Top 10 Military Courses

[Steve_ Shaffer]

From Links Magazine:

http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/military-golf-index

I thought that Falcon Dunes GC (Panks) in Litchfield Park, AZ, the Luke AFB course, would be on this list as it is one of the better courses here in the West Valley of Phoenix. I've played there a few times as a guest and was impressed.

[Mike Sweeney]

The Naval Academy AA is looking at a renovation:

http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/naval_academy/naval-academy-mulling-million-golf-course-renovation/article_c84a7914-c24e-500e-b43d-0624d8310cb7.html

[Brian Finn]

What a coincidence...I was just looking at old threads on the US Naval Academy GC (without knowing this list was recently put out).  I am going to be in Bethesda for Thanksgiving weekend and was mulling checking out some golf courses within an hour or two.

Based on the photos, the USNA course looks like a neat old Flynn, which with some TLC could be really great.

[Chris DeToro]

Really interesting thread especially as I've played many of the military courses around the world...

The Naval Academy course is really fantastic.  It's been years since I've played it, but it's really a hidden gem.  

Others of note that are quite good:

Stryker on Ft Bragg is a Donald Ross.  It's in dire need of some TLC, but it fits the Pinehurst region well
The two courses at Ft Belvoir are really good with some great terrain
Does Army Navy CC count?  Both of those facilities have great courses as well

[Tim Leahy]

I would rank Marshallia Ranch at Vandenberg AFB over Miramar. Kaneohe has some great holes on the dunes but so does Coronado Navy course.

[Bill_McBride]

I would rank Marshallia Ranch at Vandenberg AFB over Miramar. Kaneohe has some great holes on the dunes but so does Coronado Navy course.

I haven't played it for decades, but Navy-Marine in Pearl Harbor was a lot of fun and challenging in those breezes. 

[Chris DeToro]

I wonder if they covered the ones overseas.  The course at Ramstein AFB in Germany holds a lot of fond memories from high school golf.  As well as the course at Heidelberg. 

[Garland Bayley]

I would rank Marshallia Ranch at Vandenberg a Doak 2 or lower.

[MMcCollins]

Its hands down the Bayonett and Blackhorse in Monterey, CA.  I'm fairly certain this/if not these 2 are the best military courses in the country.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Bayonet & Black Horse are no longer military courses. The City of Seaside acquired the courses and surrounding acreage in 2005 and Seaside Resort Development renovated the 2 courses in 2009:

In January 2009, Seaside Resort Development, LLC (SRD) completed the upgrade of the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses to meet current PGA standards. The next phase of development will feature a four-star hotel with approximately 275 rooms, 175 timeshare units and 125 custom residential lots fronting the redesigned, award-winning courses. In July 2009, SRD released the first 30 residential lots at “The Enclave at Cypress Grove” for sale.

[Richard Hetzel]

Of that list I have only played West Point (which is open for public play), which I thought was a pretty good course with a quirky, shoe-horned back nine. The greens were awesome.

I was stationed at Fort Jackson from 1990-92 and the club was expanded to 36 holes right as I was getting out of the Army. The original course lost 5 of the holes off the original front 9. Fort Jackson is a great place to play golf.

I regret that I never took the time to play golf while I was stationed in Germany for 3 years….

I played a bunch of other military courses but most were pretty bland.

Just in case anyone is interested, here is a link to all the military golf courses. Many are open to public play now unless you can't get access to the base which is tougher these days...

http://www.militarygolfcourseguide.com

[Tom_Doak]

I have not seen it, but when I tell people that I've gone to The Philippines, several have asked if I have played the Baguio course up in the mountains.  I guess for guys that served in Asia it was a coveted r & r spot with cool temps.

[Tim Leahy]

I would rank Marshallia Ranch at Vandenberg a Doak 2 or lower.

What didnt you like about the course?

[Garland Bayley]

I would rank Marshallia Ranch at Vandenberg a Doak 2 or lower.

What didnt you like about the course?

Extreme lack of variety. When I stood on the second tee, I said, "I just played this hole." It has 16 greens all sloped the same back to front with bunkers front left and front right. The other two greens are set on a hill top with deep bunker directly on the line of approach. So even the small variation had to be copied. When it gets into the trees, it has very narrow tunnels down through the jungle on either side. And, it was overwatered and soggy. I didn't examine the soil, but my impression was from looking at the surrounding area that is should be sandy and good for golf, not spongy wet.

EDIT: I now recall that many of the trees were planted on the course, just for the purpose of bordering fairways. So you have trees either lined up directly in a row, or making a slow curve around the dogleg all equally spaced. UGLY! STUPID!

[Nigel Islam]

Which Eglin course is the Langford? The Falcon or the Eagle?

[Tim Gavrich]

Would have loved to see Camp Lejeune's courses mentioned. Even the little Scarlet course is a lot of fun.

[David_Tepper]

Camp Pendleton?

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'd love to see the Naval Academy do some work on the golf course.  It really could be quite good.

[Jim Nugent]

I'd love to see the Naval Academy do some work on the golf course.  It really could be quite good.

Besides improving the course, that would be good p.r. for any architect. 

[Joe_Tucholski]

Which Eglin course is the Langford? The Falcon or the Eagle?

The Eagle course has holes that are likely Langford.

[Rees Milikin]

Has anyone has played the Ft. Gordon course Gordon Lakes?  I am just curious if it would be considered worthy of this thread.

[Rich Goodale]

The only military course I ever played was the wee 9-holer at Fort McNair in DC.  It was one of the most peaceful settings for a game of golf I have ever experienced, even though the dominant architectural feature of the course was the massive National War College looming on the south side of the property.  Googled it today, and found out that it is NLE, alas......

[Patrick Kiser]

Camp Pendleton?

Agreed.  Possibly one of Billy Bell Sr.'s least changed courses.  Several of the greens were messed with, but the routing is pretty much unchanged.

I thoroughly enjoy playing it when the chance presents itself.

However, it's one of those courses where the potential to be so much better is evident.

[Matt OBrien]

I play the Legends club on Paris Island a few days a week and the conditions of that course are far beyond any in the area. They recently had the all military challenge there and they were able to get the greens running at a 12. It is quite a treat to play there.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I grew up on military courses. At Ft. Devens, MA part of the course was on the parade field.  In Berlin (1960) we played an old German course that was pretty good.  I'd actually like to know more about that course.  In Maryland I played at Ft. Meade.  There were two ok courses.  I remember one day (early 60's) military cars and MPs all rolled into the club.  One car had a flag with 5 stars on it.  Ike piled out of the car to play.  Both courses at Ft. Meade are now gone.