In terms of overrated and emotionally unengaging, Troon is at the top of the list. I'm also not sure that Winged Foot West has an ounce more charm than Carmoustie, which would be one ounce above zero. If I belonged to W.F., I'd play the little brother every day and probably never set foot on the other tee. I prefer beauty with brains.
Famous venues whose primary selling point is 18 holes of self-flagellation are always popular with the scratch player S&M crowd - but for those of us not into leather, they go the bottom of the list - right there with Medinah, Firestone, Oakmont, Atlanta Athletic Club, Oakland Hills, Aronomink and Southern Hills.
It always surprises me how often middle handicappers come back from playing these courses, raving about how much they enjoyed it - as if being horsewhipped and sodomized by Bubba wearing a sandpaper condom is somehow more fun than going around Fox Chapel or Shoreacres. And If I'm going to be put through the paces, I'd rather climb in the sack with Anna Kournikova (Muirfield) than Venus Williams (Butler National).
I understand how the mentality of many low-handicappers leads to these one-dimensional beasts getting overrated by some of my fellow panelists, but when they elbow courses like Pasatiempo off the list, I strenuously object.