000: Wild Dunes Links Course
2004: RTJ Trail Cambrian Cove
2006: Rich Harvest Links
2008: Aronimink
2009: Victoria National
2010: Merion
2012: Pine Valley

Mark Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2012, 11:43:53 AM »
initial stab:  will need to think about some more


1986:  Country Club of Jackson
1988:  Treetops
1989:  Warwick Hills
1992:  Prairie Landing
1993: Chicago
2005:  Merion
2006:  Erin Hills
2007: Whistling Straits
2009- Present:  Merion
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 03:23:27 PM by Mark Johnson »

Mark Bourgeois

Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2012, 11:48:04 AM »
Mark, tell us why Merion lost the title, and then tell us why it regained the title.

Sven Nilsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2012, 11:51:37 AM »
c. 1975 - unnamed miniature golf course (Cape Cod)
c. 1980 - homemade backyard course using tuna cans for holes (New Haven, CT)
c. 1986 - Springhaven CC (PA)
c. 1991 - forgotten Myrtle Beach course played on Spring Break (SC)
1997 - Vanderbilt Legends Club (TN)
1997 - Belle Meade CC (TN)
1998 - The Ocean Course - Kiawah (SC)
1998 - Sleepy Hollow (NY)
1999 - Pebble Beach
2007 - Pacific Dunes
2009 - Royal County Down
2011 - Royal Melbourne West
"As much as we have learned about the history of golf architecture in the last ten plus years, I'm convinced we have only scratched the surface."  A GCA Poster

"There's the golf hole; play it any way you please." Donald Ross

Mark Johnson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2012, 11:59:30 AM »
Mark, tell us why Merion lost the title, and then tell us why it regained the title.

Because I was stupid.

I had never really played links style golf before so I fell in love with straights/erin hills.  After playing them more, i realized that these courses didnt have the nuance that I appreciate at Merion.

Also at that time I was a huge bomb and gouger without much control and got too frustrated by the treelined courses I grew up with.   Kinda like the reckless child who runs away and then comes back.

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2012, 12:02:24 PM »
This will be tough to reconstruct, because my mom used to accuse me of naming every cool new golf course I saw the best I had ever seen.  I'll try to remember what they were:

1971:  Sea Pines Plantation (Sea Marsh course)
1971:  Harbour Town
1974:  Pebble Beach
1976:  Cypress Point
1979:  National Golf Links of America
1980:  Pine Valley
1982:  The Old Course at St.Andrews
1982:  Royal Dornoch
1982:  Cruden Bay  (brief infatuation with giant sand dunes)
1983:  Ballybunion (see above)
1985:  National Golf Links of America (second visit)
1986:  Crystal Downs (second visit)
1988:  Royal Melbourne (first visit)
1990:  Pine Valley (second visit)
1998:  The Old Course at St. Andrews (older and wiser me)

Someday I hope to build a course that belongs on a list like this, but I can honestly say that while I think most of the courses on the list above could be surpassed, I doubt that The Old Course could ever be surpassed.


Jason Goss

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2012, 12:23:25 PM »
1986: Bear Lake County Highlands Bear Lake, MI
1990: Leslie Park Ann Arbor, MI
1994: University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
1996: High Pointe Williamsburg, MI
2000: NGLA
2000: Shinnecock

Still waiting to play Pine Valley and TOC but I will have a hard time unseating Shinnecock from this list.  Nothing that I have played since has me as eager to go back.
Jason Goss
Golf Course Superintendent
Sonoma Golf Club
Sonoma, CA
www.sonomagolfclub.com

Cory Lewis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2012, 12:26:41 PM »
1991: Winchester CC-Winchester, VA

1992: Pinehurst No. 2

1995: Pebble Beach

1997: Royal Dornoch

2000: Royal County Down

2002: Royal Dornoch-didn't see it again, just changed my mind :)

Instagram: @2000golfcourses
http://2000golfcourses.blogspot.com

Mark Steffey

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2012, 12:27:54 PM »
1981 - vacant
1984 - Linden Hall (Dawson, PA)
1987 - Belleair CC West (Belleair, FL)
1994 - The Country Club (Brookline, MA)
1997 - Blue Canyon CC (Phuket Thailand)
1999 - Olympic Club (San Francisco, CA)
2000 - Laurel Valley GC (Ligonier, PA)
2006 - Baltusrol Lower (Springfield, MA)
2010 - Essex County Club (Manchester, MA)
2011 - Newport CC (Newport, RI)

jonathan_becker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2012, 12:36:03 PM »
'91 - Shady Hollow CC (Massillon, OH)
'93 - Brookside CC (Canton, OH)
'96 - Muirfield Village  ::)
'08 - Kiawah Ocean
'10 - Merion
'10 - Oakmont
'11 - Seminole
'11 - Shinnecock

Between '96 - '08 I had a few breaks from golf where I didn't play.

Steve Burrows

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2012, 01:01:21 PM »
1985: Ulen Country Club (Lebanon, IN)
1993: Broadmoor Country Club (Indianapolis, IN)
1998: Cog Hill #4 (Lemont, IL)
1999: Crooked Stick Golf Club (Carmel, IN)
2000: Scioto Country Club (Upper Arlington, OH)
2004: Riviera Country Club (Pacific Palisades, CA)
2008: Kingston Heath Golf Club (Melbourne, AUS)
...to admit my mistakes most frankly, or to say simply what I believe to be necessary for the defense of what I have written, without introducing the explanation of any new matter so as to avoid engaging myself in endless discussion from one topic to another.     
               -Rene Descartes

Terry Lavin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2012, 01:11:46 PM »
From 1980 on, in the incremental order of personal fondness:

Cog Hill Dubsdread
Beverly CC
Medinah #3
Butler National
Olympia Fields
Cherry Hills
Harbourtown
Pebble Beach
LACC North
Cypress Point
Pacific Dunes
Sand Hills

An evolution from parkland to muscle courses to minimalism. Fun travels.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2012, 03:15:01 PM by Terry Lavin »
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  H.L. Mencken

Mike Boehm

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2012, 01:32:48 PM »
1989 - Begin Playing Golf.  No courses made a lasting impression on me until...
1991 - Bloomfield Hills Country Club - Caddied there for a decade, had never seen a course in such incredible shape.  Couldn't wait for 2pm Monday to roll around every week so I could spend the rest of the daylight hours on it.
1997 - Torrey Pines South
2000 - Arcadia Bluffs
2004 - Oakland Hills South
2007 - Pacific Dunes


Ed Oden

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2012, 01:33:29 PM »
This is an interesting exercise because it forces you to examine not only the courses you have played but also your architectural understanding at the time you played them.

1968ish:  Northern Hills Golf Course (Enid, OK) - 9 holes of dirt that could very well be the finest example of a Doak "0" the world has ever known.  But, as the first course I played, it was special at the time.  Kind of like my first car (a 1971 Pinto which exploded if hit from behind) will never appear in my memories as pathetic as it actually was.

1970ish:  Quartz Mountain Resort (OK) - The only thing I remember about the course was that it actually had grass, which was a true revelation.  Northern Hills certainly gave no clue that was a possibility.

1976:  Lions Club (Austin, TX) - Hhmmm, this was different some how.  In addition to vegetation, there was actually some meat on the bone.

1977:  Madison Golf Club (NJ) - The first private course I ever played.  The level of conditioning was something I had never experienced before, which seemed important at the time.  While that may have been misguided, this is where my interest in golf courses, their architecture and history began.

1978:  Morris County (NJ) - My first course with a pedigree.  

1979:  The Old Course (St. Andrews) - The holy grail lived up to expectations.  I never thought I'd play anything better.  But then...

1983:  Pebble Beach - The intoxicating allure of Pebble's dramatic seaside holes was impossible to deny.  I would like to think it is a reflection of the difference between where I was at 21 and where I am now that I wouldn't put Pebble ahead of TOC today.

2006:  Pacific Dunes - It didn't surpass TOC for pure links golf or Pebble for eye candy, but it was close enough on both accounts for me to see it as the best of both worlds.

2006:  NGLA - Pacific Dunes lasted in the top spot for a mere 17 days.  There is more architecture at NGLA than anywhere else I have been.

2006:  Shinnecock - Of course, I played Shinny the day after NGLA.  While NGLA is probably my favorite place in the world and the course I would return to first if ever given the chance, in my heart of hearts I have to say that Shinnecock is the better golf course.  It just has no meaningful weaknesses in my view.

For what it's worth, I have yet to see PV, Cypress, Oakmont, Merion or Royal Melbourne, which I would think are the most likely to supplant Shinnecock.

Chris Clouser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #22 on: August 19, 2012, 02:18:56 PM »
Not sure mine stacks up in any way. 

1988 Crooked Stick (pre PGA changes)
1993 Muirfield Village
1996-97 Not sure which year - Oakland Hills
2002-3 Not sure the order on these but I think it was Southern Hills, Prairie Dunes and then Crystal Downs.  Played all of them within a six month window.
Still haven't played anything that beats Crystal.

Doug Sobieski

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #23 on: August 19, 2012, 02:37:13 PM »
1981 - Faulkwood Shores (Howell, MI)
1982 - Harbour Town
1985 - Point O' Woods
1987 - Oakland Hills (South)
1988 - Crystal Downs
1995 - Oakmont
1999 - Pine Valley
1999 - Cypress Point

Brian Colbert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Your History of Greatest Golf Course Ever Played
« Reply #24 on: August 19, 2012, 04:16:04 PM »
I'm genuinely surprised that nobody has put Trump Scotland at the top of their list in 2012! I guess none of you guys have played it yet ;)