Golf courses that are most boring tee to green, but with amazing green complexes

[Peter Ferlicca]

I was thinking about this the other day while playing a golf course.  What courses are the most boring from tee to green, but once you get to the green complexes, they provide great interest?  Vice versa, which courses are very interesting from tee to green, but once you approach the green complexes you are left wondering what happened and are bored?

I assume many golden age golf courses fall into the first catergory with great green complexes, where as many courses built in the 90s have tons of interest from tee to green but once you get to the greens are left underwhelmed.  

Would you assume the average retail golfer probably prefers more eye candy in the fairways, and easier more blah green complexes?

[Michael Blake]

Vice versa, which courses are very interesting from tee to green, but once you approach the green complexes you are left wondering what happened and are bored?

Bethpage Black might qualify.

[Alex Miller]

I think if a golf course is boring tee to green, but has an amazing green complex you'll generally find that tee to green is not as boring as it may appear.

If there is width, then there are preferred angles to approach interesting greens depending on pin position and therefore there is some interest (to me at least) tee to green.


I suppose The Valley Club is more boring tee to green than the green complexes, but I don't know what more could have been done with the property. It is still a fantastic golf course.

[Robert Chwalik]

Don't necessarily agree with BP Black.  I think it has a great deal of interest tee to green IMO.  anyway, had the opportunity to play the Jockey Club - Red a couple of weeks ago and tthe green complexes were truly exceptional.  Tee to green was underwhelming (certainly not as memorable as the greens)

[jeffwarne]

ANGC

Except I don't agree with the premise of the thead.
If the green complexes are truly amazing, the course is NOT boring from tee to green.

[BCrosby]

Except I don't agree with the premise of the thead.
If the green complexes are truly amazing, the course is NOT boring from tee to green.

Well said.

[JLahrman]

I have not played it. But, based on what I recall from comments in past threads (and forgive me if I'm doing some Roger Clemens-style misremembering), would Oakland Hills South be a candidate?

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Some long-since retired GCA'ers would maybe say this about Aronimink... especially in relation to the Flynn courses in the area.  I disagree, but can see their point to an extent.

[Josh Tarble]

Here in Indianapolis, Broadmoor is fairly pedestrian off of the tee, but the green complexes are fantastic and varied.  Some of the best I've played.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Crooked Stick is a great test off of the tee and second shots, however, I found the green complexes to be rather disappointing.

[Jon Wiggett]

Tain is one of the best courses I have played tee to green but has a very pedestrian set of greens with the odd exception.

Jon

[Ed Brzezowski]

Some long-since retired GCA'ers would maybe say this about Aronimink... especially in relation to the Flynn courses in the area.  I disagree, but can see their point to an extent.

Wow that is exactly the course that came to mind when I read the caption. From the tee alot of those par fours look alike. It's only the greens that set them apart.

[Dan Boerger]

Ed - Play Aronimink enough and you may find out that being on the correct side of the fairway can make a big difference to your score (in many cases regardless of where the pin is). I think the par 4's tend to look alike to many since they are simply long(ish) and the fairways expansive.

[astavrides]

Don't necessarily agree with BP Black.  I think it has a great deal of interest tee to green IMO.  anyway, had the opportunity to play the Jockey Club - Red a couple of weeks ago and tthe green complexes were truly exceptional.  Tee to green was underwhelming (certainly not as memorable as the greens)

I was going to mention the Jockey Club. I agree. BP Black was mentioned as an example of the vice versa.  Tee to green good, green complex not so much.

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Some long-since retired GCA'ers would maybe say this about Aronimink... especially in relation to the Flynn courses in the area.  I disagree, but can see their point to an extent.

Wow that is exactly the course that came to mind when I read the caption. From the tee alot of those par fours look alike. It's only the greens that set them apart.

I agree completely with Dan.  And, this has been one of the ongoing debates between those that appreciate AGC's subtley even among its big, brawny par-4s and the Flynn-o-philes and their never-ending parade of doglegged holes (excellent ones that they all are... the holes that is).  Was even going to suggest that Ed Brzezowski was a nom-de-plume of some long-since-retired GCA'ers, until i saw your picture in the latest Golf Assoc. of Phila. magazine.  Nice write-up by the way!

 

WW

[Ed Brzezowski]

Thank you fine Sir, how they picked me I will never know .

Look I like AGC, as pointed out some holes just look alike to me. In the courses defense, and mine, I have only played it five times and never in the correct order. I play a partial Flynn and love it. However I have an open mind, I even like Doak tracks.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Vice versa, which courses are very interesting from tee to green, but once you approach the green complexes you are left wondering what happened and are bored?

Bethpage Black might qualify.

YIKES

BPB boring tee to green ?

[JESII]

Pat,

Bethpage is a nominee for the "vice versa" subject...boring greens.

Ed,

Which holes at Aronimik look alike? Other than all the holes where the green looks so far away...

[Ed Brzezowski]

Well most of the par fours I played. I would have to get the yardage book at work to remember the hole numbers.

I just recall hitting decent drives, for an old fart, and beating four  and five irons into some very nice greens. I just cannot recall a par four that stood out among the longer ones. I loved the par threes and  fives.  It was just that the fours were all very similar.

Look not looking for a fight just an observation from a short hitter. I have no prejudices against the club, would love to play it correctly once. I just was not left  a wow factor on a par four.

I am not Tom Paul nor that raging Democrat. Just a lowly Concord cc member.
Ed

[Sam Morrow]

I don't get it, if a course has amazing greens then I don't see how it can be boring from tee to green. Don't great greens have to give you interesting angles and slopes to use. Sounds like you'd have to place your tee shot to best negotiate these great greens.

[Michael Blake]

People, (besides Alex and Jim) please re-read my post regarding BPB and the text I quoted.  Thanks.

[Ed Brzezowski]

I don't get it, if a course has amazing greens then I don't see how it can be boring from tee to green. Don't great greens have to give you interesting angles and slopes to use. Sounds like you'd have to place your tee shot to best negotiate these great greens.

But you are usually hitting the same club into the great greens. Personally I like variety . Probably incorrect but a personal taste. Give me a range of yardages, workout all the bag.

This is part of the problem with that courses rating. Bogey golfers are hitting sixty yard shots into a very fair green at that distance. Oh my that might open a bag o worms.

[Sam Morrow]

I don't get it, if a course has amazing greens then I don't see how it can be boring from tee to green. Don't great greens have to give you interesting angles and slopes to use. Sounds like you'd have to place your tee shot to best negotiate these great greens.

But you are usually hitting the same club into the great greens. Personally I like variety . Probably incorrect but a personal taste. Give me a range of yardages, workout all the bag.

This is part of the problem with that courses rating. Bogey golfers are hitting sixty yard shots into a very fair green at that distance. Oh my that might open a bag o worms.

I too like variety but if a course has great greens it makes the tee to green experience much more than boring.

[Jeb Bearer]

Some people have already said that interesting greens make for interesting fairways because you have to place your ball in the correct side of the fairway. I tend to agree with that, but, how are we defining "boring" here? Can a course have great greens and preferred angles and still be "boring" tee to green? For example, a flat, featureless course might have great greens that encourage a preferred play off the tee. Such a course would hold the golfer's interest perhaps in that he would have to consider where to place his tee shot, but with no hazards or landforms to provide excitement in the fairways, might such a course still be considered "boring"?