[Mark Jackson]

I did not visit many new courses this year, but I finally played Brookside Country Club (Canton) for the first time. I have been a member at my club for four years and it has a reciprocal relationship with Brookside. However, I had never found time to get down there. Many of people that I play golf with at my club rave about Brookside and there are many on here that hold it in high regard. Needless to say that my expectations were pretty high, but the course met or exceeded them.

I played the course in the early fall and it was in immaculate condition with the greens were in excellent shape. From the looks of the property, it appears that the course would be a very difficult and hilly walk, but it was routed in such a way that the walk was actually much easier than I expected. I really didn't break a sweat until coming up the hill on the last hole. The greens have a lot of interest. Will definitely have to make an effort to get down there more often.

[Bob Montle]

It is extremely hard for me to decide between Machrihanish and N. Berwick

NB was more fun, more quirky and perhaps more scenic.
It is also the one to which I want to drag my friends.

But playing Machrihanish was so relaxing and just plain pleasureable.  It hypnotized me into that rare state of mellow happiness where it didn't matter where my shots went or whether I three putted the last green.  Time stood still, the earth stopped spinning and my soul was in Brigadoon.  I walked, swung, putted and moved on in a mellow daze,

The best golfing 'high' of my life.  I just wish I had the words to describe the magical wonderful feeling I had there.   Unique in my golfing experience.

[Adam Lawrence]

I agree with you Bob. When people ask me what courses I like best, I always say Machrihanish is my favourite. I would not call it the best I've ever seen or played, but my reaction to it is similar to yours. A small part of my soul lives in those dunes on the western edge of Kintyre.

[jonathan_becker]

I did not visit many new courses this year, but I finally played Brookside Country Club (Canton) for the first time. I have been a member at my club for four years and it has a reciprocal relationship with Brookside. However, I had never found time to get down there. Many of people that I play golf with at my club rave about Brookside and there are many on here that hold it in high regard. Needless to say that my expectations were pretty high, but the course met or exceeded them.

I played the course in the early fall and it was in immaculate condition with the greens were in excellent shape. From the looks of the property, it appears that the course would be a very difficult and hilly walk, but it was routed in such a way that the walk was actually much easier than I expected. I really didn't break a sweat until coming up the hill on the last hole. The greens have a lot of interest. Will definitely have to make an effort to get down there more often.

Welcome to the "I love Brookside" club.  The course has some of the most incredible greens in all of golf.

[jonathan_becker]

I'm done playing golf in 2015 so the best course I played for the first time this year was probably Riviera. 

Very close runners up would be Wolf Point and Somerset Hills.

[Ben Hollerbach]

The best for me was clearly Crystal Downs


The biggest suprise was Orchard Lake

Orchard Lake was both the best of the year and the biggest surprise. A simply wonderful place to play.

[Matt Frey, PGA]

There's still a month and a half left in 2015! But, to date, the best course I've played for the first time has been Fishers Island, with Philly Cricket's Wissahickon and Baltimore Five Farms East a close second. The (minor) surprise of the year was Hyde Park in Cincinnati; awesome Ross layout.

[Carr Harris]

Royal Dornoch was probably the "best" course(those greens ) I played this year but the most surprisingly good was Castle Stuart. I thought I would like it based upon what I knew about it going in but was floored when I actually played it. I don't say this lightly but It may be the single best modern course I've ever played. I absolutely loved it.

[Jim Franklin]

Clear Creek Tahoe.

[Matthew Petersen]

It would certainly be Desert Forest. Just an amazing property.

[MCirba]

There's still a month and a half left in 2015! But, to date, the best course I've played for the first time has been Fishers Island, with Philly Cricket's Wissahickon and Baltimore Five Farms East a close second. The (minor) surprise of the year was Hyde Park in Cincinnati; awesome Ross layout.

Matt,

What??  It wasn't WCG&CC?

[Dave Herrick]

As to best, I can't choose between St. Enodoc and Pennard, but playing Hooper Golf Club in Walpole, NH on an Indian Summer day at the height of foliage season can't help but touch a native New Hampshireman's golfing soul.

[Jud_T]

Easily Barton Hills.  A very pleasant surprise, which doesn't happen very often these days.  One of the better Ross courses I've played, some great elevation changes, very cool greens and just a great vibe to the whole place.  One could be very content playing here and U of M for the rest of their days.  Also enjoyed Olympia Fields South and Mount Prospect.

[JStewart]

Calusa Pines GC
 
It doesn't feel like a "Florida course." Really neat place.

[Niall C]

For me the best new course played this year would be Formby.


I played a couple of nice Cabell Robinson courses in the Costa Del Sol but an OK links is always going to beat a good Spanish course. Other honourable mentions include Formby Ladies and Wick, however the prize for "Bloody Hell, wasn't expecting that !" goes to Whinhill GC. Measuring 5,504 yds from the tips.....as well as the yellows, reds and any other colour you wish to name.. that's right only one set of tees....this course is decidedly old school with benched in rectangular greens on an open moorland with panoramic views.


Niall

[Criss Titschinger]

For me, White Bear Yacht Club; without a doubt.

The (minor) surprise of the year was Hyde Park in Cincinnati; awesome Ross layout.

I'm making Hyde Park a high priority, must-play for 2016.

[Mark Pearce]

Interestingly I just remembered that I played Royal Birkdale for the first time this year.  I knew I preferred Portrush by a great distance but now, thinking about it, I still think that both Moraine and certainly The Golf Club were "better" in that I enjoyed playing them more.

[Steve Lapper]

Cabot Cliffs by a wide margin.

[Nathan Perry]

I played Camargo for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  Tee to green it could be better than Fisher's, with more than enough width to create any shot shape imaginable and ample room to hit low running shots onto nearly every green.  The greens had that giant, bold feel that many Raynor's posses and the subtle, internal contouring was exceptional. And the par 3's alone have received plenty of well deserved praise on this site.


My favorite first time play for a public course this year had to be Mt. Prospect.  I hadn't played it before Esler's work, but the greens have to be among the best of any public offering in Illinois.


Honorable mention....Kankakee Elks.  This is a rare golden age gem well worth playing.  Aside from the excessive trees/weeds that have made it sadly claustrophobic over the years, the greens are fantastic and if I remember correctly, all are original Langford/Moreau with the exception of the par 3 fifth, which I still happen to love.  If you haven't checked this place out, you're doing yourself a great disservice.  Hard to find a better place to play for $25.

[Scott Weersing]

I would say Common Ground GC was the best I played for the first time this year. It is a Doak but different from others because of the long par 3s on the back nine. I have not played a Doak with long par 3s on the back nine. Pacific Dunes has four par 3s on the back nine but only 10 would be considered long from the high tee.


Another best course I played, but it would come in second to Common Ground was Brackenridge Park in San Antonio with square and rectangle greens by Tillinghast.



The most interesting course I played for the first time was Denver CC with member Doug Wright. I would call it a best of, or a tribute course, as it has a combination of holes from W. Flynn, Ross, Coore, and Hanse. The routing was great with a variety of holes from a variety of designers. The greens were subtle as they looked flat but were not.

[David Davis]

Took me a day to think about this. In retrospect this year was busy and offered up a lot of choices for best course, then I realized I had forgotten to take into consideration the first half of the year. It was one of my best years ever in terms of new courses played:


Formby, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham, Royal Birkdale, Renaissance Club, Castle Course, Turnberry, Prestwick, Troon, Dundonald, Crystal Downs, Kingsley Club, Arcadia Bluffs, Eugene Country Club, Inverness, The Golf Club, Muirfield Village, Brookside, Camargo, The Country Club, Eastward Ho, Old Sandwich, Harbour Town, TPC Sawgrass, Wade Hampton, Mountain Top, Roaring Gap, Old Town Club, Mid Pines, Tobacco Road, Dormie Club and Pinehurst #2.


Best course (favorite) would have to be:


1. Crystal Downs
2. Prestwick
3. Old Sandwich

[Matt Frey, PGA]

There's still a month and a half left in 2015! But, to date, the best course I've played for the first time has been Fishers Island, with Philly Cricket's Wissahickon and Baltimore Five Farms East a close second. The (minor) surprise of the year was Hyde Park in Cincinnati; awesome Ross layout.

Matt,

What??  It wasn't WCG&CC?

Mike: It's between West Chester and Hay Harbor for best nine-hole tracks played this year. The fact that three of the four of us almost took out four different cars on two consecutive holes at WC still haunts me. 

[MCirba]

Matt,

And then I almost did it again on the 5th!! 

[Jeff Taylor]

Lancaster Country Club. Rained out after front 9. Toured the back.
What a course.

[Ryan Bass]

This year is easy as I haven't played much.  Valhalla was my favorite new course.  Single round impression is that it plays/looks/feels like a hybrid of Blackwolf Run - River and Wolf Run.  Very enjoyable, lots of history there too.

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