The Golf Genie Appears and Grants You Three Rounds...

[Ash Towe]

To keep the genie happy I will select three existing tracks this time:

Pine Valley
Shinnecock
Ellerston

[Paul Gray]

1. Royal Melbourne
2. ANGC
3. Sand Hills

The first two are painfully predictable. The last gets in there because, coming from a links background, I'd just be fascinated to see how things play out in the U.S sand belt.

[Don_Mahaffey]

VK,
I'm traveling into the future whether the genie likes it or not.

1. The next new course that Mike Nuzzo designs.
2. The course I help build with 100% sub-surface irrigation (minus a few spigots for those walking water guns you need a few times a year)
3. The local course I build for my buddies.

In the interim,
1. Crystal Downs
2. National
3. Royal Melbourne

[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

1) Pine Valley
2) Crystal Downs
3) Nanea

[Steve Lapper]

From the Present:

Shanqin Bay
Cape Kidnappers
Barnbougle/Lost Farm

From the Past:

Lido
Timber Point
Hollywood, Circa 1921

[Matthew Rose]

1. ANGC
2. TOC
3. Pine Valley

[Michael Essig]

1) Cypress Point - I am a CA guy, and this it IT when it comes to golf for me.  So, when the very nice person on this site offered a place, my heart sank.  I asked my wife if she would have given it her blessing to play*, and she said she would have packed for me.  Got a love her.  
2) Pine Valley - heard just so much about it
3) Royal Melbourne - will make the trip some day, with my wife's permission.  Does that mean my wife is my genie?

*We always ask permission of each other, but we never say no.

So, what do I have to rub to make this happen!  Please tell me there is one woman on this site.

[Lyne Morrison]

If I could play NGLA again I would forgo the need for second and third options.

Lyne

[Will MacEwen]

Sand Hills

ANGC

Shinnecock Hills

[Peter Pallotta]

Lyne - maybe not the right thread for it, but here or somewhere else I'd really like to get your thoughts on why NGLA is such an experience/works so well.  There have been several posters who I like very much who have spoken in glowing terms about the specialness of the place, the magic there (and, like you I'm guessing, these are people who have played a lot of the greats).

Just a regular old genie (and a few good breaks for me personally): Walton Heath, Ballyneal, and Shinnecock.

A genie time traveller: Seminole with Hogan, Augusta with Byron Nelson, and The Old Course with Bobby Jones.

Peter

[Gib_Papazian]

Peter,

Hate me for self-promotion if you like.

Read: The Evangelist of Golf.

The point of the book was largely to answer your question.
 

[jeffwarne]

Machrie
Askernish
Shiskine

Just another Doak 2

[Peter Pallotta]

Gib - thanks, no I appreciate the suggestion. I didn't realize -- though I should have -- that your book with George B explores the magic/spirit of the place. Since the first time I read Tommy N's lovely and poetic words about NGLA's unique aura, I have sought out other people's impressions. From photos and descriptions, it seems like a great course, but perhaps no greater than any other "10". But from the people who have played it, it seems to be truly in a world of its own.

Peter

[SteveOgulukian]

1 - Trump International Scotland
2 - Trump National Bedminster
3 - Trump National Westchester

- says the Donald

[jeffwarne]

Narin and Portnoo (emergency 9 Cruit Island)
Dunfanaghy (emergency 9 Gweedore)
Portsalon (emergency 9 Otway)

Sleep in the same bed every night (giving me more quality time with 1967 Barbara Eden)

[David Harshbarger]

8 year old:

Saratoga Spa Executive
Masters
Scotland

11 year old:

Mission Hills Contest Course
Augusta National
Pine Valley

46 year old:

Minchinhampton (livestock present or no deal; substitute Pine Valley)
Riverview (oil sand greens in Western Australia)
Neguri

[Ronald Montesano]

Devil's Paintbrush (Robert Thompson's word is near-Yukon gold for me.)
Indianwood
The Golf Club (I know a guy...)

[Chuck Glowacki]

St. Andrews - TOC
AGNC
Sand Hills

[Curtis Woods]

1.  Fisher's Island
2.  Garden City
3.  Seminole

[Cristian]

1. Cypress
2. Crystal Downs
3. PV

[Martin Toal]

You guys ever watch "Midnight in Paris"...that Woody Allen movie with Owen Wilson?  I loved that movie.  I'm sure others will be looking back saying similar things about our current crop of modern courses.  Nevertheless, I am with you guys on a lot of these courses.

I saw it. Interesting idea and good cast, although I thought Own Wilson was miscast. Someone younger and with a bit more heft might have done better in the role.

[Colin Macqueen]

Gentlemen,

Pre-empting the whimsical nature of this genie:

The Addington.

Aberdovey.

Myopia Hunt Club.

Cheers Colin

[Charlie_Bell]

1.  NGLA
2.  Royal Dornoch
3.  Tie:  Two St. Andrews courses (The Old Course, of course;  Hastings-on-Hudson for sentimental reasons)

[Shaun Feidt]

1. Augusta National
2. Chicago Golf Club
3.  The Country Club (Pepper Pike)

[Joey Chase]

Peter,

Hate me for self-promotion if you like.

Read: The Evangelist of Golf.

The point of the book was largely to answer your question.
 

  You guys need to re print the book so it's affordable to us poor folk, maybe the same time the new Raynor book gets published?