Interesting golf courses that have NEVER been mentioned on GolfClubAtlas????

[Sam Krume]

I will nominate a course that will have never ever been mentioned on here. Epsom Golf Club in Surrey. Not the RAC but Epsom...a downland course on common land, all on chalk, next to the racecourse. It is a course with the most natural (some crazy)greens, just extensions of fairways, It's wonderful. If you can chip and putt at Epsom you can chip and putt anywhere, I kid you not.

Epsom has been talked about by Lawrence....its on my hit list.


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,53011.msg1217634.html#msg1217634


Ciao

Was a member for 10 years. I can honestly say I have not played a course that has such variety in its greens, IMO they are outstanding. As its land owned by Her Majesty, no bunkering but some wonderful bump and run holes. In a pro am a few years ago, saw Paul Way rip up his card after hole #7 and posting an NR.....

[Adam Lawrence]

I will nominate a course that will have never ever been mentioned on here. Epsom Golf Club in Surrey. Not the RAC but Epsom...a downland course on common land, all on chalk, next to the racecourse. It is a course with the most natural (some crazy)greens, just extensions of fairways, It's wonderful. If you can chip and putt at Epsom you can chip and putt anywhere, I kid you not.

So when are you going to do the damn photo tour you've been promising?

[JJShanley]

Sam:


Why would HMQE2 prevent bunkers on a golf course laid out on land she owns?


JJS

[Sam Krume]

Sam:


Why would HMQE2 prevent bunkers on a golf course laid out on land she owns?


JJS


Not sure but i believe it's because it's common land and some bylaw regarding bringing a different type of soil(?)ie sand onto the land.

[Sam Krume]

I will nominate a course that will have never ever been mentioned on here. Epsom Golf Club in Surrey. Not the RAC but Epsom...a downland course on common land, all on chalk, next to the racecourse. It is a course with the most natural (some crazy)greens, just extensions of fairways, It's wonderful. If you can chip and putt at Epsom you can chip and putt anywhere, I kid you not.

So when are you going to do the damn photo tour you've been promising?

Will do really soon, I promise

[Ed Homsey]

Good to hear North Jersey Country Club getting some attention on this site.  I haven't been there since 2003, but, at the time, I ranked it among my top 5 of Travis courses.  Particularly in terms of the wonderful green sites.

[Carl Nichols]

Sam:


Why would HMQE2 prevent bunkers on a golf course laid out on land she owns?


JJS

Have you seen her short game?

[JJShanley]

Sam:


Why would HMQE2 prevent bunkers on a golf course laid out on land she owns?


JJS

Have you seen her short game?

Yes.

[jeffwarne]

North Fork CC (Cutchogue NY-north fork of Long Island)
Connemara Isles(Galway)-I have mentioned it here I guess
Belle Meade (Thompson Ga)
Greencastle (Donegal)

[Buck Wolter]

I was in Hong Kong last weekend and the European Tour happened to be playing at the the Hong Kong Golf Club so I went out on Sunday. They have 54 holes (Old, New and Eden) -- the event was on a composite course but from what I saw the terrain was excellent, there was more width than expected, good bunkering and some interesting greens. I'm sure it's been mentioned but I don't recall much discussion.

[Joe Bausch]

Bill Crane's list of courses in south Jersey reminds me of one that was recommended to me from some members at Riviera ... Medford Village GC, formerly known as Sunny Jim's. 

The way it was described to me, Sunny Jim's was sort of a poor man's Pine Valley, back in the day.  It's hard to see that now that it's been made into a club for average golfers.

Photos of Medford Village from this summer:


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/MedfordVillage_2019/index.html

[Peter Pallotta]

Don't think I've ever seen a mention of:
Rockway.
Kitchener, Ontario municipal course.
Stanley Thompson - 1935. Par 70 parkland course.
Never read about it here, never seen it featured on any 'top 100 publics' list.
Drapes seamlessly over rolling, river-side topography and seems to have retained much of its period-correct charm, with width and rumpled fairways and strategic hazards and some blind drives/approaches and a variety of contoured greens & engaging surrounds (with sometimes deep & difficult bunkers).
I think it one of the best values in southern Ontario/the greater GTA, and the epitome of understated architectural excellence.
And a wonderful history: it's where many young working-class Canadian greats first learned the game and honed their craft:
Moe Norman (enough said)
Gary Cowans (two-time U.S. Amateur winner)
and the little known Gerald Kesselring (who won the Rockway club championship 11 times, when it was said to be harder to win than the Ontario Amateur)
Stylish old clubhouse, charming little starters hut, putting green three steps from the first tee, and you don't get to the first of the three Par 5s until the 13th hole, when you finish 5-3-5-3-5-4.
It immediately became my favourite (even with the long walk across a now busy street after the 3rd hole and back after the 6th).

[Garland Bayley]

Don't think I've ever seen a mention of:
Rockway.
Kitchener, Ontario municipal course.
Stanley Thompson - 1935. Par 70 parkland course.
Never read about it here, never seen it featured on any 'top 100 publics' list.
Drapes seamlessly over rolling, river-side topography and seems to have retained much of its period-correct charm, with width and rumpled fairways and strategic hazards and some blind drives/approaches and a variety of contoured greens & engaging surrounds (with sometimes deep & difficult bunkers).
I think it one of the best values in southern Ontario/the greater GTA, and the epitome of understated architectural excellence.
And a wonderful history: it's where many young working-class Canadian greats first learned the game and honed their craft:
Moe Norman (enough said)
Gary Cowans (two-time U.S. Amateur winner)
and the little known Gerald Kesselring (who won the Rockway club championship 11 times, when it was said to be harder to win than the Ontario Amateur)
Stylish old clubhouse, charming little starters hut, putting green three steps from the first tee, and you don't get to the first of the three Par 5s until the 13th hole, when you finish 5-3-5-3-5-4.
It immediately became my favourite (even with the long walk across a now busy street after the 3rd hole and back after the 6th).

You need to pay more attention to Ian Andrew who has mentioned it at least twice. And, there is this obscure poster, Pete palota or something like that who has mentioned it at least once before today.

[MCirba]

Manasquan River.  Wow.


Doak 7 or 8?  I'm in that range with my personal assessment.



I drove home 2 hours reconsidering my 2nd favorite course in the state of New Jersey.


Betting my buddy Joe Bausch is similarly conflicted.


Very possibly the best US course no one has heard of. 

[Bill Crane]

Manasquan River.  Wow.

Doak 7 or 8?  I'm in that range with my personal assessment.

I drove home 2 hours reconsidering my 2nd favorite course in the state of New Jersey.

Betting my buddy Joe Bausch is similarly conflicted.

Very possibly the best US course no one has heard of.

Mike:
This is the course that I listed in Nov. 2014 - and noted that I thought it was seriously under-rated and not known outside of central NJ.  I will have to make a Fall pilgrimage now that the shore traffic is dying down.

[MCirba]

Bill Crane,


Yes you do, and I did notice that you had brought it up years back on this thread.


My understanding is that Andrew Green recently completed a good deal of work.


I'm madly in love and I only met her yesterday!


I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts.

[Ira Fishman]

Well, it ain't a Doak 7 or 8, but I do not remember seeing Hidden Valley in Pennsylvania mentioned before.  I played it several times many years ago.  A Russell Roberts design--he did courses in PA, MD, and Del.  After a just awful first hole, it is a very scenic and playable mountain course.  My guess is that it may be over-treed by now.  It is not worth a special trip, but the resort is family friendly.  Seven Springs is nearby which is another family friendly resort with a golf course.  It also is pretty close to Falling Water if you want to see one of the most spectacular examples of architecture in the US.


Ira

[SPDB]

Bill Crane,


Yes you do, and I did notice that you had brought it up years back on this thread.


My understanding is that Andrew Green recently completed a good deal of work.


I'm madly in love and I only met her yesterday!


I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Mike - Pics or it didn't happen.    Seriously, I'd be curious to see the course in its current state, since its been quite a few years since I've played.

[Joe Bausch]

Bill Crane,


Yes you do, and I did notice that you had brought it up years back on this thread.


My understanding is that Andrew Green recently completed a good deal of work.


I'm madly in love and I only met her yesterday!


I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Mike - Pics or it didn't happen.    Seriously, I'd be curious to see the course in its current state, since its been quite a few years since I've played.

After just 1 play Manasquan River is near the very top of my favorites I've ever played.  I think it is that good.

The terrain is just fantastic on 1-11, then 12-17 down by the water are much different but just outstanding. 

Note the course (fairways and greens) had been aerated a few days prior but didn't affect my very strong impression at all.  The presentation was superb.  Goodness gracious the place is simply awesome.

Here is the photo album of the course on my University web server formatted quite large (1400 pixels-wide with modest compression):

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/ManasquanRiver/index.html

If you have a smaller monitor, this album as part of the Bausch Collection at MyPhillyGolf is formatted smaller (but also compressed more) is for you:

http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/ManasquanRiver/index.html

[Tim Martin]

I recently played a 1905 Alex Findlay 9 holer in Northfield, Massachusetts just underneath the Vermont border. It has a card yardage of 2809 and par of 36 and at one point the Northfield Mount Herman School owned the golf course but that is no longer the case. Even though it’s already an enjoyable walk and fun to play with some widening of the fairway mowing lines as well as some additional tree clearing you would really have something. The land and routing are solid and it’s worth a detour off I91 if you are heading into Vermont/New Hampshire.

[Phil McDade]

Bill Crane,


Yes you do, and I did notice that you had brought it up years back on this thread.


My understanding is that Andrew Green recently completed a good deal of work.


I'm madly in love and I only met her yesterday!


I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Mike - Pics or it didn't happen.    Seriously, I'd be curious to see the course in its current state, since its been quite a few years since I've played.

After just 1 play Manasquan River is near the very top of my favorites I've ever played.  I think it is that good.

The terrain is just fantastic on 1-11, then 12-17 down by the water are much different but just outstanding. 

Note the course (fairways and greens) had been aerated a few days prior but didn't affect my very strong impression at all.  The presentation was superb.  Goodness gracious the place is simply awesome.

Here is the photo album of the course on my University web server formatted quite large (1400 pixels-wide with modest compression):

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/ManasquanRiver/index.html

If you have a smaller monitor, this album as part of the Bausch Collection at MyPhillyGolf is formatted smaller (but also compressed more) is for you:

http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/ManasquanRiver/index.html

Joe -- great stuff. Nos. 7, 9, 10 and 11 look really good, and the latter third of the course as you mention is quite the contrast but looks of interest as well.


Interested in some courses you might compare it to -- both in terms of how compares to others you've played on a ranking scale, and then any other courses with a similar feel or vibe to them. Thanks for posting these as always.

[Jim_Kennedy]

The Pinecrest Golf Club in Carolina...........Rhode Island that is. A very fun 9 hole course that was built by no one 'you've' ever heard of way back in 2002.  I never miss a chance to play there after our season ends in NW Ct.

Here's a flyover
https://www.pinecrestri.com/golf

[Cliff Hamm]

Concur. Played Pinecrest about a month ago. Was very pleasantly surprised, as I have played most publics in Rhode Island, and wasn’t familiar with it. Never thought it would be mentioned here.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Concur. Played Pinecrest about a month ago. Was very pleasantly surprised, as I have played most publics in Rhode Island, and wasn’t familiar with it. Never thought it would be mentioned here.

Here's another reason I like it. As I'm walking into the shop for the first time the guy behind the counter says "you a single", and are you walking?" I answer yes. He comes around the counter, opens up the door and asks the 2 foursomes who are about to queue up if they'd please let me tee off before them. They say OK and he says "see you when you get in".......I already know I'm going to love this place before I hit my first shot.   

[Kevin Neary]

Bill Crane,


Yes you do, and I did notice that you had brought it up years back on this thread.


My understanding is that Andrew Green recently completed a good deal of work.


I'm madly in love and I only met her yesterday!


I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Mike - Pics or it didn't happen.    Seriously, I'd be curious to see the course in its current state, since its been quite a few years since I've played.

After just 1 play Manasquan River is near the very top of my favorites I've ever played.  I think it is that good.

The terrain is just fantastic on 1-11, then 12-17 down by the water are much different but just outstanding. 

Note the course (fairways and greens) had been aerated a few days prior but didn't affect my very strong impression at all.  The presentation was superb.  Goodness gracious the place is simply awesome.

Here is the photo album of the course on my University web server formatted quite large (1400 pixels-wide with modest compression):

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/ManasquanRiver/index.html

If you have a smaller monitor, this album as part of the Bausch Collection at MyPhillyGolf is formatted smaller (but also compressed more) is for you:

http://www.myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/ManasquanRiver/index.html

I've always enjoyed Manasquan River. The place is really is a tale of two nines. The 16th(?) may be one of the better holes in the state, especially with the exposed green sitting on the Manasquan River. The 18th I remember being a bit of a let down, but the course is a great amount of fun.


With so many people moving down the shore, MRCC and Spring Lake (a great George Thomas track) have really been killing it.