What would be on a list of lesser known Ross gems?

[Philip Caccamise]

Gulph Mills (Philadelphia)
Manakiki (Cleveland, muni)
Idle Hour (Lexington KY)
Jeffersonville (Phladelphia, muni)
French Lick (Indiana)

Side note, played French Lick a couple weeks ago. The course is in fantastic condition. Some of the hardest par 3's you'll find anywhere, I had to hit driver twice!

[Jason Topp]

For this crowd I would consider Woodhill to be the lesser known Ross gem in Minnesota.  Northland, WBYC and Interlachen do not qualify as "lesser known" and Minneapolis does not qualify as a "gem" to me, at least based on the last few times I have played it with rolled greens and collars of rough surrounding them.

I am very fond of Wachussett in MA and usually mention it on these types of threads.  I sought it out many years ago because I wanted to experience a Ross course and wound up playing 27 because I enjoyed it so much.  https://www.wachusettcc.com/golf

[Tom Fagerli]

For this crowd I would consider Woodhill to be the lesser known Ross gem in Minnesota.  Northland, WBYC and Interlachen do not qualify as "lesser known" and Minneapolis does not qualify as a "gem" to me, at least based on the last few times I have played it with rolled greens and collars of rough surrounding them.

I am very fond of Wachussett in MA and usually mention it on these types of threads.  I sought it out many years ago because I wanted to experience a Ross course and wound up playing 27 because I enjoyed it so much.  https://www.wachusettcc.com/golf

Woodhill fits the bill perfectly! What a place.

[Mark McKeever]

Good call on Jeffersonville Phillip.  That's a good one too.

Mark

[Richard_Mandell]

What about Raleigh Country Club?  We used to have some posters on here that were members and the pictures always looked great.  Maybe Grove Park?  I know Kris Spence renovated it, but I really enjoyed it.

Dale McCallon,

I was the one responsible for the work at Raleigh Country Club, not Kris.  Thanks.

[Jim Sherma]

3dr page and CC of York has still not been mentioned. Heard many good things about it and will be heading down to play it in a couple of weeks.

Played Mark Twain GC a couple of times few weeks back and was completely charmed by it. Great greens and a very good routing. Conditions were wonderful and I strongly reccomend it to all. The gree fees of $23 to walk on a weekday morning and $26 to walk on a weekend was just gravy.

[Josh Tarble]

What does it say about Donald Ross courses to see a list that is now on page 2 of "lesser known gems"?   I have yet to play a Ross course that I did not enjoy -- even those with site limitations still have really good holes.  Where he had really good land, it seems he delivered in spades! 

This is what I was thinking...is there any relatively unaltered Ross that isn't really good? 

I am partial, but I think Broadmoor is very, very good.  That and French Lick make a very good Indiana combo.  French Lick is a great example of how to route a course through severe terrain.  Broadmoor is a great example of how to make a really fun course on boring property. 

[Anthony Butler]

Any of the new New England GCAers play Point Judith? It looks interesting. Ross did several courses in Rhode Island, including Rhode Island CC.

Speaking of which... Metacomet in East Providence.. good set of greens that are even more challenging because the club likes to keep them rolling at 12+.

[BHoover]

What about Sedgefield CC in Greensboro?  Maybe it's not exactly lesser-known because it hosts a Tour event, but it certainly isn't as well known as many other Ross courses?  I've never played it, but I always look forward to seeing it on television, especially now that the club has replaced its bent greens.

[Tom Ferrell]

Sara Bay CC in Sarasota.  I was turned on to this lesser-known gem by a friend.  Haven't yet visited it, but its pedigree is astounding.  A Bobby Jones real estate venture that had Tommy Armour as its touring pro and still produces many champion golfers and hosts a number of Florida championships.

Lakewood CC in Denver - great old course shoehorned into a tiny property.  Crossovers galore and all kinds of interest.

Highlands CC (NC) - mentioned already.  Amazing place and wonderful layout.

Timaquana CC (FL) - few courses do more with less in terms of land features

Raleigh CC blew me away earlier this year.  Loved it.

Athens CC (GA) has lost a few of its Ross features and could use a good tree management program, but the bones are still there for anyone to see - and they're excellent

[Terry Lavin]

I think it's time to recognize that Donald Ross has the deepest bench of lesser known gems.  Absolutely mind boggling.

[Cory Lewis]

Hope Valley CC, Durham, NC

One of his best routings IMO.

[John Ezekowitz]

Two munis in NE that have the bones of being great if they were maintained better: George Wright in Boston and Triggs Memorial in Providence.

[Howard Riefs]

I think it's time to recognize that Donald Ross has the deepest bench of lesser known gems.  Absolutely mind boggling.

It may be a more exacting exercise to identify those lesser known Ross courses that are not gems.

[Ed Homsey]

Jamey--you are right, I should have mentioned Camden CC.  I hope to play there someday.  Have heard great things about it and about the Kris Spence restoration.  It is probably the best Travis/Ross combo in existence.

Speaking of Ross/Travis combos, someone mentioned Youngstown CC.  For years, the Travis Society had Youngstown CC on its listing of Travis courses until our old friend, Tom Macwood, gave us the real scoop on Youngstown.  It is a Barker/Ross combo.

 Here are some very little known Ross courses that are a lot of fun to play if you happen to be in north-central New Hampshire:

Bethlehem CC, in Bethlehem, NH
Maplewood CC, in Bethlehem, NH
Bretton Woods, at the Mount Washington resort.

While you're there, its just a short hop up to the previously mentioned Balsams.

Another Ross course tucked away in the sticks of the Adirondacks is Tupper Lake CC.  Not a gem, and the last time I was there, not in great condition, but fun.

[Will Peterson]

Sara Bay CC is very good.  The greens are the most pitched I've played on a Ross course.  Chipping can be quite difficult, especially with the grain.  You just can't get yourself to hit it hard enough up the slopes into the grain because you know if it goes a little long you are done.  17 and 18 are both reachable par 5s that can also cause some trouble which makes for an exciting finish.  There really wasn't much on the site to work with, but a wonderful course was created.

Like Timuquana, Sara Bay CC is a frequent host to FSGA events.  There aren't a lot of chances to play Golden Age courses in Florida, and it's always exciting to see them on the schedule.

[Doug Wright]

I think it's time to recognize that Donald Ross has the deepest bench of lesser known gems.  Absolutely mind boggling.

This is certainly true. What a compendium of courses Ross has.

A few of mine:

--The Minikahda Club (reworked earlier work by Willie Watson et al); way better than The Minneapolis Club IMO
--Wilmington (NC) Municipal
--Wellshire GC, Denver

[Bill_McBride]

Although I have not played it, I've been told that Essex is one of his, if not his, best.

One that I have played, that is very good is Augusta CC and Inverness is over-looked (it is borderline great, if you can over-look a few renovated holes).

In total, I've played 11 Ross courses (Pinehurst #2, Inverness, Seminole, Pine Needles, Holston Hills, Augusta CC, Mid-Pines, Gulph Mills, Columbus CC, Southern Pines, not sure if Old Elm counts)...and each one has been, at a minimum, very good.

I believe he is an excellent router of a golf course and his greens are outstanding.

Mac, you haven't been over to Athens CC yet?  I haven't played a ton of Ross, having grown up west, but Athens is one of my favorites.   Don't spend any time on the third, non-Ross nine.   You might see Mike Young in his office.

[Matt Ingraham]

I am not sure if Memphis CC qualifies as lesser known but my buddy raves about it.  Calls it a mini Augusta and plays it every chance he gets.  He has told me it is a little short but most of the greens are original Ross greens.

[Mark Bourgeois]

I think it's time to recognize that Donald Ross has the deepest bench of lesser known gems.  Absolutely mind boggling.

Yes but only if you put it this way: "Ross". He put a ton of stuff out there; who knows how much time he spent on any and how much today's efforts resemble his original work.

[Dan_Callahan]

He also has one of the best 9-hole courses in New England at Greenock Country Club in Lee. Obviously, the Primrose is very good, as is Hotchkiss and Highland Links, but Greenock is rarely mentioned and I'd rather play it than a number of 18-hole courses in the region. And I'm pretty sure the course is pretty much exactly as Ross designed it. I don't think much tinkering has gone on since the day it opened.

[Bill Shotzbarger]

Torresdale Frankford in Philadelphia. Always part of the Golf Association tournament rotations for big events, great greens, dog legs, long and short holes, nice test. There were some changes about 50 years ago due to road expansion but still has a nice feel to it.

+1

Was going to post about T.F.C.C. before Tom beat me to it. Better than LuLu for sure.

[Mark Steffey]

Mac, you haven't been over to Athens CC yet?  I haven't played a ton of Ross, having grown up west, but Athens is one of my favorites.   Don't spend any time on the third, non-Ross nine.   You might see Mike Young in his office.

mike mills of REM is a member there i believe.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Another Ross course tucked away in the sticks of the Adirondacks is Tupper Lake CC.  Not a gem, and the last time I was there, not in great condition, but fun.

Un-Pleasantly, that may not be so. I have a couple of articles that name Willard G. Wilkinson as the architect at Tupper, although he occasionally worked with Ross during the same time frame. I've never seen any mention of Ross.  

WGW added some holes to Ross' Echo Lake (Westfield, NJ) and worked with Ross on the front nine of Malone CC, Malone, NY. That's the nine Golf Week called the " Best Pure Classic Nine" in the world and said it "includes a fabulous Redan, a roller coaster short par-five, and pure-links style bunkering" (I think the quotes come from Brad Klein).

Pleasantly, I came across this formerly unknown Ross, also in NYS.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,50347.0.html

[Bill Brightly]

Misquamicut, Rhode Island.