Best golf course creeks?

[john_stiles]

Grandfather Mountain does have some beautiful creeks.    As does an older course nearby,  Linville GC.  

Linville has a marvelous creek wandering through that is very much in play at the 3rd, 14th, and 15th.

And while in the lovely old Appalachians of  North Carolina,    Diamond Creek is another.    Though I have never been there,  the course is aptly named for the appointments and conditioning as  I have been told.

John


And don't forget  "Old Man Kelsey's Creek" at Mayberry CC.     My friend there,  Ernest Bass, was fond of that crick.

[Carl Johnson]

Brad, do you understand that the "creek" on 18 at Quail Hollow is not a natural creek, but rather a man made, recirculating water feature?  I'm not questioning it's look or its contribution to the strategy of the hole - just want to make sure you understand that the "creek" was put there by man (when 18 was redesigned a number of years ago, as I recall, because I do not remember it as part of the original hole).

Carl, in discussing "creeks" as a design element of a golf hole, why do feel compelled to distinguish between man-made and natural?  After all, I suspect Rae's Creek is far different today due to the hand of man than it was when R.T. Jones first laid eyes on it.  

Whatever the origin of the water feature on the 18th at Quail Hollow, I agree with Brad that for its size it seems to have a remarkably powerful effect on the top-notch players who deal with it once a year.  Seems to be a well-designed and interesting golf hole--no difference to me if it was bulldozed in or there from geologic time...

Don't disagree with your position at all.  For some it might matter, but for others not.  I think that in a discussion of golf course architecture it's reasonable to put all the "facts" that one can out on the table, and then each student of golf architecture can reach his or her own conclusion about the merits of the design.  That's all.  Kingsbarns is built on a completely man-made landscape.  That doesn't detract from it in anyway, but I think that is an interesting fact to know when thinking about Kingsbarns' architecture.  With the Quail Hollow creek, some might laud the architecture that created this feature.  Others may prefer architecture, or think differently about it, which changed as little as possible of the exising landscape.

[Bill Brightly]

My single favorite use of a creek on one hole is Plainfield's par 5 #12


But when it comes to using a creek throughout a routing, I'd have to say  it is Saucon Valley. With three courses, the Saucon Creek comes into play 17 times, twice on two holes.

Grace #10

[John Kirk]

San Francisquito Creek runs through the Stanford University golf course.  It's quite large, 30-50 yards wide and 30-50 feet deep, and comes into play on holes 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 14, and 15.  It is an excellent "barranca".

[Carl Johnson]

Also in the North Carolina mountains, the Mount Mitchell Golf Club (daily fee) has two nice "creeks" running through it.  One is called Still Fork, and the other, into which it flows, is the South Toe River.  In spite of the name "river," at this point, far upstream, I think it is fair to call it a creek.  I can name flowing bodies of water called creeks that are wider than the South Toe as it flows through the course.  The only issue I have with the South Toe is that it has been channeled in a straight line and it's banks packed with stones where it crosses the 14th fairway.  From a practical, maintenance standpoint this may be a sound approach, but it does detract from the look.  Compare, if you can, the much more natural look where it crosses the par three 15th hole.  You can get a little bit of an idea from Google Maps satellite view, particularly of the channel crossing 14.  The view at 15 is too shaded to see anything.  Unfortunately, the course's own website does not feature these creeks in its course photos, such as they are.

[Pat Burke]

the creek in front of the green on #6, and along #7 at
Atlanta CC was awesome.
Loved playing that tournament back in the day

[John Chilver-Stainer]

In the Val d'Aosta at Courmayeur GC there are 2 holes which play across a mountain river. The other holes run parallel to the river.

It's a 9 Holer but worth visiting, designed by Peter Gannon in the 30's and according to their web site pepped up by Henry Cotton in the 40's.The course is set in a beautiful mountain valley among old pines with spiky mountains overshadowing the course.

The 7th green has one of the best internal lumps I've ever seen, not so much a dead elephant as a sleeping camel.

Another river crossing is the first hole at Matterhorn G.C near Zermatt, Switzerland where a mountain river bisects the course.

[Matthew Essig]

The barrancas of Pasatiempo get my vote.

[Sean_A]

How about the Barry Creek, whoops, Barry Burn at Carnoustie?
All the best.

The Barry Burn is awesome, not least because it is also utilized for some very good golf on the Burnside Course.

Ciao

[Nigel Islam]

Floyd's Fork at Valhalla is integral to the course and how it plays although I could do without some of artificial stonework.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Wilshire's creek comes in to play on at least 12 holes.

The use of that creek, as a dominant architectural feature, is simply brilliant.

A "Google Earth" tour of Wilshire will help in understanding how it was incorporated so well into so many holes.

It was incredibly creative.

[Mike_Trenham]

White Manor, same creek in play on 1, 8, 11!, 12, 13, 17.

[ward peyronnin]

Cruden Bay's Bluidy Burne and Panmure on the back side

[Thomas Dai]

Cruden Bay's Bluidy Burne and Panmure on the back side

Not sure of it's name but if Wade means the burn that crosses the 10th, 11th and 13th at CB that's a great choice. Bluidy Burne, Bloody Burn from the battle that took place there?

There's also a fairly famous body of water in front of the 1st green, to the left of the 17th green and across the 18th fairway at TOC. I recall Notah Begay visiting this burn with his second shot on the 17th on one occasion.

All the best.

[Kyle Casella]

+1 for Wilshire. Some of those holes with the creek are awesome. Kyle Phillips did such a nice job bringing it back to life with renovation. Also, it's almost surreal to have a natural creek still flowing above ground (and without concrete in most places) in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles.

The LA courses in general use creeks, dry creeks, and barrancas very well. LACC North: I am thinking specifically of the par 3 4th, the driveable par 4 6th, the par 3 7th, par 5 8th, and both 17A and 17B (the awesome short hole "rediscovered" during the last renovation). Riviera: the split fairway 8th and par 5 11th. Bel-Air: the par 5 1st, the par 3 10th, and the stretch of 11-14.

[Steven Blake]

I would agree with Mr. Thurman's assessment of Blackwolf Run.  Although I realize it may be more a river than a creek it is breathtaking none the less.  Without it you would be missing something ...

[Tim Rooney]

Myopia Hunt Club appears to provide uniquely natural stream inclusions.

[Carl Johnson]

The wee burn, Stony Brook, at Wee Burn.

[Jim Franklin]

I love the Cape hole at St Louis CC (#8). A shortish par 4 around a creek that is very cool.

[Andrew Buck]

In an effort to further turn this thread into a list of every well known course that has a creek, I'll nominate Butterfield Creek at Olympia Fields.

However, in a twist, I like it's use better on the South Course.  Mostly aesthetic, but some strategy on 2.  Forces strategy on potential carries on 6 (although that would be a sucker attempt), 8 and 11.  Certainly makes you think about blasting driver on 10, and makes solid appearances on 15 and 18.

On the North Course it's a defining feature of the two signature holes 3 and 14 (although not really in play on either approach), adds aesthetics to a couple holes and forces an accurate drive on 17.

For extra bang for your buck, it's also comes into play at neighboring Flossmoor and Idlewild.

[Garland Bayley]

Rae's Creek at ANGC.

Sorry, but we gotta call that one NLE. It was great, then RTJ dammed it up.

[Tim Martin]

The Orchards has a creek that runs north/south through the property and comes into play on 1,9,10,16 and 18. Ross gives you an option to fly the creek on the par four 1st hole or lay it up. The two half par five holes 9 and 16 require a go/no go decision where you can lay up in front of the creek and wedge on or fly it with a crack at eagle.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Doesn't anybody read with a scintilla of comprehension ?

Here's the original question:

I love the way creeks wind their way through a course, playing with your mind.  
What would you consider the best usage of a creek on a course?  [/size][/b]

So how many morons listed a single hole with a creek ?

It's not about an individual hole, it's about the systemic or general use of a creek throughout the golf course.

Yikes, doesn't anybody know how to read ?
Are you all morons ?

Peckman's Creek is put to good use at Montclair, coming into play on 7 holes, and, the creek is rather straight, with some occasional meandering.

Now, will some morons continue to cite a single hole with a creek, rather than a creek that winds it's way through a course ?

[Bill_McBride]

In his opening post Brad says, "I really like the 18th at Quail Hollow in Charlotte."

That's a single hole.  Perhaps you should read a complete paragraph before firing the moron shot.